On the southwest corner of Koke Mill Road and Wabash Avenue, on Springfield's growing west side, Springfield First United Methodist Church gathers a multi-generational community around a single mission: to see all generations experience true life change with Jesus. The congregation that began in a log cabin in 1821 now fills a 66-acre campus with two worship venues, a preschool, classrooms for every age, and a steady stream of mission teams heading out to serve the city and the world.
Two Centuries on Koke Mill Road
Springfield First is one of the oldest congregations in central Illinois. Its story opens in 1821, when its founders met for worship in a cabin in the young state capital. The congregation moved to a log schoolhouse, then to a frame church built at Fifth and Monroe in 1854. In 1885, members laid a new stone church at Fifth and Capitol, and a generation later they filled the pews of a larger building at the same site, completed in 1979.
By the late twentieth century, the church's leaders saw Springfield expanding westward. In 1992 the congregation purchased sixty-six acres at the corner of Wabash and Koke Mill Road and broke ground for what was first called the Family Life Center, opening it in 1995. A permanent Sanctuary followed in 2006, and in 2008 all three Sunday services moved to the new campus. On May 22 and 23, 2021, the church celebrated its two-hundredth anniversary, looking back at two centuries of ministry and forward to the next.
The building carries that history. The Community Life Center (CLC) hosts the contemporary services and most children's and student ministries; the Sanctuary anchors the traditional service and the church's music program. A map for first-time guests helps visitors find the entrances, the KidLife check-in area, and the welcome center.
Three Sunday Morning Gatherings
Two contemporary services and one traditional service meet each Sunday morning. The contemporary services gather at 9:00 am and 10:30 am in the Community Life Center, with a worship band leading modern songs. The traditional service meets at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary, with hymns and the church's choral and instrumental music ministry. Messages from both styles follow the same weekly sermon series and are preached by Lead Pastor Rev. Dr. Roger Grimmett and Associate Pastor Rev. Nick Jordan.
The atmosphere is described as come-as-you-are. There is no dress code; jeans and a t-shirt are as welcome as a suit. Greeters and welcome center volunteers help newcomers find their way, and Lead Pastor Roger Grimmett invites visitors to reach out by email or phone if there is anything he can do to make a first visit easier. Previous Sunday messages are available online, and services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel.
Springfield First practices an open table at communion. Anyone, regardless of spiritual background, is welcome to participate. The church also baptizes people of all ages using sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, with parents or sponsors answering on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. Baptisms are scheduled by contacting one of the pastors.
What the Church Believes
Springfield First teaches the historic Christian faith as a United Methodist congregation. Members affirm one God, the eternal Trinity, known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They confess that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God, that he died for sin and rose again, and that the Bible is the primary authority for faith and practice, containing all things necessary for salvation.
The church teaches that every person is created in the image of God and that all have sinned, yet salvation comes freely through turning from sin, confessing faith in Jesus Christ, and trusting his work on the cross. Forgiveness, wholeness, and the promise of eternal life are available to all who trust Christ. Two sacraments are celebrated: baptism, which initiates a person into the church and the new covenant, and communion, which remembers Christ's death until he comes again. The gathered church is described as the body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to lead people to faith, strengthen believers, and be the light of Jesus in the world.
Six core values shape the congregation's life together: Purposeful Hospitality (warmly welcoming all people), Inspirational Worship (glorifying God with the gifts he has given), Missional Lifestyle (extending the kingdom with a joyous heart for service), Joyful Generosity (giving time, money, and talents cheerfully), Mindful Prayer (talking with God and listening for his voice), and Biblical Truth (embracing the teachings of Scripture).
A Pathway for Newcomers
Springfield First has built a deliberate Discipleship Pathway to help newcomers move from a first visit into the life of the church. The first step is Starting Point, a small gathering with the pastors designed to introduce the church, its mission, and its opportunities to connect. The next step is Foundations, a three-week class held on Sundays from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm with lunch provided. Foundations explores the church's beliefs, practices, and mission through its six core values and is a prerequisite for becoming a member. Both classes can be registered for online.
From there, members are encouraged to join a small group through GroupLife, find a place to serve, and continue growing in the practices of the faith. Membership requires the G6 Class and the New Member Class, both offered as part of the pathway.
Children from Birth through Fifth Grade
Springfield First cares for children at every age during the 9:00 am and 10:30 am services. EarlyLife serves children from birth through age five, with EarlyLife director Sara Haley coordinating programming for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Children begin each Sunday together with their families in the Community Life Center for the opening of worship before moving to age-appropriate rooms.
KidLife is the church's ministry for kindergarten through fifth grade, directed by Kelsie Fairfull. Students join the larger congregation for the first part of worship in the CLC and then return to their classrooms for Bible teaching, hands-on activities, and age-appropriate lessons. The curriculum is drawn from Wonder Ink, a gospel-centered resource built around four truths: God knows me, Jesus loves me, the Holy Spirit leads me, and I am a child of God. The KidLife team partners with parents and caregivers to help each child grow in faith, and the program is built around four commitments: love, faith, family, and community. Check-in takes place near the door by the playground, and a wiggle room is available at the back of the Sanctuary for families who prefer to worship together.
