Our History

Future Home of Grace Avenue UMC

Phase I of Construction, June 2004

Phase II of Construction, October 2007

Phase III Completed January 2013

Grace Avenue United Methodist Church is a third generation congregation. In 1986, Highland Park United Methodist Church of Dallas planted a new church in Plano called St. Andrew United Methodist Church. In 1999, St. Andrew planted a new church in Frisco called Grace Avenue United Methodist Church. In both cases, significant amounts of human, financial and spiritual resources were donated in order to give the new churches every opportunity to succeed in their respective growing communities.

Important Dates and Milestones

November 1998	United Methodist Church commits to starting a new congregation in West Frisco
December 1998	St. Andrew United Methodist Church of Plano agrees to sponsor the new church
April 1999	Billy Echols-Richter is appointed as pastor of the church
May 1999	Fifteen person design team meets, sets the vision, and chooses the name Grace Avenue
June 1999	Sunday Evening Worship is conducted for the summer
August 1999	First Sunday Morning Worship Service is held at Christie Elementary School
April 2000	Grace Avenue constituted as an official United Methodist Church
June 2000	First Children's Vacation Bible School is held with over 60 children and adults in attendance
July 2000	First Youth Mission trip is taken to help hurricane victims in Falfurrias, Texas
January 2001	First Capital Campaign is kicked off using the theme "God Will Make a Way"
April 2001	First Capital Campaign is completed with over $650,000 pledged over 3 years
February 2002	Second Sunday Morning Worship Service is added at 9:15 am
May 2002	Grace Avenue purchases 19.54 acre tract of land on Main Street (FM 720) in West Frisco for $1.7 million
October 2002	Grace Avenue completes site Master Plan with HH Architects
June 2003	Grace Avenue agrees to a three-way land deal, which leaves the church with 16 acres of land adjacent to the future Frisco Family YMCA on Main Street
August 2003	Construction begins on site infrastructure and an 8500 square-foot facility that will seat 450 people for worship
March 2004	Grace Avenue moves onto the site in a 7200 square-foot modular building that will house office and education space
June 2004	Grace Avenue begins worship in the Phase I facility
December 2004	Membership increased 42% throughout the previous year to 586
April 2005	Third weekly Worship Service is added on Saturday evening at 5:30 pm
December 2005	Membership increased 34% throughout the previous year to 789
June 2006	Capital Campaign "Celebrate What God Will Do" is completed with over $1.5 million pledged over 3 years to build an education and office facility
January 2007	Construction begins on the new 23,000 square-foot Phase II education and office facility with expected completion in September 2007
October 2007	Grace Avenue moves into the Phase II facility
September 2008	Fourth weekly Worship Service is added on Sunday morning at 11:00 am
August 2009	Grace Avenue celebrates its 10th Anniversary with over 1500 members, average weekly attendance of over 750, and an annual operating budget of $1,350,000
June 2011	Capital Campaign "Because of God's Love" kicks off to build a 22,000 square-foot facility that will feature a new traditional worship facility and renovation of our current worship space
February 2012	Construction begins on Phase III of the Grace Avenue campus
January 2013	Grace Avenue begins three traditional worship services in the Sanctuary and three contemporary worship services in the Worship Center

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Grace Avenue UMC is a Ministry Safe Organization.
Contact klane@graceavenue.org with questions.