Shortly after serving his country in the Marine Corps, Pastor Rick Hiatt began attending the Norwood Mennonite Church and soon felt the call to serve in a different way and in a different light.

“After a few years, I became an elder of the church and occasionally delivered the message when the pastor was away,” he recalls. “The congregation spoke to the pastor, and he shared with me that he felt God was calling me to become a pastor.”

Pastor Rick, however, initially declined the call, citing that he did not have enough time to devote to the studies necessary to take on such a responsibility. “Soon after that conversation, I fell off my roof and tore my rotator cuff, which left me unable to work for six months,” he says. “I never told the Lord I didn’t have time again.”

During his long recovery, Pastor Rick’s neighbor, Mike, gave him a Bible on CD-ROM, prompting him to read the entirety of the Good Book. The call to pursue the pastoral ministry was again extended and, this time, answered. 

While preaching on occasion, Pastor Rick dove into his studies, attending Greek class, taking various online college courses, and working with the Illinois Mennonite Conference. “Chuck, the conference minister at the time, provided me with a mentor, Doane Brubaker, who taught me many crucial aspects of being a minister,” the pastor shares. “I began preaching at Norwood Church in 2006 and started preaching at the East Peoria Mennonite Church last year, in addition to my responsibilities at Norwood.”

East Peoria Mennonite Church, located at 125 North Norwood Place in East Peoria, begins worship services at 9:15 Sunday mornings and Pastor Rick is in the office on Thursdays. They can be reached by calling (309) 699-8713 or visited on Facebook at www.facebook.com/epmennonite/. 

Pastor Rick happily extends open arms to all who wish to attend, regardless of their religious background or denomination. “I believe there is no difference between our faiths,” he states. “We all share the same belief in the repentance of sin through Jesus Christ. We welcome everyone. We are no different from anyone else.”

This extends to how you may dress. Some people may feel that if they don’t have a “Sunday best” outfit, they are going to stand out or feel uncomfortable. Pastor Rick assures no such fears are warranted. “Just come as you are,” he urges. “We dress like everyone else. You don’t need a suit or a tie.”

The church is, after all, not just for followers of the Mennonite faith. “Our mission in the church is not only to care for our members, but also our neighbors, and to bring Jesus Christ to all,” Pastor Rick declares. “As it says in Mark 12:30-31: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’”

Following Christ’s clear declaration has always been important, but the pastor says it has become more important now than ever before. “It teaches us to live in love despite our differences. Christ instructed us to help one another and to look out for each other. When one person cries, we all cry; when one laughs, we all laugh. I believe that in our country today, we need to see the example of Christ more than ever, as it demonstrates our love and care for one another.”

While Mennonite tenets include the believer’s baptism, the separation of church and state, and achieving things through peace rather than war, the core faith is that of a faith in Jesus Christ. “Our main goal is to share the Bible and the love of Jesus Christ with everyone eager to learn about Him,” Pastor Rick invites. “We extend our hands and open our arms wide to welcome everyone in the community and beyond. We want everyone to know that Jesus Christ loves them, and we love them too.”