Fox River Congregational Church

09/03/2026

Stio Light Praying

https://youtu.be/9o0FjGmP1wU?si=3jQatLWtzYeSe9Ao

What prayer have you been praying that you fear God isn’t answering? Maybe you’ve prayed for healing, a relationship, a job, guidance, or for someone you love to change. You’ve prayed faithfully, yet nothing seems to be happening. Few things challenge our faith more than the mystery of unanswered prayer.

In this message, Pastor Lonnie explores a simple way to understand God’s answers. Ultimately, prayer is not simply about getting what we want; it is about learning to trust God for the answer. The greatest test of faith may come when we don’t get what we hoped for, yet can still say, “Thank You, Lord,” trusting that God may be protecting us from what we thought we wanted and blessing us with what we didn’t know we needed.

08/17/2026

When Life Isn’t Turning Out the Way You Planned
https://youtu.be/ZmmLQV_G0pI?si=O43_N5g8U1Inb2_5

This sermon by Pastor Lonnie speaks to the disappointment and uncertainty we feel when life takes an unexpected turn. Jeremiah’s familiar promise, “For I know the plans I have for you,” was originally spoken to people living in exile, far from the life they expected. God did not promise them an immediate escape from their circumstances. Instead, God promised that He had not forgotten them and that their story was not over.

This sermon explores the gap between the life we imagined and the life we actually have, whether that involves career changes, relationships, family struggles, grief, aging, health concerns, retirement, or simply wondering, “Wasn’t I supposed to be somewhere else by now?” Jeremiah reminds us that a change in our plans does not mean the absence of God’s presence.

Rather than putting life on hold while waiting for circumstances to improve, we are invited to live faithfully in the present, trusting that God can work even in seasons we would never have chosen. Christian hope is not the promise that everything will turn out exactly as we want. It is the confidence that God will meet us wherever we are.

This sermon by Pastor Lonnie speaks to the disappointment and uncer...

08/13/2026

https://youtu.be/4gN9CLIkZzg?si=rcVFEbCRwSyj5XEX
Every marriage begins with hope, joy, and dreams for the future, but every marriage also faces storms. Financial pressures, health concerns, busy schedules, raising children, caring for aging parents, disappointments, and unexpected hardships can strain even the strongest relationships. The question is not whether storms will come, but whether our marriages are built on a foundation strong enough to withstand them.

In this message from 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, 13, Pastor Lonnie explores one of the Bible’s most beloved passages, revealing that Paul’s words are about far more than weddings. They are God’s blueprint for everyday love, a love that chooses patience over frustration, kindness over criticism, forgiveness over scorekeeping, and faithfulness over giving up.

Whether you have been married for decades, are newly married, engaged, single, widowed, divorced, or simply hoping to marry someday, this message offers practical biblical wisdom for every relationship.

Every marriage begins with hope, joy, and dreams for the future, bu...

08/04/2026

Overcoming Anxiety and Fear - Message by Pastor Lonnie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk6G1L7g_KI

In this passage from Philippians 4:4–9, we learn that God’s answer to anxiety is not merely to “try harder” but to trust more deeply.
From a Roman prison, the Apostle Paul shows that joy is not determined by circumstances but by our relationship with Jesus Christ. He invites us to replace worry with prayer, cultivate gratitude even before answers arrive, and fill our minds with what is true, honorable, and worthy of praise. God’s promise is not a life without storms but His supernatural peace in the midst of them.
Pastor Lonnie's practical, hope-filled message reminds us that peace grows through daily spiritual practices of prayer, Scripture, gratitude, worship, and trusting God with what we cannot control. Whether you have walked with Christ for decades or are searching for peace in an anxious world, this sermon offers timeless encouragement: The Lord is near, and because He is near, we can face tomorrow with confidence rather than fear.

SynopsisIn this passage from Philippians 4:4–9, we learn that God’...

07/24/2026

https://youtu.be/B70j4TFnhDQ?si=1WXnh2cUAAKKNKZs

Drawing on Ephesians 2:8-10, this message explores how purpose is found not in achievement but in God’s grace. Paul reminds us that salvation is God’s gift, freely given through faith, not earned by good works. Because grace comes first, we are free to serve God out of gratitude rather than striving to prove our worth.

