Inner City Mission

Havana High School’s senior English class joined us again this year to tackle some service projects around campus. Each year, they bring around 30 students to learn about our ministry and to help beautify and maintain our property. Thanks to their hard work, the campus is looking great with a fresh coat of paint! 🫟👍🏻

It was awesome to have The Llamapalooza gang with us again after so many years! The Folsom Family started serving with us over 20 years ago, and they always bring an amazing group of people ready to share the love of Jesus with those around them. This time, they brought over a dozen ninja warriors with them, ready to tackle any challenge we might throw their way 😎

In the midst of a hard few weeks, this group brought new energy and uplifted our spirits with intentional conversations, haircuts, replacing the pantry floor, serving meals, and using their amazing skills to teach our kids how to be ninjas on a ninja course! 💇‍♀️🥷

Thank you for showing up and meeting us where we are, and for creating memories our kiddos will never forget. What a blessing it is to be a part of the Body of Christ! 🙌🏻 Until next time 🤠

On Friday April 10, 2026, Rodger Paoni, a dear friend and member of the ICM family passed away unexpectedly. Rodger was a part of the Mission community for many years, officially coming on staff in 2023 as our maintenance man and lodge supervisor. Although a man of few words, Rodger cared deeply for people and used the gifts God gave him to help and serve those around him every single day. Over the past few years, Rodgers' curiosity about Christianity and what it means to follow Jesus grew, leading him to be baptized on February 6, 2026 at Real Life Church. Rodgers' passing is incredibly difficult, and we will no longer see him fixing anything broken, mowing grass, or holding down the fort, but we are so thankful for every moment we got to share with him and to witness the love, joy, and hope of Jesus shine through his life into this world. Rodger will forever be remembered, and I look forward to the day I roll up to the pearly gates and see him there with WD40 keeping those hinges smooth.

Here is the link to Rodger's obituary: https://www.walkerfs.com/obituaries/Rodger-D-Paoni-Jr?obId=48167981

Visitation will be held Friday, April 24 from 10:00-11:30 am and a funeral service will follow at 11:30 am, at Real Life Church in Springfield, Illinois. Caleb Payne will officiate. Burial will be in Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Springfield, IL.

We celebrated Easter this past week with crafts for the kids, an egg hunt, Easter baskets on Sunday morning, amazing food, and of course, celebrating that Jesus is risen! 🐣✝️
Thank you to Ed Hines, Lynn, Hope Presbyterian, and Sweetwater Christian Church for making this possible! 🙌🏻🙏