Grace Lao Church Begins Road to Autonomy

Thirteen years ago Grace Church started the Grace Lao Church in response to the hundreds of Southeast Asian refugees flooding into Central Iowa. By the mid-1990s, this influx had diminished to a trickle, and eventually ceased all together. During its infancy, Grace Church fully subsidized the Laotian Church and its pastors, first Pastor Rick Davis and then Pastor Bounkeo Bounma.

The Laotian Church has now matured and many of its members are fully vested in American culture…many of whom are now American citizens. The members of the Laotian Church hold regular, full-time jobs, own their own homes and automobiles.

After many months of prayerful consideration, the Elders of Grace Church made the decision to end the subsidy for the Laotian Church beginning July 1, 2002 and encourage the Laotians to strive for an autonomous Lao church. It is the belief of the Elders that the Laotian Congregation is fully capable of supporting the ministries of the Laotian Church through their regular tithes and offerings.

The Grace Lao Church will continue to have free use of the facilities and the Laotian children and teens are welcome to attend our regular Sunday school classes at their will.

This is a faith-building step for the Laotian Church. Please uphold the Lao Family in prayer as they take their first steps towards becoming an autonomous church. Uphold Pastor Keo and his co-leaders as they work to bring about the smooth transition of the Laotian Church and to encourage the Lao people to faithfully give to support the work of the Lord through the Lao Church.

If you have any questions about the Grace Lao Church, please contact one of the following Elders: Chris Eller, Terry Anderson, Jay McFarling or Ron Jean.