On East Jefferson Street Since 1958
Grace Church sits on the east edge of Morton, Illinois, where two parking lots flank the entrance at 1325 E. Jefferson Street. On any given Sunday morning, ushers greet visitors at the doors and walk them to a seat. The service begins at 9:00 a.m., opens with a few announcements from a pastor, and moves into a blend of hymns and contemporary songs before the sermon. Coffee waits in the lobby afterward.
The church was planted in 1958 when a small community of believers called Milo Nussbaum to be its founding pastor. It began as a member congregation of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference, a body that is now known as the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches (FEC). The FEC's articles of faith remain the doctrinal center of Grace Church, with a short additional statement drawn from the National Association of Evangelicals.
More than six decades on, the congregation has grown, sent out four church plants, and built a ministry staff that reflects its present focus on children, students, adults, and missionaries across several continents. Sunday attendance is anchored by the senior pastor's preaching and a wide network of small groups, classes, and outreaches that extend through the week.
What to Expect on a Sunday Morning
Visitors arriving at 9:00 a.m. are welcomed by ushers and pointed to reserved guest parking on either side of the entrance. Worship opens with a brief set of announcements and transitions into a musical mix that includes both traditional hymns and newer worship songs. The second half of the service is devoted to Biblical preaching. Dress runs the full range from jeans and sneakers to dress shirts and slacks, and no particular style is expected.
Children are a focus rather than an afterthought. Nursery care is provided for babies through age 3 during the entire service. Children's Church, for ages 4 through Kindergarten, is offered during the pastor's message. Parents can register ahead of time so the team knows who is coming. All children's volunteers undergo background checks and training.
Coffee is available after the service, and the lobby often has treats for special occasions. A weekly bulletin, The Grace Weekend, is emailed every Friday with the order of service, announcements, and sermon notes.
The Statement of Faith
Grace Church holds to the articles of faith of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches, supplemented by a brief statement taken from the National Association of Evangelicals. The substance of the faith is laid out under seven headings:
- The Bible. The Bible is the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- One God. There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Deity of Jesus Christ. The church believes in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- Salvation. For the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
- Holy Spirit. The present ministry of the Holy Spirit indwells the Christian and enables a godly life.
- Resurrection. There is a resurrection of both the saved and the lost, unto life for the one and unto damnation for the other.
- Spiritual Unity. There is spiritual unity of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The church's motto, repeated across its pages, is a four-word rhythm: Believe, Belong, Become, Build. Each word is unpacked as a stage of discipleship and tied to a specific practice within the congregation.
The Discipleship Pathway
At Grace, discipleship is described as a lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus. The pathway is framed around four movements.
Believes in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Discipleship begins with faith in Jesus. Grace teaches that salvation is found through the grace of God, made available through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. A baptism class is offered for anyone ready to declare that faith publicly.
Belongs to a church family. Following Jesus was never meant to happen alone. Grace describes the church as a family where people are known, encouraged, challenged, and cared for. Church membership is presented as the formal step into that belonging.
Becomes like Jesus. Spiritual growth is a lifelong process. Through Scripture, prayer, worship, obedience, and the work of the Holy Spirit, God shapes believers to reflect the character of Christ. Small groups, classes, and the church library are highlighted as steady inputs.
Builds up His Church. Every follower of Jesus has a role to play in God's mission. The Build step pushes outward through service, generosity, and the support of missionaries and church plants.
Grace Kids: Newborns Through Fifth Grade
Grace Kids runs a wide safety-first program on Sundays and Wednesdays. Nursery care for babies through 3-year-olds is available during the 9:00 a.m. service. Children's Church is provided for ages 4 through Kindergarten during the sermon. Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. covers babies through fifth grade.
On Wednesday evenings, EPIC (Everlasting Potential in Christ) runs from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for ages 2 through fifth grade, August 19 through May 12. Kids Choir meets at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesdays during the fall. Brad Habegger, who grew up at Grace, oversees the program and joined the staff as the church's first Children's Ministry Pastor in November 2014.
Volunteers go through an application, a background check, and personal references. Paula Scott serves as the Children's Ministry Coordinator.
Students: Sixth Through Twelfth Grade
Student ministry exists for one stated reason: that students would believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The weekly rhythm has three anchors. Sunday School meets from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Activity Center. Bible Quiz for seventh through twelfth graders runs from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays in the Activity Center, with SNAQ (Sunday Nights After Quiz) following for games until 9:45 p.m. On Wednesdays, both middle and high schoolers gather for Youth Group from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Activity Center.
Bible Quiz is described as a time to build relationship with God and one another by digging deeper into Scripture. Alexander Schroff serves as the High School Minister and Hudson Roseboom as the Middle School Minister. Parents and students can subscribe to the Grace Student Briefing to stay informed.
Men's and Women's Ministry
The Men's Ministry focuses on discipleship and fellowship, encouraging men to grow in their relationship with God, build meaningful connections with one another, and step into the roles God has called them to. Regular gatherings, Bible studies, and service opportunities are the format.
The Women's Ministry gathers women around Bible studies, prayer groups, and special events meant to deepen relationships with God and with one another. The phrase used is "pursuing Jesus together." Video recordings of Women's Bible Study are hosted on Vimeo, and an events calendar is maintained through Church Center.
