Biography

Grace United Methodist Church was located at 3401 North Trenton Street, Ruston, Louisiana.

On October 3, 1950, six people met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hendrickson to plan for a new church. On the next Sunday, October 8, about seventy people met for the first service. It was held at Reese Hall at the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute. In November 116 persons signed up to be charter members under the founding pastor, Rev. Doug McGuire.

The parsonage at 1200 Dubach was built in 1951. Plans were made and a building fund started for the construction of a fellowship hall on property (at Tech Drive and West California Avenue) acquired in 1952. Services were first held in that building on Palm Sunday 1953.

On March 3, 1957, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the new sanctuary. Costing $81,000 and seating 385, the building was completed by its formal opening on October 13, 1957. An education building was constructed in 1962-63. In the 1960s, the church began expressing a desire to help with mission work by supporting Ray and Elizabeth Holt in the Philippines.

On May 9, 1977, the church voted to purchase 14 acres of land (at a cost of $53,000) on Hwy 167 North. The plans for a new church were approved in August 1978. The existing church was purchased by Louisiana Tech for $258,000 in May 1981. The last service in the original church was held on January 2, 1983. The movement of fixtures was completed, and the first service in the new facilities took place the following Sunday. The consecration service was held on January 21, 1983, under the leadership of Rev. James Humphreys.

A new sanctuary and office complex were constructed in 1988 under the leadership of Rev. Larry Miller. The Prayer Chapel was dedicated in June 1991. The church became debt-free on January 16, 1996, when the final building note was paid.

In May 2003, a secret ballot was held, and the congregation voted unanimously to construct a Christian Life Center. The $850,000 structure was to contain a gym stage, commercial kitchen, youth area, and a large meeting room. It was completed and consecrated on March 14, 2004, under the leadership of Rev. Wayne Evans.

Grace United Methodist Church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in May 2023.

Source: Timothy Hebert, “The Historical Register of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church,” (Louisiana: Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, 2004), page MO-35.

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