Walnut Hill Community Church

Walnut Hill Community Church is a nondenominational, evangelical megachurch located in Bethel and in three other locations in Connecticut.

Walnut Hill Community Church
Walnut Hill Community Church's Bethel Campus
LocationConnecticut
CountryUnited States
DenominationNondenominational
Weekly attendance2,400
Websitewww.walnuthillcc.org
History
FoundedFebruary 7, 1982 (1982-02-07)
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Rev. Brian Mowrey (Lead Pastor, Teaching)
Rev. Adam DePasquale (Lead Pastor, Executive)
Rev. Craig Mowrey (Lead Pastor, Development)
Pastor(s)Rev. Brian Mowrey (Campus Pastor, Bethel)
Brian Prue (Campus Pastor, New Milford)
Joshua Multunas (Campus Pastor, Valley)
Rev. Craig Mowrey (Campus Pastor, Waterbury)

History

The church was founded in 1982 by a group of families that had begun meeting in a home.

In 2017, the weekly church attendance averaged 2,500.[1] It is estimated that more than 4,000 people consider Walnut Hill home.[2] Attendees come from a wide range of denominational and cultural backgrounds, giving the church a reputation for being warm and welcoming.

Multi-campus church

As a multi-campus church, Walnut Hill Community Church functions as one church with many locations.[3] Each campus location shares the same mission, vision and values, but expresses them in a way that is relevant and effective to its local community. The church communicates its purpose as "Igniting a passion for Jesus in Connecticut, New England and around the world" and invests its resources in providing biblical preaching, serving the local community, developing the next generation and building a strong sense of belonging among its congregation.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Campus locations can be found in Bethel, Derby, New Milford, and Waterbury. Additional campuses will be considered in the future.[12]

Team leadership

On October 2, 2016, Walnut Hill transitioned from having one senior pastor to a team leadership model where three pastors, Brian Mowrey, Adam DePasquale and Craig Mowrey, serve in partnership as lead pastors, taking on the traditional responsibilities of senior pastor, while continuing to oversee and advance key areas in the life of the church.

Walnut Hill worship
Live recording at the Strand Theater.

On June 12, 2011, Walnut Hill Community Church produced a live album entitled, "Revive Us: Songs of Prayer for New England." Recorded at the Strand Theater in Seymour, the evening was promoted as a live prayer and worship gathering as the church prepared to open its third campus. The album contains arrangements of hymns that have had influence in New England over the past few hundred years. Songs include Softly and Tenderly, My Faith Looks Up to Thee, Revive Us Again, I Surrender All and others.

Walnut Hill is continuing to write and release original songs, available on iTunes and Spotify.

Former senior pastors
  • Clive Calver, 2005-2016
  • Joel Eidsness, 1992-2005
  • Interim Period, 1991-1992
  • Doug Muraki, 1987-1991
  • Bill Wheat, 1982-1987

References
  1. Hartford Institute, Database of megachurches in the US, hartfordinstitute.org's website, USA, Retrieved December 03, 2017
  2. "Walnut Hill Community Church". bethelchamber.com.
  3. "Walnut Hill Community Church expands into Waterbury". NewsTimes.
  4. "Walnut Hill Community Church in Derby to host annual Easter run/walk". nhregister.com.
  5. "Bethel vacation Bible school has positive affects". NewsTimes.
  6. "Church helps health center go digital". NewsTimes.
  7. "Bethel church's scavenger hunt intrigues teens, will help those in need". NewsTimes.
  8. "Churches reach out to Katrina parishes". NewsTimes.
  9. "Who do you turn to in economic crisis? Try God". NewsTimes.
  10. "Bethel pastor, former World Relief leader, wants to give Haiti help that will last". NewsTimes.
  11. "Survivors of mass tragedies converge for Bethel forum". NewsTimes.
  12. "Walnut Hill church builds for the future". New Milford Spectrum.

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