Our History
We are a story of a church that should not be here. Truthfully it is a story of 2 churches that God had a special plan for.
Grace Presbyterian Church started in August 1996. Several key families help to establish the church and eventually built a church building on Ray Thorington Road in 1998. There were numerous difficulties that lead to the sell the church and the building. They began to meet around town and were a church with a pastor and no building.
Bell Road Methodist started in 1965 as in independent Methodist Church. The church built here on this property in 1971 and enjoyed many years where the church thrived in numbers. Some difficulties also faced this church and they eventually got to the place where they were an aging church that could no longer support a pastor. It was a church with a building and no pastor.
A Merger between churches is an unheard of idea (especially between two different denominations). It is an amazing story where God used Paul Telehany as the common denominator. Having served as worship leader at both churches, he was known to both congregations. Here was an opportunity and a challenge that both congregations were willing to take. Grace Presbyterian had recently called Kent Bull as Pastor. Shortly after his arrival the two churches began exploring options.
For 6 months we worked and worshipped together – and then on Jan 30, 2005 we officially merged our congregations and became Grace @ Bell Road – an Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The vote was 100% from both congregations.
The Next Chapter in the story of Grace began when Pastor Scott Lawry came in July 2007 and we began to grow as an established Church: One Church. It is a story that only God could have imagined. He has truly united as one church and you would be hard pressed to find any divisions in our church.
Our Church’s history is a picture of our God’s amazing Grace. We know that if not for the providence God, we would not be here: as Christians and as a church. And He has made us a strong Church in Christ – and continues to grow us. We hope that you will also be part of this amazing story of His redemption!
