How Grace United Lexington turned community needs into a thriving ministry
On weekday afternoons near a Lexington, Kentucky park, students walking home from school are met by caring adults offering snacks and conversation, a steady presence that has helped turn once-frequent after-school fights into rare occurrences.
On other days, those same neighbors gather in apartment complexes for pop-up community festivals, around tables for a shared Sunday evening meal, or in quiet, protected spaces set aside for recovery meetings. Together, these moments reflect the growing reach of Grace United Lutheran Episcopal’s ministry in the Tates Creek area, where faith is lived out through consistent, community-centered action.
Through student mentoring, community pop-ups, recovery programs, coalition-building and a weekly no-strings-attached community meal, the church has become a hub for addressing food insecurity, youth safety, isolation and recovery with dignity.
The initiatives have reduced neighborhood conflict, earned a state award for community engagement and sparked replication across Lexington, all while centering relationships, inclusion and collaboration among schools, public agencies, faith communities and neighbors.
That work is made possible, in part, through mission support from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which flows through synods, including the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, and into congregations actively serving their communities. For Grace United, that support has helped sustain a ministry deeply rooted in listening and responding to local needs.
Grace United Lexington is a small but rebuilding congregation of about 40 members. Not long ago, membership was declining, prompting church leaders to broaden their community outreach by partnering with a local nonprofit that supports women who were sexually exploited. From there, members began going door to door in the surrounding neighborhood, listening to residents and learning firsthand about the challenges facing the Tates Creek community.
Those conversations revealed widespread food insecurity, trauma linked to shootings happening near schools, and a lack of safe, welcoming spaces for people who felt marginalized and disconnected. The church’s next steps, leaders said, became clear.
“We started by working with a local school and asking how they needed help, not just financially or with supplies, but with volunteers,” said Dawn Webb, community engagement coordinator for Grace United Lexington. “When the community center in the area reopened, we established a partnership with them. Through those relationships, we have continued to grow. We are now one of the hubs in the area that brings partners together for the good of the community.”
As the church’s outreach expanded, so did its membership, drawing people who were previously unchurched or who carried trauma from past church experiences. Many, Pr. Laura Altman said, came from the margins of society.
“They all, however, eagerly desire to serve their neighbors almost immediately upon attending,” she said.
Grace United is also part of the Tates Creek Church Coalition and Community Partners, a collaboration that includes other faith communities, public schools, the Lexington Police Department, a local community center and neighborhood leaders. Rather than duplicating efforts, the group coordinates shared initiatives, including a community-wide All Pro Dads program and summer programming designed to help reclaim a local park as a safe, welcoming place for families.
“All the ministries we do are within a one- to two-mile radius of our church,” Webb said. “We believe God calls us to love our neighbors. Building community allows people to support one another, and we see this work as being the hands and feet of Jesus in our neighborhood.”
The church’s community pop-ups in low-income areas have received statewide recognition, with members now training school leaders and partners to replicate the model. The events offer food, games, music, activities and access to resources, helping connect residents with critical support while strengthening neighborhood relationships.
A small, once-struggling congregation has grown into a hub of care, connection, and service, demonstrating how consistent, relationship-driven ministry can impact lives and neighborhoods. With support from mission partners and the commitment of its members, Grace United Lexington is fostering greater hope, safety, and opportunity throughout the community.
Here is a rundown of Grace Lex’s missions:
Tates Creek Student Community Outreach:
Volunteers meet students walking home from school with snacks and conversation, building ongoing mentoring relationships. Since expanding to a nearby park, after-school fights there have dropped significantly, and the program is expanding into other high-risk areas.
Community Pop-Ups:
Pop-up events in low-income apartment complexes offer food, games, music and access to community resources in partnership with schools and local agencies. The model has earned a state award for community engagement and is being replicated across the city.
Tates Creek Church Coalition:
A partnership of faith communities, public schools, police and local organizations coordinating neighborhood initiatives. Current efforts include a community-wide All Pro Dads program and summer park programming.
Recovery Programs:
LGBTQIA-affirming AA meetings are offered in a confidential, alcohol-free environment, including alcohol-free communion. Building access is limited during meetings to protect privacy.
Community Meal:
A free Sunday evening meal open to all, with no church attendance required. The meal builds community without singling out those experiencing food insecurity.
Additional photos can be viewed at this link.
