The History of Grace Bible Church
Grace Bible Church is a labor of love that began with Pastor John Holly and his wife Lois. It has been operating since June 17, 1959, when it began with its first service: a Wednesday night prayer meeting at the home of Dorman and Myrna Edwards. The first Sunday church service followed days later on June 21, 1959, also at the home of Dorman and Myrna Edwards.
The Pink School
On June 28, 1959, the first church service was held in the Pink School. Two years later on September 10, 1961, the church was dedicated. Two years after that, the Sunday School addition was completed in 1963.
April 11, 1965
Another victim of the 1965 Palm Sunday tornados was the Pink School off of M-50 near Carson Highway. Built in 1843, the red brick structure was part of the Franklin Township schools, as District #2. It initially was called the White School, and then later the Hurry School, after one time moderator, Brazillia Hurry. When it was annexed to the Tecumseh district in 1956, it served as a nursery school until 1959 when Grace Bible Church took over. Grace rebuilt its current facility near the same site following the tornado. (information from the Lenawee Historical Society Facebook page)
After the Storms
The first service was held in the new basement June 19, 1966, on the church's 7th year anniversary.
The first service was held in the new (current) sanctuary on June 21, 1970, on the church's 11th anniversary.
Grace Bible celebrated its 25th anniversary June 17, 1984.
Pastoral Leadership
Pastor Holly retired October 22, 1999, after thirty years of serving the church he and his family founded, Grace Bible Church.
The Reverand Tim Locke assumed the pastorate in December of 1999.
After Pastor Locke's retirement, the Reverand Lawrence La-Follette assumed the pastorate in April of 2004. He was born and raised in Adrian, MI. After serving at churches in Keene, NH, Clinton, MA and in Michigan, Pastor and his wife returned to the area to serve the congregation here at Grace. His pastoral studies began in 1966 at Midwestern Baptist College. Several years after graduating MBC with a bachelor's degree in 1970, pastor furthered his studies at Pensacola College (Pensacola, FL), earning his master's in 1980. Pastor also learned much about good old fashioned hard work while in the employ of his older brother's construction business, where he carried hod, dug ditches and finished cement.
Pastor La-Follette and his wife Kathy led the church through its 50th anniversary on June 21, 2000.
They also saw the church through the Covid-19 Pandemic where the church met for a short time via conference calls from March 29 through May 31, 2020, after which in-person meetings resumed.
Pastor La-Follette retired in May of 2025 and graciously stayed in the pulpit through December 14, 2025.
Layman Don Pickinpaugh filled the pulpit while the committee searched for the next pastor of Grace Bible Church from January 2026-April 2026.
Pastor Ron Nichols was hired as the new pastor of GBC on Wednesday April 8, 2026. (Biography coming soon!)