NorthBridge® Bermudagrass Enhances Grounds at Grace New Hope Church
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Grace New Hope Church in Lawrenceville, GA recently upgraded a high-traffic common area with five pallets of NorthBridge® Bermudagrass. The sod was donated by Sod Solutions and delivered by Sodmasters Turf Farm. The installation was handled by Daniel Frost, the church’s full-time facilities manager.
Frost retired from the Cobb County Fire Department in the spring of 2023 after 26 years of service. While working as a fireman, he ran a house repair and painting business and often volunteered at the church. After retirement, he stepped into the full-time role.
Photos show NorthBridge Bermudagrass being delivered and installed at Grace New Hope Church in Lawrenceville, GA on September 3, 2025.
The newly sodded area sits above the main property near where the church cut down about 30 pine trees to open up the space. It wasn’t very inviting before, but Frost thinks more people will start parking and using it now that it looks better.
“We’re a busy church and there’s always something going on,” Frost explained. “We’re always looking for spaces for small groups to hang out because during services for youth, they split up and go to places all over the campus to gather. It will have many people on it and kids are definitely going to run on any grassy area.”
Frost said NorthBridge is a good fit for the space for two reasons. “One because it looks great. Two because people will be walking on it and congregating to that area. We needed a grass that was going to withstand church traffic.”
They debated using seed or plugs but needed something to manage mud and runoff. Frost hopes the sod will help and plans to add stairs connecting the properties. The team has also discussed picnic tables and a walkway to a converted garage gathering space nearby.
Grace New Hope Church sits on a corner lot in a rural neighborhood and owns about 18 acres, including the main church building, a former farmhouse and several fields. Frost said it’s a lot to mow and maintain, but he enjoys it. His long-term goal is to sod a field adjacent to the common area, currently mostly hay and weeds, into a multipurpose sports field for youth activities to serve both the church and local families.
When asked why they chose natural grass for this high-traffic area, Frost said as a longtime sports and baseball fan, he’s not a fan of artificial turf. “It's something about being out there in the natural elements,” he said. He thinks it’s important for kids to get outside more, smell the grass and run around.
The donation came through a personal tie to the church. Frost is married to Tobey Wagner’s sister, Lisa, and their family attends Grace New Hope. The church also hosted services for Wagner’s mother in 2024. He said he was thankful to give back to a place that means a lot to his family.
Frost said once they were ready for the sod, Wagner made a few calls and had the five pallets delivered. “Tobey's always a very giving person and just willing to help with community stuff like that. He's always been very helpful.”
The new sod has already improved a space that once went unused. Frost, who takes pride in caring for the property and the people who use it, is glad to see the grass doing its job.
This article was written by Cecilia Johnson.
