Hi, we are Harald and Helga! We both grew up in very simple, traditional catholic families in the country of Austria. In our early twenties, we realized that we are sinners in need of a Savior. That’s when we met Jesus and trusted in Him. He transformed our lives radically. Praise the Lord!
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We said: "Here we are Jesus! Use us in any way You want!" After this, the Lord used the following years in our lives to be very involved in our church family back in Austria, and blessed us with four wonderful children.
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In 2009 Jesus called us from Austria to the USA where I, Harald went to Frontier School of the Bible in LaGrange, WY. In the meantime, Helga, was learning the new language, started homeschooling, we had two more children and she also took a few classes in those years.
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After seeking the Lord's will regarding where He wanted us to be, we packed up our family of eight and moved to Ivins UT, to start The Grace Place! In 2016 we started with a Bible Study in our home. In October of that year, we started Sunday morning services and since then, God is growing His Church body through Sunday Services, Bible Studies, Youth Ministry, Children's Ministry, Outreach and Fellowship with one another week by week.
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We are so thankful for everything the Lord has done so far and we can't wait to see what's coming next.
Pastor Harald & Helga
We both found faith in Jesus at an early age. Barb grew up as a “preacher’s kid” and was actively involved in church throughout her upbringing. Paul came to Christ at the age of sixteen during a David Wilkerson crusade, having been raised in a less structured spiritual environment.
After retiring, we purchased property in Ivins, where we met Harald and Helga at an HOA meeting and soon began attending The Grace Place after settling into our new home. Not long after, Paul became one of the church elders and began preaching periodically. In 2023, he was ordained and now serves as a Pastor/Elder in this warm and loving community of believers. Barb has also been actively involved in women’s ministry and prayer team coordination for many years.
We are passionate motorcyclists and have traveled across the nation, sharing the message of Jesus as we ride with the Christian Motorcyclists Association. We are blessed with two grown sons whose families live in the Las Vegas area, which makes for many trips along I-15.
We are deeply grateful to God for leading us to Southern Utah and for the Grace Place family. Together, we love to serve, teach, fellowship, and build God’s kingdom.
Pastor Paul & Barb
We share deep roots in St. George, Utah. Darren was born in Long Island, New York, and moved to St. George in 1973 at the age of 13. He graduated from Dixie High School in 1979, which was the only high school in the area at the time. Shellie grew up in the small town of Beatty, Nevada, and moved to St. George after high school in 1980 to continue her education.
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We met while attending Dixie State College, now known as Utah Tech University, and later graduated from Southern Utah State College, now Southern Utah University.
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We have been married for 40 years and are blessed with three children and seven grandchildren. Today, Shellie serves as the Manager of The Hope Chest Thrift Store, while Darren is the Warehouse Manager. Darren also serves as a Preacher and Teaching Pastor at The Grace Place.
Pastor Darren & Shellie
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