Grace Fellowship Church to break ground on new building in Gypsum on Sunday, Aug. 10

Grace Fellowship Church recently issued the following press release on Sunday’s groundbreaking for its new church in Gypsum:

Grace Fellowship Church is excited to announce the official groundbreaking ceremony for its new 10,500-square-foot church building in Gypsum on Sunday, August 10 at 10:15 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the project site at 335 McGregor Drive, just one and one-half blocks south of the church’s existing location on Highway 6 in the Santa Fe Furniture building. This milestone marks the beginning of construction on the much-needed, larger facility.

The new facility will offer a large worship space as well as multiple offices, five classrooms, an expansive common area, and beautiful and functional outdoor spaces. Both the exterior and interior finishes will complement the beautiful, natural landscape surrounding it. The larger facility will eliminate overcrowding that currently forces worshippers to flow outside of the sanctuary during busy holidays.

Since its opening in 2008 with just a few families, Grace Fellowship has grown to serve 200 individuals each Sunday. The congregation has moved through several locations in its 17-year-history – from the Gypsum Elementary School gym to the auditorium at Eagle Valley High School and the Town of Gypsum offices – before settling in its current home in the Santa Fe Furniture building.

Community Partnership Makes Vision a Reality

The project became possible through a significant partnership with the Dankis Christian Foundation following the unexpected passing in 2019 of beloved and long-time community member Pastor Dan Rohlwing. Pastor Dan served as founding pastor of Gracious Savior Church in Edwards in 1984 and later as pastor of Grace Fellowship in his semi-retirement. After Pastor Dan’s passing, his friend and fellow pastor Mark Dankis approached Pastor Dan’s widow, Kathy Rohlwing, to ask how the Dankis Christian Foundation could honor his memory. The Foundation made a generous donation of $350,000 to expand Grace Fellowship, allowing the church to purchase the lot on McGregor Drive.

“Over the years, Dan and I spoke often about Grace Fellowship and the incredible work God was doing through the church, and my wife, Gail and I were blessed to worship several times with Dan and Kathy while Dan was preaching,” shared Pastor Mark. “It was an easy decision to make on where to share a gift honoring him and the many contributions he made to the Vail Valley over the years.”

Building for the Future

After a year and a half of fundraising following the seed gift from the Dankis Christian Foundation, Grace Fellowship has raised more than $5 million of the $7 million project total.

“It is incredibly rewarding to break ground on this project that God’s hand has so significantly impacted, and we trust fully that His new church will be a source of love and forgiveness for all who need to hear His promises,” said Pastor Austin Kraft, who assumed pastoral leadership of Grace Fellowship following Pastor Dan’s passing. “We are deeply grateful for the Dankis Christian Foundation’s initial gift and their additional building gifts, as well as for our church members’ generous commitments and those gifts from others across the country. It is because of this generosity that the project is possible and will flourish.”

The congregation maintains a reputation of being warm, welcoming, informal and friendly, and this new space is designed to enhance that experience for community members and visitors who don’t already have a church home.

The new church building, designed by Building God’s Way, will be built by Great West Construction and is expected to be operational by the end of 2026. During construction, Grace Fellowship’s new Cornerstone Crew will minister to construction workers by praying for their safety, providing meals, sharing encouraging notes, and more.

For more information about Grace Fellowship Church visit gracefellowshipgypsum.com or to learn about ways to support the building project, visit Grace Fellowship New Building Booklet.