Mission Work
Mission School of Hope
Learn more about our sister church in Africa where the minister there has developed a school for children and reaching out to tell the Good News to the Baka (Pigmy) tribe in Cameroon.
Youth Mission Trip to Nicaragua
Watch a video on how youth at Fox River made a difference in the lives of children in a poverty-stricken area of Nicaragua.
Fox River Congregational Supports:
Prayer Requests
Pastor Lonnie
Rev. Dr. Lonnie Richardson, Founding Pastor
Lonnie is the founding and senior pastor of Fox River Congregational Church. His life has been shaped by a lifelong commitment to Christian ministry, theological education, and service across a wide range of congregational settings, including rural, urban, and university communities.
Pastor Lonnie began his ministry journey in 1970 with the Methodist Church, quickly progressing through leadership roles as a licensed minister and traveling preacher. He earned a degree from Greenville University in 1975 and later completed a Master of Divinity at Eden Theological Seminary, where he was ordained as an Elder in The United Methodist Church in 1981. Over the years, he served congregations in Missouri and Wisconsin before founding Fox River Congregational Church, where he continues to serve today.
A dedicated student and pastor, Dr. Richardson earned his Doctor of Ministry in 2008 and has pursued ongoing leadership training, including certification in transitional ministry. His work has been recognized for its innovation and impact, with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel describing him as “a twentieth-century pioneer.”
Known for his thoughtful, transformative approach to ministry, Pastor Lonnie is committed to helping individuals grow in faith and live with purpose. Alongside his wife, Mercedes, and their three children and grandchild, his legacy reflects a deep devotion to spiritual leadership, community building, and lifelong service.
The Story of the Blue Boat
How did this boat end up here?
After the church bought the property on Capitol Drive, this fishing boat was found on property. Church members tried to fix it to no avail, and it ended up in a storage barn. Before building, the boat was unearthed after the storage barn was taken down. Later, the boat was moved by the groundskeeper. The construction crews arrived and got to work. At the time, Pastor Lonnie was preaching a series on Peter and becoming "fishers of men". An instrumental church member came to the property and took this photo. Unplanned, the boat ended up atop a mound of dirt next to the foundation of the church. There, three crosses were formed by the bracing put up by masons. The center cross higher than the rest and hovering over the boat. Sometimes, a boat is just a boat. Bricks are just bricks. And there are other times when God whispers to us and reminds us that a boat abandoned long ago for fishing in water.......was just the beginning of fishing for more precious catch.
