Grace's Story
The following was written by Pastor Larry C. Fett in celebration  of the 50th anniversary...

“It all began one evening in October, the 27th to be exact, in the year 1942. Nineteen special people gathered on the corner of First Avenue and Fourth Street SE in Le Mars. Guiding and directing this meeting was Pastor H. D. Stahmer of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hinton, the church that was eventually to be called the mother church of Grace. Those present that evening with Pastor Stahmer included Mr. and Mrs. Ed Beck, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Eilts, Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Beck, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Heimgartner, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lang, Alvina Lang, Lydia Lang, Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Schulz and Mr. and Mrs. Donald Waring.”

Historical Notes

October 27, 1942 – People meet and decide to start Grace Lutheran Church.  Charter members are: Ed Beck, R. H. Eilts, Gustav Johnson, Walter Heimgartner, Kenneth Beck, Gustav Schulz, Fred Lang, Don Waring, George Bunjes and Pastor H. D. Stahmer.

November 7, 1942  – The first church service is held at St. George's Episcopal Church in Le Mars with rent at $3.00 per service and 32 souls in attendance.  Sunday school has seven students (Bonnie Beck, Phyliss Schulz, lford and Darvin Petersen, Donald Paul Waring, Cletus Eilts and Robert Heimgartner) and four teachers (Mrs. Fred Lang, Mrs. R. H. Eilts, Miss Alvina Lang and Miss Lydia Lang.)December 6, 1942  – First baptism (Joan Pfaffle)
 
December 28, 1942 – Grace signs Articles of Incorporation and becomes an organized congregation.

January 14, 1943 – Ladies Aid is formed.  Mrs. Arthur Petersen (President), Miss Alvina Lang (Vice President), Mrs. Don Waring (Secretary), Mrs. Fred Lang (Treasurer), Mrs. Ed Beck, Mrs. Kenneth Beck, Mrs. Walter Heimgartner, Mrs. Anna Muecke, Mrs. G. C. Schulz and Mrs. H. D. Stahmer.
 
May 2, 1943 – Pastor Harry H. Meyer installed as first resident pastor
 
August 23, 1943 – Grace becomes member of Iowa District West of the Missouri Synod
 
September 1, 1943 – First funeral (Walter Heimgartner)
 
April 2, 1944 – First confirmation class:  Howard Goettsch, Gerald Krull, Wanda Mulder, Mona Swasand, Marguerite Phyllis Schulz, Wayne Kenowith, Clyde Pelton, Eugene Reich, Helen Reich, Irvin Reich, Lawrence Reich and Lois Spies.
 
September 20, 1944 – First wedding (Wayne Kenowith and Helen H. Reich)
 
November 1944 – Services move to new location, Old Union Hotel Annex for $50 per month.
 
November 1944 – Purchase property at 2nd Ave and 3rd St SE for $1,500.
 
1945 – Blueprints accepted for new church from architect, William Beuttler, A.I.A. Of Sioux City, IA.  District Convention approves a $16,000 loan from Church Extension Fund.  Building committee members – R. H. Eilts, Gustav Johnson, William Henrich, Ed Beck and Pastor H. H. Meyer
 
1946 – Congregation contracts with:
     Nemmers Brothers for general contract
     Francis Nemmer Plumbing Company for heating and plumbing
     Wright Company for wiring
     Ossit Church Furniture Company for 33 oak pews
     St. Joseph's Art Glass Company
 
     Total cost = $47,002
 
1946 – First Walther League established (young peoples organization).  Members are Emmet Baack, Darwin Mulder, Wanda Mulder, Harold Heimgartner, Robert Heimgartner and Mona Swasand
 
April 12, 1946 – Ground breaking
 
July 7, 1946 – Cornerstone laying
 
September 21, 1947 – First church service held in basement
 
1947 – New pipe organ ($3,579) from M. P. Moller, Inc., Hagerstown, Maryland installed when church completed -- Lydia (Lang) Ladentin organist for almost 50 years

May 2, 1948 – Dedication Service
     Chancel furniture designed and made by George Bunjes and son, Heino
 
October 1951 – Lot one block north of church purchased to build a parsonage
 
March 1952 – Parsonage completed by members
 
November 16, 1952 – Dedication of parsonage
 
December 1, 1952 – Congregation becomes self supporting from district
 
May 10, 1959 – Mortgage on church and parsonage is retired
 
September 1959 – Purchase house west of church for Sunday School classes
 
1963 – Pastor Meyer receives call from Petoskey, Michigan and accepts
 
July 28, 1963 – Installation of Rev. Lowell Boettcher (second pastor of Grace serving eight years)
 
