TCMS Christmas Singing

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: Christmas singing chapel led by Mr. Lundeen with help from Graham on the cello and Sierra on vocals. We sang O Come O Come Emmanuel, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Away in a Manger, Angels We Have Heard on High and Go Tell It on the Mountain. Each song was introduced by a student reading part of the Christmas story. In addition, five students did a reading from Isaiah 9. We also showed a fun kids' Christmas video. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Music!

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPELS
Tuesday: The Timothy choirs blessed us with their music. Enjoy the video!

Thursday: The Chapel Band led us in Christmas singing. Once again, enjoy the video!

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL
Wednesday: Three sophomores (Carter, Graham & Davis) led us in singing. Then we had an Advent prayer time. Students spread out on the stage or throughout the auditorium to pray. There were several prayer "stations": pray at the cross, color a Christmas picture, write down prayer requests/pray for the requests or just sit by yourself in the auditorium. It was a holy moment as students respected the time to slow down and reflect on the real meaning of Christmas: Jesus!

NEXT WEEK
Middle School Wednesday: Christmas Singing

Joe Cristman, Small Groups, TCHS Cross Country Team

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: Joe Cristman, TC alum and pastor on the northwest side of Chicago, spoke. His text was Luke 6:47-49. With straight talk, personal stories and Biblical wisdom, he spoke about anchoring one’s life in the Rock, Jesus Christ.

Thursday: Small Group Chapel. Each group worked to form a nativity scene. This was a contest. Best photo of a nativity scene wins chocolate chip cookies at the next small group! Next, the groups shared about their lives in order to encourage & support one another.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Wednesday: Grant led us in song. We were blessed to have the high school cross country team with us. They shared about their experiences on the team. Then they related cross country to our chapel theme verses, especially how to live by “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” from Hebrews 12:1-2.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: TCHS Choirs; Thursday: Christmas singing with the chapel band

Middle School Wednesday: Advent Prayer

Chapel Band, Kyle Bjerga & Gratefulness

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: Our chapel band led us in worship today with more of an acoustic set. We sang 10,000 Reasons, This is Amazing Grace, Hold Us Together, At the Cross and Because He Lives. 

Thursday: Kyle Bjerga, youth pastor at Cityview Community Church in Elmhurst, spoke. His theme? PRESS PAUSE. Throughout our busy days and distracted lives, God is calling us to “press pause” and intentionally focus on him. This will look different for each of us, but essential for our spiritual growth. Kyle’s message fit perfectly with our chapel theme of “fixing our eyes on Jesus”. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Wednesday: TCHS Senior, Alyssa R., led us in worship through song. We sang Lord I Need You and What a Beautiful Name. We then watched a powerful video entitled Grateful. It was a documentary featuring Ed Dobson, a former pastor who passed away in 2015 due to his ALS. 

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: TC Alum, Joe Cristman; Thursday: Small Groups

Middle School Wednesday: TCHS Cross Country Team

High School Thanksgiving Chapel

High School Chapel
Tuesday: Our Annual Thanksgiving Chapel. We began by singing all four verses of the well-known hymn, It is Well with My Soul. Then we had two mics set up for an open share time. It was such a blessing as students readily came forward to share what they were thankful for. PARENTS: You may not hear it all the time, but students expressed deep thankfulness for family!

NEXT WEEK
High School Tuesday: Chapel Band; Thursday: Kyle Bjerga
Middle School Wednesday: Ed's Story

Hymn Chapel, Small Groups, Thanksgiving Sharing

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: We had our yearly hymn sing at Faith CRC (across the street from the high school). We sang For the Beauty of the Earth, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Jesus Paid it All, Christ Arose and It is Well With My Soul. Each hymn was introduced by students explaining the story behind the hymn. We are very thankful for our musicians: Donna Erdman on the organ and Jan Slinkman on the piano. Their grandsons presented them with flowers!

Thursday: Small group chapel that focused on follow-up from our Spiritual Emphasis Week. After playing a fun game of “telephone”, the questions were serious: 1) Where in my heart is there hardness towards God? 2) What are the visible rocks of testing & temptation in my heart? 3) What are the thorns of worry and anxiety in my heart?

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Wednesday: Our Thanksgiving Chapel. Students were invited to come forward and share something that they were thankful for. At least one third of the students shared! In addition to the open mic, Mr. Lundeen led us in singing, and we read Psalm 100 responsively.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Thanksgiving Chapel

Open Mic Chapel & Chad Varga

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: Open mic student testimonies. As a follow-up to Spiritual Life Emphasis Week, students were invited to share how God worked in their life. Wow! It was a rich time of sharing. This chapel highlighted the beauty of the TCHS community and God’s gracious work in students' lives.

To see the slideshow that was a response to Mr. Hersey’s Wednesday talk, CLICK HERE

Here is a video of Spiritual Emphasis Week put together by students: https://vimeo.com/299300080

Thursday: Chad Varga, a national youth speaker who has spoken to over 4 million people in America, blessed us today. He told us the story of abuse as a child, success in basketball that lead to professional basketball in Europe, and God’s amazing grace in his life. The purpose of his talk was to encourage students to press through every struggle with God’s strength, to root themselves in God’s Word and to understand God has an amazing purpose for them.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Thursday: Chad Varga spoke first to the middle school and then to the high school. See above for a synopsis of this powerful chapel.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Hymn Sing; Thursday: Small Groups

Middle School Wednesday: Thanksgiving Chapel

Special Edition: Spiritual Emphasis Week at TC w/ Oliver Hersey

We were blessed to have Oliver Hersey as our speaker this week. He is a former TCHS math teacher, an Old Testament scholar, and currently on the pastoral staff at Calvary Church in Orland Park. He spoke every day, and he also spoke to the middle schoolers on Wednesday.

