Four Connecticut Campuses and an Online Service
Walnut Hill Community Church is a nondenominational, evangelical church that began in 1981 as a home Bible study of seven couples in Bethel, Connecticut, and now gathers thousands of people each week across four physical campuses and a thriving online ministry. The church's stated mission is to ignite a passion for Jesus in Connecticut, New England, and around the world. From its flagship location in Bethel, Walnut Hill has planted campuses in New Milford, Derby, and Waterbury, while also livestreaming services and offering digital ministry through an online campus that launched in March 2020.
The central campus sits at 156 Walnut Hill Road in Bethel and houses the church offices, multiple gathering rooms, a bustling Fellowship Mall, and Windows Cafe. Three satellite campuses meet in renovated or repurposed buildings in surrounding towns: the New Milford Campus at 19 Dorwin Hill Road, the Valley Campus at 27 9th Street in Derby, and the Waterbury Campus at 274 Bunker Hill Avenue. Sunday services from the Bethel Campus are livestreamed at 9 and 11 a.m. and remain available on demand afterward.
From a Living Room to 5 Million Lives Touched
Walnut Hill began in 1981 when seven couples gathered around a Bible study and dreamed of a church that would preach the Word, welcome every background, raise up the next generation, and share the gospel locally and globally. A year later, 80 people began meeting in a local hotel. Within 18 months, the congregation nearly doubled and sent its first family to the mission field. By 1988, 350 people were calling Walnut Hill home, and members had launched a summer camp, an inner-city mentoring program, and missions-sending partnerships.
In 1996, services moved into the new building on Walnut Hill Road, where expansions in 2004 and 2010 created room for continued growth and the launch of satellite campuses. A 2005 prayer initiative saw hundreds of people commit to covering the church in prayer around the clock. By 2010, the congregation had grown to about 2,000, and the church began planting campuses in surrounding towns. By 2017, four locations were meeting weekly, and since 2007 more than 1,200 people had surrendered to Jesus through Walnut Hill ministries. Today, the church reports that five million people are impacted through its global partnerships each year, 600 children in four communities participate in summer camps, and acts of mercy reach the homeless, prisoners, at-risk youth, schools, and grieving households across the region and around the world.
What Sundays Look Like
Walnut Hill describes its Sunday rhythm in three parts: arrival, worship, and connect. Volunteers greet visitors at the door and help families check in their children. After a seat is found, the congregation worships with a live worship band and hears a sermon from one of the pastors, either live or on video. A time for tithes and offerings is also part of the service, though visitors are welcome to let that moment pass without giving. On some Sundays, the congregation shares the Lord's Supper together. The full service runs a little over an hour, and afterward visitors can step forward for prayer or visit a Welcome Spot or Welcome Table for a free gift and information about getting connected.
The Bethel Campus offers the widest schedule. At 8:30 a.m., a traditional service is held in the D-Wing with hymns, a relevant sermon, and communion; no children's programming is offered during that hour. Identical contemporary services with a live worship band and a relevant sermon fill the Worship Center at 9 and 11 a.m., along with kids and youth programming for both hours. On the last Sunday of the month, families of children in Grades 1 through 5 worship together in the Worship Center at Bethel before the children are dismissed to their classes.
The New Milford Campus meets at 9 and 11 a.m. with a contemporary service, live worship band, and a sermon delivered live or via livestream from Bethel. Children in Infants through Grade 5 join their families for the opening of worship and then are dismissed to their classes, while students in Grades 6 through 12 also worship with the whole church and then are released to the Youth Room in the gym. The Valley Campus in Derby gathers at 10 a.m. in a casual setting with live worship and a sermon delivered live or via video; children and youth start in the service and move to age-appropriate classes. The Waterbury Campus meets at 10 a.m. with a contemporary service and offers a 9 a.m. adult Bible study beforehand. A livestream of the Bethel Campus services is available at 9 and 11 a.m. and on demand afterward.
