ABOUT US

Who We Are

At our core we aim to be a church that shares the message of Jesus with the city of Columbus, and beyond. We are a community of individuals striving to encourage each other in good works and personal growth. We work to live by God’s Word, the Bible, and the example shown in the life of Jesus.

Our Values

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Our Staff

Luke Maggard

Senior Pastor

Luke serves as our Lead Pastor.

Luke Maggard

Luke serves as our Lead Pastor.

Here is a little bit of info about Luke:

Tell us about your family: I am married to my beautiful wife Kaitie. We have been married since 2013. We have five kids, Darren, Edith, and triplets Austin, Oliver and Hazel.

Where are you from? I grew up just outside of Detroit, Michigan.

How long have you been in Columbus, and at our church? We moved to Columbus to be a part of Columbus Free Methodist in the summer of 2019.

What are your favorite things to do outside of work and church? I love to spend time with my family, read books, and watch tv or movies. I dabble in golf and guitar a bit as well.

What is your favorite food? Can’t go wrong with pizza or pasta. 

Do you have a favorite book, outside of the Bible? One of my favorites is Prodigal God by Tim Keller.

What is your favorite Scripture Passage? My two favorite passages are Romans 10:15 “As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” This was the verse that God used to call me into ministry. My other favorite passage is Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Jesus made a promise to make us perfect like Him, and He is working on it every day.

Mara Vetters

Associate Pastor

Mara serves as our Associate Pastor.

Mara Vetters

Mara serves as our Associate Pastor.

Here is a little bit of info about Mara:

Tell us about your family: I am not married, and my family mostly lives in Indianapolis. My Dad is a mechanical engineer whose job often takes him out to Seattle, Washington, and my Mom is a stay at home mom. I have two younger sisters, Abigail, who is a nurse in Indianapolis, and Julia, who is a junior in high school.

Where are you from? I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, but I most recently moved to Columbus from Wilmore, Kentucky where I lived for four years.

How long have you been in Columbus, and at our church? I moved to Columbus in June of 2022.

What are your favorite things to do outside of work and church? Outside of work I love to hike, read, and watch movies, especially science
fiction.

What is your favorite food? I love trying new foods, but my absolute favorite is probably seafood in just about any form or fashion.

Do you have a favorite book, outside of the Bible? I love anything by C.S. Lewis, but The Screwtape Letters is probably my
favorite by him. Other highlights include The Martian, and How
Hackleburg Became a 13-Pie Church.

What is your favorite Scripture Passage? I’ve got a particular soft spot for Ruth 20, when Naomi tells the women of
Bethlehem, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” It’s an odd verse to be fond of, but I love how
my name, which means bitter in Hebrew, is woven into Naomi’s story of eventual redemption and new hope after difficult times.

Barb Tuttle

Pastor of Youth and Child Ministry

Barb serves as our children and youth Pastor.

Barb Tuttle 

Barb serves as our children and youth Pastor.

Here is a little bit of info about Barb: 

Tell us about your family? I am blessed to have my Mom and three Sisters all living in Columbus. It’s great to be able to just stop by and visit for a moment.
Most of my family lives in the Columbus area, but it is fun to travel to see those who don’t.

Where are you from? Born and raised in Columbus, IN.

How long have you been in Columbus, and at our church? Well, let’s just say I have been in Columbus many, many, years, and at our church for 24 years.

What are your favorite things to do outside of work and church? I love spending time with my family, watching movies, playing games, and going out to dinner.

What is your favorite food?  My all-time favorite food is spaghetti, but I also really enjoy Italian food in general.

Do you have a favorite book, outside of the Bible? My favorite book is “Monday With My Old Pastor” by Jose ‘Luis Navajo. This book is very inspirational and provides great insight. It is one I read repeatedly and use some of the stories in trainings I lead in the workplace

What is your favorite Scripture Passage? Philippians 4:13 is a life verse for me. It’s a great reminder for me to rely on God to get me through any obstacle or situation; because on my own, things may seem too difficult or overwhelming at times, but in HIS strength, I can press on and persevere! “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13

Mike Klinger

Sunday Morning Worship Leader

Mike serves as our Sunday morning worship leader.

Mike Klinger

Sunday morning worship leader

Here is a little bit of info about Mike: 

Tell us about your family? I live alone with my 5 year old German Shepherd, Kira.

Where are you from? Wabash, Indiana.

How long have you been in Columbus, and at our church? I am in my 4th year of teaching at Hauser Jr/Sr High School. I have lived in Columbus for 3 years and led worship at CFMC for just over 1 year.

What are your favorite things to do outside of work and church? Between teaching and leading worship, I don’t have a ton of free time. But with what little time I do have, I love to bake and cook. I also enjoy taking
Kira for walks, playing my guitar, and sitting around a campfire.

What is your favorite food?  Pasta, Mexican, and Soup.

Do you have a favorite book, outside of the Bible? I enjoy Murder on The Orient Express by Agatha Christie, as well as The
Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac and The Art of Racing In The Rain.

What is your favorite Scripture Passage? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Sheila Richarson

Church Secretary

Sheila serves as our church administrative assistant.

Sheila Richerson 

Sheila serves as our church administrative assistant.

We are thankful for Sheila! 

Tell us about your family: I have two sons; Leland and Isaiah and two wonderful grandsons; Christian and Damien

Where are you from? I am from St. Louis Missouri. 

How long have you been in Columbus, and at our church? I started coming in the spring of 2003, at the time I was coming every other weekend. I actually moved my membership in 2005.

What are your favorite things to do outside of work and church? I love to craft. I love making greeting cards and other paper crafts. I also like to watch true crime stories on TV.

What is your favorite food? My favorite food is Chinese.

Do you have a favorite book, outside of the Bible? One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish 

What is your favorite Scripture Passage? Philippians 4:13~~I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

What to Expect on Sunday Morning

Our Sunday morning service starts at 10:15 am each week, and lasts sixty to seventy minutes. This will be a time of worship through song, prayer together, and hearing an engaging message from God’s Word. All ages and people are welcome to participate in service with us.  

People can come to our church exactly as they are. It doesn’t matter how you dress or look. We strive to greet everyone with open arms just like Jesus greets us. 

When you arrive you can park in the parking lot off of Maple street, and come in the doors by the big windows. 

If you have little ones they are welcome to stay with you during service, or they can join other children in a space that is designed for them. All of our children’s and youth ministry volunteers are background checked and safety trained to make sure all children safe. 

  • The nursery is for ages 0-3
  •  Wee Church for 3-5 year olds is a fun filled Bible story and worship specifically for them
  • 1st-6th graders in Kidz Church 
  • 7th grade and up are a part of worship in the sanctuary 

On the first Sunday of every month we invite 1st grade through seniors to join us in the sanctuary for intergenerational worship. Families are encouraged to experience worship together.

What Does Free Methodist Mean?

Free Methodist Roots

We are a member of the Free Methodist Church USA. This means we use the Bible as our guide on how to live, and we believe in Wesleyan Theology. As a denomination and a church, our mind and actions are focused on the Kingdom of Heaven and sharing that with everyone we can. Our goal is to work together with all Christians to share God’s Kingdom with the world around us. For more information check out our FAQ page

Our History

Columbus Free Methodist Church was founded in 1921, much like the churches in the New Testament: when Godly men and women shared the good news of Jesus and individuals accepted Christ as their Savior. We began after a series of tent meetings were held in downtown Columbus when several men and women became followers of Jesus. Over the decades, the church building has changed, but the body of Christ is still active and alive with its primary mission to reach the lost for Jesus in the city of Columbus and beyond!