Richland Center Free Methodist Church

Saying goodbye to a familiar season brings gratitude for what we’ve shared and questions about what comes next. The people and moments that have shaped us remain part of our story as we take the next steps together. In Deuteronomy 31:1-8, Moses prepares Israel for a future under Joshua’s leadership. His encouragement rests on God’s faithfulness: the Lord will go before them and will not abandon th...

Dave Ewing takes us into Genesis 25:19-34, where twin brothers Jacob and Esau are at odds from the start. Esau trades his birthright, a lasting inheritance, for a single bowl of stew. This message asks us to look honestly at where we do the same. We often protect our image more than we guard our heart, and we know what God says while letting culture shape us more. We may also be willing to comprom...

A healing on the Sabbath becomes a confrontation over who Jesus claims to be. When religious leaders challenge His actions, His answer raises the stakes: He is doing His Father’s work. Those listening must reckon with His relationship to God—and what that means for them. In John 5:16–30, Jesus declares His authority to give life and judge, acting in perfect unity with the Father. His words bring u...

Preaching from Isaiah’s message to exiled Israel, Rev. Chuck reminds the gathered congregations that God still addresses His people with three life-changing assurances: “I created you,” “I redeemed you,” and “I am with you.” Like captive Israel, believers today often sit in the mess of personal failure, church frustrations, and a broken world, yet God’s parental love never lets go. His redeeming g...

Change can be something we pray for while still finding ourselves settled into familiar patterns. When disappointment, pain, or waiting lasts long enough, even the hope that things could be different can become difficult to imagine. In John 5:1–14, Jesus meets a man who had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years and asks him a striking question: “Do you want to be made well?” Jesus then calls...

At Jacob’s well, in the heat of the day, a Samaritan woman comes for water and finds Jesus waiting. What begins with an ordinary request becomes an honest conversation that reaches into the places she would rather leave unspoken. In John 4, Jesus offers living water and reveals Himself as the Messiah. His grace crosses the boundaries that divided people, and His presence turns one woman’s testimon...

Sometimes the hardest part of following God is simply saying yes. We can find plenty of reasons to hesitate: we’re too busy, we don’t feel qualified, someone else could do it better, or we’re afraid of what might happen if we fail. When the task seems bigger than we are, it can be much easier to focus on our limitations than on the One who is calling us. Moses knew that feeling. When God called hi...

This Sunday, August 9, Chris and Jodi of Love & The Outcome lead a special morning of music and message at Richland Center Free Methodist Church. Together, we worship through familiar hymns and songs. Through honest stories and Christ-centered music, Chris and Jodi remind us that God remains faithful in seasons of joy, uncertainty, and hardship. Their songs invite us to trust His goodness and...

Some moments only make sense when viewed from the other side. A painful experience, an unexpected change, or a closed door may later become part of an opportunity we never could have planned. Romans 8:28 assures us that God works in all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. This does not make every circumstance good, but it reminds us that no part of ou...

Nicodemus had knowledge, influence, and a respected place among Israel’s religious leaders. Yet when he came to Jesus under the cover of night, he discovered that neither learning nor religious activity could give him the life he needed. Jesus told him plainly, “You must be born again.” John 3 reveals the new birth as the work of God’s Spirit—a real transformation that makes us new, brings us into...

Sometimes, something that was meant for a good purpose gradually becomes crowded with distractions. What should be a place of welcome, worship, and reverence can gradually be overtaken by other priorities until the original purpose is almost forgotten. In John 2:13–17, Jesus enters the temple courts and responds with holy zeal as He clears away everything that stood between people and God. His act...

A celebration was underway. Family and friends had gathered, laughter filled the room, and everything seemed to be unfolding just as it should—until it wasn’t. In a single moment, a quiet problem threatened to overshadow the joy of the occasion. What happened next offered a glimpse of who Jesus truly is. In John 2:1–11, Jesus performs His first public miracle at a wedding in Cana, turning water in...