StudentLife for Middle and High School
Students in sixth through twelfth grade are welcomed into StudentLife, directed by Natalie Emery. On Sunday mornings, students can gather in the StudentLife room (Room 8) at 9:00 am for a time of community, prayer, and conversation, then join the rest of the church for the 10:30 am contemporary service in the CLC. StudentLife Sunday Nights meet from 5:00 to 7:00 pm weekly and include games, fellowship, worship, a Bible message, and small group time. Homework Hour and Crochet Club meet on Wednesday evenings, and the ministry adds seasonal events like a fall bonfire, a family Thanksgiving dinner, and a Christmas party.
GroupLife: Dozens of Small Groups
Small groups are at the center of how Springfield First disciples adults. GroupLife offers more than thirty classes that meet on Sunday mornings, weekday afternoons, and evenings throughout the week. Sunday morning offerings include Christian Perspectives (studying Building Beloved Community by the United Methodist Council of Bishops), Couples and Families (working through Jesus Is Lord by Tom Berlin), Great Expectations (the Acts of the Apostles), Berean, IBT, Up 'n' Comers, Spectrum, and a People and Stories of the Bible class. A Sunday Evening Group meets from 5:00 to 6:00 pm for those who prefer a later hour.
Weekday studies include a Tuesday Morning Men's Bible Study on the Gospel of John, a Tuesday Morning Women's Bible Study on Luke, a Tuesday afternoon online group, a Wednesday morning women's coffee hour, a Wednesday evening sermon discussion group, a Wednesday evening multigenerational women's study, and several senior classes that meet in the morning. The Chosen Series meets on Thursday evenings for an eight-week study of season one of the television series, and 15:10 Women's Ministry meets on alternating Saturdays. The church encourages newcomers to contact Sharon Sweeney, Director of Connections, for help finding a group that fits.
Men's Ministry and 15:10 Women's Ministry
Men's Ministry gathers men of all ages around the conviction that faith was never meant to be lived alone. A Tuesday morning Bible study for men of every age meets at 9:00 in Room 4, a Monday morning Men's Coffee Hour meets at 8:00 in the Atrium, and evening events like the Men's Bonfire Night bring men together for cookouts, service projects, and conversation. The ministry points to Proverbs 27:17: as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
The women's ministry at Springfield First, called 15:10 Women's Ministry, organizes a Tuesday morning study of James, a Tuesday morning Bible study on Luke, a Wednesday morning coffee hour, an evening discussion group, and a Saturday morning Bible study that meets every other week. Periodic social events include a Rom-Com Ladies Night in the Community Life Center and an annual craft fair and bake sale. The name 15:10 refers to John 15:10, where Jesus tells his disciples to remain in his love by keeping his commandments.
Senior Ministries
Senior adults at Springfield First find one of the most active programs in the church, coordinated by Terri Hempstead. The Senior Ministries Newsletter keeps members informed about upcoming events, and regular gatherings include a monthly Senior Fellowship and Lunch with card games, dominoes, L-C-R, and a shared meal (suggested donation $8). Quilting, games, day trips, and Bible studies fill the calendar throughout the year.
An assisted parking ministry offers valet-style help to anyone facing mobility challenges, safety concerns, or bad weather. Volunteers meet drivers under the east canopy about fifteen to twenty minutes before the traditional service and remain available ten to fifteen minutes after. No notice is needed.
Care, Prayer, and Walking Through Hard Seasons
Springfield First takes seriously the biblical call to bear one another's burdens. An online care center invites members and visitors to submit prayer requests, request hospital visits, or ask for pastoral care. Care Pastor Mike Keppler and the pastoral team walk alongside families through the ups and downs of life.
The Prayer Ministry includes a Prayer Team of more than three hundred people who pray daily for the needs of the church. Sally Howard coordinates that team. Two regular prayer groups meet on the Springfield First campus: the Pastors' Prayer Partners gather on the first Monday of each month at 5:45 pm in Rooms 5 and 6 to pray for the pastoral staff, and the Tuesday Morning Prayer Group meets at 9:00 am in Room 1 to pray for the requests left on the previous weekend's connection cards. A prayer room is available as a quiet space for personal prayer.
Three support groups meet on a regular schedule. Caregivers for Memory Loss, facilitated by Jean Webster, meets on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 2:00 pm in Room 1, providing a place for caregivers to laugh, cry, and learn from one another. GriefShare, a fourteen-week seminar led by Trish Quintenz and a team of volunteers, meets on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in Rooms 5 and 6 and is designed to help those who have lost someone significant. Parenting the Spectrum is a group for parents of children on the autism spectrum, facilitated by Jenni Griffin.
