Grace Church of Mahomet, formerly known as Grace Baptist Church, began in 1954 as the Grace
Bible Church. The new church met at the McKnelly home south of Mahomet on August 29th of
that year and soon became affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association and the name
was changed to Grace Baptist. Grace's first pastor Reverend Warren Slaughter, went on to start
Grace Baptist Church in Normal, Illinois, after leaving Mahomet, and then died in 1963 of cancer
just a few years after being an integral part of the formation of two wonderfully strong churches
in central Illinois.

After settling in property on Washington Street (presently the location of Sangamon Valley
Christian Center) in March, 1955, the congregation acquired property at 800 West Oak Street.
A gymnasium/activities center was constructed and completed in May of 1981 while the
congregation continued to meet at the Washington Street church. In 1986, the Washington Street
property was sold and the church moved its services into the gymnasium at its present location.
The current Worship Center was completed in 1992 and a west wing was completed in early
1999. A new children's/student wing opened in June 2004, along with a new daughter church,
Crossroads, officially opening in September 2004 in Monticello.

On July 13, 2003, the congregation of Grace Baptist Church voted to call themselves Grace Church
of Mahomet.

While Grace Church has occupied various buildings and held different names over the years,
we know the church is neither a building nor a name. The church is the Body of Christ. In Jesus'
day, people were attracted to him because he demonstrated a power to change lives; and in the
years following his resurrection, people were attracted to his church because it demonstrated
the power to transform communities.

Beginning with the faithfulness of the original members, the Grace family today continues to seek
to trust God with our resources and abilities as he continues his work in us, "being confident of
this, that he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ
Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)