by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
In the past four and one-half years, although the Rice Community Church has moved its “home” a couple of times, its aim has remained steady: a dedicated adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
It now meets at 10 a.m. every Sunday at Rice City Hall. At 7 p.m. every Wednesday night, the church hosts a Bible study at Pine Country Bank in Rice.
For a time, the church’s members met for services in a room of Pine Country Bank. In fact, it held its first service there July 10, 2011. That December, they began to hold services at Rice City Hall after they gained permission from the city council to meet there. The city-hall venue works well because adults can worship in the council chamber while the children can meet in a training room at the facility. One Sunday each month, children can enjoy a crafts hour taught by Kristie Thomsen of St. Cloud. Kristie is the wife of Gene Thomsen, who is the assistant pastor and worship leader.
The Rice Community Church was begun by Pastor Emil Williams and his wife, Beulah. At first the church had only 11 members, but now services regularly exceed 30.
“Anybody is welcome,” said Pastor Williams. “Class doesn’t matter, money doesn’t matter, it doesn’t even matter if someone has been on drugs. Everyone is welcome.”
What’s important, he added, is the Gospel of Jesus and people’s willingness to accept that message.
“It’s about getting to know Jesus, lover of their souls,” Williams said. “That’s what it’s all about. We believe in the Apostles’ Creed.”
Williams noted the foundation of Rice Community Church is First Corinthians, Chapter 2, verses 1-5, First Corinthians, as spoken by Paul the Apostle:
And I, brethren, when I came to you I did not come with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
I was with you in weakness, in fear and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words or human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Emil was born in Pine Ridge, S.D.; Beulah at Watertown, Wis.
They met while both were attending St. Cloud State University where they earned degrees in teaching. He taught elementary-school students in St. Cloud for many years at Wilson, Westwood, Roosevelt and Lincoln. Many years ago, Beulah taught reading and writing to the children of fishermen in Labrador, Canada, where her parents served as missionaries. Years later she returned to Labrador to teach on a U.S. Air Force base.
Emil also served three years in the U.S. Army, being stationed in Germany for most of that time.
After Emil and Beulah met each other, they were working so far from each other in the coming years, they had no choice but to continue their relationship via letters. So for five years, they corresponded until, finally, they were able to be both in the same place and get married in Wheaton, Ill.
In 1972 they bought a country lot near Rice, then built a house there in 1974. The couple has seven children, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Pastor Emil Williams and wife Beulah.