Firelands Grace Church centered on fellowship, grace

SANDUSKY — Despite its small size, Firelands Grace Church remains strong. Residents from near and far meet for worship at 10 a.m. Sundays, Bible studies 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and prayer 7 p.m. Fridays. The nondenominational church has been at its Columbus Avenue location for two years. Before that, the congregation met in a building near Taylor and Camp streets. Firelands Grace started as a Bible study in peoples' homes, which it soon outgrew.Firelands Grace's current location was initially used by Calvary Baptist Church for more than 30 years, beginning in 1933, Calvary Baptist's website states. The building was used by multiple churches before Firelands Grace, said pastor Cody Goff, who's led the congregation for a few years.Firelands Grace Church, 1012 Columbus Ave., Sandusky. About 30-50 people attend the church, many of whom are young families and are often city residents."What's nice about being downtown is people walk in from the neighborhoods close by," Goff said.When the church moved to its current location, a new name was chosen to include the places within the Firelands region people came to attend. Additionally, the word grace has special significance."We've learned to be more gracious and to grow in truth," Goff said. "And God has been gracious to us."The sanctuary inside Firelands Grace Church, 1012 Columbus Ave., Sandusky. With its small congregation, it's common for people to stay after Sunday worship to chat, sometimes for an hour. Attendants also meet at each others' homes from time to time and praying for the community each week brings people closer, too. "Having fellowship keeps us strong," he said.Goff goes in-depth with his sermons. Right now, the church is studying Exodus in the Old Testament."We want to be modern but still biblical," Goff said. "We try to be as real as we can be."Firelands Grace ministers to inmates at area jails, like those incarcerated at Grafton Correctional Institution. Goff, who was addicted to drugs during his teenage years, also seeks to help those in recovery through his church.By Easter, Firelands Grace hopes to merge with Grace Fellowship Church in Huron to form a larger congregation. It's unclear where they will meet as one congregation."We're excited with what God's doing there and excited with what's to happen," Goff said.Firelands Grace Church, located at 1012 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, has multiple gatherings each week. Get to know Firelands Grace ChurchAddress: 1012 Columbus Ave., SanduskyFacebook: Firelands Grace Church (@FirelandsGraceChurch)Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodPastor Cody Goff stands at the pulpit at Firelands Grace Church, 1012 Columbus Ave., Sandusky on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. Goff, a Sandusky native, has been the church's lead pastor for about four years. For more than 30 years, Calvary Baptist Church was housed at 1012 Columbus Ave., where Firelands Grace Church is located today.