As we have grown, our beautiful building has increasingly hampered our mission: stairs with no lifts for those with mobility issues; flimsy dividers and multiple points of egress for children’s ministry; and a youth group that meets in the church foyer. We believe the time has come for us to renew our building so we can renew and expand our mission.

Accessibility: To make our church ADA compliant and the entire building accessible for all attendees. This includes adding an elevator to make every floor reachable for those with mobility challenges.

Experience: To make where we worship and engage in fellowship a more welcoming environment. This includes a new group gathering space, adult education classrooms, new children’s classrooms, the addition of a children’s play area/green space, and additional restrooms.

Security: To ensure our children are safe with streamlined procedures and designated classrooms for the youngest on the first floor with easy egress in case of emergency.

Functionality: To create dedicated spaces and improved flow for children, adults, and Grace staff to grow in Christ and serve our community.

At this stage, our architectural drawings are still in the concept phase and will be finalized once we receive a building permit. Based on these concept plans (completed in February 2025), our General Contractor provided a preliminary bid that came in at the higher end of the budget range we anticipated when we began planning in early 2024.

Since then, several factors have contributed to increased costs—including design revisions made in response to feedback from neighbors and the Village, which required additional work from our architect, attorney, and engineers. On top of that, ongoing uncertainty around tariffs, construction material costs, and inflation has continued to affect pricing.

We will be able to present a finalized project budget once the Village of Winnetka approves our plans and the architect completes final drawings for the General Contractor to review.

All the funds raised will be allocated for costs related to renovating the existing building, new construction, and to update our website - which is for many people their first look at who we are as a church.

Donations that exceed our needs for building construction and renewal will be held in a Grace Building Fund to be used for future building improvements.

We are currently working toward obtaining approval from the Winnetka Village Council in order to break ground and begin construction. We hope to complete our building permit process by late summer 2025.

If our building permit is confirmed by late spring we have a target date of November 2025 to break ground. We expect 12 – 14 months of construction with minimal disruption to the church programming.

We ask everyone who calls Grace their church home and those who regularly attend to pray, engage, and give in new ways during this campaign.

To support the RENEW with financial gifts, please fill out a Commitment Card. This is a written commitment that allows the leadership to best plan on what to anticipate will be given toward RENEW and the timing of the gifts. Please know that it is not a legally or morally binding document. We know that you may encounter unforeseen circumstances that will increase or decrease your ability to give.

The four primary ways to give are: cash, check, credit card, and appreciated assets (stock donations). If you desire to give an alternative asset, we will work with you to make that happen. On our payment page, select the "Give to building fund (RENEW campaign).

Click here to give now.

Our finances are annually reviewed by a CPA firm/third party. Additionally, our bulletin has a monthly high level budget summary, once a quarter the elders have started sending out a more detailed financial update, and twice a year we have a congregational meeting with even more financial detail available. We have built a reputation for trustworthiness in our financial dealings and take that very seriously.

We are trusting that God will grow us in the knowledge of Him, His faithfulness, and to make us more like Him. We hope to be a light to our neighbors, those who work on the renovation, and Village leadership.

Everyone who calls Grace home is encouraged to set an alarm for 1:27pm daily to pray Ps 127:1 - “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”