Grace Community Church Capital Campaign
Our Mission
Since the day Grace Community Church was born, our mission remains unchanged:
Because God in Christ is redeeming a people for Himself from “every tribe and language and people and nation,” we desire to reflect the global working of our great God by being a multi-generational and multi-cultural congregation that is wholeheartedly committed to proclaiming the message of God’s saving grace to all people everywhere, from East Saint Cloud to the ends of the earth. We do this by…
REACHING UP to worship God through Jesus Christ because of the eternal salvation He has provided.
REACHING IN to love and know one another and help one another grow in our faith.
REACHING OUT to share the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost, both locally and globally.
God is calling us each to REACH BY FAITH as we consider our next steps as a church to accomplish this mission.
Our History
Grace Community Church began in the year 2000 as local believers had a vision for a confessional, Reformed, Southern Baptist church in Saint Cloud. We began meeting as a small group in a home. Later we rented office space and eventually began meeting in Harmony High School.
In 2001, by God’s grace, we were blessed to purchase the nine acres we currently occupy, because of the generosity of a Christian businessman who believed in our vision for a church.
In 2008, the church pulled together to fund a modest building project, which has been our church home since the building was dedicated to God on February 15, 2009.
In our 25 years as a congregation, the Lord has been faithful to preserve this confessional, Reformed church in Saint Cloud.
Our Problem
...you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power... Nothing is too hard for you. - Jeremiah 32:17
When GCC began in 2000, the population of Saint Cloud was 20,000 people, by 2010 it was 35,000, and by 2023, it was 71,000 people. Add to that the many recent residential buildings
appearing in walking distance, and we have a problem: more and more souls who need Christ and a faithful, biblical church are arriving month after month.
By 2019 we had outgrown our modest space and went to two Sunday worship services. The past several years have seen remarkable growth in our attendance. At present we number over 175 covenant members and are averaging around 300 attending worship on Sundays because they value the careful instruction from God’s Word, reverent and scriptural worship, and true loving Christian community. We give all praise to our faithful Lord for His kindness in shining the light of Christ brightly through this humble lampstand in Saint Cloud, Florida. Soli Deo Gloria!
At present, our church is at a crossroads, and the elders believe the Lord is calling us to act. Our modest facility was built to provide basic space for worship and some classrooms. But with our present church family, we lack adequate space for just about everything:
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The sanctuary holds approximately 185.
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Classrooms are busting at the seams.
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We have inadequate office space.
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There is no fellowship hall of any kind.
Though we have made our present situation work as best we can, now is the time to address our space needs.
Our Vision
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. - Psalm 67:1-2
If we want to accomplish our mission, we need space to REACH UP together in worship, space to REACH IN and teach and grow one another, and space to REACH OUT to include new disciples of Jesus Christ. The elders and the building committee have been working to develop plans for a facility to meet our needs. The new building would accommodate 450+ people for worship, and the current building
will become offices, classrooms, and a fellowship hall.
Our Plan
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thework of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! - Psalm 90:17
The current building plan will cost approximately $1.5
million. The sale of our back three acres will, Lord willing,
net about $1 million. We need to raise about $500,000 to
build this worship facility debt-free. Can you imagine that?
Think about how we could support missionaries, reach out
to the community, and help the needy without a monthly
loan payment of thousands of dollars!
To help accomplish our mission to REACH UP, REACH IN, and REACH OUT, we are beginning a season of
actively calling upon God’s people to give toward this goal, “REACHING BY FAITH” to trust the Lord and
give sacrificially toward the kingdom work of Christ.
