Who Are We?

Grace Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA).  Our roots go back to Switzerland and the Reformation of the sixteenth century.  American Presbyterianism is particularly influenced by our Scottish heritage.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) is a denomination of 2.4 million members in 11,000 churches throughout the United States.    Grace Church is a part of a group of Presbyterian Churches called a presbytery.  We are in Mission Presbytery which includes the southern 1/5 of the state of Texas.

On October 27, 1952 Grace Presbyterian Church was formally organized by a commission of Western Texas Presbytery with ninety-nine charter members.  Worship services were held at the Campus Theatre on Red River Street, what is now Woodlawn Bowling Center.

A few months after the church's formal organization, plans were underway to erect the first building on the Ben Jordan street property.  The first building was completed in the fall of 1953 and the educational building was built in 1956.

Dr. Paul S. Van Dyke served Grace Church as our first pastor from 1952 through 1958.  In June, 1958, Dr. Mac N. Turnage became pastor.  Dr. Turnage was pastor when the present sanctuary was dedicated in December, 1962, and served as pastor until 1967.  Dr. John D. Shackleford became pastor in the fall of 1967 and served until 1974.  Dr. Shackleford was pastor when the beautiful stained glass windows, donated by Mrs. W. C. Tracy in memory of her husband, were added to the sanctuary.  In the fall of 1975, Dr. W. W. Bill  Branch, Jr. became pastor faithfully serving Grace Church for twenty-four years, leaving to serve as General Presbyter of Arkansas Presbytery.  The Rev. Daniel E. Fultz became the fifth pastor of Grace church in January 1, 2002.  On October 27, 2002, we joyfully celebrated our 50^th Anniversary. 

The word grace is French, from the Latin word gratia.  It comes from a Greek root word chairo meaning to rejoice.  The definition includes favor, goodwill, or kindness; the love and favor of God; divine influence renewing the heart and restraining from sin; a state of reconciliation to God; mercy; pardon; and elegance with appropriate dignity.  The New Testament word that we most often translate as grace, charis, appears over 120 times.  It is God's loving face turned toward us.  Grace abounds in the community of God's people.  Over fifty years ago the organizers of Grace Presbyterian Church, chose for their name, Grace.  The congregation is marked with goodwill and kindness for each other, the love and favor of the Holy Spirit renewing our hearts and lives, the reconciliation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a genuine elegance and dignity born not of pretense but peace and joy.