Has this winter iced you up? Are you ready to melt into spring? If so join us for a time of fellowship and (weather permitting) bonfire fire.
Come have dinner with us, including a baked potato bar with all the fixings you could want. We also plan to enjoy a time of worship together.
We aim to host a low pressure social environment where everyone can have a chance to have a good conversation and enjoy Communion with one another. Don’t know anyone yet? Feeling nervous to come out? Take a chance! Check out our community. We aim to give everyone a place to go.
Our Gluesticks David and Laura will be at this event. Look for us and we’ll be sure to get you plugged in!
Have any questions or concerns? Feel free to connect with us via sociallights24@gmail.com
Join us for an all-ages concert hosted by the Lakeside Artist Guild at the Families of Faith Church in Monee! The show explores the book of Psalms with classic settings and original compositions, including music by local songwriter (and friend of Social Lights Molly Rose. There will be no cost to come enjoy the music, but a free will offering will be collected to support the performers.
Social Lights is happy to be participating in Networking the Networks Conference as it brings together pastors, church leaders, and concerned citizens who are ready to re-engage the public square with truth, courage, and biblical conviction.
The speakers will be addressing Christ in culture, our history as a Christian nation, and how we can be active members of Jesus’ growing kingdom here on earth today. This is a great opportunity for young adults in particular to equip themselves with knowledge and connections to aid in walking with Christ in our modern world.
Self Evident is a Christian conservative podcast based upon the scripture passage Ephesians 4:15, which says, “[r]ather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.” Self Evident seeks to add a more grace-filled tone to the conservative conversation rather than needlessly ostracizing and demonizing a world in need of Christ’s redeeming love.
In the morning hours of a wintry Chicago Saturday, Nate (a Social Lights Gluestick) and I sat down in studio with Jenna Smith and Kenna Rose to converse about the tragic loss of social connection among Generation Z. The conversation represented a high point in a budding alliance between two relatively related groups of young adults: Social Lights and the Self Evident Podcast. The alliance would culminate several weeks later in the social meetup we co-hosted at Illinois Family Institute‘s Worldview conference, which we were promoting in our conversation.
The Self Evident podcast seeks to serve by enlightening, encouraging, and equipping particularly Generation Z by bringing God’s word to bear in the specifics of today’s cultural and political conversations through their weekly podcasts. Social Lights seeks to take those same values and use them as a foundation for real interpersonal community.
Although neither of our groups can claim to have perfectly applicable solutions to all the social or intellectual challenges facing Generation Z, we hope to be on the frontlines of developing such answers by highlighting and endorsing individuals, organizations, and resources that are consistently faithful to God’s word. By God’s grace, we aim to promote and practice the highest levels of Christian apologetics and culture.
It’s for all these reasons that we at Social Lights want to specially highlight our friends at the Self Evident Podcast. We highly recommend you subscribe to their weekly podcast. You can hear them discuss such topics as current proposed legislation that would infringe upon human rights and decency, the failures of pop culture icons, and the powerful yet widely ignored stories of detransitioners.
The Self Evident Podcast is made up of five remarkable young women, all members of Generation Z and passionate to be a light and example to those their own age.
Alyssa Sonnenburg is the host of the show and has a particular passion for others, which she is pursuing in the form of certification as a biblical counselor. She and her husband are, at the time of writing this, preparing to welcome their first baby into the world.
Kenna Rose is a co-host and contributor who is studying multimedia and journalism. Her passion is bringing truth to a generation that has widely lost its way.
Brynn Hartian is a co-host and student of communication and political science. She desires to not only be a firm example of her faith and values in a adversarial culture, but also to inspire hope for the future in both the old and young generations.
Jenna Smith is the producer, audio editor, and co-host for the podcast. She is a part time student, piano teacher, and financial administrator. Jenna seeks to help liberate Generation Z from the destructive lies to which they’ve fallen victim.
Eliana Hartian is a co-host, currently studying music full time. She hopes to point her peers to the Truth through her role on the podcast.
These young women are banded together to speak to our culture, especially the young women of Generation Z, for the sake of truth and frank common sense. Social Lights wants to amplify their message in whatever capacity we’re able.
Check out the episode featuring Nate and me, titled “A Three Stranded Cord: Christ & Community (SE #111)” on the Self Evident Podcast website or on Spotify via the link below!
On November 9th 2024 we at Social Lights hosted our first kick off event right here in Joliet Illinois. The 2024 Fine Dining Banquet was a night for young adults to come together with old friends and have a chance to make new ones. Our theme was The Roaring ’20s. Our excellent chef cooked a delicious Chicken Provencal and we all enjoyed the irresistible treat of Cheesecake Factory’s signature cheesecake. Meanwhile the musical stylings of Molly Rose and the Ragtime Rickys set the tone.
Guests also participated in social games and wrote compliments to one another. Our keynote speaker Reverend James Stafford delivered a talk about the dangers of excessive phone dependency. The host, David Robison, also delivered a speech about the Social Lights and how it got started. Both speeches are available below.
At the end of the night, we awarded the person who’d been voted Finest Diner. And, in true young adult fashion, we closed the night with a dance party.
The 2024 Fine Dining Banquet was the first of what we hope to make an annual event. Yes, the rumors are true, a 2025 Fine Dining Banquet is in the works. We hope to make this year an even richer and more memorable experience than last year. It’s our hope to bring together young people from across the Chicagoland area, and farther, into a safe and friendly place where they can spend meaningful and enjoyable time with friends. We hope to give people a place to look forward to going.
Registration for the 2025 Fine Dining Banquet will open May 5th. You’ll find the link to register here on our site and you can receive email notification when registration opens, as well as notification for all our other upcoming events, if you subscribe below.
We hope to see you at an event soon!
Speeches from the 2024 Fine Dining Banquet
Reels Friendship vs Real Friendship – Reverend James Stafford
Social Lights 