Submitted by Emmanuel Baptist Church

Emmanuel Baptist Church of Norfolk enters a significant new chapter with the installation of Pastor Kyle DeGagne as its Lead Pastor. With nearly two decades of ministry experience, a deep commitment to Christ-centered leadership, and a heart for congregational unity, Pastor DeGagne brings seasoned pastoral wisdom and a collaborative spirit to the church founded in 1966.

Pastor DeGagne was raised in Swansea, Massachusetts, where he attended a nondenominational evangelical church and Christian school.  In 2009, he married Mandie and they are raising two daughters and a son—and Pastor DeGagne often speaks of his family as one of God’s greatest gifts and joys.

From 2014 to 2022, Pastor DeGagne served as Lead Church Planter and Lead Pastor of Refuge Church in Warren, Rhode Island where he led the launch and growth of a new congregation.  Prior to that role, Pastor DeGagne served as a Church Planting Intern and Interim Pastor with Mercy House Church and Vita Nova Church in western Massachusetts. Earlier in his ministry, he spent five years as Assistant Pastor at Grace Gospel Church in Swansea.  Academically, he holds a diploma in biblical studies and theology from New England Bible Institute and a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

 In May of 2022, Emmanuel Baptist Church welcomed Pastor Kyle DeGagne as Associate Pastor of Worship and Youth.  His first year at Emmanuel was marked by intentional listening and steady service. As Associate Pastor, he invested deeply in worship ministry, youth formation, building meaningful relationships across generations, and cultivating an atmosphere of warmth and authenticity.  Near his one-year anniversary, the church entered a season of transition when the Lead Pastor decided to return home to be closer to aging parents.

Pastor Kyle then assumed expanded responsibilities with humility and resolve and faithfully carried many responsibilities typically entrusted to a Lead Pastor.  In a warm and welcoming manner, he ministered to members, visitors, and seekers alike as he preached from the pulpit, shepherded families through seasons of joy and grief, and welcomed newcomers.  Pastor Kyle worked collaboratively with boards and leaders, fostering unity and trust along the way. 

In 2025 a Pastoral Search Committee was formed to prayerfully discern Emmanuel’s next Lead Pastor. Following a thorough and thoughtful process, Pastor Kyle DeGagne was officially interviewed for the role he had already been faithfully fulfilling. The congregational vote that followed was decisive, affirming what many already sensed: God had been preparing Pastor Kyle for this calling, and Emmanuel had been prepared to receive him.

 Pastor DeGagne’s installation service took place on February 22, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Emmanuel Baptist Church. Former Emmanuel Pastor Gary Morris, who served the church from 1981 to 1995, was the guest preacher. 

This installation comes as Emmanuel Baptist Church also prepares to celebrate a major milestone—its 60th anniversary on March 29, 2026, during the 10 a.m. service with former Lead Pastor John Ames to deliver the sermon. Founded in 1966, Emmanuel Baptist Church continues its legacy of ministry through programs, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and community outreach initiatives, including Norfolk Community Day and the Norfolk Food Pantry.

Together, the installation of Pastor Kyle DeGagne and the church’s anniversary celebration mark a season of gratitude, renewal, and hopeful vision for Emmanuel Baptist Church and the wider Norfolk community in the years ahead. Psalm127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”