A well accomplished guitarist with many tools in the bag to add melodic riffs and great electric sounds.  A talented vocalist and professor at a local university.  Has played with many groups and performed his whole life.  Jim has over 20 years of experience playing and teaching music.  His guitar work has been featured in a wide variety of genres.  He plays regularly at local church services as well as numerous theater productions including “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “9 - 5 the Musical”.  On a weekly basis Jim can be found teaching guitar lessons and teaching music history classes at Kendall College of Art and Design.

I love to have a good time, laughing, making new memories and trying new things. I love being active outdoors, camping, going to the beach, going on walks and exploring new places. Some of my hobbies are reading, going to the gym, singing, and doing whatever I can outside. I love being part of Grace and seeing where this journey takes me.

My name is Ethan Smith. I am sixteen years old. I have performed with the Grand Rapids Men and Boys Choir, and I am  currently a member of the Grand Rapid Youth Choir. The picture of me is from a recent trip with the GRYC to Ireland. 

I have enjoyed singing with the worship team very much as well. I am married to Marla have two boys Orrin and Connor and me live in Wyoming, Michigan. We love the outdoors, hiking biking, swimming and spending time with family.

I love being apart of the Grace Praise Team because it allows me the chance to share my loe for Christ through song with everyone.  I come from a very musical family.  In high school I played the saxophone and presently am learning to play the piano.

I have enjoyed singing and playing instruments since I was a young child. I sang for the first time on stage when I was 5 years old and decided to start taking piano lessons when I was 8 years old and voice lessons when I was 9 years old. I grew up worship leading at my church and gained a joy and love for using music to praise the Lord. I moved to the Grand Rapids area to pursue a music teaching dream and I have been excited to be here and have the opportunity to be part of this amazing team of worship leaders. Thanks for always welcoming and inviting me into your church community. I enjoy being part of a worship team that uses their talents to worship the Lord. 

April sings many solos and loves to share her time with students in the Holland area.  She has been singing her whole life (just ask her sister), and loves Jesus. 

Beth was born and lived her early years in Illinois near Chicago.  Her family settled in Grand Rapids in 1979.  Beth started playing piano by ear at age 4 and guitar at age 8.  She wrote her first song at 14.  She attended Western Michigan University on a vocal scholarship.  For 30 years she has worked with choirs, handbell choirs, praise bands, children, and continued composing, arranging and building her own skill set.  Beth sings and plays the piano, keyboard, guitar, bass, recorder, clarinet and harmonica!  She continues to learn other instruments as well.  She received her Master Life Coach certification in 2020 and started a new company: Human Instrument, LLC.  She is engaged to Lee Young and they plan to marry in September of 2024.

Shari is a long time member of Grace. She has been singing forever! She loves singing because it is a way to share her faith with others and give God the praise and thanks HE deserves.  Through the years she sang alto in school choirs, church choirs; performed solos, duets, trios, and quartets.  She sang in the Wyoming Civic Chorus, and also in a small choir called “Sounds of Joy” who traveled around the area singing concerts in churches.  Presently her love is Praise Music!  Her favorite praise song is “Goodness of God”.  She started the Praise Team at Grace in the early 1990 and loves how it has grown over the years. Shari says:  “As long as God gives me breath and strength I will keep on singing!”

Gavin is from Zeeland, MI  For the last 7 years he has been playing the Cello and some piano.  His favorite performance was Barber’s Adagio for strings over last summer at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.  Currently he is working on his Bachelor’s degree in K-12 Music Education at Central Michigan University. 

Sandy is from Jenison and is also a long time member of Grace.  She has been a part of the Praise Team here for about 28 years!  She is a singer and played piano for a children’s choir when she was in her early 20’s.  Sandy’s favorite songs are “Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone”, “How Great Thou Art”, and “The Power of Your Love” to name just a few.

Kevin was born in Grand Rapids and has played music since he was in grade school. He likes all styles of music starting with Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock, Reggae, to mention a few. He teaches both Guitar and Sax lessons. He plays in the Murphy’s Law Band and with Asamu Johnson and the Blues Associates. His favorite Christian song is “The Old Rugged Cross”, which was His Grandmother’s favorite song. 

Robin is a member at Grace and lives in Byron Center.  Robin is a vocalist and has been singing since she could talk!  She also can play the piano and clarinet but only in the privacy of her own home!  Her favorite performer is TobyMac whose concerts are the best.  There is so much passion in his lyrics and performance.  Robin’s favorite song is “I am a Child of God” and “It is Well”.  She loves Christmas music and is known to start playing it in the autumn. 

Ray lives in Byron Center and he started playing guitar when he was 31 years old.  12 years later, he is organizing and leading worship here at Grace.  He dropped out of the school band (trombone) and choir (tenor), but didn’t stop loving music and worship.  He has played acoustic and electric guitar as well as a couple songs on the keyboard and cajon at Grace.  His favorite performance goes back to 2020 with a special Christmas Eve with carols sung with a violin and cello accompanying the church in worship, what a Holy Night for sure!  With so many songs to pick from, it is tough to have one go to, the Amazing Grace theme carries so well through decades of worship and is a reminder “I once was lost, but now am found!"

Garrett has played piano for four years and drum lessons for two years.  He has sung two summers with a Grand Rapids choir camp with some classmates. He is a dependable member of the band with helping out when his father asks and he’s not busy with school.  His favorite song is whatever Caleb is listening to on his iPad.

Jayme lives in Wyoming and has loved music his whole life. He played the trumpet in school. He listens 100% to Christian music and loves to sing in the praise team. He also loves the impact it has on his life as well as his family. Two of his favorite groups are King and Country and TobyMac.

Lilly has sung with the praise team for four years and knows how to play the trumpet.  She recently has helped with singing solo in the praise team and her favorite song is "He Shall Reign Forevermore".

Bennie lives in Grand Rapids and has been playing drums for almost 50 years. He started in New Hope Baptist Church in 1973. He has been blessed to be a part of the Local Musicians Union for about 30 years and now serves as President.  https://www.livemusicgr.org/

I am a Michigan-based violinist, fiddler, and mandolin player.  I primarily play Celtic, Classical and Christian worship music, both individually and with bands. I also perform at numerous weddings every year and will make occasional guest musician appearances at churches. I also teach violin and mandolin. 

Wesley lives in Lakeview and jams on the drum kit often at Grace.  He was our first guest musician to visit in 2020 and still loves a chance to be with the band.  He also plays the cajon and electric guitar and was part of a metal band a few years back.  He enjoys the songs "Holy Water" and "Graves Into Gardens".