About Us
Plan a Visit!
| There is parking in the grass all around the church building but you will see an area reserved for Visitors directly across the driveway from the front doors. You will also see dedicated handicapped spaces near the doors. |
We don’t have a dress code at Amazing Grace. Come in what is comfortable for you. Women, you will see everything from dresses to capris and tops. Men typically attend in slacks or cargo shorts and a golf or other style shirt.
Enter through the double set of glass doors under the portico. You’ll be welcomed by many loving Christians who can answer any questions you may have.
Stop at the Welcome Center (desk just inside the door) and get a temporary name badge so we can greet you by name!
Also fill out a Connection Card so we can reach out and answer any questions you might have.
We invite you to grab a cup of coffee or tea and a snack and visit with others before and after services.
The Pastor guides us through the service, which will include announcements, prayer, singing, and a message. Although you will see us collect an offering, we want you just to worship when you visit for the first time.
Everything is also on the screens, and the Worship Order is also outlined in the bulletin you receive when you enter.
Your children are welcome in worship! We want them to hear about Jesus and that there is a God who loves them!
- The Welcome Center will provide you with a packet for your child.
- There will be a special children’s message during the service for preschool and lower elementary age.
- There is also a Library/Family room with rocking chairs available just outside the Worship Center where you can see and hear the service.
Ushers will be standing at the Worship Center doors and will greet you and share the Sunday bulletin with you.
Sit wherever is comfortable for you!
While you wait for worship to begin, take notice of the announcement slides that are playing and the bulletin which have great information on coming events!
Yes! It’s a great way to grow deeper in the knowledge of the Lord and to get to know others. Check our Bible Studies page to find the current Sunday morning topics.
Our Story
Amazing Grace Lutheran Church is a vibrant congregation established by the Florida-Georgia District LCMS. We started as a mission church in 2005. Pastor James Rockey was called in 2007, and our first worship service was held in November of that year. For seven years, we worshiped in the Educational Annex of the First Baptist Church of Oxford, Florida.
In 2012 we purchased 10 acres of land on the north side of CR 472 (Rainey Trail) for the future ministries of Amazing Grace. The location provides easy access for The Villages residents as well as the surrounding communities in and around Oxford, Summerfield, Ocala, and Wildwood.
Ground-breaking for the new Worship Center was held in September, 2013, and construction was completed in August, 2014. Our first worship service in our new Ministry Center was held on September 7 and the Formal Dedication Service was held on November 9. The Memorial Garden completed construction in late spring/early summer of 2017.
The first pastor of Amazing Grace, James Rockey, was elected as FL-GA District President in June, 2022. Since November of 2022 we have been blessed to have Pastor Jack Mackowiak as our Interim Pastor guiding us through the Call process. We are now excited to welcome the Rev. Dr. Paul Burtzlaff as our new Pastor and will install him on July 28 at a single service at 10:15.
In 2018, the congregation stepped out in faith again and built an Early Learning Center! In just three years the Center grew to serve 90 children. In 2022 the church said “Yes!” to God one more time and raised the funds to build an addition to the center to provide more useable space and additional classrooms. There are now two classrooms for each age-group of 1-4 year-olds, with the capacity to serve 119 children with high-quality full-time Christian Education.
Our Mission Statement
As followers of Jesus Christ, Amazing Grace Lutheran Church seeks to reach our community and the world by “Experience Christ’s Love…Live It… Share It”
We are a church committed to impacting lives through Christ for today and eternity. The people of Amazing Grace experience God’s amazing and underserved grace! Together we seek to share this with the world around us.
To Grow in Grace…..
For it is by GRACE that you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves – it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)
To Share God’s Grace…..
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
Our Staff
Pastor Paul Burtzlaff
PaulBurtzlaff@amazinggracelc.org 352-748-1201, ext. 2
Rev. Dr. Pastor Burtzlaff earned his B.A. from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, a Master’s in Divinity from Concordia St. Louis, a Master of Science from Stetson University in Florida, and a Doctorate from the University of Florida.
ELC Director
Aimee Knoepfel
ELC.Director @amazinggracelc.org 352-350-6449
ELC Asst Director
Kerri Shpur
ELCoffice @amazinggracelc.org 352-350-6449
Administrative Assistant
Susan Gordon
office @amazinggracelc.org 352-748-1201
Music Ministry Traditional Worship
Ruth Bremer
Music Ministry Contemporary Service
Elizabeth Rockey
AGLC Ministries
We welcome your children to Amazing Grace!
Nursery for ages 0-3 is available from 10 am -11:30.
Parents should drop their little ones off at the Early Learning Center (next to the church) before going to worship.
Kids church is offered for children 4 and up at the 10:15 service.
Parents should sign their children in at the Welcome Center as the come into church. Take your children into worship with you for the opening songs and scripture. During the third song, you will see the Kids Church leader walk to the front with a “Kids Church” sign and the children will follow her over to the Early Learning Center.
Children in the Nursery and Kids Church should be signed out by 11:30.
Both the Nursery and Kids Church are staffed by trained qualified workers from our Early Learning Center.
The members of our Deacon Ministry assist the Pastor in seeing to the spiritual welfare of church members.
Each deacon has a Care Group of members that they reach out to and follow up on any joys or concerns that members may want to share. They visit the sick at home and in the hospital, bringing Holy Communion to the shut-in.
They also serve in worship by serving Communion and praying with the Pastor prior to each worship service.
Amazing Grace has a robust schedule of small group Bibles Studies throughout the year that you are welcome to attend! We also serve as a host church for Bible Study Fellowship for Women. You will find our current Bible Studies featured on the dedicated Bible Studies tab.
Our Fellowship team provides opportunities for the church body to join together and enjoy each other’s company. If you have the gift of Hospitality, this is the ministry for you!
Our Membership ministry helps guide visitors through the membership process and also seeks to match new members with service opportunities that fit their talents and spiritual gifts.
Our NeighborCare ministry seeks to address the physical and emotional needs of the congregation and the community. We offer opportunities such as the well-regarded Grief Share program for those who have suffered loss.
We pray for our Early Learning Center families, share meals with the bereaved and temporarily homebound. We collect items for the Wildwood Food Pantry. We arrange for the Bloodmobile to be here several times a year, and more.
Our Church Office serves as the hub for church activity. As such, it is a very busy place and volunteers are always appreciated. The office takes care of all publications, church data management, communication, and more.
Our Outreach ministry seeks to connect the church with the greater community with a focus on missions, and sharing the Gospel. Our involvement with missions includes Phil’s Friends, Lutheran Bible Translators, LOVE, INC., India Child, and many more. This ministry also includes our Welcome Center and oversees our Women’s Ministry.
Our prayer team lifts up the needs of the Amazing Grace family to God. In addition, there is a Prayer Shawl Ministry dedicated to creating comforting shawls for the hurting.
Our Property Ministry works to keep our facilities in good working order and our grounds beautiful. All of the work is done by volunteers, so if you have skills in these areas, your help is absolutely welcome!
This ministry area includes many types of service – Seasonal choir, Praise Team, Ushers, and Altar Guild. All efforts are geared toward making our worship pleasing to God.
Our Women’s ministry holds two major events each year, “Advent by Candlelight” and a “Spring Retreat”. We also have lunch on the second Monday of each month at various locations around town, and the Women of Grace Bible Study that meets on Monday is one of our most popular ones.
© 2023 Amazing Grace