Grace Fellowship to celebrate fifth anniversary

The congregation at Grace Fellowship, which broke ground for its distinctive worship and recreation facilities in October 2003, will gather Sunday to burn the note on its property and facilities as part of its fifth anniversary celebration.

Paul Kenley, the founding pastor, said he still finds it hard to believe how wonderfully the church has been blessed in such a short time.

The non-denominational church held its first services in the Kenley home in the spring of 2003. It now has expanded to an attendance of more than 250. Easter Sunday saw a new attendance mark set at 282.

During the last year a new sports complex, which includes football, soccer and baseball fields, has been constructed. The complex will be dedicated this summer. The work was done without incurring any indebtedness, said the pastor.

A great stimulus to the church's rapid growth has been an emphasis on ministry to children and young people, Kenley said.

The church participates in the Upward sports ministry for kindergarten and elementary-age children. The basketball program just completed its third season, and the first season of Upward flag football was held last fall. Registration is under way for the soccer program to begin next month.

Grace Fellowship's structure is an adaptation of the "purposedriven" model, patterned after Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif., where bestselling author Rick Warren is the pastor.

Grace Fellowship's de-emphasis on religion and its stress on personal relationships, both with other Christians and with God, has drawn many to the new work, Kenley said.

In addition to the note-burning, Sunday's service will feature special music by Nicole Kenley Crowell, the congregation's first worship leader, and her husband, Edward Crowell, who is in music ministry in Houston.

An anniversary video that chronicles the church's brief history will be presented, along with a challenge to the congregation in recasting the vision.

The service will be followed by a catered, fried catfish lunch. The public is invited to participate in the celebration, which will begin with the 10 a.m. worship service Sunday.

The church is at 2974 U.S. Highway 281 South near the construction site of the new Lampasas High School campus.