In February, the church bought roughly 50 acres that borders Banana Lake. Signs appeared along Bartow Road just north of Highland City announcing, “Future home of Grace City Church.”
Andrew Gard senior pastor along with his wife, Christina Gard hope to break ground in the fall on the first of three planned phases, which will yield a main building with a 1,700-seat sanctuary. The long-term design includes a housing complex for college students in the church’s internship program, along with trails and other amenities the Gards hope will make the property an attraction for local residents, regardless of whether they attend the church.
“It’s exciting,” Gard said. “I think you’re always nervous when you have to raise that kind of money, but we’ve seen God do miraculous things since Grace City started eight years ago. And so we’re confident that he’ll continue to do that. And for us, there’s nothing quite like putting stakes in the ground. And so it’s a cool reality that, man, ‘We’re here to stay.’”
The property, pasture land north of Innovation Drive, is roughly L-shaped, extending west from Bartow Road and running south along the shore of Banana Lake. The site is outside Lakeland’s city limits and provides close access from the Polk Parkway. Andrew Gard said that some congregants live in Winter Haven, Auburndale and Plant City.
Grace City is still raising the funds needed to begin construction on phase one, calling the campaign “A Church Worth Building.” Leaders have raised $4.3 million since October and have another $2.1 million in outstanding pledges, Andrew Gard said. It will take about $7.2 million to start the project, which will be financed, he said.
The first phase comprises a main church building that will also house a preschool, an indoor play area and a lounge. Artist renderings, prepared by the Aspen Group, a Chicago-based architecture firm specializing in churches, show a sleek, two-story structure with a white exterior. The auditorium will contain curved rows of seats facing a spacious stage backed by a large video screen and flanked by two smaller screens.
The 1,700-seat auditorium will be one of the largest church sanctuaries in the Lakeland area.