History

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

New Church Site

New Church Site

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

Phase I New Building

Phase I New Building

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

Phase II New Building

Phase II New Building

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

Phase III New Building

Phase III New Building

January 2013
Grace Avenue begins three traditional worship services in the Sanctuary and three contemporary worship services in the Worship Center