Pastors Melody and Gary Macsemchuk, founders of
Grace Place, receive Honorary Paul Harris Fellows
certificates and pins from
President Sandy Lychowyd
on behalf of Lakehead Rotarians 
MELODY and you GARY have been named a Paul Harris Fellow “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world”.
The Paul Harris Fellowship is named for Paul Harris, who founded Rotary with three business associates in Chicago in 1905. The Fellowship was established in his honor in 1957 to express appreciation for a contribution of $1,000 to the humanitarian and educational programs of The Rotary Foundation. These programs include an array of projects that save and invigorate the lives of people around the world and enhance international friendship and understanding. Foundation programs provide educational opportunities, food, potable water, health care, immunizations, and shelter for millions of people. These activities are funded, implemented, and managed by Rotarians and Rotary Clubs around the globe. Rotarians may also designate a Paul Harris Fellow to recognize another person whose life demonstrates a shared purpose with the objectives and mission of The Rotary Foundation to build world understanding and peace
We move closer to a more peaceful world today as MELODY & GARY MACSEMCHUK become Paul Harris Fellows.
Pastors Gary and Melody Macsemchuk founders of Grace Place, have lived in the Thunder Bay area all of their lives and have been in Street Ministry for over 20 years. They have two adult children and, when not at Grace Place, enjoy the quiet of their rural home on the shores of Lake Superior.
The Homeless on the streets of Thunder Bay have always been close to their hearts. Their love for God and people led them to form Grace Ministries of Thunder Bay and to open Grace Place on Simpson Street in 2007. Their call to the ministry came in 2004 when they were licensed with Global Christian Ministry Forum (G.C.M.F) a non-denominational body of oversight for those in ministry. They were ordained in 2008.
Since Grace Place’s opening, God has been bringing hope to hundreds of those who come to use its services. The volunteers of Thunder Bay have been the stability to enable Grace Place to offer shelter, food, clothing, and a warm place to be off of the streets. God continues to do a mighty work in the hearts and lives of those who seek Him and who have often been rejected and forgotten.
Grace Place is a street ministry that is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency. Grace Place opened their doors to serve the poor of Thunder Bay in 2007 and have continued to operate year round since that time to a continually growing population. It is operated by Pastors Gary and Melody Macsemchuk and Assistant Pastor Sha Thaleiwah, who have a heart for the poor, the homeless, and marginalized in their community of Thunder Bay. They have a vision to meet the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of the people they serve. Grace Place operates with a team of dedicated, hard-working and caring volunteers and is funded entirely through the donations of individuals, businesses and organizations.
Since its beginning in 2008, Grace Place, (operated by Grace Ministries of Thunder Bay) located in the downtown south core of Thunder Bay, continues to remain the stability for many needing an extra helping hand. Grace Place serves as a community hub for those in the area and often fills the needs for those newly arriving to the city. It is often challenging for people on fixed incomes to make ends meet, to find housing and for those living on the streets to cope with the many challenges they face. Grace Place seeks to ease that burden and to be a support to make the transition from homelessness to independent living easier.
Since 2008, hundreds have come through our doors and many needs have been met through the generosity of the citizens of Thunder Bay. Grace Place is a giving hub, an outlet for those to receive and for those that want to give back, by volunteering their time and resources. Resources such as used clothing, food, household items and monetary donations. Grace Place not only attends to the physical needs but also to the spiritual needs of those who attend, with church service on Sunday , music ministry during the week and the availability of someone to pray for those who ask.
Grace Place ‘s goal is to provide a safe haven off of the streets to visit, relax and to connect with the much needed services that so many in the area are in need of.