The message highlights that every person is God’s workmanship and masterpiece, uniquely created with value and purpose, regardless of age, past mistakes, or life circumstances. God continues to shape us throughout our lives, inviting each of us to serve faithfully with our gifts.

Rather than viewing purpose as a single dramatic calling, the message emphasizes that God’s purpose is often lived out in ordinary acts of love, kindness, service, encouragement, and faithfulness. Just as healthy trees naturally bear fruit, we naturally produce good works because we have been transformed by God’s grace.

The message concludes by encouraging every generation to embrace their place in God’s Kingdom, reminding us that purpose begins with receiving God’s love and continues through daily acts of faithful service to others. Every act of service, no matter how small, becomes part of God’s greater story.

Drawing on Ephesians 2:8-10, this message explores how purpose is f...

07/09/2026

https://youtu.be/BPaSO9X6LEs?si=aI6IOLJCAbCjDzKc

In this sermon, Micah 6:6–8 is used to explore the deeper meaning of freedom from a Christian perspective. While national freedom is a gift to be celebrated with gratitude, the sermon reminds us that true freedom is not only written into laws or national documents; it must also be written into the human heart by God.

The prophet Micah speaks to a people who had religious rituals but lacked justice, mercy, and humility. In response, God makes clear what faithful living requires: to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

The sermon points to Jesus as the perfect example of Micah 6:8. Jesus did justice, loved kindness, and walked humbly with God, ultimately giving his life so that we might experience true freedom—freedom from shame, fear, and death, and freedom to love, serve, forgive, and live as children of God.

The message concludes by encouraging our community of Christ followers to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary with gratitude while committing to a deeper Christian freedom. A free nation begins with hearts freed by God’s grace, and the church is called to embody that freedom through justice, kindness, and humility.

In this sermon, Micah 6:6–8 is used to explore the deeper meaning o...

07/03/2026

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06/29/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHDtWhP5LLY

This sermon asks a deeply personal question: What role does faith play when we’re sick? It begins with the promise in James 5:15, reminding us that God hears and helps when we pray. But it also acknowledges the hard reality that healing does not always come the way we ask or expect.

The central message is that God has more than one way to heal. Sometimes God gives the miracle of a triumphant crossing, in which one is healed through death and brought home to eternal life. Sometimes God gives the miracle of sufficient grace, granting strength to endure pain that is not immediately removed. Sometimes God leads us to a remedy through doctors, medicine, counseling, support, or other people. Sometimes healing comes through the body’s natural ability to recover. And sometimes we are given a mysterious healing, a powerful and unexplained restoration that goes beyond medical understanding.

The sermon makes it clear that dramatic healing does not mean someone has greater faith, and the absence of such healing does not mean God has ignored us. Faith is not about having all the answers. It is about trusting God’s heart when we cannot understand God’s ways.

The message calls us to pray boldly, ask the church for prayer, and bring sickness, fear, grief, pain, and questions to God. At the same time, it warns against measuring God’s love only by whether we receive the exact miracle we wanted.

The sermon closes with hope: because Jesus died, rose again, and promises to wipe away every tear, sickness, and death, do not get the final word. The question is not only “Will God heal?” but also “Will we trust God with the miracle given?”

This sermon asks a deeply personal question: What role does faith p...

06/22/2026

https://youtu.be/inyDbRrU3xw?si=ud5WB8Q6SG40jZOu

Pastor Lonnie’s message reminds us that the words we speak to our children can shape their hearts for a lifetime. Four simple phrases, when spoken sincerely and backed by action, can make a lasting difference: “I love you,” “I’m sorry,” “I believe in you,” and “I’m praying for you.”

These phrases convey love, humility, confidence, and spiritual care. They help children know they are treasured, teach the value of forgiveness, encourage them to face life with courage, and remind them that their lives matter to their parents and to God. The message challenges parents and all people of influence to use their words and actions to reflect the love of our Heavenly Father.

06/19/2026

Enjoy this 30-second glimpse into our 25th Anniversary Worship Celebration. We give thanks for the past, celebrate the present, and look to the future with hope. All are welcome!