Usually when Stillman Valley makes the news, it’s relative to high school football. But, a recent Christianity Today article used our church and town to illustrate a point about community. In the CT article referenced below, there was even a picture of our church.
Collin Hansen, the author of this article, is the author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists
In Switzerland, our family quickly missed our community. We were only there a day or two before our children were dreaming about a hamburger at the Royal Blue (our restaurant in Stillman Valley – – seen in the picture). Keeping up with people on Facebook has its place. But, it just isn’t the same as eating a hamburger and a piece of pie while people you known wander in.
In light of how much we love our town, it was a particular blessing to be part of an article that Collin Hansen wrote for Christianity Today. You’ll find an except below, including a reference to the Valley.
The front porch is back. A growing number of buyers are asking for designs that include the iconic hometown amenity, according to Chicago Tribune interviews with building contractors. Front porches provide families and friends with a place to gather while they keep an eye on the kids. By facilitating small talk, they build local community. And local community is no small accomplishment with so many reasons to stay inside and watch television, surf the Web, or play video games. The front porch’s comeback suggests that some people have found no suitable substitute for knowing their neighbors. . .
. . . As my car cut through corridors of corn on the way to Stillman Valley, Illinois, I noticed a surprising sight over the horizon: vapors emitted by a nuclear plant. The farming in this part of the country is good, but the plant provides much-needed jobs for several small towns in north-central Illinois.
Pulling into town with 20 minutes to spare, I was surprised to see an early-arriving crowd walking toward the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley, more commonly known as the Red Brick Church. Eventually, about 200 of the town’s 1,000 residents filled the pews on a cool summer morning as Pastor Chris Brauns preached about the covenant-making ceremony in Genesis 15.
Read the rest here.
Very cool! Much like where I live, though we do have more than one place to eat. We almost never go out to eat here for the food (we go to “the city” for that), but for the opportunity to see people we know and love.
very cool!