MONDAY: Never Alone – Scripture: Psalm 27

It can be hard to believe in God when feelings of loneliness consume us. God longs for us to be honest about how we are feeling. May we have the courage to pray boldly in the presence of the LORD.

TUESDAY: Kaleidoscopic God – Scripture: Psalms 8, 23, 47, 103

In the Psalms God is described kaleidoscopically by an array of images and metaphors. Part of hearing from and being in relationship with God involves knowing the full scope of God’s character. May we discover God’s rich and deep love for us.

WEDNESDAY: Can You Dig It? – Scripture: Jeremiah 4:3-4 & Luke 8:1-15

Both Jeremiah and Jesus compare the human heart–center of emotions, thoughts, feelings–to soil. The Bible encourages us to “plow up” the rocks and weeds in our lives in order to hear God. May we be people who tend to the soil of our hearts so that healthy spiritual growth occurs.

THURSDAY: Shh Sheep and Shema – Scripture: John 10:1-5 & Psalm 143:1-2

In today’s Bible passages, God describes his relationship with his people with the image of a shepherd leading his sheep. God wants us to listen to his words and learn his ways of life. May we commit ourselves to listening to our Good Shepherd’s voice.

FRIDAY: Celebrate – Scripture: Psalm 113

The book of Psalms ends the same way the Bible ends—unalloyed celebration of King Jesus and all that he’s accomplished. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can’t help but celebrate. May we discover the beauty of celebrating God on a regular basis. Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Student Testimonies. Thursday: Chad Varga

Middle School Thursday: Chad Varga

Wheaton College Singing

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Monday: Special Edition Monday chapel: the Wheaton College Men’s Glee Club blessed us with their music. The video is of my favorite song. Enjoy!

NEXT WEEK

High School Monday through Friday: Spiritual Emphasis Week with Oliver Hersey

Middle School Wednesday: Oliver Hersey

Small Groups & HS Chapel Band

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: Small group chapel. Two of the questions discussed by students: “what was the best & the worst moment of the last week?” and “how can you do a better job of speaking kindness to others?”.

Thursday: The chapel band led us. With skill and heart, they led us in worship with Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, O Come to the Altar, Great I Am, Good Good Father and The Lion and the Lamb.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Wednesday: The high school chapel band led the middle school students in worship through song. What songs did we sing? See above!

NEXT WEEK

High School Monday: Wheaton College Men’s Glee Club

Student-led on Heb.12:1-2; Tim Abbatacola, MS Small Groups

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: We opened chapel by seeing photos sent in by each small group that artistically represented Hebrews 12:1-2. Then students acted out a skit focused on the theme verses. Four different racers with four different reactions to difficulties were highlighted. The skit was both funny and meaningful. Lindsay & Nick offered color commentary. Leah, the last racer, fixed her eyes on Jesus and made it through the trials. Then students were invited to prayerfully reflect on the verses. Finally, students came to the stage to write on sticky notes how they are distracted and how they can more fully fix their eyes on Jesus.

Thursday: Tim Abbatacola spoke from Isaiah 49. Tim works with a youth group and is a student at Moody. God calls us out of darkness and into the light. And as people of the light we have a mission to show the light of Jesus to others.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Wednesday: Students lined up by grade and birth month. From there, small groups were created. Each student shared what they would like to learn more about in terms of their walk with God and/or the Bible. Then they reflected on Hebrews 12:1. Tim Lundeen taught us a new song, Finish the Race, based on our chapel theme verses from Hebrews 12.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Small Groups; Thursday: Chapel Band

Middle School: HS Chapel Band

Prayer, Homecoming Interviews, Kyle Bjerga

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: Student-led prayer chapel. Alyssa began the chapel by playing the piano and singing Abide With Me. Then students led us through three different prayer times: prayer alone, prayer with friends and then prayer with someone you are not friends with. It was a blessed time as students spread out in the auditorium to pray.

Thursday: A yearly tradition: interviews of the seniors on the homecoming court. Ms. Park and Mr. Lindloff asked the questions. First the senior girls came up and then the boys. Questions ranged from what kind of sandwich would you make for Ms. Park to how do see yourself being used by God in the future?

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Wednesday: Kyle Bjerga spoke. He is the pastor of discipleship and family ministries at Cityview Community Church in Elmhurst. The title of his talk was “Press Pause”. In our busy and screen filled lives, he challenged students to be intentional about spending daily time in devotion to God in prayer and the Word.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Student-led on Hebrews 12; Thursday: Tim Abbatacola

Middle School: Small Groups

Chapel Band & Jon Peacock

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: Our first student-led chapel band of the year. Thanks to Grant, Myah, Justin, Tyler & Luke! They did a great job leading us all in worship through song. We sang Your Grace is Enough, Reckless Love, Cornerstone and Fierce.

Thursday: Pastor Jon Peacock from Mission Church. We were especially blessed to have him speak because he wrote a book that deals with our chapel theme this year. He hammered home the one thing we all need. All successful people throughout history needed this. And we need it too: perseverance. How to we grow in perseverance? Through pain. How do we persevere through the pain? By trusting in God’s promises. God works for the good, is with us always and will sustain us through everything!

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Prayer; Thursday: Homecoming Interviews

Middle School: Kyle Bjerga