Welcome
Welcome to Word of Grace!
Below you will find out a little about us from three personal stories. Enjoy!
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What We're All About: Love. Care. Serve. Share.
Word of Grace is all about a living, real, and meaningful relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It's about a life that is lived with joy and meaning, giving back to the community, and living a life of positive faith with purpose. It's also about accepting people for who they are, no matter where they are in life.
3 Stories Really Tell What Word of Grace Is All About. Below you can read the real life faith short stories of Pastor Eric, Michele, and Dave
Pastor Eric's Story:
"I don’t come from a particularly religious home. My parents made me go to Sunday school but while mom sometimes went to church, dad never did.
After high school, I joined the military and left church far behind. After the military came college; during and after college I focused on being an entrepreneur, starting businesses and chasing after money. When I got married I went to church because my wife wanted me to, but it had little effect on my daily life. I shoved God as far back in my life as I could, and tried to live life on my own terms. Then in my 30’s I began to feel an urgency to do something more with my life. While I was “successful” I couldn't get past the emptiness I felt inside. There had to be more to life.
I was successful and miserable, I lacked purpose and meaning. I agonized for three years over what felt like a wasted and empty life. No matter how much money I made, or how many toys I bought, or how much I partied, life just seemed more and more empty. One Sunday, in desperation, I literally cried out to God with tears, asking for his help. When I cried out to God in desperation, something happened, something broke loose in my soul and I felt free and clean for the first time in years. I re-dedicated my life that day to Christ, and I felt the peace and meaning that had been alluding me. After that experience my wife and I decided to make a radical change in our lives. We left our old life behind and moved from California to St. Louis, so I could attend seminary and become a pastor. After graduating seminary we moved our family back to California to start a church in Rohnert Park where we could share with others what we had discovered about God and the real meaning of life. That church is Word of Grace.
I believe that a church which exists only for itself is not a church that is following Jesus. Selfish, self-centered faith is not what we find in the Bible. In the Bible Jesus taught his followers, and led by example, to serve others with the love of God. The Christian faith you find at Word of Grace is a living, growing, dynamic faith that is lived in a community of people who encouarge each other in their faith, and serve our community together with the love of Jesus. We are far from perfect. We make mistakes, we are sinners. We live in and through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and continually try to follow Jesus in loving and accepting others who make mistakes, and are sinners too. In fact, we beleive that Word of Grace is the perfect place for imperfect people!
At Word of Grace you will find imperfect people who live out their faith in many different ways. Some serve through local agencies like hospices, assisted living facilities, Habitat For Humanity, Building Together, and COTS (Committee On The Shelterless). We also serve as a congregation by adopting entire neighborhoods, schools and other places in our community where we can share the love of God in practical ways.
Worship on Sunday is meaningful, uplifting, challenging and inspirational, but that is just one part of our faith. It is the faith we live out the rest of the week that really makes the most difference. We are a congregation of regular people who are accepting of all people, no matter where they are in life.
One thing I have learned on my faith journey, being in relationship with God makes all the difference. I have learned how to live a meaningful, purposeful and truly successful life through following Jesus Christ, and it is my joy to share that life with as many others as will listen, learn, live and serve!"
“I love Word of Grace, can you believe that a church has actually changed my life? I grew up in a Jewish home that was not particularly religious. It wasn’t until we discovered Word of Grace that my heritage came into perspective. Pastor Eric has helped me understand who I am in light of God’s Word. Now for the first time in my life, faith has become real and meaningful.
I am truly inspired by the genuine message that applies to life, my life today. As I face the challenge of raising two little girls in an ever changing world, the Bible based sermons at Word of Grace provide me encouragement through applicable life lessons. Pastor Eric is dynamic and delivers a heartfelt, well thought out message of God's hope, with meaning and humor. The worship is awesome, the music is great, and the people are real. What more can I say, I love Word of Grace!
This is a community of people who are open and honest. Word of Grace is a place where you can have questions and doubts and its o.k. Faith here is intelligent, honest and real.
Dave's Story:
"For the first time in my life I actually look forward to going to church on Sunday. When we discovered Word of Grace my whole concept of God, Jesus, religion and church changed.
Not only has Word of Grace had a very positive impact on my life, it has given me the opportunity to give back to our community and serve others. A while back I had the opportunity to work with Habitat For Humanity rebuilding a home in New Orleans. That experience had a huge impact on me. I came home with a renewed vision to serve others in our community with the love of Jesus. I want to help others put their faith into practice and share the love of Jesus with our community in a practical way.
I now have greater hope for the future and faith that I can ,and will, help raise my kids to be the kind of people I know they should be. My life definitely has been changed for the better because of finding God at Word of Grace, and having the opportunity to serve others through practical and meaningful faith.
Word of Grace Luau
Our annual Word of Grace Picnic - Loads of fun for everyone!
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