Rejoice Church in Mill Creek packed the Lord's house on Sunday, Sept. 11, for a Rememberance Worship Service and picnic honoring our veterans, firefighters and police officers.  A young member of the congregation, Lucy Gruber, shared her perspective after visiting the memorial site in New York this past summer. See the photo gallery for a clip. Pastor Lou reflected on the power of hope after an event such as this as he shared a story about a courageous fire department chaplain who entered the burning buildings on that day without hesitation; one whose love and hope lives on even though his …

"Shake it up!"the kids hollered out while twirling their arms and reaching for the sky every time they heard the secret ingredients throughout the time they spent together from 9 to 11:30 a.m. every day for a week the second week in June. The Shake it Up Cafe really did shake things up as kids traveled from station to station, learning all about the special ingredients after watching a skit performance at the beginning of each day. As you will see in the photos recapping the week, kids played games, cooked up some fun in the kitchen, made crafts, experimented with science, sang and dance! A …

If you live in Mill Creek or nearby and you've been thinking you might want to tone up for the summer, this just might be your excuse crusher!  For $10 each, this group meets just east of Rejoice Church to join Clint every Saturday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 for what appears to be a vigorous outdoor workout.  If you thought being outdoors would be any less of a workout than if you were in the gym, you just might be pleasantly surprised (if you like sweating and that sort of thing.) Check out the images here to get a glimpse of the various workout stations. While it looks like you will work …

Confirmation is a public affirmation of faith and it's not uncommon to see "Congratulations Confirmands" on the signs outside churches all throughout the Tri-Cities.  Here's a glimpse of one confirmation ceremony, held recently at Rejoice Church in Mill Creek, Geneva.  You will find not only the typical elements of a celebration, such as a profession and cake, but also moving faith stories as students step up and recite their chosen verse from the Bible with some describing their faith walk. Weather you are reliving the experience or seeing it for the first time, enjoy this momentous occasion…

There is one thing everybody we spoke with in Mill Creek agrees on—that the warm weather this past weekend was a welcome change, as you can see in our photos here.

"Enjoy the weather while you can" said one Mill Creek dad as he spreads mulch in his front yard and the kids were outside playing ... and that was a good idea with a few days of rain on the way.

Rejoice church has been buzzing with activity  for the last month on Wednesday nights. Starting with Lent Soup Suppers, attendees enjoyed amusing, interactive openers before the children and parents split off for a more intimate time of sharing what Easter is about. Rejoice hosted an Easter party today for preschoolers and of course, there were plenty of treats and even a cake!  Check out the journey with Rejoice through the attached memories we captured in pictures! Happy Easter! Rejoice Easter Worship Times are 8, 9, and 10:30 a.m. A free-will offering breakfast will be served downstairs …

About 20 business women meet twice a month in the home of Cristina Emigh on Mallory Drive in Mill Creek as members of the Heart Link Network. Patch joined them for their most recent gathering and found this to be a great way for women to connect and promote their passion. Christina Emigh told the group, "Through relationships, everything happens." Co-leader Emigh is  a certified personal trainer for Make Time Fitness & Wellness and said that's what Heart Link Network founder Dawn Billings believes. "Get to know each other, express who you are," Emigh said. "This is all about connecting so we …

Most seem glad to have spring arrive, as you will see here. One of our friends is even in shorts! We heard the Mill Creek Golf Club's driving range is open but found no people out here swinging yet. If you look closely, you'll see even the geese are ready to tee up! We also went by the GreenFields of Geneva in Mill Creek to see the progress. Despite the winter cold, the landscape is changing quickly since we were here at the beginning of the year to write about the new retirement community. Finally, we couldn't just drive by without taking notice of the Paeth house—who have a daughter in …

Patch was out and about in Mill Creek this past weekend and we found the creation of snow aliens and street wars. See for yourself!

