Grace Fields Community Church
Thursday, November 05, 2026
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GFCC History


 

A Concise History of Grace Fields Community Church

1977

November 6: Sunday evening. A group of 61 people from Madison Creek Church, met in the home of Gil and Linda Douglas on Happy Hollow Road. A new church was formed under the name Grace Fields Community Church. Rev. W.W. Garrison was unanimously called as pastor and deacons were elected.

November 9: Wednesday evening. A prayer service was held at the Ocana club house on Long Hollow Pike with 100 present. An announcement was made that the church would meet at Hunter School until property could be purchased and a building erected.

November 13: Sunday morning. The first worship service was held at Hunter School.

November 16: Wednesday night. The church adopted its Articles of Faith.

1978

April 22: A tract of 10 acres of land was purchased from Dr. Robert Bucknell for $30,000. Just over 60 days later, a note burning ceremony signaled the full payment of the land cost.

1979

April 30: A groundbreaking ceremony marked the beginning of construction of phase one of a building on the property. The property was financed by a bond sale of $350,000.

1980

March 30: The first service was held in the new building with 310 present. The sanctuary at that time is now what we call Bucknell Hall.

1982

September: The church was recognized for having the largest numerical gain in small groups of any local church.

November 7: On the church’s fifth anniversary, the church began to use a fellowship building which is now called Building B. This building also provided space for youth activities and youth Sunday School during this period of rapid growth of teen ministry in our area.

1984

January: A 6,000 square foot education building was placed in use. This unit is our current building A which was remodeled in 2002 to provide office space for staff.

1985

Easter Sunday 1985: Pastor W.W. Garrison announced his resignation, stating that the church’s future needed the energies of a younger man. Sadly, but lovingly, the church accepted his resignation and began plans to select a Pastor Search Committee.

1986

February 16: After a recommendation by the Pastor Search Committee, the church extended a call to Rob Stoneman, who had been serving a church in O’Fallon, Illinois.

April 20: Rob Stoneman preached his first sermon.

1989

June 4: The new worship center was dedicated. Cynthia Clawson, the Cumberland Boys (from Opryland, USA), Brenita Reid, and the Payne Chapel singers joined in the musical celebration.

1992

November 15: The church celebrated its 15th anniversary with a morning concert followed by worship. An anniversary reception was held in Garrison Hall, in which memorabilia of the past 15 years was displayed.

1996

September 1: Rob Stoneman announces his resignation and his plans to begin a new church using nontraditional approaches to reaching the lost.

September 15: The final Sunday for the entire church to be together before the pastor, the ministerial staff, and a number of members left to form what came to be the Zion Church.

October 20: The church elected a Pastor Search Committee to seek out a pastor.

December 1: The Pastor Search Committee conducted a survey among church members to provide input for preparing a pastor profile and a church profile.

December 8: At the recommendation of the Pulpit Supply Committee, the church unanimously elected Bob Winters as interim pastor. Dr. Winters served as a pastor prior to joining the area church board.

1997

January 5: Dr. Winters began serving as interim pastor.

September 7: The Pastor Search Committee recommended the church call Steven Armstrong as pastor.

September 21: After the morning worship, the church unanimously extended a call to Steven Armstrong as pastor.

October 26:                      Grace Fields Community       Church welcomed Steven, Charlene, Brandon, and Brian Armstrong to the church family. Sunday School attendance was 383. Bro. Winters preached his first sermon as pastor with 551 in attendance.

1998

June 14: Alan Daneils became Grace Fields' Minister of Students.

July: David Moffitt became Grace Fields' Interim Minister of Worship.

September 20: Linda Johnson became Grace Fields' Minister of Childhood Education.

December: David Moffitt became Grace Fields' full-time Minister of Worship.

1999

January: Jeff Lancer became Grace Fields' Interim Minister of Education.

February 27: The congregation of Grace Fields unanimously voted to begin conducting 2 Sunday School hours and 2 Worship services on August 22, 1999.
April 25: Grace Fields decided to go to a dual-service format for the four highest attendance weeks in the church year. Dual services conducted April 25 - May 23.
May 16: Grace Fields decided to keep the dual worship services going indefinitely. Dual Sunday School hours began on August 22, 1999.
August 22: New Sunday School year begins. GFCC officially began offering two weekly Sunday School hours and two weekly Worship Services! The church reached their attendance goal of 822 people in Worship!
November 21: The Church Search Committee notified the church that they had selected Alan Daniels as candidate for the Minister of Adults and Administration position.
December 19: The church body of Grace Fields voted to appoint Alan Daniels as Minister of Adults and Administration.

2000

January 9: Alan Daniels began his full-time duties as Minister of Adults and Administration.
April: Phillip Allen was appointed Associate Pastor of Strategic Planning in addition to his Minister of Students position. Lance, known for his forward-thinking and vision, was appointed in the strategic planning role to assist GFCC in growth analysis and planning.

July: The Buchanan Fellowship Hall was remodeled to convert it into much needed Pre-School classrooms.

2001
June: Construction began work on a church parking lot expansion and the multi-purpose dome building.