A Portsmouth Congregation Centered on the Word and the Next Generation
Sweethaven Baptist Church stands on West Norfolk Road in Portsmouth, Virginia, a fellowship that describes itself as a community of faith and friendship. Family-friendly and multi-generational, the church is built around Biblical preaching, warm fellowship, and a full slate of programs for children, students, and adults. Its identity is shaped by three pillars: weekly worship and Bible teaching, a robust offering of children's and youth ministries, and Sweethaven Christian Academy, a Pre-K through 12th-grade academy that the church counts as its single largest ministry.
Sweethaven's doctrinal foundation is Baptistic, with a strong confessional statement covering the Trinity, the inerrancy of Scripture, salvation by grace, and believer's baptism by immersion. Visitors can expect a traditional Baptist welcome, blended music, and a schedule that gives every age group a meaningful place on Sunday morning and beyond.
What a Sunday Looks Like
The church runs a packed Sunday schedule that gives every age group a place to learn, worship, and connect. Sunday School for all ages begins at 10:00 AM. The morning worship service follows at 11:00 AM, and an evening service rounds out the day at 5:00 PM.
Children are woven into the morning rather than shuffled off to the side. Nursery care is provided for infants through age four. Wee Church serves preschoolers and kindergartners during the worship hour with snacks, a Bible lesson, and a craft, giving parents a chance to worship without interruption. Children's Church, for first through sixth graders, gathers after the song service for a practical Bible message, missionary challenges, singing, and a snack. Both programs aim to create a loving atmosphere in which children can grow in their understanding of Scripture.
Music, Dress, and a Warm Welcome
Music at Sweethaven is a blend of traditional hymns and modern praise choruses, chosen to worship God and prepare the congregation for the preaching. Dress is casual and welcoming - jeans and a t-shirt, a polo and khakis, or a suit and tie will all fit right in. Visitors are warmly received, and there is no expectation that newcomers contribute when the offering plate is passed.
Wednesday Nights: Bible Study, Master Clubs, and Summit Youth
Wednesday is the busiest evening of the week at Sweethaven. Adults gather at 7:00 PM for Bible study. Children ages three through sixth grade join Master Clubs, an action-packed program running from 7:00 to 8:00 PM during the school year. Each Wednesday moves through a predictable rhythm: a short, high-spirited Rally Time, a ten-to-twelve-minute Bible lesson, workbook time for earning badges, game time, and an awards segment. Clubbers can also earn Master Bucks for good behavior and godly character, redeemable at the Master Clubs store. The cost is modest: a vest is $20, project books run $10 to $20, and weekly dues are fifty cents.
Middle and high school students meet at the same hour for Summit Youth, making Wednesday a one-stop evening for many families.
Summit Youth: Middle and High School Students
Summit Youth is Sweethaven's ministry for seventh through twelfth graders, gathering on Sundays at 10:00 AM and Wednesdays at 7:00 PM. The group's stated aim is for students to love God and love others by exploring Scripture and God's guidance in everyday life. Special events - laser tag nights and other outings - give students a chance to build friendships outside the classroom. The group maintains its own presence on Instagram and Facebook so families can stay current.
Children's Programs: Kids for Christ from Nursery to Sixth Grade
Children's ministry at Sweethaven is unified under the banner of Kids for Christ, with a vision to reach children with the Gospel and train them to serve Christ. The scope covers families at Sweethaven Baptist Church, Sweethaven Christian Academy and Preschool, and the wider Portsmouth community.
Sunday School for children runs alongside the adult classes at 10:00 AM and offers age-appropriate Bible lessons taught by dedicated teachers. Wee Church and Children's Church meet during the 11:00 AM worship hour. Master Clubs fills Wednesday evenings during the school year. Vacation Bible School rounds out the summer, with a themed week of crafts, games, Bible lessons, and missions challenges for children ages four through twelve. Anyone who works with children at Sweethaven must complete a background check, a sign of the church's care for its youngest members.
