Pastor:  Thomas Mark O'Brien, Jr.

Administrative secretary :  Claribell Buchanan

Music Director:  Daniel Crawford

     Grace Lutheran Church started in the summer of 1952 with a meeting in the home of Herbert and Eleanore Spitzner, as a nucleus of six families came together with the dream of a Lutheran congregation in historic Freehold Borough.  On December 7, 1952, the Rev. Ansis Kirsfeld began presiding at worship with 13 families at the Freehold YMCA.  On May 23, 1954, the name "GRACE" was chosen by the congregation in thanksgiving to God and with the prayer that it would be by the grace of God that a Lutheran parish would be established in Freehold.  In February 1959, the Rev. Robert Oberkehr was appointed by the Board of American Missions as the full-time Mission Developer.  On October 11, 1959, Grace was officially organized as a congregation of the United Lutheran Church in America, with 109 adults and 40 children.  In July 1961, ground was broken for our church building at the corner of Park Avenue and Main Street and on March 11, 1962, the church building was formally dedicated. 

In 1988 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) formed from the merger of predecessor Lutheran church bodies.  Grace Lutheran is affiliated with the ELCA. 

     Grace has continued to grow under the pastorates of the following pastors: 

• The Rev. David Volk (called 1965);
• The Rev. J. Roderick Sauerwein (called 1970);
• The Rev. C Roger Burkins (called 1979);
• The Rev. Janet Landwehr (called 1988);
• The Rev. Dr. J. Francis Watson (called 1994); and
• The Rev. Kim Krogstad (called in 2007).  
• The Rev. Thomas O'Brien (called in 2012).  Pastor Tom is Grace's eighth Pastor 

     A source of pride for Grace is having seven members called into Holy Ministry of Word and Sacrament; Pastor Robert Schmeelcke, Pastor Beth Spitzner-Neubauer, Pastor Cheryl Meinshein, Pastor Susan Nagle, Pastor Ronald Shellhamer, Pastor Steve Sweet and Pastor Peter Hutchinson.

     We give thanks to God for our past and we pray for continued blessings in the future as we continue to grow by God's GRACE.

Church Council

Church Council meets EVERY MONTH  on the second Wednesday @ 7:30 pm.  This is an OPEN MEETING - and members are invited to come and listen to issues being discussed.  Remember - Grace Lutheran is OUR CHURCH.  Thanks for getting involved !

2013 Council Members

Grace Lutheran Church

builds loving relationships,

with God and others,

through Word, Service and Witness