Real Hope Community Church

08/30/2026

One of my favorite quotes in difficult times.

“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.” JRR Tolkien

May you find that hope and beauty this week.

08/29/2026

Hope Is the Thing with Feathers. As a birder, I can appreciate Emily Dickenson’s famous line that is tomorrow’s teaching title. Hope sings—it sings through it all. It never stops, according to her—never stops at all.

I love that. Tomorrow we end this series on the kings and prophets of Israel with hope. That’s all we’re going to talk about. Hope. It’s what we most need. Join us at ten.

08/28/2026

Did you know our library had a page with so many great community resources? I didn't! But here it is, and I hope you find what you might need. https://www.oswego.lib.il.us/community-resources
I love libraries so much.

Aurora Food Pantry The Aurora Food Pantry is dedicated to providing nutritious food to the community with compassion and care. View Resource

08/27/2026

I don’t think I’ve introduced you all to the pastor and her husband’s newest grandkids. Yes--two of them this summer! It’s too bad you aren’t meeting them in person—they're even cuter irl. Meet Fadra and August, the newest babies to steal our hearts and make them theirs. It’s OK. We don’t mind that exchange at all.

08/26/2026

How can we pray for you? We really want to know. Drop a message below.

08/25/2026

What do food banks need from us? They need our help all year round, especially during tough economic times like these. Learn how to love our neighbors well.

08/24/2026

Matthew 7.7 “Instead, desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness (justice, right relationships), and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Doesn’t it just? Worrying about tomorrow only adds those troubles onto today’s. Not to mention all our ruminations about yesterday’s. But seeking God and what God wants of us first? Keeping that as our compass point, our North Star, our center of gravity? It makes everything else fall together where it belongs. You know how staring at one focal point will help you keep your balance if you stand on one leg? Same thing. Exact same thing. Stare at the one point. We stay balanced that way. Stare at all the competing points around it? We’re lost.

08/11/2026

Tons of good information here for you or family members/friends who might need it. Knowing your rights is very important in the outcome of any immigration interaction. https://www.illinoisimmigrationinfo.org/know-your-rights

Everyone is protected by the law in Illinois. Start here to get to know your rights as an immigrant community member.

08/10/2026

“You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.” Psalm 139

Do you know how preciously and perfectly you were made? If you don’t—if that wasn’t a thing you were told at important times in your life—please take God’s word for it. You are a wonderful work. Nothing about you is an accident. God calls you a masterpiece.

08/08/2026

Never Enough—where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. Tomorrow at church we talk about what happens when it's never enough. It doesn't really depend on what "it" is. We're just not satisfied. How do we learn to put our treasure in the right place so that our heart feels full? That's our discussion Sunday morning.