An authentic Christian community is complimented, inspired and deepened by diversity. We could possibly prove that growth would NOT happen, or at a minimum be greatly impaired, if we were all the same.

One of the delights of Grace Klein Community is our diversity. From a toddler filling food boxes with apples or loving on chickens, to a 70+ man delivering furniture to a family that’s starting over or the 80+ woman praying for the community every single day, we have age diversity. We have members from Africa, Belize, Guatemala, India and America giving us cultural, ethnic, language and skin color diversity. We have healthy members, those battling physical and emotional illnesses, recovering or not-so recovering addicts, those with born with physical handicaps or impairments, learning disabilities, and traumatic injuries seen through body image or capacities. Our socio-economic classes range from upper class to middle class to lower class proving those with savings and investment accounts can live in community with the one who has no gas money to get to work. The spiritual diversity is amazing too, some of our members could be theologians, having mastered seminary classes, a few know the scriptures inside and out, others have no desire for God or Jesus having been hurt by religion, some pray without ceasing, and others love God stories.

Grace Klein Community is a whole bunch of people who come as they are, welcoming everyone, sharing love and acceptance, growing comfortable in their own uniqueness, delighting in what God is doing in them and around them, being open to new ideas, and a kind and gentle openness to learn from others how to love like Jesus.

Marcus is one of our teachers. He’s big smiles, a listening ear, he’s humble, he expresses his imperfections, and he wants to be like Jesus. He shares how he wished to die until he realized the love Jesus had for him. Meeting and following Jesus changed him, rescuing him from a pit of despair, and giving him hope and joy.

Since graduating from high school, Marcus has been praying and asking how he can make a difference in our community. One open door, which he loves, is through a partner ministry called Purpose Place. Through Purpose Place, he will grow his job skills while serving and working in their intentional thrift store. The vision of Purpose Place is a community and thrift store that focuses on jobs for those with special abilities. Friends of Grace Klein Community have been able to share clothing from our Give and Take Room to contribute towards the start-up of Purpose Place, some attended an initial fundraising event and others their official grand opening. We love supporting Purpose Place and our friend Marcus!

If Marcus can catch a ride to our Monday night gathering, he refuses to miss. One Monday, a few months back, we cleaned and planted the garden during our time together. Marcus was on his hands and knees pulling weeds, planting hills of squash and watering the garden. He would be happy to know that “his” squash is producing.

Marcus’ life is producing too! During our worship, he sings with a full heart. He also loves reading the Word and understanding what it says and how Jesus wants him to live. He takes his worries to God and prays for Jesus to move and bring solutions to the things that burden him. Marcus doesn’t hold back sharing testimonies of God’s faithfulness, validating the love he has for community members, and he delights in a big of fruit salad.

During our annual camping week at Oak Mountain State Park, Marcus really wanted to come along. He had never been camping before and he longed to experience it! Other Grace Klein Community members helped care for him in ways he can’t and he contributed to the weekend in ways he CAN. Marcus brought laughter, prayer and encouragement to everyone. He was the first one ready to go swimming, to play in the sand. to go for a hike, or to play frisbee. No one wanted camping week to end, including Marcus.

Marcus may not walk as easily as others and his speech is sometimes hard to understand, but it’s only because he has cerebral palsy.

What is cerebral palsy?
“A condition marked by impaired muscle coordination (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth” or “A disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by an insult to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth”

Cerebral palsy does not slow down Marcus or his capacity to love and teach us how amazing it is to live in a community that is diverse. He doesn’t mind asking hard questions and he isn’t frustrated when we don’t always understand what he’s saying. He will get on the floor and lead the kids in an hard exercise workout, doing all the exercises alongside them, and he will share a song he loves because he thinks it will encourage someone.

We are all better to have Marcus Hubbard as a member of Grace Klein Community. He accepts our differences and we accept his. He grows us and hopefully we all grow him! Community is kind of like a wild squash plant, we never know how much we will grow or which direction God will take us next.

