Q&R: Andrew Sweitzer

Q&R: Andrew Sweitzer

Andrew Sweitzer serves as First Free Rockford’s production director. After accepting the job, he moved in June to Rockford from Charlotte, N.C. We spoke with Andrew about his life and faith, his new job … and about turning mild-mannered machines into hot rods. Tell me...
Summer Q&R: Pastor Luke Uran

Summer Q&R: Pastor Luke Uran

As summer begins, we talked with Pastor Luke Uran about the new sermon series, staff vacancies and more. What was your prayer and thought process in choosing Mark’s gospel for this new sermon series? One of the primary drivers as I was praying about this was the fact...
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...
Sophia Vale: Life takes a flip turn

Sophia Vale: Life takes a flip turn

Always for Sophia Vale, life has been pushed along by water. She lived much of her childhood on an island. Water would come to signify new life for her family … help her find identity as a teen … attract her to a college. It brought her and her husband together. And...
Nate Carter: Embracing the Ridiculous

Nate Carter: Embracing the Ridiculous

Picture this: A military intelligence unit finds Bigfoot’s nest. They steal his baby, intending to turn it into a secret weapon. Bigfoot intervenes and … well, things get messy. Now another scenario: A man is swimming in the ocean off California when he’s bitten by a...