Christ United Methodist Church is located at 4509 Highcrest Road in Rockford, Illinois. The church has worshipped with the people of Rockford since 1956 and offers ministries for children, youth, adults, and families.
The church’s main building is currently unavailable for meetings and events after an accidental fire began in the organ during use. Everyone inside escaped safely, no injuries were reported, and the church is assessing the condition of its facilities while restoration work is underway.
Fire at the church sanctuary
Cleanup efforts are underway at Christ United Methodist Church after the church’s organ caught fire Monday night. The Rockford Fire Department reports it was called to the church at 4509 Highcrest Road for a fire within the sanctuary area of the building.
Firefighters were able to get the fire under control within about five minutes. Everyone at the church at the time was able to get out safely. No injuries were reported.
Investigators say the fire started in the church organ which was being used at the time of the fire. It is being called accidental in nature. It’s estimated the fire caused about $100,000. The building also had significant smoke damage.
Current building status
As of Tuesday, Christ United Methodist Church said its main church building is unavailable for meetings and events while it assesses the condition of our facilities and determine next steps. The church thanked the community for their prayers and says the restoration team is already hard at work.
It plans to keep families updated regarding building use and scheduling as they learn more.
Location and campus
Christ United Methodist Church is located at 4509 Highcrest Road, Rockford, IL 61107. Located just east of downtown Rockford, our campus includes our main center for worship and ministry, a preschool center, counseling offices (Trinity Building), and our church offices (Grace Building).
| Campus information | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 4509 Highcrest Road, Rockford, IL 61107 |
| Location | Just east of downtown Rockford |
| Main facilities | Main center for worship and ministry, preschool center, counseling offices, and church offices |
| Counseling offices | Trinity Building |
| Church offices | Grace Building |
Worship and connection
We're so glad you're here! Christ UMC has been worshipping with the people of Rockford since 1956. Since then, we've grown an array of ministries for children, youth, adults, and families to gather, grow, and go together to love and serve Jesus Christ, our community, and the world beyond.
Whether you're new to the Rockford community or just searching for a church home, we would love to meet you at one of our Sunday worship services! Pick a service time that works best for you and come introduce yourself, or tune in online to see what a service at Christ UMC is like.
We hope to see you soon!
Ministries and church activities
The church describes its ministry life through the invitation to “gather • grow • go.” Its programs serve children, youth, adults, and families, with an emphasis on loving and serving Jesus Christ, the Rockford community, and the world beyond.
The church also provides a preschool center and counseling offices on its campus. Upcoming activities are listed through the church’s event calendar.
Recent sermon
The latest sermon is titled "Heroes of Faith: Esther".
Office hours and listed contact information
| Day | Office hours |
|---|---|
| Monday-Thursday | 9:00 am-2:00 pm |
| Friday | 9:00 am-12:00 pm |
Denominational and congregation information
The church data identifies the congregation with GCFA Number 523261 and places it in the Northern Illinois - Wisconsin Episcopal Area and the Prairie North District. The listed charge name is Rockford: Christ the Carpenter.
| Category | Recorded information |
|---|---|
| GCFA Number | 523261 |
| Episcopal Area | Northern Illinois - Wisconsin |
| District | Prairie North |
| Congregation Type | Mission |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Charge Name | Rockford: Christ the Carpenter |
Membership, attendance, and ministry participation
The available 2024 figures list 88 professing members, 35 average attendees, two professions of faith, and zero baptized members, adults baptized this year, children baptized this year, and constituent members.
The same figures list Sunday School attendance as zero, small group participation as zero, two small groups, mission participation of 55, mission giving of $900, total spending of $45,931, and total income of $64,435.
| Measure | 2024 figure |
|---|---|
| Professing Members | 88 |
| Average Attendance | 35 |
| Professions of Faith | 2 |
| Baptized Members | 0 |
| Adults Baptized This Year | 0 |
| Children Baptized This Year | 0 |
| Constituent Members | 0 |
| Sunday School Attendance | 0 |
| Small Group Participation | 0 |
| Number Of Small Groups | 2 |
| Mission Participation | 55 |
| Mission Giving | $900 |
| Total Spending | $45,931 |
| Total Income | $64,435 |
Recorded congregational trends
The recorded annual figures show 85 professing members in 2022 and 2023, followed by 88 in 2024. Average attendance was recorded as 30 in 2023, 0 in 2022, and 35 in 2024.
Professions of faith were recorded as 0 in 2022, 0 in 2023, and 2 in 2024. Mission participation was recorded as 0 in 2022, 0 in 2023, and 55 in 2024.
| Year | Professing Membership | Average Attendance | Professions of Faith | Mission Participation | Total Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88 | 35 | 2 | 55 | 64435 |
| 2023 | 85 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 59003 |
| 2022 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70662 |
| 2021 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70662 |
| 2020 | 85 | 40 | 5 | 25 | 72031 |
| 2019 | 85 | 40 | 5 | 25 | 72031 |
| 2018 | 85 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 72031 |
| 2017 | 80 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 59258 |
| 2016 | 150 | 40 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 150 | 60 | 2 | 0 |
Long-term membership record
The historical record lists 198 professing members and 60 average attendees in both 2013 and 2014. The figures then show 150 professing members in 2015 and 2016, 80 in 2017, 85 from 2018 through 2023, and 88 in 2024.
Earlier records list 102 professing members in 2004, 99 in 2005, 102 in 2006, 102 in 2007, 84 in 2008, 90 in 2009, 162 in 2010, 168 in 2011, and 173 in 2012.
The historical figures also list 74 professing members in 1995, 76 in 1996, 0 in 1997, 84 in 1998, 85 in 1999, 88 in 2000, 94 in 2001, 89 in 2002, 102 in 2003, and 73 in 1994.
Facility use during restoration
Because the main church building is unavailable for meetings and events, building use and scheduling remain subject to the church’s assessment of the facilities and restoration planning.
The church plans to keep families updated regarding building use and scheduling as they learn more.