Our Mission & Vision
The mission of Prophetstown United Methodist Church is to love God, to love others, and to magnify the name of Jesus Christ. The vision of our church is to glorify our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, to make true disciples throughout all the nations by means of missionary activity and support, to minister the ordinances, to edify believers, and to do all that is sovereignly possible and biblically permissible to magnify the name of Jesus.
Leadership Team:
Our leadership team recognizes the authority of God, and realizes that we are shepherds who serve under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We desire to devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. Our passion and goal is to equip the believers for the work of the ministry until we all attain maturity in the fullness of Christ.
Pastor Joey Garcea
Rev. Joey Garcea grew up in Rockford, Illinois and graduated from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Il in 2004 with a major in manufacturing engineering and a minor in management. After graduation, he continued in the manufacturing field for ten years while also serving as a youth group leader and in the praise band for his local church. It was at church that he met his future wife Tiffany and they were married on July 10th, 2010
In 2014, Joey went on to follow God’s call to serve as an elder in the United Methodist Church. His first appointment was to Apple River UMC in Apple River, Il. While serving the church, Joey pursued his Masters of Divinity Degree from The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, IA, graduating in 2017. After serving Apple River for his first year, Joey’s appointment was then extended to a two-charge appointment including the neighboring Scales Mound UMC. Joey continued in this appointment for two more years before being appointed to The First UMC of Savanna in Savanna, IL. Joey is currently a provisional elder in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.
In addition to serving his rural churches Joey has served in extension ministries in a variety of ways: He has time on the newly formed Rockford Praise Band team. He has partnered with his community’s local food pantry as well as a community-wide assistance program. He continues to seek new and innovative ways to partner ecumenically in the places where he has served.
Joey has a passion for rural ministry and feels called to the rural church in particular. He is passionate about getting to know people including their pasts, their current situation, their hopes and their dreams for the future. He loves working alongside of people and sharing in the work of ministry together. Joey is quick to find ways to make people feel comfortable, welcome, and loved by God.
When not engaged in the work of the church, Joey enjoys spending time with his family. Joey and his wife Tiffany are a clergy couple. They have five sons: Aidan, Brayden, Owen, Peyton, Landen and are licensed foster parents. Joey loves working on motorcycles and enjoys restoration projects as well as traveling to car shows building model cars, and playing instruments including guitar, drums and ukulele.