Grace Lutheran Church has gathered for worship on Bluff Drive in Round Rock, Texas, since the fall of 1977. The congregation belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America through the Southwestern Texas Synod and is known in the area for blending Lutheran liturgy with contemporary music, opening its buildings to community organizations, and a steady ministry of local outreach. Pastor Kari Whitlock leads the parish, with a music program under Music Director Adam Reemts and Music Minister Ron Acebuche.
Beginnings on Bluff Drive
The story of Grace Lutheran begins in the spring of 1977, when the Mission Task Force of The Austin Conference in the American Lutheran Church granted permission for a new mission to start in Round Rock and purchased a 4.59-acre site at 708 Bluff Drive. Rev. Harold Wernecke was called to begin the new congregation and invited Ralph Remmert to help establish it. The first service was held on October 2, 1977, at Trinity Lutheran Church, where 27 adults, five children, and one infant attended. On January 1, 1978, the 18 voting members agreed on the name Grace Lutheran Church.
The first building on the Bluff Drive campus was made possible by a generous gift from sister congregation Palm Valley Lutheran, which allowed Grace to purchase a portable for the Sunday school program. Frank Taylor later paid off the mortgage as a memorial to his wife, Lisette, and the building was rededicated at the 10th anniversary celebration. In 2009 the portable, renamed the Taylor Adult Education Center (often called the TEC), became the home for adult education, fellowship, and visiting organizations.
The Wernecke Grace House, named for the founding pastor, was purchased in 2006 and renovated to host the congregation's ministries and community partners. Meals on Wheels uses the kitchen there to prepare meals before delivery, and the church has grown into a hub for organizations that serve Round Rock from this address.
Sunday Morning Rhythm
Sunday at Grace follows a steady, welcoming rhythm. Adult and youth Sunday school meet at 9:00 am in the Wernecke Grace House, with topics ranging from scripture study to book discussions for adults and lectionary-related lessons for youth. On the first Sunday of each month, intergenerational Sunday school gathers at 9:15 am in the Taylor Adult Education Center, with adults and youth together for a single lesson and group activity.
At 9:45 am the coffee hour begins in the TEC, with snacks and coffee provided. The choir rehearses at 9:45 am as well, led by Music Director Adam Reemts. The main Sunday worship service begins at 10:30 am and runs about an hour, followed by a hand chime rehearsal at 11:30 am. After worship, a group of church members often heads to a local restaurant for an optional lunch together.
Visitors can follow along with PowerPoint slides or a printed bulletin, and the Pastor, Worship Assistant, and Usher will guide newcomers through the service. There is no dress code, communion is offered to all who wish to participate, and the congregation is known for being friendly - asking a member for assistance is encouraged.
A Blend of Liturgy and Contemporary Music
Grace describes its Sunday service as a mixture of traditional Lutheran liturgy and contemporary worship, held primarily in English. The choir sings at select services throughout the year, with rehearsals on Sunday mornings led by Adam Reemts. The Hand Chime Ensemble plays at select services, with rehearsals at 11:30 am after worship ends.
Worship is also a lay-led affair. Lay Worship Assistants read the first reading, psalm, and second reading, lead the prayers of intercession, and help serve wine at communion. Ushers welcome, hand out bulletins, assist with seating, collect the offering, and assist at the sacrament. Communion Assistants receive the bread and wine from the pastor and distribute wine and grape juice. Acolytes, both youth and adults, light and extinguish the candles and assist at the altar.
Faith Formation Through the Week
Bible study is a steady part of life at Grace. A women's Bible study gathers on Google Meet every Monday at 6:45 pm to discuss scripture and passages from the Gather magazine. A men's Bible study meets on Zoom every Thursday at 7:00 pm. Both groups welcome newcomers.
Confirmation is offered as a public affirmation of baptism. Students complete one to two years of weekly classes covering Lutheran doctrine, Christian teaching, and the study of scripture, and are confirmed on Reformation Sunday. Baptisms, First Communion, weddings, and funerals are all part of the pastoral ministry at Grace. Baptisms welcome individuals of all walks of life, including infants in keeping with Lutheran practice, after weekly preparation with the pastor. Couples are invited to participate in pre-marital counseling before weddings. During Advent and Lent, mid-week worship services are held on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm, with a light soup supper at 6:15 pm on the first Wednesday of the season.
Sharing Space with the Community
The buildings at 708 Bluff Drive are open to the wider Round Rock community. Meals On Wheels Central Texas uses the kitchen in the Wernecke Grace House Monday through Friday from 10:30 am to noon to prepare meals for delivery. Al-Anon meetings are held at the church, with information available through the Austin Al-Anon Alateen Information Center. Grace also hosts Scouting units, including Cub Scout Pack 562 and Boy Scout Troop 592, as well as the kappa lambda chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International Teacher's Society.
Service Beyond the Building
Service is woven into the congregation's identity. Grace helped establish the Round Rock Area Serving Center with other congregations in May 1986 and continues to collect specific items needed for that food pantry. The Little Free Food Pantry in front of the Wernecke Grace House stocks food for those experiencing food insecurity; donations of snap-top cans of meat and vegetables, peanut butter, crackers, hearty canned soups, and dried beans are welcome. The Friends of Grace fund provides HEB gift cards to neighbors who need help with medical expenses, groceries, and gas.
Each September the congregation joins the ELCA's God's Work Our Hands day of service, choosing a non-profit partner for a single day of volunteering. Grace also hosts Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day events at Trinity Place Apartments, an affordable housing community for low-income seniors and disabled persons. Love the Rock, the larger Round Rock day of community service, draws the church into projects with RRISD schools, parks, and residents in the Chisholm Valley.
Grace Lutheran Church sits on a quiet street in Round Rock with deep roots and an active present. Pastor Kari Whitlock, Music Director Adam Reemts, Music Minister Ron Acebuche, and a congregation of longtime members and newcomers continue to shape the parish's life together, opening their doors and giving of themselves to neighbors across the city.