06 Mar Grateful Thanks, Grace Lutheran Church

Grace Lutheran Church of Bellevue has been a compassionate and committed supporter of The Sophia Way since we started in 2008. They’ve hosted our shelter on weekends, and our Support Network meetings. They’ve donated quilts, meals, financial gifts, and more.

On March 2, they gave us one more gift – a major farewell gift – 12.5% of the proceeds from the sale of their assets will be donated to The Sophia Way. The sale price is expected to be between $7 and $8 million.

Grace Lutheran Church, after 70 years of worship and service, held its final worship service on Sunday, March 3, 2019. They are selling their property and have identified more than 25 churches, communities, and nonprofit organizations as beneficiaries.

There are not enough words to thank the Grace Lutheran Church and its congregation. They have been there for us and with us from the beginning. Congregation members Gail D’Alessio and Merrilee Kipfer have been our champions. We are so grateful for their support in helping us better serve women experiencing homelessness.

Their service to the community can be best summed from a quote in their brochure from Pastor Olson that was printed in the bulletin of his first service: “What makes a Church beautiful? It surely isn’t walls or the paint. It is the beauty of our hearts expressed in goodwill to others.”

Thank you, Grace Lutheran Church for your beautiful heart!

Pic caption: Gail D’Alessio with Karina O’Malley