Q&R: Josh & Brandy Pardee

Q&R: Josh & Brandy Pardee

Amid packing for their move to Saginaw, Mich., Pastor Josh and Brandy Pardee took a break to talk about all that’s been happening for their family. Josh starts next month as senior pastor of Hopevale Church. Please join us Sunday, April 30, as we honor and thank...
Meet Toni Rowley

Meet Toni Rowley

Toni became the Kids Ministry administrative assistant in August 2021, though she and her family have called First Free home for several years. Born and raised in Minnesota, Toni found her way to Rockford after marrying her husband, Philip, a Rockford native. At the...
Lessons from the Desert

Lessons from the Desert

by Mary Harker | 3-minute read Growing up, my church did not emphasize Lent. To me, Lent meant we had macaroni and cheese and fish sticks in the school cafeteria because the Catholic kids couldn’t eat meat, or that they (the Catholic kids) gave up eating candy from...