A 150-Year Welcome on Main Street
Norwalk Christian Church has stood at 701 Main Street in the heart of Norwalk for over 150 years, making it one of the oldest congregations in Warren County. The church worships in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) tradition, a movement that traces its American roots to the early nineteenth century and centers on Christian unity, freedom of belief, and an open table for all who wish to come. From its long-time location steps from downtown, the congregation continues to serve as both a neighborhood church and a community hub for the broader Norwalk area, with a building that opens its doors to far more than Sunday worship.
An Open and Affirming Congregation Since 2024
In 2024, the church formally adopted an Open and Affirming identity, codifying a commitment that had been growing for years. Its official welcoming statement reads, "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." The decision grew out of the congregation's stated values of open-mindedness, justice, diversity, and authenticity, and the church continues to look for ways to provide education, create safe spaces, and advocate for those often left out of organized religion.
Disciples of Christ: Wholeness in a Fragmented World
As a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Norwalk Christian belongs to a movement that describes itself as "a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world." The denomination has long welcomed all to the Lord's Table, valued freedom of belief and Christian unity, and asked no creedal tests of its members. The church ascribes to no creeds and does not require tests of belief for membership. Norwalk Christian carries that identity into its own life, more interested in the faith it shares than in drawing lines of division. Members and visitors are simply invited to follow the life and example of Jesus.
Sunday Mornings at Ten
Worship gathers at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings in the sanctuary on Main Street. The chancel choir, directed by Jenny Schaff, leads the congregation in song, with Schaff also serving as the church's pianist. Each Sunday service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, where recent weeks' services remain available afterwards, so members who are traveling, homebound, or simply exploring from a distance can take part. Visitors who want to support the church's ministries can give online through the church's giving page, hosted through ChurchTrac.
A Building That Belongs to Norwalk
The church property functions as a community resource for the whole Norwalk area, and the congregation believes its property should be a resource to its neighbors. Through a long-standing partnership with the Norwalk Area Ministerial Association, the building hosts a mobile food pantry, a "Shoe Love" ministry, and the Warrior Giving Project. A weekly Alcoholics Anonymous group called the Norwalk Sober Heroes meets on site, and several Scout troops also call the building home. The congregation's understanding of "neighbor" extends well beyond its own membership, and the doors stay open accordingly, week after week.
English Language Learners and Refugee Support
One of the core ministries of Norwalk Christian is its English Language Learners program, active since 2017. The ministry teaches English to refugees and immigrants, conducts citizenship classes, and intentionally builds a multi-racial community in the process. It also raises funds for college scholarships for the children of refugees and immigrants, investing in the next generation of families who have made central Iowa their home. The ministry reflects the congregation's broader conviction that welcoming people in word must be matched by investing in their lives.
Justice Work Through AMOS Iowa
Since 2015, Norwalk Christian has been a member congregation of AMOS Iowa, a Central Iowa coalition of institutions that organize together for justice and the common good. Through AMOS, the church works on issues including mental health access, affordable housing, refugee resettlement, and public education. Justice work is treated as part of what it means to be the church, not an optional extra, and the partnership connects Norwalk Christian to a wider network of faith communities across the region. The church's ministry for justice also extends into education and advocacy for those often left out of organized religion.
Youth, Family, and the Chancel Choir
Sheldon Henderson serves as Associate Pastor for Youth and Family Ministry, leading programming for children, youth, and families. The church maintains an ongoing youth registration process for its programs, signaling a sustained commitment to the next generation. Children's full participation in the life of the church is part of the congregation's wider understanding of welcome, and kids are encouraged to simply be kids during worship. Music is shared through the chancel choir under the direction of Jenny Schaff, who also accompanies the congregation from the piano.
Authentic Faith and Chosen Family
The congregation describes its commitment to authenticity as something it tries to live out from the top down. Senior Pastor Travis Stanley is open about being divorced and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, and models the church's value of getting rid of pretensions, judgments, prejudices, and hypocrisy. Members describe the church as "chosen family," a community of support through good times and bad. Chelsea Sanders serves as Director of Communications, helping tell the story of a congregation that prides itself on being real people trying to follow Jesus the best they can, in a town they have called home for a century and a half.