Welcome!
We are glad you are visiting our website. We see your visit as an opportunity for you to find out what Grace Presbyterian Church is all about and for us to invite you to be part of our community.
We want people on our campus to experience what it is to be known and cared for. We hope this value extends to visitors and members. As you become comfortable in this community, we would recommend that you find one way to grow in your faith. This may be through participation in a small group, a bible study, a Sunday School class or another opportunity supporting faith growth.
Outreach is the result of spiritual growth. We recommend that you find one way to serve. Christ modeled love through service. You may pack supplies for a mission trip, go to Nicaragua to sing children’s songs, feed homeless kids on the drag, greet people at the church door or deliver Meals on Wheels. We not only desire to sow Christ’s love in our community, we are called to do so.
Grace leadership supports a goal of Worship Plus Two. This means that we suggest that you worship regularly and find one way of growth and one way of service. Then you are equipped to spend time in your community being salt and light to those who may not know the power of Christ in their daily lives.
Frequently Asked Questions about Our Church-
Q: How do Presbyterians differ from other Christian denominations?
A: As Presbyterians we trace our church origins back to the Protestant Reformation with its emphasis on reclaiming of the centrality of the Bible, placing a priority on the grace of God through faith, and recognizing that all believers stand equally before God. Our church tradition celebrates two sacraments - Baptism (both infant and adult) and the Lord's Supper. Our denomination's representative form of government enacted through 4 levels of authority is what is most distinctive about Presbyterians. On the whole, Presbyterians value seminary trained church leadership, a care and concern for the living conditions of people in God's world, and ministries of education, health, and social justice.
Q: How does your church differ from other Presbyterian churches in Austin?
A: Our particular church places a high priority on relational acceptance and being a nurturing community of faith for one another. We see ourselves as a "progressive" Christian community of faith that provides a home for those who have been excluded by or turned off by traditional Christian churches. We value open-minded worship with intellectual integrity and we embrace together the search for God in our lives rather than certainty about God. Our sense of Christian mission leads us to emphasize ministries of compassion and social justice as our primary Christian practices. Within the wide variety of Presbyterian churches in Austin we share more of a commonality with the two or three of our sister churches who represent a liberal or progressive expression of Presbyterianism and that openly welcome gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and trans-gendered folks in our community to take part in the life of our church. Our congregation is made up of accepting people, who practice forbearance of others, who are generous in their compassion, who seek to find non-traditional ways to express our faith, and who enjoy a good sense of humor.
Q: What would I/ we find going on within your church on a typical Sunday?
A: Our Sunday worship has 2 services at 9:00 & 11:00am. Sunday School is at 10:10-10:50am for all ages with separate classes for children, youth, and adults. Our music ministry, which includes both traditional and contemporary forms of music, is a regular part of our Sunday worship experiences and we have a special alternative worship experience for younger age children during the 11:00am worship hour. You will find people coming from all walks of life, many who dress casually, some who are long-time members of our church and many who have joined us in recent years. Our congregation shares a Passing of the Peace in our worship services when we welcome visitors and greet one another in Christian friendship. We celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper on two Sundays each month. The session meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. After the late worship, our Youth Group (grades 6-12) have lunch and fellowship. You will always hear an invitation to take part in one of the many social ministries of our church or one of our monthly fellowship opportunities. Please see the calendar for more details.
Q: What do I have to believe or do to belong to your church?
A: We would like for you to believe that you are a child of God who sees in the Jesus story a vision of God's love for the world that involves our desire and efforts to love our neighbors as ourselves. It helps if you see the church as an imperfect expression of Christ's mission in the world that is in need of transformation itself so that we can embody the grace, love, forgiveness, and justice of God within both the church and in our world. As Presbyterians, we expect our church members to participate actively in the worship life and ministries of our church, to be our friends in Christ, to engage in spiritual practices that strengthen our Christian identity and service, and to support the work of the church through the giving of our time, our talents, and our money. Those who desire to join our church are invited to meet with the session on any Sunday morning to make a simple profession of faith, or to transfer church membership or reaffirm one's previous affirmation of faith. We hope that folks who join our church will get involved in one or more of the ministries of our church and will take on a leadership responsibility in the life of our church when asked to do so.
If you have other questions about our church, its mission, or activites, you can address these to our church office by email to graceadm@sbcglobal.net
