God has been on the move in and through Willow.
We’ve seen Him in our big moments together, as we celebrated Easter, Christmas, baptisms, and Celebration of Hope. We’ve experienced His faithfulness in the unseen moments of prayers being answered, strongholds being broken, and lives being changed. As we begin 2023, we thank God for all He has done in 2022 and look forward to all He has in store.
Will you help fuel the future?
A Letter From Pastor Dave
“I am so grateful for the ways our church has looked like that first church we see over in the book of Acts: a dynamic group of Christians that followed God, lived in community with one another, took care of one another, and gave generously to their community.
Here at Willow, our mission is to help people take next steps to love God, love people, and change the World. We have been spending this entire year intentionally taking next steps as a church to live out our mission in practical ways….”
A Snapshot of God on the Move!
Kids & Students
2,362kids & students served each weekend
133students baptized- 24kids baptized
"Being a JHM leader has made me realize how big of an impact God has had on my life as a high schooler and in general. I want to bring that same joy to these girls so they can carry it with them for the rest of their lives. I have learned how much these girls really mean to me. It’s such a proud and happy feeling to see their hands go up in worship for the first time or share something about their faith in small group. I have learned along the way how much of an influence I have on them. I love when they ask for my advice because most of the time I have been through the same situation they are going through! Although they may not know it, my small group girls are such a motivation for me to grow closer to God and get to know him better. This helps me be able to share his greatness with them. I have matured a lot in relationship with God right along with the girls, as we all create a deeper understanding and love for him together."
—Jayden Geier, Junior at Barrington High School
“My kindergartener has developed friendships in Willow Kids, and he loves coming to church and learning about Jesus! He absolutely LOVES reading his Bible - he asks to read it every night. Thank you to the small group leaders for investing in our kids and partnering with us parents as we try to raise up kids who love Jesus! You are making a difference in the lives of these kids."
—Willow Kids Parent
Groups & Rooted
493small groups
3,489people experienced Rooted
“God called me to be a part of Rooted in a season where I was seeking direction from Him for my life. He is faithful and spoke to me through this small group study. I also enjoyed getting to know my church community in a deeper way. We shared what God was doing in our lives, prayed, laughed and even cried together. The weeks we discussed how to make the most of our lives were especially impactful as well as the revelation of the types of strongholds that may keep us from being effective. I definitely recommend this study for every church member in Willow. It will help us with our mission to Love God, Love People and Change the World.”
—Donna, Willow South Lake
“During Rooted, I was able to be more vulnerable about the truth of my story than I ever have been before (other than with my husband). It was a transformative experience for me. I found support, comfort, and affirmation in my group. I had always feared judgment from my story; being considered not good enough to do God's work because of where I came from. But I experienced the opposite of this. I came out of Rooted feeling affirmed, that my childhood traumas were not my fault. I felt stronger and more confident through the affirmation I received from the wonderful group I was placed in. Over the past few months, I have begun to answer the calling and listen to the promptings that I've been ignoring for years out of fear of the "not good enough." I'm both excited and (admittedly) nervous about where God is asking me to go, but I know that the Rooted experience helped give me the confidence to overcome the fear and continue follow God's path even deeper in my life.”
—Jess, Willow South Barrington
Next
Steps
- 381people baptized
1,281first-time givers
15%of our congregation began attending Willow in the last year- 82people helped through $184,631 given to the Dollar Club
"A new beginning is always difficult, especially when it involves leaving everything behind and starting from scratch. Luckily, God put the Willow Creek family in our path to ease our burden. Thanks to you we were able to turn our house into a home and we will always be grateful for that. God bless!"
—Francisco
"We were displaced and lost almost everything to a house fire. Your generosity helped us to find and ready a home back into our community." —Dollar Club recipient
"I am the primary caregiver for my grandchildren. Your generosity helped me make repairs to my home, creating a safer environment for my grandkids." —Dollar Club recipient
Local & Global Compassion & Justice
1Mseed packs provided 150 million pounds of produce to 200,000 families in Zambia & South Africa
$2.17Mgiven to local & global partners
20cars given away
$764Kraised by 400+ runners through Team World Vision
82KHope Packs sent as Christmas gifts to incarcerated individuals
26Kpeople received food through our Care Center, which is 53% higher than 2021
3,194backpacks & 2000 lbs of school supplies distributed
12truckloads of emergency supplies provided to individuals in crisis
94welcome kits given to refugees settling locally
1Krefugees served in Jordan
90immigrant men supported as they moved to Elk Grove
Reaching Out
24kids enrolled in Willow Preschool, with plans to launch in Huntley in 2024
9Concerts at Willow locations
10conferences at Willow locations
31Community Events at Willow locations
4Ongoing Community Partners who operate regularly in our spaces through leased offices & classrooms
≈500Knew people reached with our digital content
"We have so many wonderful things to say about our experience at Willow Preschool. Our son started in the program last year and is finishing his last year of pre-k at Willow Preschool. The teachers go above and beyond to make the kids feel comfortable, learn social skills, and have fun with a tremendous amount of creativity.
This is such a safe and nurturing environment for all of the kids in the program. My son that is enrolled in Willow Preschool is my 6th child and we have been enrolled in several preschool programs throughout the years. Willow is by far the best! Thank you for giving my son and our whole family such a wonderful experience!"
—Willow Preschool Parent
Help us close the gap & fuel the future.
As you can tell, God has been on the move at Willow! We invite you fuel life change through generosity. You can also give above-and-beyond through our catalyst initiatives, which support our kids and student programs, compassion and justice partnerships, church planting efforts, and Willow development projects!
General Giving: Select “General Fund” in the dropdown menu here.
Above and beyond: Select your gift designation here.