Historic Grace Lutheran Church

10/04/2026

CROP WALK 2027 is in the books. Josie Anderson, Jean Scherer, Randy Heidorn and I presented over $1,000 of donations from people of Grace! 75% of proceeds go to hunger needs around the world, with 25% feeding our local neighbors.

10/03/2026

Sunday, Oct 4 at 1:30pm
Third Presbyterian Church
Registration at 1:00pm

Join the movement.

10/01/2026

Each day in September, this page captured a snapshot of the history of Grace.

What we do today is a continuation of our history, as we are the latest chapter in the story of Grace. We are fed, and feed our neighbors: mind, body and soul.

God works through our food pantry, the CROP Walk the first Sunday of October (1pm @ Third Presbyterian Church), Meals on Wheels delivery, the meal train with Helping Hands shelter, and holiday food baskets for area public schools.

God works through Grace providing Welcome Home baskets through the Heartland Continuum of Care, and hats/gloves/socks for school children and for those experiencing housing insecurities, and still all these years after 1924 – Grace provides a little financial support to the ministry of Washington Street Mission.

Grace shares in the blessing of an annual visit with residents of LSSI’s Washington Place in Beardstown.

Grace is musically blessed by the leadership of our full-time Cantor J.B. George, our choir and bell choir, and the many musicians - vocal and instrumental - from the church and the community - that fill this space, our ears and our souls with marrow rich.

God is present in our women’s ministry, including Faith/Grace Circle, Ruthies, and the Twisted Stitchers.

God feeds us after worship every Sunday of the summer (June-July-August) as we share a potluck meal.
God makes extra time for us on Wednesday nights in Advent (December 2, 9, 16, 23 in 2026)) and Lent (February 10, 17, 24 and March 3, 10, 17 in 2027) as we gather in meal and worship.

We learn from God and one another at Brown Bag Bible Study Thursdays at noon, in-person and online.

And today, God has blessed us once again…
in you.

09/30/2026

Welcome to Grace,

On Sunday, September 20, 2026 Grace Lutheran Church voted to approve the Welcome Statement (below) that developed out of our several year long journey of Reconciling In Christ (RIC).
On Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Grace Lutheran Church Council voted to ratify the vote of the congregation. The following day we submitted our official application to be recognized as a RIC congregation, and have now received acknowledgement of that membership.
​Thank you to all of the people of Grace for participating in the learning, listening, conversations and prayerful discernment. God has helped us to realize the extent of our welcome.

​Welcome Statement:
​God's purpose for Grace Lutheran Church is to be fed and to feed our neighbors: mind, body and soul. Grace Lutheran Church rejoices in God's purpose by participating in the work for racial equity and by welcoming, fully affirming, and walking in love with society’s marginalized, including, but not limited to: people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, i.e., all LGBTQIA+ people; neurodiverse and differently-abled people, immigrants, victims of judicial injustice, and people experiencing insecurities of housing and/or food.

​with Grace,
Pastor Tom Krieger (he/him)
"How you read the Bible is always linked to how you think people get saved. ~ Rev. Dr. Ed Schroeder
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." ~ Anais Nin

09/30/2026

Grace @ 185

Realizing fully the complexity of dealing with the future needs of the congregation and the building itself, a Long-Range Planning Committee was organized in May 1986. The committee considered a rather short but complex list of initial assumptions:
1) The congregation wishes to remain downtown.
2) The building must be structurally sound.
a. If not determined to be sound, then consider the alternatives.
b. If determined to be sound, then evaluate parking, Sunday School, office, lounges, fellowship hall and the gym.

The advisability of the first assumption “We want to stay at this location” was questioned when property of Westside Christian Church became available (circa 1988-89). The question has been raised multiple times over the decades, and in the meantime, God’s purpose for Grace Lutheran Church still remains to be fed and to feed our neighbors: mind, body and soul. This purpose was discovered by the laity of Grace during a 2025 mission discernment process. The Long-Range Planning Committee, now known as the Strategic Planning Committee, is leading the committees and people of Grace in four priorities that arose out of that discernment (not listed by priority):
1) Strengthening financial sustainability.
2) Engaging new people in community.
3) Food pantry - a resource for evangelism.
4) Growing worship & music, and education ministries.

09/29/2026

Grace @ 185

For the last couple of years, Grace Lutheran Church has been using the ELCA’s partner in education and awareness for LGBTQ+ and Race issues called Reconciling in Christ. Our Welcome Team and Council have offered Listening Sessions, as well as Grace Forums (adult Sunday School) not only about RIC, but also with guests helping us better understand LGBTQ+ and POC identity and dignity. On the weekend of the 185th anniversary of Grace we voted to claim our own identity as open and affirming of so many who are marginalized, including but not limited to LGBTQ+, POC, immigrants, neurodiverse and differently-abled, victims of judicial injustice, and those experiencing food and housing insecurities.

09/28/2026

Grace @ 185

March of 2020 neighbors protected one another as they went into isolation as the Covid-19 Pandemic reached the Midwest. Grace Lutheran Church began to use technology to be in community. They interviewed and called their next pastor over Zoom later that Fall. Drive-through masked communion was our Sunday morning ritual, with a drive-in theater atmosphere for Christmas Eve 2020. Worship would be online until mitigation precautions (masks, spacing) made it relatively safe to gather together outdoors. It would be Palm Sunday 2021 before Grace would worship in-person with their pastor. Easter worship was on the NPS lawn east of the church, and with the stirring of the Spirit, we celebrated Affirmation of Baptism (aka confirmation) on Pentecost 2021 back in our sanctuary.

Today's history photo is from Springfield's CROP WALK during covid, held annually the first Sunday afternoon in October. Grace Lutheran Church's Food Pantry receives monies raised from the Walk each year; people of Grace will be invited to sponsor this year's Walkers while we gather for 9:15am worship this Sunday morning (you are welcome to Walk with us at Third Presbyterian Church; registration at 1:00pm) .

09/27/2026

Grace @ 185

In April 2013 the Castle Singers, a jazz choir ensemble from Wartburg College, came to Grace.

In 2014 Grace, along with the four (at the time) other Springfield ELCA communities of disciples, hosted the Augustana College Choir, the concert being at our neighbors: First Presbyterian Church.

In 2025 Luther College’s Nordic Choir (pictured) filled the space with the brilliance of song mastered and created by them.

Friday, December 4, 2026 the UIS and LLCC Choruses bless the public with their voices at Grace.

09/26/2026

Grace @ 185

In 1995 the With One Voice hymnal was purchased, and the congregation today sings from the two more recent denominational hymnals as well.
In 2006 audio/visual equipment was installed, and to this day upgrades have been made to the projection system and to provide Livestream services for our 9:15am Sunday worship.
The “confirmation” banners that dawn the walls of the sanctuary are only a sample of the many beautiful, sacred works of art that Cindy Anderson has created.