If you are visiting our website because you are searching, hurting, curious, hopeful, skeptical, faithful, or somewhere in between—welcome. We know it can be vulnerable to visit a church, especially if you’ve been hurt by the church in the past, are new to faith, or are unsure what you believe. Our first and deepest conviction is simple: you matter to God, and you are welcome here just as you are.
At Grace UMC Lake Bluff, our shared vision is "Setting the Table"—creating space where all people are welcomed, nourished, and invited into meaningful community and deeper life with God. We are a progressive, Christ-centered congregation rooted in the Wesleyan tradition, seeking to follow Jesus with open hearts, open minds, and open doors.
We believe in the God revealed in Jesus Christ—a God of grace, compassion, justice, and transforming love.
We believe God’s grace is for everyone, not something we earn, but a gift that meets us before we are ready, while we are growing, and as we are being made new.
We believe Jesus shows us what love looks like—welcoming the outsider, healing the broken, confronting injustice, forgiving freely, and calling us into deeper life.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, alive and still at work—stirring faith, renewing the church, and guiding us into truth and compassion.
We take the Bible seriously and faithfully, reading it through the lens of love, grace, reason, tradition, lived experience, and the life of Jesus.
We believe the church should reflect the wide, generous love of God.
All people are created in the image of God.
LGBTQIA+ persons are fully loved by God and fully included in the life and leadership of this church.
We welcome people of every race, age, financial background, political perspective, family structure, gender identity, and life story.
You do not need to think like us, vote like us, or have your faith all figured out to belong here. Belonging comes first.
We believe faith is meant to be lived, not just spoken.
We are committed to serving our neighbors, caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, and walking with those in need.
We seek to be a church that works for justice, including racial justice, economic dignity, environmental care, and peace.
We believe spiritual growth happens through worship, learning, prayer, community, service, and honest questions.
We believe worship is where God meets real people in real life.
Our worship blends ancient faith with living expression, honoring tradition while making room for fresh movement.
We celebrate the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion as signs of God’s grace for all people.
At Christ’s table, all are welcome—no exceptions.
You do not have to have perfect faith to come here. Many of us wrestle with doubt, uncertainty, grief, and big questions. We believe:
Doubt is not the enemy of faith—it is often part of deepening faith.
Questions are welcomed.
Growth takes time.
We are a community of people becoming, not a group pretending to have it all together.
If you choose to visit Grace UMC—online or in person—you can expect:
A safe, loving, and respectful community
Authentic worship grounded in grace
Room to breathe, to question, to heal, and to grow
People who will walk with you, not judge you
No matter where you are on life’s journey, there is a place for you here.
If you’d like to learn more, worship with us, or simply talk with a pastor, we would be honored to connect with you. You don’t have to travel this road alone.
Grace United Methodist Church of Lake Bluff is a community where faith meets real life, love takes root, and everyone has a seat at the table.