|
| 1958 |
A group of 45 people (mostly from the Brooklyn
Alliance Church) began meeting at C.A. Thomas School (now Tri-City
Senior Center), and prayed about the church they sensed God
was leading them to begin. |
|
| 1962 |
Donald & Elfriede Schaeffer came to Cleveland
with 4 children (and had another 5 here!). Donald was the first
ordained pastor of Grace Church. 42 years later, Donald &
Elfriede continue to be involved in effective ministry and enjoy
time with their 37 grandchildren around the world! |
|
| 1968 |
The first chapel was constructed at the corner
of Bagley & Fry Roads. By the time of its completion, the
church had already outgrown its 110 person seating capacity
and had to go to 2 worship services. |
|
| 1973 |
As Grace continued to expand its ministry in the
community, a new sanctuary was added with additional classrooms.
In the years that followed, hundreds of people lovingly invested
energy and time in reaching out to the community, and many new
ministries were initiated. |
|
| 1980's |
Grace is known for its solid Bible teaching and
opportunities for discipleship. During this time, we are blessed
by the leadership of assistant pastors as Grace becomes a multi-staff
church. Ken Radke, Jim Clevenger, Jack Herman, and Terry Truffin
make an impact through their pastoral roles. Youth groups are
strengthened, short-term missions teams are launched, and Grace
begins its practice of training ministry interns. |
|
| 1990's |
God continued to bless Grace Church with leaders
who have a heart for Him. In addition to Pastor Donald Schaeffer,
God has led others to join the team: Gregg Carrick (1990); Steve
Harper (1994); Jonathan Schaeffer (1998); Dennis Barta, Randy
Vandemark (1999); Jeff Doeringer and Joyce Meekins, Women’s
Ministry Director (2001); Jamie Norton (affiliated counselor),
John Guenther, Steve McKnight (2002) & Ryan Davis (2004). |
|
| 1996 |
The first 32,000 square feet of our facility here
at 7393 Pearl Road was completed, providing much needed space
for exciting new opportunities for outreach & discipleship
ministries for all ages. |
|
| 2002 |
A fourth Sunday service began as God brought more
people to Grace. There are 40-50 events that take place in our
facility each week. In addition to our own ministries, there's
Bible Study Fellowship, Toastmasters, AA, the Cleveland Browns
Bible study, and more. |
|
| 2003 |
A new ministry is launched in the Old Brooklyn area of Cleveland,
as Grace takes on the identity as “one church, two campuses.”
The building at Broadview and West 28th is completely remodeled
and serves as the home for a growing segment of the Grace family. |
|
| 2004 |
Our new Worship Center seats 1344 people, and
new classrooms and nurseries have been a huge gift! This additional
85,000 sq. feet provides space for many more people in our community
who will grow in their relationship with God and discover how
they can best serve Him. |
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