Sound confusing? It really can be until you come to learn who does what.  The residents of Mill Creek are proudly served by the Elburn Fire Protection District, whether or not residents live in Batavia or St. Charles, which actually keeps things pretty simple. The same is true with the Kane County Sheriff's Department. Many residents have been known to call the Batavia or Geneva police department inadvertantly only to be re-routed to the Kane County Sheriff's Department.  If you are looking for your library, residents might be Batavia or Geneva. If you're not sure, you can check with the …

In an economy like ours, there are many unknowns, and while no one can predict what the home market will be, we thought you might be interested in what it is right now. So, we've asked those in the know and share the scoop with you here.  Kathy Rabin, on post for Shodeen at the Oakmont and Pinehurst sales office featuring town homes and duplexes, had a bite just before I called. On a home, not her lunch. Currently, the Mill Creek sales force is offering a special promotion to motivate buyers with 50 percent off up to $50,000 worth of upgrades. "Usually, traffic picks up after the Super Bowl…

Jean Fasano of Mill Creek is taking a walk with her adorable pug, Gracie. Staying warm is the order of the day for all creatures, big and small. Here's a link to some great tips on how to keep your pooch or cat protected in cold weather, from PAW Pet Rescue. "Coats and booties can help your dog stay warm. In particular, short-haired or elderly dogs benefit from wearing a coat or sweater. Look for coats or sweaters with high collars or a turtleneck that covers the dog from the base of the tail on top to the belly underneath." "Clip the fur between toe pads to reduce the amount of snow that …

A water main broke Saturday near the front entrance of Mill Creek, near Fabyan Parkway, causing water to spill into the parkway. Gerry Snow and his son Charlie of G Snow out of Elburn were waiting for parts Saturday afternoon but would "do what it takes" to get this fixed by the end of the day.  No residents had their water shut off due to the water main break, but there was plenty of it flowing out into the golf course as you will see in pictures here. 

You may have heard the news, the first wave of Baby Boomers are eligible for Social Security and Medicare starting this month. That means a higher demand for retirement communities, and there is one rising out of the ground at this very moment in the community of Mill Creek.  GreenFields of Geneva is being constructed on a sprawling 26 acres nestled on the Tanna Farms Golf Course just off  Keslinger Road in the confines of Mill Creek. This $117 million facility includes 147 homes for folks 62 and older, with space ranging from 747 square feet to  as much as 1,653 square feet. Not-for-profit …

On Thursday night, we just followed our noses (and hearts) to capture a flavor of what's happening at Rejoice Lutheran Church in Mill Creek. During the entire Advent season, they are hosting a series that includes a soup supper. Mmmmm, there was no shortage of good food here, for the soul or the belly!   It just so happens, students from Marmion were there to interview Pastor Lou Quetel for a five-page paper they have due in their Theology 4 class. "Most of the students are interviewing Catholics, we thought we'd switch it up a little and include a Lutheran perspective," Nate Shorr said. …

In the middle of the holiday season, amidst all the duties in Mom World, what we need most is a "mental health day" at the spa. These moms all agree. "All of our kids go to the same school in Mill Creek," said Mill Creek resident Robin Beattie. "We usually get together once a month for breakfast, but decided we would treat ourselves because it's the holidays." Robin was joined by fellow resident moms Tina Fioresi, Jamie Twitty, and Christine Vrba. "Simply Nails is great, a nice escape from the demands at home," Mill Creek mom Darlette Lindenmeyer said. Darlette ought to know, with two boys …

It's always fun to hang out in the market, and Sunday was no exception. I'm not the only one who feels this way, as resident explains. "It's fun for the kids to hang at the market together," said Suann Cushnie. "But I do have to watch the money with my younger son. They could go broke coming here!" The Cushnies have lived in Mill Creek for 11 years, and Suann tells that having a market in Mill Creek has made their lives a lot easier. I visited with Michele Preusser, who came by with her daughter, Alexandra, to grab some quick items for lunch tomorrow (which seemed to be a popular reason to …

In any suburban town, it's not uncommon to see families out and about, visiting with neighbors, tending to the yard or just playing together. This past weekend in particular looked like a scene from the popular show from the '50s, Leave It To Beaver. Check out this picture gallery, chronicling a day in the life of Mill Creek's weekend warriors.  And don't be surprised if you many similar scenes today.

The day did not start out, after all, with a bang—as my little nephew might have thought. I say that because earlier in the day on Saturday, Nov. 20, I met with my nephew over a tasty doughnut, and we discussed what was in store for each of us on this day. When I shared my plans, he was perplexed, asking, "Auntie Kim, how do you shoot the turkeys?" So it was, the day of the 2010 Mill Creek Annual Turkey Shoot Out. The format wasn't the only thing "scrambled," as golfers started arriving at 9 a.m. to enjoy kegs and eggs. "The breakfast was excellent," said Mill Creek Resident Justine Smith who…