We’re a church that takes being church as opposed to going to church seriously. YOU showed up, River of Hope. Thank you.
Being church is not about us – it’s about reaching out in love with no guarantees of being loved back. It’s risky and way more challenging than showing up for worship once a month and trying to get in and get out unscathed.
It’s tiring and frustrating. It’s inconvenient. It’s scary.
And it’s about the best thing we’re called to do. To show up out in the community in the name of Jesus Christ. In the form of something as silly as root beer floats. So thank you for being part of the community in a significant way. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Christ in the world.
Here’s a post I wrote for Facebook land and I share it with you here, along with some photos.
I’m still recovering from the McLeod County Fair, like in the best way possible. I am thankful for countless, even nameless, people. Some do have names, like Keri Thoreson (Buddy George), Brian Tillmann, Terry Gustafson Kempfert and Warren Kempfert, Sara Hageman Pollmann Ronald Susan Johnson, Andrea Kay Koenig all who had a hand in planning, wrangling, schlepping, creating, manning and womanning the booth. For all who made time to represent RoH at the booth. For the generosity and vision of Roger R Stearns. And for the community partners who helped us serve somewhere around 2000 hope floats. Our home grown restaurants: ZELLAS, Main Street Sports Bar, McCormicks Family Restaurant, along with the local managers and employees of Culver’s, Burger King, and Hardee’s. It was one small way to show Hutchinson we love this community. And it takes a community to do it. We go out…
- Throw a stone into the River of Hope. Awesome game Brian Tillmann created.
- getting ready…
- Our little hope parade
- Cuz sometimes you just gotta lug hope
- Hope rolls…
- Ruth and Nancy
- Serving Hope Floats
- The new banner
- Mentor and Mento
- Pondering root beer
- Sandy, Bev and Keri are hard at work
- Nancy and Linda
- Tillmanns were doing double duty at the fair…
- …which is a funny joke…
- …since the fundraiser for Phoenix drumline…
- …was not serving root beer floats…
- …but instead was…
- …cleaning bathrooms…
- …note the plunger charade move…
- …and now the word “duty” is funny too, right?
- This wig did amazing things.
- More hope floats
- Andy, Nancy, and Linda
- Rachel and Brian
- Colleen is hopeful
- Keri is hopeful
- Did someone say ice cream?
- These boys covered the game table!
- Hopeful brothers.
- Hope floats, up close and personal.
- Olivia and Chanda are hopeful.
- Bonnie made my day every day.
- Nancy’s not scared, I just caught her mid-action.
- Nancy
- Jim and Renee
- Sara’s ready, all the time!
- hopeful lady
- Ed and Jan
- Ed, Ane, and Jan
- Jim, Ed, Ane, Jan
- Rachel and Roger
- Jim and Ed
- Ane and some goats.
- yummm…
- No, who are YOU looking at?
- Who are you calling a hipster chicken?