Chris, Kathy, and the Norman family have given their entire lives to Grace Gathering for the past 31 years. In February, their season of leading our church will come to a close. We’re making sure they know how great their impact has been!
Celebrating Chris Norman
GIVE
Love Offering
Please be sure to select “Honorarium” from the fund options when you give.
We are celebrating 31 years of faithful service by Chris and Kathy Norman as Chris transitions from his role at Grace Gathering.
Their influence has shaped our culture, mission, and the lives of countless individuals, families, and leaders. They have consistently been a living example of what it looks like to live as Christ. It is now our turn to show our love and appreciation.
We are raising a love offering to honor Chris and Kathy as a tangible thank you for their selfless service. This offering will help launch them into their next chapter of bringing God’s Kingdom to greater Fort Wayne and beyond. Chris will be stepping into a new role focused on coaching, mentoring, and supporting church planting and global missions.
We ask you to prayerfully consider making a sacrificial gift to the same degree that many have given for capital campaigns in the past. However, this will be a one-time offering without any ongoing pledges.
We are inviting all of the Grace family to participate, including Imago Dei, New Grace, and Grace Haiti.
You may give through the electronic giving portal with the special category “honorarium,” or you may provide cash or a check marked “honorarium.” Please ensure that no individual names are mentioned on your check to ensure that your giving is tax deductible. The giving window will be open until February 28, 2026.
SHARE
Say Thank You
As a blessing to Chris and his family, we are inviting you to share a brief word of encouragement. It could be a specific memory, or you may simply take the opportunity to thank Chris for his impact on your life.
You can send a written note or a short video of yourself thanking Chris. All videos will be compiled into a single video and shared with Chris after February.
Choose How You’ll Say Thank You
Decide how you’d like to share your gratitude. Even if you plan to submit a video, writing out your thoughts ahead of time can help you organize what you’ll include. Many of us could write books sharing memories of Chris’s time at Grace!
Send a Written Note
Can’t make it through a video without crying? We get it! Share a written word of encouragement or gratitude. Attach a document and send it to info@gracegathering.com.
Record a Short Video
If you’d like, you can send a video up to 2 minutes long to thank Chris. Please shoot landscape (horizontal) and make sure you can be seen and heard! Then upload it to our secure WeTransfer account.
JOIN
Celebration Service
Join us for Chris’ final sermon as pastor of Grace Gathering. It will no doubt be a special Sunday service to honor Chris, Kathy, and the Norman family for their commitment to Grace over the past 31 years.
We look forward to seeing you there!
SAVE THE DATE
January 25, 2026
Regular service – 10:00am
Celebration – 11:10am
Grace Gathering
3157 Minnich Rd.
New Haven, IN 46774
REMEMBER
A Legacy of Impact
After 31 years of devoted leadership, Chris Norman is transitioning from his role at Grace Gathering. His influence has shaped not only the culture and mission of our church but also the lives of countless individuals, families, and leaders throughout our community and beyond.
This is a moment of deep gratitude, reflection, and anticipation as we celebrate Chris’s legacy and embrace the future of Grace Gathering.
***
1994
Chris and his wife Kathy, newly married, moved to New Haven where Chris began pastoring Grace Baptist under the mentorship of Gordon Smith.
1995-2001
Grace experienced significant growth as many individuals and families came to faith, supported by the Seeking God Study (written by Chris).
Image shared by Chris with a recent edition of his book.
1999
Chris transitioned into the role of senior leader, honoring Gordon Smith for his faithful mentorship and leadership.
1999
Grace Fellowship launched minicongregations to foster deeper community and discipleship within the church.
2000
A mission team from Grace traveled to Kiev, Ukraine to serve and share the gospel. It was truly transformative!
2001
The congregation dedicated land at Moeller and Minnich for a future church building / campus to be a blessing to all of New Haven. They marked the moment by collecting jars of dirt, one of which Chris still keeps today.
2002-2006
Grace Fellowship met at New Haven High School, both to accommodate the exciting growth and in preparation for the new building.
