Grace Chapel Opens This Weekend

There are several churches in Wilmington with dedicated followings. And starting this weekend, there will be a new choice for those searching for a place of worship in town.

opens the doors to its campus on 128 West Street on Sunday with a grand opening service at 9:30 and 11:10 a.m. This is the second Grace Chapel to open. The first is in Lexington.

 “We have been thinking and planning for this for two years,” said Pastor Richard Rhodes. “This group is very excited about opening the doors wide open for people in Wilmington, Reading and surrounding towns to come experience church in a fresh new way.”

The group is a non-denominational church and according to a promotional flier, “No matter what your background or experience with faith, you will feet welcome here.”

Campus Pastor Tom VanAntwerp said the Lexington campus was running into issues with parking and space constraints, which led to the need for expansion. He added that many members of the church are Wilmington residents.

Grace Chapel’s newest location is the former Casa di Fior building, which is 30,000 square feet, in a visible location and easily accessible, according to Rhodes.

VanAntwerp said the facility was the perfect opportunity for Grace Chapel.

“We have been amazed by how warmly we’ve been received,” said VanAntwerp. “The Wilmington clergy have graciously embraced me as a part of their clergy association, for which I’m extremely grateful. Many of our folks have been Wilmington residents for decades, with families that have been here for generations. It has helped us to feel like we were part of the community before we even purchased Casa di Dior.”