August 29, 1971 – Installation of Rev. James Rassbach (third pastor of Grace serving five years)
 
December 3, 1978 – Installation of Rev. H.H. Schauland (fourth pastor of Grace serving until September 27, 1987)
 
April 1979 – Congregation purchases a lot at 7th Avenue SE to build a new church
      Five acres at a cost of $55,000
 
October 1979 – Congregation signs contract with Stienstra Construction Company of Hull, IA for construction of new church and education facility with estimated cost of $450,000
 
November 11, 1979 – Ground Breaking services held
     New Building Committee members: Lee Hemmingson, Mark Hemmingson, Steve Hurt, Darwin Petersen,             Orville Roggow and Luella Schiltz
 
     Finance Committee members: Bernard Kline, John Boyd, Donna Kewley, Paul Kraatz, Herb Ladenthin, Jerry       Meister and Arlie Pierson
 
     Old Property Committee members: Elmer Athens, Rich Janssen, Henry Bader, Sylvia Chapman, Ken               
     Hettwer,  Verle Matzdorff and Dennis Wachter
 
June 29, 1980 – Cornerstone from the old Grace Lutheran building is removed and laid in place at the new church
 
​January 18, 1981 – Moving day
 
February 1, 1981 – Sale of former church
 
April 12, 1981 – Dedication of new church
 
January 24, 1982 – First wedding in new church (Joel Hochwender and Cynthia Van Hoff)
 
January 25, 1982 – First worship service in new church
 
October 16, 1984 – Dedication of bell tower and church sign
 
September 1987 – Pastor Schauland retires

April 17, 1988 – Installation of Rev. Larry C. Fett
 
November 19, 1989 – Mortgage is burned
 
August 1991 – New parsonage built at 1531 3rd Ave SE
     Building committee members: Rich Janssen, Wayne Toel, Henry Bader, Ted Witter, Gayle Conger, Helen   
     Ernst and Lois Ohlendorf
 
December 15, 1991 – Dedication of parsonage
 
1992 – 650 baptized members, 500 communicant members
 
1996-1997 – Discussion begins regarding expansion
 
December 1998 – Congregation decides to purchase land north of existing facility and plans were drawn up for an addition to the north
 
1999 – Congregation enters a program called “Children of Grace, sponsored by Pathways Ministries, to begin raising funds for this project
 
January 18, 2005 – Laborers for Christ
 
May 2005 – Okay plans with Laborers for Christ

June 11, 2005 – Groundbreaking
 
November 2005 – Laborers for Christ leave
 
May 7, 2006 – Cornerstone Laying and the Service of Dedication for a new addition
 
August 1, 2008 – Death of Pastor Fett (Funeral August 6, 2008)
 
August 2, 2009 – Installation of the Reverend Timothy Geitz

October 20, 2019 -- New Sanctuary Cross installed

December 20, 2020 -- 2nd Mortgage (For Educational Wing) Burned
 
Pastors…as of Spring 2020
H.D Stahmer 1942-1943 Deceased
Harry Meyer 1943-1963 Deceased
Lowell Boettcher 1963-1971 Deceased
James Rassbach 1971-1976 Deceased
H.H. Schauland 1978-1987 Deceased
Larry Fett 1988-2008 Deceased
Tim Geitz 2009-Current Le Mars, IA
 
Vicars…
Dan Ritter 1983-1984 Shakopee, MN
Wayne Krohe 1984-1985 Jackson, MO
Timothy Mueller 1985-1986 Nashville, IL
Donald Polege 1986-1987 Lindstrom, MN
Mark Abraham 1998-1999 Deceased
Greg Stuckwisch 1999-2000 Odell, NE
James Travis 2000-2001 Sioux City, IA
Michael Salemink 2001-2002 St. Louis, MO
Mark Birkholz 2002-2003 Oak Lawn, IL
Marcel Kohlmeyer 2003-2004 Orchard, NE
Douglas Evenson 2004-2005 Beardstown, IL
Edward J Killian 2005-2006 Los Angeles, CA
Robert Weinkauf 2006-2007 Basehor, KS
Stanton Temme 2007-2008 Evanson, IN
Edward Durand 2008-2009 Fort Dodge, IA
 
Director of Christian Education (DCE)…
James Dammann 1992-1996 unknown