A nation can celebrate a milestone with fireworks, flags, and parades, but anniversaries also invite reflection. As America marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the question is not only what has been accomplished, but what kind of people we are becoming. Long before nations debated liberty and justice, God had already revealed what He desires from those who bear Hi...

Every day we pledge our loyalty to something. It may be a nation, a cause, a career, or even the expectations of others. Those commitments shape our decisions, influence our priorities, and reveal where our deepest trust truly rests. When competing voices call for our allegiance, where do we turn? Psalm 33 points beyond human strength and earthly powers to the Lord, whose word is true, whose purpo...

Families are built through countless moments of guidance, sacrifice, patience, and love. Yet every parent knows the tension of giving freedom while hoping their children choose wisely. Every child, no matter their age, knows the impact a parent’s influence can have on their life. In the Parable of the Lost Son, Jesus paints a picture of a father whose love remains steady through disappointment, re...

Expectations can shape the way we see everything. Some are built on hope, others on disappointment, and many are shaped by what we’ve heard from others. When the first disciples encountered Jesus, they came with questions, curiosity, and their own ideas about what the Messiah would be like. What they found was far greater than they expected. In John 1:35–51, Jesus invites ordinary people into an e...

Before there were witnesses, signs, sermons, or songs, there was the Word. John opens his Gospel by taking us back before creation itself, showing us that Jesus did not simply appear in history; He is the eternal Word through whom all things were made, the source of life and light. John the Baptist came as a witness, pointing beyond himself so that others might believe. In John 1:1-9, we are remin...

Who is Jesus, and why did He come? John does not begin with a manger scene or a genealogy, but with eternity itself: “In the beginning was the Word.” Before creation, before history, before we could reach toward God, the Son was already with God and was God. In John 1:1–14, we see the wonder of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Jesus is the light shining into darkness, the Creator ent...

A crowd gathers in Jerusalem for Pentecost, expecting the familiar rhythm of an ancient feast. Then the sound of a rushing wind fills the house, tongues of fire rest on the believers, and people from many nations hear the good news of Jesus in their own languages. This is not confusion, but fulfillment. The crucified and risen Jesus has poured out the Holy Spirit, and the call is clear: repent, be...

Some people leave a mark and then fade into history. Others are remembered because their words still carry weight. But Jesus did more than leave behind a teaching or a movement. After the cross, He kept showing up, alive, seen, and recognized by those who knew Him. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Paul reminds the church that the gospel rests on real events: Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raise...

There are moments when someone places trust in your hands and steps back so you can carry something forward. A parent teaching a child to pray before bed. A grandmother showing patience through years of hardship. A mentor quietly living out faith in everyday choices. The baton is rarely passed with fanfare. More often, it happens in kitchens, conversations, long car rides, and ordinary acts of fai...

When life is easy, we forget to pray. When life hurts, we wonder if God is listening. James calls believers to turn to God in every season, whether we are suffering, singing, sick, or wandering. In James 5:13-20, we see a church family that prays, confesses sin, seeks healing, and gently pursues those who drift from the truth. God invites us to face Him honestly right where we are, trusting that H...

Anxiety can creep in quietly or crash in without warning. It can settle into the mind during sleepless nights, uncertain seasons, or moments when life feels heavier than we expected. Many carry silent burdens—concerns about family, health, finances, or the future—wondering how to find steady ground when everything feels unsettled. In this message, JoAnn Krulatz will walk through what Scripture tea...

There are moments when prayer feels honest, urgent, and unanswered. You ask God for help, healing, clarity, or change, and the silence can feel heavy. In those times, it is easy to wonder whether God is listening, whether you are praying the right way, or why the answer has not come. James speaks directly to the tension of asking God while facing trials, reminding us that wavering, doubt, and wear...

Every part of the body matters, even the parts that are easy to overlook. When one part is weak, hurting, or hidden from view, the whole body feels it. In a world that often celebrates the most visible gifts, it is easy to forget how much strength, care, and purpose are found in each person God has placed among His people. In 1 Corinthians 12:22-31, we're reminded that the church was never meant t...