New Canaanland Christian Church at 225 Clinton Street, Joliet celebrated 32 years of their Super Soul Bowl Sunday worship where the community, who is always invited to come and join the church family in fellowship came and participated in the celebration. The unique service began with an inspiring message, acknowledgement of invited community members and local officials who attended. The young people played games, enjoyed plenty of food and many prizes were given away before the ‘Big Super Bowl Game. “It was an opportunity to sew God’s Grace into the hearts of the more than 200 who attended this year,” Senior Pastor Lonnie Posley said.

Among the prize winners was 19-year-old Kaleb Martin, a Joliet Junior College Freshman from Minooka, who took home a 55inch TV.

“My goal is to have the church as a resource to better the community, Pastor Posley said. “Each week, we have programs that seek to uplift the community and serve their needs.”

The event was recognized as “a Beacon of Hope” by the City of Joliet who presented New Canaanland Christian Church with a proclamation. Other recognitions came from County and State government officials.

Pastor Posley and his wife, Rhonda, offer weekly programs at the church including Soups for Seniors which feeds the elderly, another program that supports unwed mothers and the Men of Valor, where teenaged boys are mentored through participation on the church basketball team and learning to play chess. The church also provides clothing for men and women as part of its outreach ministry.

“I draw on my background, not only as a minister, but as a self-taught artist and designer.” 

To make the game more interactive Posley turned the sanctuary of New Canaanland into a replica of the football field for the Sunday event. “We used the game of football to represent the game of life. We try to teach people that when you’re in the Game of Life, the enemy is the Defense, and his job is to prevent you from scoring in life and being successful. He throws all kinds of things at you to fumble the ball. You then give up on life. You get intoxicated, high, divorced and of all that.” 

“What you have to realize is that the ball is your Salvation. When you’re carrying the Ball of Life, you’re carrying your Salvation. The enemy’s job is to stop you from scoring a touchdown. To stop you from being victorious.”

Posley said he came to his calling at a young age. “Growing up in Rockford Illinois, my father was the Chairman of the Deacon Board, and my mother was President of the Choir. In those days, you did what you were told. So, I had to go to church.

“When I turned 24, I wound up getting married, and my whole life turned upside down. At the same time, I joined Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, in Lockport. I became a young Deacon there, working with Rev. James W. Walton Sr.

Shiloh was an important part of Pastor Posley’s development. ” I accepted the call to the ministry at Shiloh,” he said. “From there, I went to St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, where I was called to be their Youth Pastor. I served at St. Paul for a good four years. Then I started pastoring at New Canaanland in 1994.

“We began our mission 32 years ago with the idea of a concept: ‘How can we make ministry faith-filled with friendship, fun, and food, to break bread with each other, so we called it Faith, Fellowship, Food and Fun. We turned it into an outreach ministry, where we’re reaching out into the community, rather than waiting for them to come to us.”

Local businesses were among the first to come on board in support of this new concept,” Pastor Posley said.

“Grant Hardware, a local Joliet business, was the first to come on board. They were one of the first companies to donate a television to our Super Soul Bowl Sunday.”

Since then, the roster of contributors has grown to Jewel-Osco, McDonald’s and Burger King, Walmart and Home Depot, and Texas Roadhouse, among others.

Several political leaders have also been strong supporters of the church and its programs. State Rep. Larry Walsh Jr. are among our supporters, as is the current County Executive, Jennifer Bertino Tarrant, and Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy.”

Pastor Posley is a true Renaissance Man. Not only is he a church pastor, but he is also an artist and designer.

“My mother was one of the few Black interior designers, so I learned a great deal from her. I also studied. I’m informally with some of the great visual artists here in the area.”

Pastor Posley has created works of art and donated them to the families of victims of racial violence. ” I call my pieces ‘The Tree of Life,’ and I’ve delivered them personally to the family of Trayvon Martin. (Martin was an African American teenager who was fatally shot February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, by George Zimmerman,

“I also went to the home of Hadiya Pendleton in Chicago and gave her family a rendition of The Tree of Life.”

Hadiya Pendleton was a 15-year-old Chicago student who was shot and killed on January 29, 2013, in a park near her home, just a week after performing with her school’s majorette squad at President Obama’s second inauguration.

At 65 years old Pastor Posley has no intention of slowing down. 

“We had 25 people at the Super Soul Bowl answer the call and join the church. I want people to know that they have teammates here in the church who can help them to carry the ball over the goal line and win Salvation.”

New Canaanland Christian Church regular services are Sunday at ll:00am. Website: newcanaanland.org