What did life look like for you in 1995? I’ll start – I was a chatty three-year-old slinging popsicles and listening to Diamond Rio around the cul-de-sac of our home in Franklin. My days were spent in a home that loved the Lord and showing that by loving each other deeply. The church was the center of our community, and our church was recovering from not being “the only ones going to heaven,” and enjoying the new freedom of Christ’s grace for all.
Imagine Franklin in 1995. There were many vibrant churches with many efforts to serve their neighbors – a small food pantry here, a little benevolence budget there, clothes closet over there, etc. These services were open for short sporadic hours throughout the week. A stronger strain of denominational pride was an undercurrent in our faith community as well.
These were good and fruitful efforts, yet the Holy Spirit moved to unite.
GraceWorks founding started when Jesus-followers came together outside of their congregations and believed we could do it better if worked together. What a testimony for Christ!
In effort to provide gifts for children at Christmas, many churches came together to serve families at an event they called “The Manger.” Then, someone asked “who will be there for these neighbors in January?”
To answer that, God prompted about 50 churches of many denominations to come together. They decided to create a place where they could serve together throughout the year. They didn’t care whose name was on it, they released their own efforts, and came together for one beautiful, unified effort. In this unity they organically started a model that many communities across the country strive for, and they named it GraceWorks.
Together, we were able to provide comprehensive relief in one place – food, rent/utility bill relief, clothing, home goods, and more!
Together, we were able to staff an operation with volunteers that eventually outnumbered staff 5 to 1, keeping a lean overhead and stewarding donations well.
Together, we were able to gain funding that keeps us independent from federal stipulations and nimble to respond to our community’s intimate needs.
Together, we forged a new model in a small hometown, showing that Jesus is bigger than any differences and there is real power in loving our neighbors with grace!!
And now as we celebrate this special birthday, I pray GraceWorks continues to inspire this unity. I pray we take this powerful testimony that unity in Jesus and sharing his grace creates real and lasting impact in the hearts of those in need of relief and grace.
Check out this video to hear more about our incredible beginning from some of our wise founders!
https://youtu.be/_CFC0fl2EeA?si=g7zlTT0XszZJ8GTQ