Far Out Church Turns 125
A 125th church anniversary on the West Coast? That’s news you don’t often hear. But Seattle First FMC (WA) has not only reached and passed this milestone, but also presses on to the next in its long history of community service and outreach.

It all began in 1873 when layman Hiram Pease and his family ventured from Wilkes-Barre, PA, to the emerging port town of Seattle, where Pease became a successful Full Story...

Gifted and Growing
At Edgewood FMC (Rochester, NY), they make the most of their resources. And, in most cases, that means the people God brings into their circle — both as givers and receivers of the Lord’s indwelling love and power.

Pastor Wally Fleming enthu-siastically recalls the intentional raising up of those called into the ministry. Pastor Alma Thompson, who has the gift of encouragement, Full Story...

God's CLC Army
At Cedar Springs FMC (MI), the CLC theme this year was “Army of God.” Kicking off with Boot Camp, the youngsters’ training included honoring veterans and supporting FM Pastor/Navy Chaplain Lt. Stephen Coates. Among the handouts: a little army man with the word PRAY on the bottom (pray for military missionaries) and “dog tags” bearing the FM logo. The CLC staff wore camo; children who attended at least six weeks received special T-shirts. Favorite songs: “I’m in the Lord’s Army,” “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “Jesus Loves Me” (musically rearranged into a military chant).

"Old School" Holiness
A new identity and a new ministry are keys to growth and transformation at Spring Community Fellowship (formerly Stockton First FMC, CA). Pastor Paul Koval speaks glowingly of a Spirit-filled body being conformed to the image of Christ and poured out for His glory.

A big part of that outpouring is directed at teen sex offenders — specifically, 42 young men between the ages of 12 Full Story ...

Wide Open — CUE 2006
The Free Methodist Urban Fellowship (FMUF) held its annual conference, CUE (Continental Urban Exchange), in Portland, OR, at Grace Christian Fellowship March 29-31. Keynote speakers addressed the theme “Wide Open,” encouraging the denomination to have wide-open eyes, ears and hearts.

Participants attended from Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Minnesota and Texas. Full Story...

God's Big Idea
It has been a pivotal, dramatic year at Impact Community (formerly Cornerstone, Englewood, CO), says Pastor Jim Galanaugh. “We realized we are a church that’s called and challenged to become intimate with God,” he says. And that’s exactly where they’re going — beginning with healthy relationships in the body and then spilling over into the community. Full Story...

Simple, Special Ministry
When Pastor Mark Lofquist first arrived at Big Rapids FMC (MI), he found a small, quiet church with a deep, rich heritage. He and his congregation soon found a calling, too: a thriving, growing outreach to the residents of Altercare, a nearby nursing home.

Lofquist admits that he first visited the home somewhat reluctantly as previous trips to nursing homes hadn’t left a sweet taste in his mouth. Full Story...

What a Wonderful Denomination!
It all began when her fifth-grade twins began asking about their church and its heritage. In response, Debbie Thompson of Monee FMC (IL) developed a Sunday-school series on Free Methodism for third- through fifth-graders, complete with scrap-books and T-shirts.

The opening unit was history, beginning with a paraphrase of a children’s book about John Wesley from the Men of Full Story...

A Mosaic of Holy Love
The seventh international Come to the Water conference sponsored by Wesleyan/Holiness Women Clergy, Intl., brought 83 Free Methodist clergywomen to San Diego, CA, April 20-23 to celebrate the theme “A Mosaic of Holy Love.” Other member denominations in attendance: Church of God, Church of the Nazarene, the Salvation Army and the Wesleyan Church.
Gateway Superintendent Lucia Delamarter preached to a general session of the conference Full Story...

Love Like a River
Light & Life Christian Fellowship (North) in Long Beach, CA, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004. No longer the monocultural congregation of its youth, this is a burgeoning, multicultural church. Despite having only 40 parking spaces in its lot, it ministers to hundreds every week and has planted and/or assisted as many as 10 churches locally and as far away as Hawaii and Pennsylvania — not to mention seven in Ethiopia, Africa. Full Story...