Walnut Hill Kids: From Infants Through Elementary
Walnut Hill Kids is built on the conviction that learning about a creative God does not have to be boring. Teaching uses skits, videos, music, crafts, and games across nursery, toddler, preschool, and elementary classrooms through Grade 5. Every volunteer goes through an application process and background check. Children are checked in through a computer system, parents receive a matching name badge and security tag, and a safety team monitors every entrance and exit to the Kids area. Children are only released when a parent presents the matching security tag.
The Bethel Campus runs kids programming during the 9 and 11 a.m. services. New Milford and Waterbury offer similar programs during their Sunday services, while the Valley Campus dismisses children to Kids Church after they worship with their families. An AWANA Club (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) runs midweek: Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Bethel and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at New Milford, both running from September through May.
A Milestone Track guides families through the spiritual steps of growing up in the church. Parents of infants through Grade 1 may take a Child Dedication Class to commit their child to the Lord. A New to Faith Class for Grades 1 through 5 and their parents introduces kids who have just received Christ to studying the Bible and serves as a prerequisite for baptism. A Baptism Class for Grades 3 through 6 prepares children who want to be baptized. A Moving Up Ceremony on Promotion Sunday prays over sixth graders as they transition into Middle School. Online Campus kids can follow weekly lesson videos and activities through the church's online curriculum.
Youth Ministry for Grades 6 through 12
Walnut Hill Youth exists to ignite a passion for Jesus in middle and high schoolers. Bethel youth gather at 9 and 11 a.m. in the Upper Room for a student service; on the last Sunday of the month, students worship with their families. During the school year, youth group meets Tuesdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m., with middle schoolers and high schoolers in separate spaces that include high-energy worship, fun, and small groups divided by age and sex. New Milford youth meet in the Youth Room on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Valley youth gather on the first, third, and fifth Fridays of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Waterbury youth meet Wednesdays from 7 to 8:45 p.m. The Online Campus does not currently offer youth meetings, so online students are encouraged to connect to a physical campus.
A youth discipleship pathway includes a New to Faith Class for students who have just surrendered their lives to Jesus, a quarterly Baptism Class, a five-week Foundations Bible Study, and a five-week Tough Questions Bible Study designed to wrestle with how Scripture speaks into life's hardest issues.
Young Adults, Men, Women, and Seniors
Young adults ages 18 to 30 meet weekly in Bethel on Thursdays at 7 p.m. for a Bible study, with parallel groups at the New Milford Campus and additional community groups for ages 30 to 35. Men at the Bethel Campus meet in two Tuesday Bible studies, one from 7 to 8:30 a.m. and another from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., gathering in the Fellowship Mall to worship, study, and share breakfast or dinner. New Milford men meet Saturday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. for prayer and Bible study, Valley men meet second and fourth Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Waterbury men meet the first Saturday of the month. Annual men's gatherings include an All Church BBQ, a fall kickoff, the Iron Sharpens Iron Conference, a Thanksgiving Dinner, and a Men's Retreat.
Women's ministry organizes around the word WALK: Welcomed, Accepted, Loved, Known. Bethel hosts a Tuesday evening Rooted study, a Thursday morning Rooted study, a Thursday evening online Rooted study, a monthly Moms of Young Kids group with childcare, and a Second Sunday group for women attending without a spouse. New Milford women gather Thursday mornings at 9 a.m. for prayer and encouragement. Valley women meet on second and fourth Sundays after the service. Each year includes a Christmas Brunch and a Women's Retreat Day.
Thrive 65+ is the church's ministry to seniors. Community Groups gather in host homes across the region on a semester basis during the school year, and the church also offers Marriage Ministry, Prayer Ministry, and serving opportunities in kids, youth, special needs, prayer, care, worship and the arts, guest services, Church in Action, campus operations, group life, online campus, and safety and medical teams.
