God Only Knows

God Only Knows The Village Christian Church

Join us as we examine the life of Jesus through the eyes of those that knew him personally. Together, we will find hope and purpose because GOD ONLY KNOWS.

Mike Strunga

Mike Strunga Coal City Campus The Village Christian Church

Mike grew up in the Joliet/Plainfield area. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and majored in general ministry with a focus on preaching. Mike started out with a part time youth ministry at Crossroads Christian Church in Joliet while he was in college. After he graduated, he moved to Catlin, IL and began a youth ministry at the Catlin Church of Christ before coming on staff at The Village helping to launch the new Coal City Campus in December 2022. Mike has loved working with students, but is now looking forward to working more with adults as the Coal City Community Pastor. He is ready to keep growing in his faith and help others do the same. Mike is excited to get to know everyone and work together to build a church community in Coal City that will move the church mission forward helping people experience life change, life growth, and life purpose. Mike and his wife, Kristen, live in Coal City with their two daughters.

Emotional Support Sunday

Do you struggle with anxiety or stress? Do you wonder why your anxiety and stress may be difficult to manage. Has COVID impacted this anxiety or made it worse? Anyone is welcome to join this emotional support group via Zoom. Please email us if you would like to join the group. This group will help you gain a better understanding of how anxiety and stress happen in the brain. Learn about tools to manage stress and anxiety and find healing through hearing other’s lived experience of managing their trauma story. You are not alone, and Christ desires we heal in community.

Justin Walsh

Justin Walsh Coal City Campus The Village Christian Church

Justin’s prayer each Sunday as he leads worship at the Coal City Campus is that he would simply stay out of the way and allow the Holy Spirit to move in only ways that He can. Justin had this to say, “At 43 I find it hard to believe that the Lord has led me to this opportunity and yet, this is something that only He could do. I see myself in this Worship Leadership role encouraging others to respond to who God is, not just when we’re all together and not just in song, but through the thick and thin of our day-to-day lives.” Justin grew up in Morris, Illinois, interned (and volunteered) at First Christian Church in Morris for a couple of years before attending Cincinnati Christian University where he earned a degree in Leadership and Ministry. Justin and his wife, Julie, live in Braidwood, Illinois with their daughter and son.

Embrace Grace

The Embrace Grace group provides emotional, practical, and spiritual support for young women who find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy. The mission is to be a safe and nonjudgmental place for these young women when they find out they are pregnant, instead of the last place they are welcomed because of shame and guilt. It is a 12-week Bible-based support group that teaches about God’s love and grace. At the end, the girls get a baby shower to honor them for choosing life and to help provide for their baby’s needs. For more information, visit embracegrace.com. Watch Testimonials

Dan Eberhard

Coal City Campus The Village Christian Church

Dan grew up in Channahon, IL and now lives in Coal City with his wife, Abbi and their two kids.  He is a graduate of Lincoln Christian University. Dan’s passionate about fostering an environment where students can authentically be themselves, feel connected and loved. His desire as Pulse Director for Pulse Jr. Coal City Campus is for students to know who God is, who He says they are, and to know how that impacts their lives. In addition, helping students find their way to refocus on Jesus and remember to be present in each moment of their day because it can be so easy to get distracted and lose focus. He enjoys drinking lots and lots of coffee and connecting with others, whether playing a game, a sport or over one of those many cups of coffee.

Sara Hurt

Sara Hurt Coal City Campus The Village Christian Church

Sara leads Kid Village for infants – grade 3 and Pulse 45 at the Coal City Campus. Her experience, joy and passion for kids fit perfectly with her goal to build a fun, loving environment. Sara is excited to share her love of Jesus with the kids, build a strong faith foundation and further the mission of the church – to help people experience life change, life growth, and life purpose. Sara was born and raised in Morris, Illinois. In 2005, Sara and her husband Kevin began attending The Village, and she has been serving in kids ministry ever since. Kevin and Sara reside in Dwight where they are raising their three kids.

Amy Trucano

Amy Trucano Coal City Campus The Village Christian Church

Amy is so grateful for the immediate community and connection her family found attending The Village Christian Church.  She values the friendships developed through serving in Worship, Events, Rooted, and attending Life Groups.  This fuels her desire for everyone to be connected and experience belonging, love, purpose, and fun! Amy moved to Illinois in 2005 with her husband Joe, saw the church signs on the roadside a week later, and have been attending since then!  They currently live in Braidwood with their two sons.

