Grace Lutheran Church and School
Winter Haven, Florida
November 2020
In recent community surveys, many local residents answered positively on their knowledge of and both of our church and school ministries. The 75 year-old congregation was served 50 years, 1950-2000, by a beloved pastor/district president and still benefits from his legacy of excellence in all that is done. After a period of a dozen transitional years involving four senior pastors, the congregation has steadied and cast a new vision for the future under the leadership of its current Senior Pastor, who came to Grace as an Associate Pastor in 2006.
The congregation worships about 500 people on an average weekend between three services. (two traditional, one contemporary) Small groups meet periodically through the year and involve between 150-200 people. Covid-19 has affected attendance numbers this year, but the congregation has weathered the challenge by putting in place numerous safety and social distancing procedures and managed to continue most all ministries digitally and in-person.
The Congregation operates a school, PK-2 through 8th Grade with 305 students enrolled, of which 10% are members of the congregation. The congregation views its school as its greatest mission field. Numerous community partners have been identified and embraced for local outreach partnerships including a local dining house for the homeless, a medical clinic for the uninsured, Meals on Wheels, Senior Orphans, a women’s resource center, and support for Foster Parents. The church also operates a “Jobs4Life” ministry for the unemployed and underemployed. The congregation appreciates participating in the vicarage program and cherishes the mentorship of each vicar it has received over the last 14 years.
“Grace for All Generations: Grounded, Gathering, Going” is the congregation’s vision statement as the congregation seeks to minister to multiple generations at the same time. Grounded in God’s Word and Sacraments, the church seeks to be an enduring ministry long into the future. Gathering in numerous cross-generational and intra-generational fellowships events, the churches seeks to strengthen friendships and family relationships. With fewer people coming to church campuses, the congregation seeks to be a Going church, corporately doing as many things as possible off campus and in the community and also individually, being attentive and helpful friends in our neighborhoods.
The congregation has recently completed $1.4 million a Capital Campaign to update and modernize the campus. A broadcast room for livestreaming has been constructed and major advances were made in technology, safety and hospitality. Beyond livestreaming, the congregation desires greater ministry engagement through technology in the digital age. The church and school are blessed with quality leaders of staff and volunteers.
