Our Next Missionary Picture Could be You!
Itasca Missionaries
On Mission striving to create relationships for Christ with the
“none, done and undone”
in the neighborhood, community and the nation”
Apostolic Board Member and Lead Pastor
Bob Butler
Bob Butler moved to Itasca from Oswego, IL in 2017. Bob is a former entrepreneur, national sales manager, lead pastor, author, outreach pastor, recovery speaker and church planter. Bob is passionate about re-imagining how the church (Big “C”) engages the culture with the message of Jesus. Bob is currently the lead pastor at The Community Center, the director for RENEW, a Forge Network Hub Leader and a board member for Impact For Jesus NFP.
Bob has been married to his wife Diane for 32 years. He has been on a number of short term international mission trips. He holds a Masters of Divinity Degree from Northern Seminary and is an ordained minister of The United Methodist Church. He enjoys coffee, music, movies, reading, soccer, conversation, dogs and binge watching TV shows with his wife.
APEST Shepherd Board Member
Jennifer Swets
Jennifer is a versatile ministry leader with strong gifts in shepherding and teaching. She currently leads a woman's bible study, a Christian yoga group and our social media outreach. She is married to her college sweetheart and has four beautiful children.
Tech Arts Coordinator
Mike Gyuricza
Mike leads the Sunday morning Tech Arts team. He makes the rest of us sound and look good. He is always looking for others to help with the tech. He is married to Stacy and they have two beautiful children.
‘Day Of” Wedding Coordinator - Heather Powell
Worship Director
Jim O'Connell
Jim has been a musician his whole life. He is a multi-faceted worship leader with spiritual gifts that go far beyond Sunday morning. Jim is The Center's worship director. He lives for the mission of reaching the none, done and undone. He currently lives in Aurora with his wife, Nicci.
APEST Teaching Board Member and Missional Training Coordinator for Children
Diane BUTLER
Diane leads our Children on Sunday morning. She loves all the children by creating age appropriate ways for kids to connect with the weekly big idea from our time together. Diane has been an educator for nearly 30 years. She is a proud mother who also loves watching soccer, movies and her dog Leo.
APEST Prophetic Board Member and STEAM ministry leader
Larry Swets
Larry has a strong leadership gift of recognizing, directing and holding The Center to its covenant with God for this community.
He has a passion for the mission, his family and helping others reach their potential.
Sonny Sorrentino - Finance Director and SMART RECOVERY ministry leader
Sonny Sorrentino
Sonny is a licensed addiction counselor and a Wood Dale alderman. He genuinely cares for our community his volunteer service is just another way he shows it.
Peter Pereira - APEST Evangelism Board Member
Peter Pereria
Peter’s ministry has grown in South Asia. Hundreds of churches planted and missionaries sent. He has cared for orphans and taken care of ‘the least of these’ for almost three decades.
As of August 1st, 2018, ‘Hope For Today’ ministries will be headquartered at ‘The Center’ in Itasca. We will support one another in leading and training both domestic and international missionaries, contact Peter at info@hopeteam.org