Alpha Wolfe Saturday

Men and women in their 20’s-30’s meet every other Saturday at Alpine Coffee Bar in Morris. This Saturday group is an opportunity to hang out with fellow disciples of Christ. It will be an opportunity to grow in faith together and grow in relationship with God. Receive encouragement to read the Bible and learn how to apply it to daily life.  

Men’s Saturday

Dynamic group of men and teenagers that explore scripture, seeking wisdom and inspiration from Acts 2. Discover a brotherhood where faith comes alive, and together grow as faithful followers of Christ. This men’s group is committed to scripture, prayer, worship, camaraderie, and service. There is a lot of scripture and the men work through it slowly as they have deep discussions into understanding how the scripture applies to their lives.  

Ladies Monday

Together these ladies learn, love, and laugh, all while giving God the glory. This group is for women of all ages and in all stages of their walk with Jesus. If you have had a relationship with Jesus for a long time, are new to the journey, or are seeking to learn more about Him, please come! This is a friendly, no pressure women’s group that will meet you where you are. The goal of this lifegroup is to grow in our relationship with our Heavenly Father and make lasting friendships with other women who will stand united through all of life’s joys, sorrows, and circumstances. This ladies group will study topics using Rightnow Media as well as discussion guides from the weekly messages at The Village. Whether you are a seasoned follower of Jesus, new to the journey or seeking out how to become a follower of Jesus, this group is for you.    

Strunga Monday

This group is excited to continue building community in Coal City, Illinois and the surrounding areas! Men, women, singles and couples dive deeper into the weekly message and study different aspects of the Bible using videos from Rightnow Media. This is a safe space for you, regardless of where you are in building your relationship with Jesus. Kids are welcome, but there is no childcare. Group meets in homes in the Coal City area.

Gagliardo Wednesday

If you are looking for community this is the group for you! Get a deeper understanding of the Bible’s relevance in today’s world through thoughtful discussions.  For both singles and marrieds, this is a place where we come together to explore the timeless wisdom of the Bible and how it directly impacts our lives today. 📖 What to Expect: 🌿 Engaging Bible Studies: Dive into the scriptures and uncover their practical applications in our modern lives. 🤝 Community: Connect with other people who share your passion for spiritual growth and open dialogue. 💬 🤔 Thoughtful Discussions: Be part of thought-provoking conversations that expand your perspective. 👪 Kid-Friendly: While there’s no childcare provided, children are more than welcome to join us as we explore faith and values together as a family. This group meets at a home in the Coal City area.

Moms On A Mission Wednesday

The Village Christian Church

Women in any stage of motherhood are welcome! Motherhood is a ministry and the mission is to raise children to know and love God and to teach them to live out their God given purpose. Breakfast is provided and each meeting will look a little different as studies will very from women/parenthood/marriage. The group also participated in crafts, games and holiday parties throughout the year. Children are welcome, childcare is not provided.

Ladies Wednesday

Want to learn more about Jesus and have a relationship with him? This group of ladies does video Bible studies, serves in the community and helps each other through life’s challenges. Each meeting starts with a snack and catch-up time, then Bible based video and discussion. Prayer requests and prayer time round out their time together. These ladies also schedule social meetings, have dinners together and find ways to serve in the community.

Sanders Thursday

This Bible study group is for mature couples aged 50 and up! Discover the wisdom of the Bible while building a close-knit community with couples who are navigating the same stage of life. Deepen your faith and relationships in a supportive and enriching environment tailored to the unique experiences of couples that have experienced life.  

Women’s Friday

The Village Christian Church

Women’s group that meets on Friday evenings with snacks, catching up and studies specific for women growing in their faith journeys from Rightnow Media. There is NO homework for this group to add to the busyness of everyday life! Children are welcome, childcare is not provided.

Family Sundays

The Village Christian Church

Coal City area families meet together, do life and study The Village sermon series and other Bible study plans. Childcare is provided for families with children for $5/family/week.

Young Adults Sunday

The Village Christian Church

Vibrant group of men, women, married, single, kids, no kids age 18-27 doing life together and helping each other through Jesus’s love and instruction. A small part of the time together will be set aside to catch up with everyone before diving into the study for the season and allowing God to work. Kids are welcome, childcare is not provided.