Care, Recovery, and Outreach
The Walnut Hill Care Team offers individual and marriage counseling, referrals to licensed Christian counselors, Cancer Support on the first and third Sundays at 11 a.m., DivorceCare as a thirteen-week support program for those separated or divorced, GriefShare on Tuesday evenings, Celebrate Recovery on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. for any adult with a hurt, habit, or hang-up, Foster and Adoptive Caregivers Support on second and fourth Wednesdays via Zoom, and Widows Haven for women walking through widowhood. The Care Team also walks members through financial stewardship resources and provides a free year of Ramsey+.
Walnut Hill's most visible act of mercy is the Walnut Hill Community Pantry, which distributes food to more than 1,550 families each month. The Bethel Campus pantry runs the second and fourth Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the Valley Campus in Derby hosts a drive-through distribution on the third Wednesday at the same hours. Clients remain in their vehicles while volunteers load bags. Nondiscrimination and SNAP information is available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The Waterbury Campus also partners with Acts 4 Ministry, and the Valley Campus runs an afterschool program in partnership with Irving School in Derby.
Special Needs Ministry
Walnut Hill's Special Needs Ministry describes itself as a Christ-centered, ability-diverse community working to encourage strengths and support needs of those impacted by disability. The ministry offers individualized support and buddies or mentors for inclusive participation in age-level Sunday programming for Infants through Grade 12 at the Bethel Campus. A self-contained Friendship Room offers a sensory-adapted environment at 9 and 11 a.m. The Community Room, open at 11 a.m., is a sensory-friendly worship and teaching environment for adults. A Sensory Room is available at 9 and 11 a.m. for anyone who needs a quiet moment.
For adults 18 and older, a Regional Community Group meets on second and fourth Tuesdays, both in person in the Bethel Special Needs Community Room and on Zoom. A Young Adult Bible Study, held in partnership with Joni and Friends New England, meets on the first and third Wednesday afternoons on Zoom. The Young Adult and Adult programs break for August and resume in September. New Milford, Valley, and Waterbury families are invited to contact the ministry in advance so the team can prepare the right support for a first visit.
Beliefs and Membership
Walnut Hill's statement of faith centers on the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God; one God eternally existing in three persons; Jesus Christ as true God and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary; humanity as created in God's image and born with a sinful nature; salvation by faith in Jesus Christ; the eternal security of the believer; the Church as the body of Christ; the ordinances of baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as ongoing practices; the personal return of Jesus; and the physical resurrection of the body with eternal destinies for both believers and unbelievers.
Baptism is taught as a public declaration of faith rather than a means of salvation, and is practiced by immersion in keeping with the baptism of Jesus and the symbolism of death, burial, and resurrection. The Lord's Supper is observed regularly as a symbolic act remembering Jesus' death and anticipating His return. Membership is taken through a one-time Starting Line Membership Class that introduces what Walnut Hill believes and helps newcomers connect into the church family.
Leadership and Governance
Walnut Hill operates with a Board of Elders elected by the members to provide spiritual leadership and oversight. The Lead Pastor Team is shared between Adam DePasquale, Lead Pastor, Executive, and Shawn Winters, Lead Pastor, Teaching (Preaching). Shawn Winters also serves as Bethel Campus Pastor. Brian Bergen is the New Milford Campus Pastor and Pastor of Ministries. Joshua Multunas is the Valley Campus Pastor. Clarence Haynes is the Waterbury Campus Pastor. Crystal Ellington is Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Online Campus. Lucy Houghton is Pastor of Care. Clay Norman serves as Staff Chaplain. The Staff Executive Team includes directors of Communications and Culture, Worship, Children's Ministry, Special Needs Ministry, and Production, alongside coordinators for each campus and ministry area.
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walnut Hill is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax deductible. Giving is available online through the Realm system, in person on Sundays, or by mail to the Bethel address. The church livestreams its services online and shares content through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and SoundCloud playlists organized by campus.