The focal point of this portion of our guide is on topics related to faith, religion, and spirituality in the city of Norton Shores, Michigan.
While these terms are often used interchangeably, they are distinct words with unique definitions. Commonly, faith suggests a strong belief and, in the context of religion, faith is a strong belief in a deity, generally including worship and obedience. In some contexts, faith and religion can be synonymous, as in the Christian faith or the Christian religion. Otherwise, a religion is an organized set of beliefs, such as Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. Spirituality is more difficult to define, as it can exist in the absence of religion, as in a worldview. Christian spirituality, however, has to do with the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.
A recent survey suggests that residents of Norton Shores are less religious than those in the average community in Michigan or the United States. While 49.4% of Americans and 41.9% of Michiganders cited an affiliation with a religion, only 30% of Norton Shores residents were religious.
Of those in Norton Shores who cited a religion, the vast majority were Christian, although nearly one percent cited Islam, and one-tenth of one percent cited Judaism. Of those who were Christian, the Catholics were the most prominent. They were followed closely by the Presbyterians, and more distantly by the Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, Episcopalians, and Mormons, with the rest divided between Anabaptist or Protestant denominations that weren't included in the survey, or with various non-denominational Protestant churches.
Online resources for ministries or places of worship in Norton Shores are appropriate topics for this category, regardless of the religion, denomination, or sect.
Recommended Resources
Bethel Baptist of Norton Shores
The Bethel Baptist congregation meets on Sunday mornings, with Sunday school classes for all ages and worship services, as well as on Wednesdays for adult Bible study and youth programs. Special events are featured, a calendar of events is posted on the site, and an overview of its music ministries and ministries to children, youth, and adults. Sermon video is available in its archive. The church's address and a map are available, and its office hours and contacts are included.
https://bethelnortonshores.com/
With campuses in Norton Shores and Muskegon, Michigan, the congregation was founded in 2006. The autonomous Christian church meets simultaneously at both campuses on Sunday mornings. Addresses and directions are provided, and a calendar of events is included. An overview of the church's ministries to children, middle and high schoolers, and adult ministries is set forth. Also featured are a sermon archive, a downloadable mobile application, and a contact form.
https://www.bridgebiblechurch.org/
Lake Harbor United Methodist Church
Meeting at its facilities on Henry Street in Norton Shores, Michigan, the UMC congregation offers two Sunday morning worship services, which are also live-streamed on Facebook. Service schedules and a calendar of upcoming programs and events are posted on the site, along with office contacts. Supported missions and community programs are highlighted, and a web facility is available to accept online contributions. Sunday service times, worship song lyrics, and announcements are included.
https://lakeharborumc.org/
The congregation meets at its facilities on Lake Harbor Road, Norton Shores, Michigan, with two services each Sunday morning, with the later service live-streamed, and including programs for children. Weekly schedules and a calendar of events are published on the site, and its current sermon series may be viewed online. Its office hours and contacts are published on the site. Its small group ministries and programs for women, men, seniors, children, and youth are included.
https://shorescommunitychurch.org/
Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids, St. Francis de Sales is on McCracken Street in Norton Shores, Michigan. Its regular Mass schedules are published on the site, along with its liturgy and sacraments, the Roman liturgical calendar, catechesis and faith formation schedules, and a downloadable parish mobile application, available for the iPhone and Android devices. Its ministries and online giving options are listed on the site, which includes a church bulletin and staff contacts.
https://stfrancisns.org/
