What is your mailing address and phone number?

Our mailing address is :

Willow Creek Presbyterian Church
7300 Belvidere Rd. Caledonia, IL 61101
Telephone: (815) 885-3455

Where are you located?

We are located just 1/4 mile south of the corner of Belvidere Rd. and Rte 173 stop light. Please visit our “Location & Directions” Page for more complete instructions. We are very easy to locate!

What times are your worship services?

Sunday morning gathering music begins in the sanctuary at 9:55 to joyfully prepare our hearts and minds for worship at 10:00 am.

Where is the best place to park?

We have ample parking all around our church building. You have a choice of entrances: You can enter though the front doors of the main building and up the stairs to the sanctuary.

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Enter through the door between the main two story building and the one story office/education wing. There are doors in both the front and back of the building; these entrances are handicap accessible. Then go though the doors in the brick wall into Fellowship Hall. An elevator is located on the right, if needed. Go left though Fellowship Hall toward the lighted cross on the wall to the doors immediately to the right. These stairs will take you upstairs to the sanctuary.

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If it’s raining or other inclement northern Illinois weather, there is a canopy on the south side of the building. This entrance is handicap accessible. (Elevator room is straight ahead through Fellowship Hall on left.) Go straight into Fellowship Hall turn right toward the lighted cross on the wall to the doors on the right and up those stairs to the sanctuary.

How do people dress on Sunday morning?

There’s not a specific dress code, so we recommend you dress however you are most comfortable. You will see anything from “Sunday best” to casual among the adults. It is totally up to you. Children and youth usually wear whatever they would normally wear to school.

Is there someone who would pray with me?

Of course. You can make contact with our pastor, speak to any one of us, or speak to one of our deacons.

What is the size of Willow Creek Church?

We’re a growing family-sized congregation. We have about 135 members on the rolls. Usually about 75 of us gather to worship each Sunday. We love to make room for visitors!

How do I make a prayer request?

You can call the church office at (815) 885-3455 to contact our Prayer Chain.

How do I schedule a funeral or memorial?

When death has occurred or is imminent, the pastor or church office should be notified promptly so that pastoral care can be provided to the family. Our pastor and staff will assist you with the planning of the service.

How do I have my child baptized?

Baptisms are scheduled with the pastor.

I have never been baptized. Can I also be baptized?

Of course. Infants as well as older children and adults can be baptized. The journey of faith that begins in individual baptism continues in the church community. At Willow Creek, baptism is performed during normal worship services, because baptism is the mark of corporate, as well as individual faith. The congregation commits itself to the spiritual nurture of the infant, child, or adult being baptized.

What accommodations are made for physical disabilities?

Many of our congregants are over 65 years of age, accordingly we have a very accommodating facility. There is an elevator in our fellowship hall for those of you who might need assistance to reach the second floor. In our sanctuary, we have space set aside for wheelchairs toward the front of the sanctuary as well as in the rear of the sanctuary. Please ask an usher if you need to borrow a wheelchair. Our ushers are also happy to provide you with a large print bulletin or a hearing assistance device to allow you to control the volume of the spoken words in the service. If you need an accommodation that we currently don’t offer, please make your needs known to an usher, deacon or our pastor.

Is Willow Creek Presbyterian Church a mission-minded Church?

Yes, definitely. We are very active in the Boone and Winnebago Counties and participate in missions on a national and international levels.

Worship Services

What if I’m not “used to church.”?

Will I have to “do” anything?

You’re welcome to just sit and observe and you won’t feel uncomfortable. You may participate as much or as little as you like.

Do you provide nursery or children’s classes on Sunday morning?

Yes, absolutely.

What are your worship services like?

We have a traditional Presbyterian worship service.

How long are your church services?

Our worship services last approximately one hour.

Who can take part in communion?

All baptized Christians, regardless of denomination, are welcomed and encouraged to take communion with us. We celebrate communion on the first Sunday on each month and elements (bread and juice) are normally distributed in the pews. We believe that the “…invitation to the Lord’s Supper is extended to all who have been baptized, remembering that access to the Table is not a right conferred upon the worthy, but a privilege given to the undeserving who come in faith, repentance, and love. In preparing to receive Christ in this Sacrament,the believer is to confess sin and brokenness, to seek reconciliation with God and neighbor, and to trust in Jesus Christ for cleansing and renewal. Even one who doubts or whose trust is wavering may come to the Table in order to beassured of God’s love and grace in Christ Jesus. (Book of Order W-2.4011a)

Is communion here any different than at other churches?

There could be small differences. If you’re used to receiving communion in the pew, it will be very similar. We practice “unison” partaking of the bread, and of the juice, meaning that we wait until everyone has received their elements before we consume them. We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of each month.

Do you identify visitors during your worship service?

No. We do not ask visitors to stand up or wear a badge during our worship service. Kindly write your name and any contact information you would like us to have in our “friendship register” which is found on the inside end of each pew.

What is the passing of the peace?

This tradition goes back to the early days of the Christian church. In Romans, Paul instructed his churches to “greet one another with a holy kiss.” This was a holy greeting. When we say “the Peace of Christ be with you,” we are not only greeting one another, we are offering a prayer on each other’s behalves. Our prayer for each person we greet is that God’s peace will be granted to them.

What if I’m worried about germs during church?

We want people to concentrate on God during worship, so we try to eliminate germ worries as much as possible. We don’t use a common plate or cup during communion, and the elements (bread and juice) are covered until time for their use. The bread is already divided into bite size pieces, so congregation members only need to touch the piece that they are taking. When passing the peace, it is acceptable to simply smile and say the words, without hugs or hand-shakes.

Music

Who selects the hymns for worship services?

Hymns are selected by the pastor, who takes the day’s message, Scripture, and events into consideration. The anthems are selected by our Director of Music.

How do I join the choir?

You can speak to our Director of Music, our Pastor, or office staff for additional information.

We always need joyful voices!

Getting Involved

I want to get more involved.

How do I volunteer or join a committee?

Great! There are several easy ways. One of the most accessible resources we have is our pastor. The pastor stands by the doors every Sunday, hoping to to greet each person as they make their way to fellowship coffee or the parking lot.

Simply ask our pastor and you will be quickly hooked up with the right person. You can also use the contact page of this website. Our administrative assistant will forward your comments to whatever committee or group is involved in your area of interest. We also have fellowship time after service in the lower level of the church and ask anyone there and they will also quickly get you situated.

Welcome aboard!

What programs do you have for my children?

Visit our Youth Activities page to get an overview of the programs and ministries we have for the youngest among us.

Who do I contact about stewardship or tithing?

Call the church office at (815) 885-3455. You can also use our “Contact Us” page and the message will be forwarded to someone on our stewardship team.

Membership

How long do I have to attend before I can become a member?

There is no minimum requirement. When you feel you’re ready, contact our pastor or attend a membership class.

How do I become a member?

We periodically hold membership classes and orientation sessions for those interested in joining with us.

Presbyterianisms

What’s unique about Presbyterians and what do Presbyterians believe?

We have included in our website a page labeled “About Presbyterians.” This contains the best overview available of that question.

Our page contains links to the PC(USA) website and is called Presbyterian 101: A General Guide to the PC USA.

We also have booklets about what Presbyterians believe in the church office.