The vision and core values of the Grace Evangelical Church have not changed since its inception in 1973.

As the church will tell you, it did not start with a stone cathedral but began in humble homes, devoted to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship and to prayer. The first meeting was with five families, which included ten adults and ten children. The congregation enjoys a current membership of 400 people.

As with most congregations it met at various locations. When the numbers grew to beyond meeting in homes, they next met at the Gresham Chapel, Woodward Academy, Hood Elementary School, the Tri-City Building and in 1987 purchased land at is first permanent location on Flat Creek Trail.

Mike Stachura currently serves as its teaching pastor and has an interesting background. He was born and reared in Chicago and met his wife while attending DePaul University there. Originally majoring in political science, he also studied international politics in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is a graduate of Wheaton Theological Graduate School in Illinois.

He encountered Christ while questioning a point of view with a worker for Campus Crusade for Christ during his early college years and later was an associate staff member for this organization.

Teaching for two years at the University of Indonesia, he became associated with "Operation Mobilization". The group, now headquartered in Tyrone, Ga., operates two ships, the "Logos" and the "Doulos II". The operation began in 1957, and the ships travel all throughout Southeast Asia serving as mission stations. Mr. Stachura served aboard the "Doulos" for over 20 years and served as its managing director from 1974 to 1990.

At that time, he moved to Fayette County to become the U.S. Director of "Operations Mobilization" and served in this capacity from 1990 to 1995.

During this period, he had joined Grace Evangelical as a member. In 1997 he served as an interim pastor for the church and in April, 1998 be became it's full-time teaching pastor.

He and wife, Jorie, have three children, (who grew up aboard "Doulos"), Joel, who is married, lives in Fayette County and teaches at Landmark Christian School; Christal, who is married and lives in Atlanta; and Carolyn, who is in her final year at Sanford University in Birmingham and is majoring in Political Science.

The church is proud of its support of 22 missionaries, based in 13 countries. A flag from each country is hanging in the church.

Over the past five years, teams of youth and adults have ministered from Jamaica to Japan and individuals have traveled to Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. A quick survey will reveal that over 120 of the Grace congregation have traveled to foreign fields over the past five years. Many members are looking forward to traveling with members of churches from all over the United States to Turkey this Fall.