We kick off a new six part series titled, Bearing Witness:Testifying to life in a new year.! This series will be led by & Rev Val Tao & Rev Mark Tao! Throughout the six weeks of this series, we would hear highlights of six different aspects of witness that help us to testify the life of God that is available to us so we can live with purpose and joy. Bearing witness is about a kind of revelation in community which helps us to (in the words of M Shawn Copeland), "make present what has been absent". In this new year, what are some commitments we want to make present- to give proactive attention so that God can be given the glory in and through us, and so that we can participate in that divine life.

"Witnesses to the Reign of God: Now and To Come", Acts 1:1-11

Interim Teaching Pasttor Benjamin Crook

Interim Teaching Pastor Benjamin Crook

Krista Dutt spends her working hours with churches and non-profits working to build peacemaking skills and practice through her work at Mennonite Central Committee and First Church of the Brethren. She also is a chaplain at Illinois Masonic Hospital. She has a couple of ministry degrees from great educational places, trained with some incredible conflict transformation experts, wrote a book and several curriculums, but is on such a steep learning curve to understand and practice abolitionist and restorative justice principles and ideals she feels like she is just beginning her education. Krista has been a member of River City for about 10 years, lives in West Humboldt Park with her husband, Jim, and son, Ben.

Sermon: Part 1 "Worship Pillar" by Rev Von Matthews is a retired Senior Vice President and Global Head of Fraud Risk for The Northern Trust Company and was appointed as a member and Vice-Chairman of the Cook County Board of Ethics for 2 terms. He has also served on the boards of TLN, Breakthrough Urban Ministries, and Sheltered 91. He received his B.S. in Law Enforcement Administration from Western Illinois University, and his MBA from St. Xavier University. He was ordained into ministry in 1995, and attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with a focus in the Urban Ministries program. Von Is currently a member and Community Care Elder at Faith Church in Munster Indiana. He is a part of the teaching team at Faith, and a facilitator for the “Men of Faith” bible study group. He also is actively involved in music ministry at the church, as well as with his praise and worship team ministry, “Proclaim.” Rev Von has been married to his wife Vilma for 41 years and they have 4 children and 10 grandchildren.

Interim Teaching Pastor Benjamin Crook

Interim Teahing Pastor | Benjamin Crook | October 20, 2024