2003-2006
The church carried out a remarkable giving campaign, with many sacrificing generously to fund the new building.
2003
The church engaged in the Purpose Driven Life series, a season that shaped discipleship and strengthened spiritual growth across the congregation.
2006
Chris earned a doctorate from Trinity International University, with his dissertation diving into diversity and unity within the church.
2006
A mission trip to Mexico became a milestone for Grace Gathering, marking a season of expanded global outreach and deep impact on the congregation.
2006
Grace Gathering held its first service in the new building at 3157 Minnich Road, a landmark moment celebrating years of prayer, sacrifice, and anticipation.
2007
Shortly after moving into the new building, Grace Gathering discerned that growth alone wasn’t producing mature new disciples. In response, they launched house churches, meeting in medium-sized groups to foster deeper discipleship and mission.
2009
Chris and Scott Jester traveled to Sheffield, England, where they learned from 3DM, a missional discipleship movement that emphasized both gathered and scattered expressions of church. During this time, Chris also met Paul Maconochie, who would later move to New Haven and join the Grace Gathering team.
2010
Grace leaders participated in the first U.S. 3DM 2-year Learning Community, held on Pawleys Island, South Carolina. This experience deepened their commitment to missional discipleship and provided practical tools for balancing gathered and scattered church life.
2012
Grace Gathering partnered with Christ’s Community Church in Fort Wayne, joining with another gospel-centered community to strengthen discipleship and expand local outreach.
2013
Grace Gathering launched missional communities, a new way of living out discipleship and mission together. Nearly the entire church participated, forming groups that served neighborhoods and the wider community in remarkable, creative ways. This season marked a defining expression of Grace’s identity as a church on mission.
2013
Chris completed an Ironman triathlon, a personal achievement that reflected endurance, discipline, and perseverance.
2013
Cheryl Norman, Chris’s mom, passed away at the age of 65 in Michigan (1948-2013).
2014
Grace Gathering launched The Daniel Plan series, a six-week discipleship and wellness journey focused on faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends. Nearly the entire church participated, experiencing growth in both spiritual and physical health.
2014
Grace Gathering became a multisite church, launching Grace Gathering North to reach people and neighbors in northwest Fort Wayne. This expansion reflected a growing vision to be present in multiple communities while remaining one unified church family.
2015
Chris became the Regional Hub Leader for 3DM in the United States, supporting churches and leaders across the Midwest in missional discipleship and community formation.
2019
Grace Gathering launched Grace Gathering Central, establishing a new site in the heart of Fort Wayne. This location extended the church’s vision of being a family on mission, creating a presence in the city’s center to reach new neighbors and communities, and to partner with New Life Church of God.
2019
With three sites established, Grace Gathering transitioned to a new leadership model. Each site was led by its own site leader, while Chris served as the overall team leader, guiding vision and unity across the church family.
2020-21
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Grace Gathering adapted to online ministry for the first time. Leaders fought for unity, launched an online Alpha course with over 700 participants, and produced daily devotional videos to encourage the church family. Grace also created a resource document for other congregations, outlining how to remain focused on discipleship, community, and mission in the midst of crisis.
2022
Chris joined the board of Love Fort Wayne partnering with other leaders to strengthen community initiatives.
2023
Grace Gathering launched Grace Gathering Haiti, extending its mission beyond the U.S. to partner with and support a new community of believers internationally. This marked the church’s first global site, reflecting a vision to invest in discipleship and mission across cultures.
2025
Chris partnered with leaders in New Haven to imagine Fields of Grace, a potential community space designed to bless the city. Though the project did not move forward, the collaboration reflected Grace Gathering’s ongoing commitment to dreaming with civic leaders about how the church can serve and strengthen its neighbors.
What’s next for Chris and Kathy?
Chris will be stepping into a new role focused on coaching, mentoring leaders, and supporting church planting and global missions. While he will no longer serve in a local leadership role at Grace Gathering, he will continue to serve the wider Church with the same heart, passion, and vision that have marked his ministry for over three decades.
