On Sunday, October 21, more than 460 people gathered to celebrate a milestone for Highland Park United Methodist Church’s North Dallas campus, The Grove Church. The campus is now one-year-old and continues to thrive under the leadership of Campus Pastor, Rev. Stephen Lohoefer. The Grove’s congregation, staff, and visitors celebrated their first birthday in style on Sunday with a high-energy worship service and a block-party with food trucks and inflatables.

“The Grove’s growth is among the more inspiring examples of resurrection I’ve seen since I’ve been at HPUMC,” says HPUMC Senior Minister, Rev. Paul Rasmussen. “God’s work through this campus is truly amazing.”

Over the past year, the Grove’s congregation has swelled to nearly 300 people in weekly worship with 125 of them engaged in Grove groups. Starting on October 28, the Grove will add a second service, doubling the available space to accommodate families with children.

“We want to make sure that the next generation knows there is a God who loves them, and we want to make sure it is easy for them to experience this God,” says Rev. Lohoefer.

During the service, Rev. Lohoefer cast his vision for what the next year could look like for The Grove Church.

“In this next year we are going to be a church that is willing to do whatever it takes to bring people closer to God,” he said, “and I think we’ve got some really exciting ways to do that.”