Mission Partners Across Springfield and Around the World
Springfield First describes itself as a missional church, and a Missions Council oversees a wide network of partnerships. Locally, the congregation works with Beerlahai Roi Women's Ministries, which provides housing and mentoring to homeless pregnant women and new mothers; Compass for Kids, which mentors underserved elementary students after school; Contact Ministries, a shelter and resource center for women and children experiencing homelessness; Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County; Inner City Mission, which shelters and educates homeless children and their parents; The James Project and its Closet 1:27, which support foster families; Kumler Outreach Ministries, which runs a food pantry and medicine program; the Mary Bryant Home for the Blind and Visually Impaired; the Midwest Mission Distribution Center; Refuge Ranch, which offers equine-assisted programs to at-risk youth and families; the Ronald McDonald House of Central Illinois; St. John's Breadline; The Outlet, which mentors young males; and Washington Street Mission. The church also partners with Lindsay Elementary School, supporting back-to-school breakfasts, library work, classroom adoptions, and mentoring.
The Cole Project is a Springfield First initiative that hosts birthday parties for children served by Compass for Kids and Wooden It Be Lovely and supports volunteer hosts for Safe Families for Children. The Feed Springfield program organizes small groups, families, and friends to prepare, serve, and deliver meals at the Salvation Army Shelter, contact Ministries, The James Project, and other local ministries.
Internationally, Springfield First has a long relationship with the Weala District in Liberia, one of the poorest parts of the country, helping to build a clinic and a school, providing clean water, supporting students with scholarships, and assisting the medical clinic. The church annually sends a construction team to Henderson Settlement in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky, and has sent teams to Detroit to work with Rippling Hope on home repair and improvement projects for inner-city homeowners. Mission trips to Haiti have been suspended since 2019 because of civil unrest, but the church continues to support the School of Hope in Haiti. Through partnership with the Midwest Mission Distribution Center, Springfield First annually packs and ships more than fifteen thousand rice-meal bags to Haiti and Ukraine, providing more than ninety thousand meals each year.
Springfield First Preschool
Springfield First Preschool, directed by Molly Booher, is a play-based, child-directed preschool for children ages three through five. Children can join on their third birthday and learn through an emergent curriculum that includes The Creative Curriculum, Conscious Discipline, and the Early Learning and Developmental Standards of Illinois. The program runs Monday through Thursday from 9:00 to 11:30 am and uses an outdoor classroom, two indoor classrooms, a garden, a gym, and a playground to support at least an hour of building, dramatic play, fine motor work, art, sensory bins, language arts, math, science, and books each morning. The adult-to-student ratio is at least one to six. Tuition is $300 per month, with part-time options available. Tours can be scheduled by contacting the preschool.
Building Hours, Safety, and Accessibility
The church building is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and again from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, and on Sundays during worship hours. Three entrances serve the campus: greeters will direct visitors to the right door, and the welcome center is staffed to answer questions. Parking lots are accessible from both Koke Mill Road and Wabash Avenue, and the assisted parking ministry is available before and after the traditional service for anyone who needs help at the door.
Safety is taken seriously. Off-duty police officers, a volunteer safety team, and Safe Sanctuaries policies work together to protect children, youth, and adults each weekend. The KidLife wing has a designated check-in area near the playground.
Giving and Supporting Springfield First
Members and visitors can give online, by text message (text "SpringfieldFirst" to 73256 with the amount), by ACH electronic transfer, in the offering plate during worship, by mail to the Koke Mill Road address, or by placing a check in the dropbox inside the main doors on the east side of the building. Financial Administrator Jenny Hutcherson is available to help with any of these methods.
The church also accepts planned gifts, including bequests in wills and trusts, life insurance beneficiary designations, and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs for those aged seventy and a half. Memorial gifts may be designated to specific ministries. The Trustees oversee memorial funds to ensure they are honored as intended.
Messages and the Bite Size Theology Podcast
Sermon series walk through books of the Bible and major themes of the Christian life. Recent series have included With Him All the Way, a Lenten journey through the final hours of Jesus in the Gospel of John; Easter 2026; Called: Answering God's Invitation; A Life that Matters, a study of Colossians; For Such a Time as This, on the book of Esther; Grace Upon Grace, walking through the Methodist understanding of grace from prevenience through glorification; and the current series, Who Would Jesus Bless?, which walks through the Beatitudes. Each message is available with sermon discussion questions for small groups.
Bite Size Theology is the church's podcast, tackling big questions of faith in short, conversational episodes. New episodes drop on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.
Joining Springfield First
The Discipleship Pathway invites anyone curious about the church to start with Starting Point, move through Foundations, join a small group through GroupLife, and find a place to serve. Membership requires completion of the G6 Class and the New Member Class. Those exploring baptism can contact a pastor to talk through what baptism means and how to schedule the service. Anyone who wants to talk through a decision to follow Christ, ask questions about faith, or request a hospital visit or pastoral care can reach the church office at (217) 793-9760 or by email.