I am so pleased that you have taken the time to visit our web site. At First Congregational Church, Peru Illinois, we seek to honor God in our lives and worship Him together in a loving Church Family. We welcome all visitors from all walks of life. Where ever you are on your journey through this life we invite you to share your journey with us.

I often say that the Christian life is about strapping on your sandals, picking up your walking stick, and following after the Master of Mercy – Jesus Christ! Christianity is radically unique among all other world views. In Christ we see the hand of God reaching down to us with nail scarred hands. In Christ we see God loving us in spite of our works not because of them.

If I could sum up the message of the Bible in what statement I would probably say something like, “God loves His creation and has offered the gift of life freely to whoever will place their trust in what He has done for us in Jesus Christ!”

My spiritual journey started as a very curious child reading a comic book like version of the Bible that my mother had given to me. The stories of God’s people and of Jesus sunk very deep into my soul and God eventually used those stories to lead me into faith in Jesus Christ and ultimately into the ministry of teaching God’s word and caring for God’s people.

I want to encourage you that despite what you may have been told in the mainstream talk of our increasingly secular culture; God is still alive and well! He is ever busy at work transforming lives and offering eternal hope to all who will receive it!

In Christ,

Pastor Chris Surber
First Congregational Church
Peru, Illinois