Welcome to Highmore

Grace Bible Church

The Fellowship of Grace Bible Church began under the ministry of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in December 1937, when special evangelistic services were held in the Hyde County Courthouse with the first service on December 25th. Rev. Wm Graves and Fred Goehring of Berkeley California, were in charge. On January 15, 1939, the newly formed organization was known as Grace Bible Church. The first officers were: Chairman, Dick Lauing; Treasurer, Jacob Goldsmith; Sunday School Supt., Fred Erlandson; Secretary, Mrs. Jacob Goldsmith. The first Sunday School was held on January 29, 1939, with a membership of 43. Regular Sunday morning and evening services with a young people's meeting during the week and prayer meeting each week were held from the time of the church's organization. On April 12, 1940, the church was officially organized as the Grace Bible Church of the Northwestern District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

In the spring of 1940, the Perry House was purchased. It's location in Highmore is 215 3rd Street, SW. The house was used for both a parsonage and church building. It was sold in August 1945.

On February 16, 1947, a special dedication service was held for the former location of the church. The ground on which the church building stood was purchased from the Welch heirs and the former Zion Lutheran Church building was purchased and placed on its foundation on November 20, 1946, at 306 Iowa Avenue, South (the Luze Funeral Home now stands here). The first church service was conducted in the new location on November 25, 1946. Following the completion of the church building, the congregation began immediately to plan for a suitable parsonage. The property adjoining the church was purchased and the building completed during 1950. This house continues to be the parsonage and is located at 300 Iowa Avenue, South.

The congregation, seeing a need for a change in building facilities, purchased the vacated Congregational Church building located at the corner of Third Street and Iowa Avenue. It had been built in 1889. The transaction was completed in January 1969. Sunday, September 14, 1969, saw the first service held in the new location. The vacated property was retained for some time and used as a Youth Center. The old church building now is located on a farm just outside of Highmore and the Luze Funeral Home now stands on this location.

On October 24th, 1999, Grace Bible Church disaffiliated from the Christian and Missionary Alliance and became again soley Grace Bible Church just as it had begun on January 15, 1939. With the Northwestern District's permission, Grace Bible is still able to be involved in supporting the missionaries from the district.

The Doctrinal Statement of Grace Bible Church is: We believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; in the verbal inspiration of the Holy Scriptures as originally given; in the vicarious atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ and the eternal salvation of all who believe in Him. We accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer and we anticipate Him as Coming King. Qualifications for membership shall be satisfactory evidence of regeneration and to be able to share that in testimony either written or spoken.