What we Believe
About the Bible:
We believe the Bible is God’s word. It is the final word on truth and applies to our everyday lives. (2 Timothy 3:15-16)
About Jesus Christ:
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He became man when He was miraculously born from the Virgin Mary, but did not cease to be God. He lived a sinless life, was crucified on the cross in place of our judgment and rose from the dead on the third day. Jesus is the only one who can restore our relationship with God and the only one with the authority to give us eternal life. We believe Jesus Christ will return as He promised. (John 1:1-3; Matthew 1:18-24; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Acts 2:18-36; John 14:6)
About the Holy Spirit:
We believe the Holy Spirit is a person and that we need to be filled with His power. He is the divine Teacher who enables us to grow in our relationship with God. We believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that they are in operation in the church today. (John 16:7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11: Galatians 5:16)
About People:
We believe that man was created in the image of God but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became separated from God. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23)
About Salvation:
We believe we receive forgiveness and the ‘new birth’ when we repent of our sins and put our trust in the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ. Salvation is the gift of God brought to us by grace. (Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
About Eternity:
We believe that God does not desire anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance and be saved. We believe Heaven and Hell are real places and our eternal destiny after our bodily resurrection is determined by our response to the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; Mark 9:42-48; Revelation 20:11-15)
About Church and Two Ordinances:
We believe followers of Christ all over the world are strengthened when we meet regularly for fellowship and prayer. We believe that once we profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Supper is a unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice- the Body and the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ- are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Matthew 26:26-29; mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48.)
May 2019, we opened our doors in downtown Norwich
Our Story
The Building
Pastor Adam Bowles once worked as a reporter and journalist in the city, getting to know its history and residents over the course of 15 years. In 2017, he and his wife, Luisa, stopped at a red light outside of the church’s current location. Adam took a photo of the building, a former bank built in 1895 that was then for lease, and said to Luisa that it somehow felt like it was part of their future — a crazy thought at the time considering circumstances made it seem like they would instead have to say goodbye to Norwich. Nevertheless, when those circumstances suddenly changed, Adam got in touch with the landlord much sooner than expected. When the landlord asked what he wanted the building for, Adam said a church and braced for skepticism. Instead, the response was: “Perfect. It already has stained glass windows.” Our ministry team now features people who also have a burden for Norwich.
The Name
Our name is inspired not only by the design of our building, but by who Jesus is to us — our fortress, our salvation, our peace and our safety in the midst of life’s battles and burdens. Our theme, "Nevertheless," reminds us that even in the face of rejection and impossible odds, we can still overcome. (1 Chronicles 11:5)
The Logo
Our crown logo features fragments to show Jesus can make something beautiful out of our brokenness. It serves as a reminder that none of us are perfect and only by grace can we live abundantly in the forgiveness Jesus bought. The spaces between the fragments also represent the streets that surround us. Our mission will always be to go out beyond the walls of our building. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Matthew 28:19-20)