Delighting in God's grace
Learning from Jesus
Growing in the Spirit
Engaging the world's sorrows and joys
Peacefully, simply, together

The Richmond Church of the Brethren is a "come as you are" faith community with a wide welcome, far-reaching ministry, and deep spirituality. Whether you join us for worship, small-group gatherings, or other events you will find authentic friendship, permission to ask questions, engaging fellowship, and opportunities to grow in your relationship with God, others, and yourself. 

In addition to reading about our congregation, you can learn more about our pastor, Matt McKimmy.

Want to start connecting with our community? Check us out on Facebook!

About Us

We are a "priesthood of all believers" where everyone is welcomed and encouraged to participate in all areas of our life together. 

Many churches and communities say they welcome all people but fail to follow up on this claim. "All are welcome" is too often followed by a silent "... as long as you look like us, think like us, act like us, and believe like us." We strive to avoid this pitfall, extending genuine hospitality, welcome, and love to everyone we meet. 

Following the example of Jesus, the Richmond Church of the Brethren welcomes and invites the full participation of every person. We embrace diversity in age, nationality, race and ethnicity, marital and family status, gender identity and sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, educational background, socioeconomic situation, and faith experience. 

(Read more about our commitment to welcome and inclusion here.) 

Our church community reflects the diversity we welcome, but we are always looking for more additions to this beautiful patchwork-quilt as we embody Christ together.  

If you are looking for a engaging, dynamic, and authentic community of companions on the journey of faith, we would be excited to welcome you. Together we will explore God's call for our lives while we learn from Jesus and grow in the Spirit. Peacefully and simply we will seek to engage our community and the world, demonstrating the love of Christ wherever we go. All are welcome to come and be a part of our vibrant community.

Our History 

We've changed a lot over the years - particularly since 1994 when Bethany Theological Seminary moved to town. What was once a small, aging, dwindling church has grown in many ways. We've become younger - welcoming many young adults from the seminary as well as Earlham College and Indiana University East. We've become newer, with over 80% of the people who are now part of the congregation having been here ten years or less. We've become more progressive - challenging one another to hold scripture and tradition in tension with the changing realities of our world and the continued movement of the Spirit.  

From our humble beginnings in 1925 with services in an old school house without an official pastor, the congregation's first church building was completed in 1931. Located at 20 NW 15th St., this building, with a few additions, served us well for over seventy-five years. In May of 2004 we moved to our current building at 1 SW 17th St. in hopes of having more room and resources to pursue God's call for our congregation as we seek to be a blessing to our community. 

About the Church of the Brethren

Our church is a part of the Church of the Brethren, a denomination with roots in the Anabaptist and Pietist movements of late 17th / early 18th-century Germany and a 300 year heritage as a historic peace church. From its beginning the Church of the Brethren has been committed to peace and justice in our interactions with one another and with the world, practiced mindful simplicity, and sought to be non-hierarchical. 

We claim no creeds except the New Testament, as interpreted in community with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We practice believer's baptism through trine (3x) immersion. Twice a year we gather to celebrate the Love Feast, a remembrance and re-enactment of the last supper of Jesus and his disciples that includes times for personal spiritual examination, washing one another's feet, and a shared meal that includes the bread and cup of communion.

There are over 1,000 Church of the Brethren congregations in 38 states across the U.S. In addition the denomination has global ties to churches in Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Brazil, India, and other countries around the world. The Church of the Brethren has a long tradition of being highly ecumenical, working with other churches and denominations at the local level and through organizations such as the National and World Council of Churches. 

Richmond, Indiana, the small city our church calls home, has a particular significance within our denomination. Richmond is the location of the Church of the Brethren's only seminary, Bethany Theological Seminary. Since Bethany relocated to Richmond in 1994 our congregation has been blessed by many students, faculty, administrators, and seminary visitors from across the denomination.