The Superior Express -

Last May 7, thirty people gathered together for the first time as a new congregation at Superior Estates Winery. They didn’t have a pastor, but had someone coming from Beloit, and they had faith that God would provide a way! 

They chose the name Risen Life Fellowship Church after departing from the United Methodist Church and applying to become a Global Methodist Congregation after many differences of theological beliefs, including disagreeing with Bishop C. Joseph Sprague in his book “Affirmations of a Dissenter” held he didn’t believe that Jesus’ resurrection “involved the resuscitation of his physical body.”  For this small new church plant in Superior, the resurrection is part of the foundation of Christianity and to not hold that as a deep belief is not something they could be a part of and the new name reminds them of the faith that they hold dear.

Being a new church plant, the Global Methodist Church, a year old denomination, held the application for exactly three months, giving the new congregation a chance to show regular attendance and giving from the founders of the church.  On Aug. 7, they received an email approving their membership in the denomination. 

The Global Methodist Church is a new denomination that began on May 1, 2022, splitting off from the United Methodist Church after years of disagreements in theological view-points. The Global Methodist’s mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly and Risen Life plans to do the same as they get off their feet and start trying to make a difference in the Superior Community and the rest of the world. 

Members of the new church hold a more traditional viewpoint regarding doctrine, scripture and marriage. To date more than 3,200 local churches have joined the fledgling denomination and church leaders believe more will do so before the end of the year. 

As of last Wednesday, 6,277 churches, a little less than 21 percent of the 30,000 original total of United Methodist Churches, have disaffiliated with the UM denomination. It is anticipated that both of those numbers will continue to rise in the next couple of years.

Risen Life Fellowship membership was excited to have the Rev. Natalie Faust join them on July 1st as their pastor, following her six-year pastorate at the Superior United Methodist Church. The new congregation has been incredibly blessed by the support of other area churches and people as they step out in faith. The Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene and Pastor Jeff Kimberly have been very generous in gifting them their building on the corner of Commercial and 6th streets. Living Faith Fellowship and Pastor John Albrect have committed to a financial gift, the Great Plains Wesleyan Covenant Association has given a financial gift, Harvest Christian Church has provided pews and Tom Russell, a member of Chester Methodist Church (also a Global Methodist Congregation) in Chester is providing a state of the line sound system to the congregation. They are also incredibly thankful for Superior Estates Winery for their generosity in allowing them to worship there for the last four months. 

In recent days members of the congregation have been working steadily cleaning and repairing the former First Baptist Church building which will become the new home for Risen Life.

Risen Life plans to begin worship in their new location at Commercial and 6th Streets hopefully this Sunday at 9 a.m. They realize the space won’t be perfect yet, but they continue to believe in John Wesley’s teachings that we are all striving toward Christian perfection, so the building is working on it too.  

Rev. Faust has been the primary reviewer of applications of clergy and churches coming into the Heartland Provisional Annual Conference of the GMC, processing several applications weekly. Also, as of Oct. 1, she will be the presiding elder over the North Central District of the conference, overseeing 11 churches in our area including Risen Life, Chester, Hebron, Fairbury, Endicott, Daykin, Beloit, Jewell, Ionia, Glasco and Kirwin Methodist churches.  

Their new church building was constructed in 1924 for the American Baptist congregation. When that congregation dissolved, the buidling was transferred to the Lighthoue Church of the Nazarene. That congregation met there for a time but has since returned to their original home on East Seventh Street.

The First Baptist Church was organized in 1880. The congregation purchased three lots at 558 Commercial Avenue.

The first church funding was started by a needle work fair which raised $75. W. H. Green constructed the wooden edifice.

The congregation met at the building. They allowed other denominations use of the church building, such as the Methodists, as they were constructing their own buildings.

By 1924, the building was showing its age. The congregation made the decision to construct a new brick building.

Volunteers excavated the basement in March of 1924. The cornerstone was laid on June 1, 1924.

In 1960, the church purchased lots 13 and 14 next to the building to use as a parking lot. There were plans to construct an educational building as an adjunct to the church but the building never materialized.

The congregation disbanded in the 2010s because of an aging and declining membership. The building was given to the Church of the Nazarene.