“Let all you do be done in love.”
– 1 Corinthians 16:14

An authentic Christian community is complimented, inspired and deepened by diversity. We could possibly prove that growth would NOT happen, or at a minimum be greatly impaired, if we were all the same.

One of the delights of Grace Klein Community is our diversity. From a toddler filling food boxes with apples or loving on chickens, to a 70+ man delivering furniture to a family that’s starting over or the 80+ woman praying for the community every single day, we have age diversity. We have members from Africa, Belize, Guatemala, India and America giving us cultural, ethnic, language and skin color diversity. We have healthy members, those battling physical and emotional illnesses, recovering or not-so recovering addicts, those with born with physical handicaps or impairments, learning disabilities, and traumatic injuries seen through body image or capacities. Our socio-economic classes range from upper class to middle class to lower class proving those with savings and investment accounts can live in community with the one who has no gas money to get to work. The spiritual diversity is amazing too, some of our members could be theologians, having mastered seminary classes, a few know the scriptures inside and out, others have no desire for God or Jesus having been hurt by religion, some pray without ceasing, and others love God stories.

Grace Klein Community is a whole bunch of people who come as they are, welcoming everyone, sharing love and acceptance, growing comfortable in their own uniqueness, delighting in what God is doing in them and around them, being open to new ideas, and a kind and gentle openness to learn from others how to love like Jesus.

Marcus is one of our teachers. He’s big smiles, a listening ear, he’s humble, he expresses his imperfections, and he wants to be like Jesus. He shares how he wished to die until he realized the love Jesus had for him. Meeting and following Jesus changed him, rescuing him from a pit of despair, and giving him hope and joy.

Since graduating from high school, Marcus has been praying and asking how he can make a difference in our community. One open door, which he loves, is through a partner ministry called Purpose Place. Through Purpose Place, he will grow his job skills while serving and working in their intentional thrift store. The vision of Purpose Place is a community and thrift store that focuses on jobs for those with special abilities. Friends of Grace Klein Community have been able to share clothing from our Give and Take Room to contribute towards the start-up of Purpose Place, some attended an initial fundraising event and others their official grand opening. We love supporting Purpose Place and our friend Marcus!

If Marcus can catch a ride to our Monday night gathering, he refuses to miss. One Monday, a few months back, we cleaned and planted the garden during our time together. Marcus was on his hands and knees pulling weeds, planting hills of squash and watering the garden. He would be happy to know that “his” squash is producing.

Marcus’ life is producing too! During our worship, he sings with a full heart. He also loves reading the Word and understanding what it says and how Jesus wants him to live. He takes his worries to God and prays for Jesus to move and bring solutions to the things that burden him. Marcus doesn’t hold back sharing testimonies of God’s faithfulness, validating the love he has for community members, and he delights in a big of fruit salad.

During our annual camping week at Oak Mountain State Park, Marcus really wanted to come along. He had never been camping before and he longed to experience it! Other Grace Klein Community members helped care for him in ways he can’t and he contributed to the weekend in ways he CAN. Marcus brought laughter, prayer and encouragement to everyone. He was the first one ready to go swimming, to play in the sand. to go for a hike, or to play frisbee. No one wanted camping week to end, including Marcus.

Marcus may not walk as easily as others and his speech is sometimes hard to understand, but it’s only because he has cerebral palsy.

What is cerebral palsy?
“A condition marked by impaired muscle coordination (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth” or “A disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by an insult to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth”

Cerebral palsy does not slow down Marcus or his capacity to love and teach us how amazing it is to live in a community that is diverse. He doesn’t mind asking hard questions and he isn’t frustrated when we don’t always understand what he’s saying. He will get on the floor and lead the kids in an hard exercise workout, doing all the exercises alongside them, and he will share a song he loves because he thinks it will encourage someone.

We are all better to have Marcus Hubbard as a member of Grace Klein Community. He accepts our differences and we accept his. He grows us and hopefully we all grow him! Community is kind of like a wild squash plant, we never know how much we will grow or which direction God will take us next.

“Let all you do be done in love.”
– 1 Corinthians 16:14