There is a place for you here. History
In 1882 The Rev. Kaufman resigned from his position as President of the Synod of Ohio to form a congregation in Wadsworth. Grace English Lutheran Church was formed on March 26, 1885 with sixteen charter members. Work was begun immediately on the construction of a church facility. In 1892 the first facility was completed. The entire building was 1800 square fe
et. The congregation grew rapidly in its first years. By 1915 Grace had grown to over 500 members and it became obvious that the congregation had outgrown its present facility. Work was begun on a new larger building that could accommodate a congregation of that size. The new facility would be a massive undertaking. It would be inspired by the cathedral at Rheims, France using the French Gothic style of architecture. Many extras were included in the new facility due to the generosity of E. Young and Dr. N. S. Everhardt, founders of the Ohio Companies, and others in the congregation and community. The stained glass windows were designed by The Rev. Dr. C. B. Etter, the pastor of Grace at the time. The windows were crafted by the nationally known artisan, Toland Wright, who spent over two years crafting the windows. The total cost of the facility, including the stained glass windows, was $215,000, an astounding sum at that time. The new facility was dedicated on September 14, 1919. Dr. Etter served as the pastor of Grace Church for forty years, 1895-1935. Following Dr. Etter a number of pastors have faithfully served at Grace Church. In 1955 it was determined that Grace Church had outgrown its facility once again. The Christian Education wing was completely renovated. Offices and a library were added. A large auditorium was converted into classrooms and a third floor of classrooms was added. Other modifications were made to the sanctuary and church basement. The new Christian Education wing was dedicated on November 16, 1958. The congregation continued to grow and in 1973 Grace decided to call a second pastor to its staff. Once again in 1995 the congregation determined that the congregation’s ministry had outgrown its facility. A committee was appointed to study the space needs. A series of events delayed the completion of the study until September 11, 2004 when the congregation broke ground for the third time. The new facility was completed and was dedicated on April 25, 2007. The new facility added a 3000 square foot Fellowship Hall, Gathering Space, offices and handicapped accessible restrooms at a cost of $1.3 million. Grace Church continues forth today richly blessed by her forebears looking for new ways to fulfill our mission.