Our Story
Church History
TIMELINE
1972
Reverend Norton Richardson approaches the Indiana District Leadership in 1972 about planting a church in the New Whiteland area. The first services are held in the New Whiteland Community Center and assumes the name of Pleasant View Assembly of God church. Property is purchased on US Highway 31 for the future construction of a new church building.
1973
Reverend Raymond McCullough assumes the pastorate of Pleasant View Assembly of God in 1973. The church meets on the new property on US Highway 31 in New Whiteland in a trailer that is modified to be a sanctuary. The church will meet in this trailer for several years and experience growth.
1977
Pastor McCullough and congregation build and dedicate a 3,500 square foot facility on the church’s property. Numerous area Assembly of God churches pitch in to help. The building consists of a sanctuary seating 100 people, an office, a nursery, a small kitchen and a small social room. A 1,500 square foot addition is made to the existing building a few years later. This addition would host a new office and five new classrooms. The church grows tremendously under Pastor McCullough’s 16 years of leadership.
1990
Pastor Mike Winters is appointed the new pastor of the church in 1990, and the name of the church is changed to Eternal Life Assembly of God church. Pastor Mike and family spend five years ministering and building up the church.
1996
Pastor Ryan and Rhonda Wood come to New Whiteland to assume the leadership of the church in 1996. The church’s name is changed to New Whiteland Christian Center.
May 4th, 1997
Pastor Wayne and Traci Murray move to New Whiteland. There is a total of 26 people in attendance the morning of their first service.
Summer 1997
The Nehemiah Project kicks off to “rebuild the walls” of the church. The church building is in desperate need of repair. In the next few months, over $40,000 is invested in the church to repair and upgrade the building.
September 7, 1997 – Rededication Day
Reverend Charles Crank is our special guest for the rededication and official name change of our church to Grace Assembly of God. Sixty-two people are present.
February 1, 1998 – Jubilee Offering
Pastor Wayne challenged each family at Grace to eliminate the church’s debt of $23,000. On Sunday, February 1, the Jubilee offering totaled over $26,000 toward the debt retirement. There are 71 people present.
April 12, 1998 – Easter Sunday
153 people attend the Easter service. Thirteen men of Grace present the first illustrated sermon, “The Living Last Supper.”
May 31, 1998
Reverend Mickey Davis is our special guest for a mortgage burning service.
June 17, 1998
The church is officially set in order. Rev. Mickey Davis presides over the very first business meeting conducted for Grace Assembly of God. The church, which was previously a district supervised church, is free to elect its own board and support itself.
October 1999
Construction and excavation work begins on our new 16,000 square foot building after a lengthy process of obtaining permits from the city of Greenwood and coming to settlement terms with our church’s insurance company. Also, in October, the church moves its services to a former aviary in Whiteland, Indiana that we affectionately called “The Birdhouse.”
May 26, 2000 – Opening Service of New Building
Opening service with special guest speaker Pastor Tommy Barnett of First Assembly of God in Phoenix, Arizona. More than 300 people attend the grand opening service.
July 30, 2000 – Dedication of New Sanctuary
Charles Crank is our special guest for the dedication of our new church sanctuary. Pastor Virl Murray is also a guest speaker, at dedication weekend.
July 2002
Our first Honor Our Heroes Patriotic
Celebration is held outside on the parking lot. Guests include Mayor Charles Henderson. Approximately 1,000 people are present for the Sunday morning service. Each firefighter, law enforcement officer and veteran receives an American flag afghan.
July 2002
A spontaneous offering of approximately $45,000 is received for the Los Angeles International Church in the morning service. After the “official” offering for the Dream Center a check totaling $80,000 is sent to LAIC from the people of Grace Assembly of God.
September 2002
Our very first community 9/11 Memorial Service with more than 700 in attendance.
December 2002
The first Singing Christmas Tree spectacular is presented at Grace coinciding with the very first World’s Largest Christmas Party, where we give gifts to children whose parents are in jail at Christmastime.
January 2003
Grace is recognized as one of the fastest growing churches in the Assemblies of God by the General Council.
October 2003
“It’s Time To Go A Little Higher.” Dedication service is held for a new multipurpose room and classrooms totaling 17,000 square feet. The new multipurpose room serves as the current sanctuary for Grace. More than 600 are present for this dedication service.
July 2004
12 acres of land adjacent to our property is purchased for future growth. This brings the total acreage owned to 20 acres.
November 2004
A full time NAME center is opened and dedicated across the street from Grace A/G where married couples can receive counseling from other married couples trained at Grace. Dave and Nancy Kincheloe began the NAME ministry at Grace in 2001.
October 2005
Grace Assembly of God gives its one millionth dollar to missions.
January 2006
New Hope Church at Traders Point becomes the first church mothered by Grace Assembly of God. Grace A/G provides the first six months budget for New Hope and Pastor Chriss and Kristi Sopke.
March 2006
Grace Assembly is recognized as the top STL giving church in Indiana for 2005 giving just over $30,000 through the youth-initiated missions giving program.
June 2006
Almost 100 people comprise the largest ever missions team from Grace A/G to El Salvador King’s Castle Ministries.
October 2006
During our annual Missions convention, an offering of $100,000 is given by the people of Grace to Don and Terri Triplett to build a Dream Center in El Salvador.
July 2006
Grace Assembly of God congregation is awarded the Citizens of the Year Award from Mayor Charles Henderson of Greenwood for their annual Patriotic Celebration to honor veterans.
May 2007
G10 – The 10th Anniversary Celebration of Grace Assembly of God is held at the Greenwood High School.
Summer 2009
Additional property is purchased to the south of the church to make room for additional expansion. The property formerly housed Vinylcraft flooring.
Fall 2009
Going Higher Capital Campaign is launched to raise funds for sanctuary addition.
Fall 2010
Original sanctuary that was constructed in 2000 is modified to two floors to add a brand new nursery and preschool space. Each of the preschool spaces are state of the art and spacious. The new upstairs room is opened to serve both elementary children on Sunday mornings as well as teen students on Wednesday nights.
Summer 2012
The Storehouse ministry is launched. Housed in the storage building to the south of the church, every week people from the community come to receive clothing items, household items and other needed resources.
March 2013
Grace is acknowledged as the top giving church to Speed The Light missions in the state of Indiana.
May 2013
Groundbreaking ceremony for the new Worship Center.
Spring 2014
New Worship Center opens