Sweethaven Christian Academy: The Church's Largest Ministry
The single largest ministry of Sweethaven Baptist Church is Sweethaven Christian Academy, a Pre-K through 12th-grade academy serving around 180 students on the same campus. The school shares the church's faith foundation, offering a Bible-based education that welcomes families from the congregation, current academy families, and the surrounding community. Assistant Pastor Gary Good also teaches Bible at the academy, linking classroom instruction to the church's pulpit and giving students continuity between Sunday and the school week.
GriefShare: Walking Through Loss Together
GriefShare meets at Sweethaven on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The program is a national grief support ministry hosted locally by the church, offering a safe, welcoming place for people grieving the loss of someone close. Participants work through a structured workbook with the help of caring facilitators and a small group of others who understand the difficult emotions that accompany loss. Workbooks cost $20, and scholarships are available. Anyone interested in joining can connect through the church's GriefShare contact form.
Adult Sunday School Classes
Sweethaven offers four adult Sunday School classes, all meeting at 10:00 AM. The age groups are a guide; attendees are encouraged to go where they are most comfortable.
- Foundations Class - adults, including singles, couples, and those with children.
- Good News Class - older married couples, empty nesters, and any adult who wants in-depth Bible study, sound teaching, and close-knit fellowship.
- Ladies Class - a women's Bible study for ladies of all ages, centered on encouragement and lasting friendships.
- Fellowship Class - the senior class, focused on deep Bible study and the wisdom seniors bring to the church.
What Sweethaven Believes
Sweethaven holds to a Baptistic doctrinal standard, summarized in statements drawn from Scripture.
The church affirms one true God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in redemption. The Holy Bible is held to have been written inerrant in its original languages, divinely inspired, and to remain the supreme standard by which all Christian conduct and doctrine are tried.
Salvation is wholly of grace through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who by the Father's appointment freely took on human nature, lived a sinless life, made a full atonement for sin by His death, rose again, and is now enthroned in Heaven - qualified to be a compassionate and all-sufficient Saviour. Sweethaven teaches that man was created holy but fell through voluntary transgression, leaving all mankind under just condemnation and in need of the Saviour.
The church practices Christian baptism by immersion of a believer in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as a solemn emblem of faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour. The Lord's Supper is observed as a memorial of Christ's dying love, always preceded by solemn self-examination.
A visible church of Christ is understood as a congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. Its mission is found in the Great Commission, and its success depends on unity and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
A complete printed list of doctrinal statements is available to anyone who visits the church and requests a free copy.
Pastors and Staff
Pastor Joe Noreau serves as Senior Pastor. A Virginia native, Noreau trusted Christ as a child, attended Atlantic Baptist Bible College in Chester, Virginia, where he met his wife Shannon, and later graduated from Crown College with a degree in Missions. He and his family served as missionaries in British Columbia and previously pastored in Ohio before coming to Sweethaven. His stated passion is seeing lives changed by the power of the Gospel, both in the church and among the lost.
Pastor Gary Good serves as Assistant Pastor, working with the children of Sweethaven and teaching Bible at Sweethaven Christian Academy. Saved as a child, he attended Pensacola Christian College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Biblical Languages, and joined the Sweethaven staff in June 2003.
Pastor Micah Clark serves as Youth Pastor. He was saved at a teen camp and sensed God's call to ministry during a revival in his junior year of high school. He graduated from West Coast Baptist College with a degree in church ministry and met his wife Christy there. He now oversees Summit Youth.
Giving, Livestream, and Calendar
Online giving is available through the church's giving portal, with one-time contributions, scheduled giving, and giving history tracking for registered users. Visitors are not expected to give when the offering plate is passed on Sunday morning. Services are livestreamed and archived on the church's Facebook page. A YouTube channel and an active Instagram feed carry additional updates, and a regularly updated calendar lists the week's events, including men's basketball fellowship, GriefShare, Master Clubs, Sunday School, and special activities for every age.