
(Disciples of Christ)

Who We Are
Norwalk Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
We are an Open and Affirming Congregation, worshipping and serving in the heart of Norwalk for over 150 years. We value open-mindedness, justice, diversity, community, and authenticity. Whoever you are and wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.
Open-mindedness:
As a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination, we are a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. We are a part of a historic tradition that welcomes all to the Lord's Table, and values freedom of belief and Christian unity. We ascribe to no creeds, nor do we require tests of belief for membership. We simply seek to follow Jesus' life and example, and are more interested in focusing on what we share in common rather than creating lines of division.
Justice and Diversity:
Our church became "open and affirming" in 2024, a decision that arose out of our commitment to the inclusivity of God's love, and we adopted the following as our official welcoming statement:"Inspired by our love of God and neighbor, we celebrate the diversity of all people and invite all into full participation in the life of our church—every race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identity, age, ability, and socioeconomic condition; all refugees and immigrants, physical statuses, mental statuses, neurodiversities, household compositions, and theological and political backgrounds and beliefs. You are God's beloved, and you are welcome here." Driven by this commitment, we continue to seek ways we can provide education, create safe spaces, and advocate for those often left out of organized religion.
A core ministry of our church is our English Language Learners ministry. Active since 2017, this ministry teaches English to refugees and immigrants, conducts citizenship classes, provides multi-racial community, and raises funds for college scholarships for children of refugees and immigrants.
We are also members of AMOS Iowa, a coalition of institutions throughout Central Iowa that organize for justice and the common good. AMOS Members since 2015, we work on issues related to mental health access, affordable housing, refugees, public education, and more.
Community:
We are deeply community focused, always seeking ways we can be good neighbors and active citizens in Norwalk, Warren County, and beyond. Our building houses a number of community-wide ministries through our partnership with the Norwalk Area Ministerial Association (such as mobile food pantry, shoe love, and Warrior Giving Project). We also host a weekly Alcoholics Anonymous group, the "Norwalk Sober Heroes", and are the home of a number of Scout groups. We believe our property should be a resource to our community.
We also believe in creating strong community among ourselves. In many ways, we are one another's "chosen family" and a community of support, through good times and bad times.
Authenticity:
We seek to create a place of welcome for all. Kids are free to be kids. All are allowed to be their unique, beautiful selves. We know we are not perfect, and we strive to get rid of pretensions, judgements, prejudices, and hypocrisy. And that begins at the top; our Pastor is divorced and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, and strives to personally model our commitment to authenticity. We are real people trying to follow Jesus the best we can.
To learn more about Disciples of Christ's beliefs, visit Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).