Missions and Outreach: Neighborhoods to the Nations
Grace holds to the Acts 1:8 shape of witness: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Locally, the church partners with several organizations:
- Camp of Champions USA - a Christian day camp for kids.
- IF Partners (Peoria) - extending hospitality and friendship to international students.
- Pathway Ministries - residential and community services that create pathways out of poverty.
- Rural Home Mission Association (RHMA) - equipping small-town pastors and churches.
- Southside Christian Academy (SSCA) - a private Christian school in south Peoria.
Globally, Grace supports a roster of more than a dozen missionaries and organizations, including:
- Larry and Gerry Bright with Ethnos 360
- Mark and Mary Fischer with Cadence International
- Emmanuel and Lydia Mogga with Africa Inland Mission in Kenya
- Dan and Kathy Petersen with Wycliffe Bible Translators
- David and Ashley Petersen with Mission Aviation Fellowship in the Democratic Republic of Congo
- Sam and Elizabeth Pflederer with Wycliffe in Mozambique
- Gary and Judy Roseboom with RHMA
- Emma Stubbs with Wycliffe in Mexico
- Attila and Tamara Szogedi with Pioneers in Hungary
- Megan Weeks with TEAM in the Philippines
- Doug and Jen Witzig with TEAM in Southeast Asia
- Phil and Michelle Wolfe with Youth for Christ
- Aaron and Janice Yoder with RHMA
- Additional unnamed families serving in North Africa, Eastern Asia, and Western Africa through TEAM and Wycliffe
A prayer schedule is kept current through Church Center for those who want to pray specifically for each missionary and partner.
Upward Sports: Basketball, Cheerleading, and Volleyball
Upward is Grace's sports outreach to grade-school families. In the winter, the church runs basketball for first through sixth grade boys and girls, plus cheerleading for girls. In the fall, volleyball is offered for third through sixth grade girls. Each team practices once a week, and games are held on Saturdays. Coaches and referees are recruited from within the congregation.
Adult Sunday School and Small Groups
Sunday School for adults runs at 10:30 a.m., with classes meant to deepen faith, explore Scripture, and foster meaningful discussion. Small groups meet in homes and other settings across the week and are advertised as the primary relational unit where spiritual growth happens outside the Sunday gathering. Group sign-ups are handled through Church Center.
Library and Resources
The Grace Church library exists to assist people of all ages in becoming devoted followers of Jesus. It maintains an online card catalog, runs book clubs and reading programs, and publishes a quarterly newsletter. The library also connects the congregation to two digital resources: RightNow Media, a free streaming library of Bible teaching and family content, and the Librista app, for accessing the library's holdings on a phone.
Worship, Production, and Counseling
Larry Holt serves as Worship Director, leading the blended music ministry on Sunday mornings. A full-time Production Coordinator position is currently open for someone to serve the production side of worship services and events. Curt Meiss, the Director of Counseling Development, also serves as Director of Counseling at Pathway Ministries, equipping people helpers and providing care that points back to the comfort found in God.
Leadership Team
Grace is led by an elder team of lay and vocational elders, together with the ministry staff. The current elder team includes Brad Kennell, Rob Detloff, Jonathan Farrell, Derek Henricks, Tim Pflederer, Adam Roseboom, and David Zimmerman.
The ministry staff is:
- Jonathan Farrell - Senior Pastor. Grew up in Northern Kentucky, met his wife Jaime at Cedarville University, and joined the Grace staff in 2007. He has served as the lead preacher for many years.
- Derek Henricks - Associate Pastor of Care & Administration. A Morton native who returned to Grace in 2021 after Army service and seminary training at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
- Brad Habegger - Associate Pastor of Children's Ministry. Lifelong attender of Grace and former Executive Director at Camp of Champions USA.
- Dan Baker - Associate Pastor of Discipleship. Moody Bible Institute and Alliance Theological Seminary graduate who joined the staff in May 2023.
- Steve Kellerstrass - Associate Pastor of Missions & Outreach. Moody graduate who began serving at Grace in 2009.
- Alexander Schroff - High School Minister. Olivet Nazarene University student graduating in December 2026.
- Hudson Roseboom - Middle School Minister. Liberty University graduate pursuing a Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
- Larry Holt - Worship Director.
- Curt Meiss - Director of Counseling Development.
- Jake Wolfe - Pastoral Resident. Cedarville University graduate who joined the staff in August 2026.
Giving and Getting Connected
Grace practices tithing through both in-service giving and online giving through Church Center. One-time and recurring gifts can be set up online. Checks may be mailed to the church office. The church teaches that giving is an act of worship, that resources are used to support both local ministry and global missions, and that monthly financial reports are shared with the congregation.
The Church Center app is the main hub for staying connected. It carries volunteer schedules, event sign-ups, group registrations, giving, and the calendar. Two weekly emails also keep the congregation informed: The Grace Weekend (the bulletin, sent Friday) and The Grace Weekly (prayer sheet and updates, sent Wednesday).
Looking Ahead
For more than six decades, Grace Church has marked its story in Morton with steady preaching of the Word, generational growth, and the planting of new churches. Its present focus remains the same one articulated on its home page: to help people believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, belong to a church family, become more like Jesus, and build up His Church, both in Morton and to the ends of the earth.