Learn what's happening at all our Willow Creek locations through a wide variety of news and media channels.
This year, Willow Creek Community Church founder Bill Hybels announced that church volunteers would be ensuring that every single inmate in Illinois would be receiving a special Christmas gift bag this year. It’s part of Hybels’ burden for incarcerated people.
Read the full Relevant article here
Willow Creek Community Church's congregation assembled more than 70,000 Prison Packs at weekend services Sunday, Dec. 3, and Monday, Dec. 4, as part of an annual compassion and justice initiative to gift every inmate incarcerated in Illinois with a Christmas gift. Prison packing began five years ago in Willow Creek's Care Center, a ministry that is committed to fighting poverty and injustice.
This will be a new leadership structure for WCCC that replaces the role of senior pastor with two new roles, one focused on leadership and the other on teaching. Stepping into the role of lead pastor is Heather Larson, 42, formerly the executive pastor of the church and its eight Chicago-area locations. Assuming the title of lead teaching pastor will be Steve Carter, 38, who has been Hybels' teaching associate for the last five years.
Willow Creek Community Church will announce senior pastor Bill Hybels' successor at its Saturday evening service, the church said in a news release Wednesday. Hybels founded the South Barrington-based church 42 years ago, and since then it has grown into one of the 10 largest churches in the country, averaging 25,000 attendees each week at its eight locations in the area.
Willow Crystal Lake will mark the opening of its permanent new home at 100 S. Main St. with a celebration and services Oct. 21 and 22. The new, 193,000-square-foot church is situated on a 25-acre campus that will cater to more than 4,000 attendees with room for growth. Its development has been a labor of love with more than 150 volunteers putting in more than 10,000 hours of work, from painting to installing flooring.
Read the Full Article
Donations are on the way from the Chicago area to Hurricane Harvey victims. Diapers, toys, underwear, socks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and shampoo are all being donated to victims and were dropped off at Willow Creek Church in South Barrington...“We decided to give a little blessing so small toys that can be given to the kids who have had a really difficult few weeks,” Josie Michalak, Willow Creek Director of Compassion, said.
.jpg?as=1&h=370&w=550&useCustomFunctions=1¢erCrop=1&hash=5FA79E6696E51AE5E26A5DAFC3BC1BEEA53E311E)
Willow Creek Community Church set a Guinness World Record® for the largest game of catch during our annual DadFest celebration. "It feels great. We did it," Steve Carter said, smiling as he hoisted the certificate. "All of Willow came together. We broke a record!"
Chicago Tribune: In assembly-line fashion, numerous volunteers at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington recently sat at more than a dozen long tables, filling and sealing pocket-sized packets of seeds while applauding other helpers along the way...
Read the Full Article
Willow Creek Community Church has an important message aimed at blessing the lives of an often forgotten population this holiday season: the incarcerated. For the fourth consecutive year, the church spearheads a compassion and justice initiative called Prison Packs, and gifts every inmate in the state of Illinois a Christmas package.
In October 2016, we declared a bold message: Love Everyone, Always. The campaign focused on love, forgiveness, and acceptance amidst a heated time in our country around politics and the election. "Jesus invites us to love everyone, always. The people who don't look like us, vote like us, or act like us—God still deeply loves them. Help us spread this message!” says Teaching Pastor Steve Carter.
The campaign was picked up by the Chicago Tribune and the Associated Press.
Read the Article
Willow Creek's Special Friends ministry performed Disney's Aladdin Jr. to a 5000+ crowd in Willow South Barrington's Main Auditorium. The musical garnered the attention of the Chicago Tribune and local news stations, but more importantly, it gave more than 40 kids and students with special needs the opportunity to put their abilities on display. They captivated the crowd and received a standing ovation!
All Willow Creek locations and pastors have social mdedia accounts to keep you up to date on all that is happening. Check out our complete social media directory to follow any and all!
