WHO WE ARE
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5
Planted in 2006, The Branch is a Protestant Christian fellowship serving the campuses of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. We are a ministry of The Navigators. Our fellowship is a place to grow as a Christian, engage and meet believers and non-believers alike, and discuss the Word as it applies to our lives as college students.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be a Holy Spirit-empowered community of students so that we can engage our campuses with the Gospel and share its truth. We do this through outreach and service to our campuses and city, through weekly community gatherings, through small group discussions on what God is doing today and what we are seeking to learn about Christianity, through retreats that bring us together and strengthen our hearts, through collaboration with Christian groups on our campuses, and through daily prayer.
Beliefs
We believe that God is for all people of all nations and backgrounds and that the way of salvation is one that is entirely of grace. We believe the Bible is God’s message to us, so we seek to understand and obey its truth. We believe community is essential to the Christian life. We believe that church is an essential place to connect to the people in the city of Providence and grow one’s relationship with, understanding of, and devotion to Christ. Read more about our beliefs below.
I was first drawn into the Branch by its openness and warmth, and I stayed because of the unexpected depth of community I found... I’m so grateful that over the course of my time in college, I had a solid community of people that strengthened my relationship with Jesus in every situation.
-Hope McGovern '19
In the Bible, Jesus Christ says that He is the vine and we are the branches - and that apart from Him, the abundant life He has for us is beyond our grasp (John 10:10, 15:5). That’s why God makes Himself reachable through the Holy Spirit by the death and resurrection of Christ. Our pursuit of Jesus is central, and as followers of Him, we recognize our role and need to share and thrive in our faith with others. The Branch is a community that centers our lives around God. In our Friday Night Gatherings, we hear a message on the Word as a community and discuss it together. In our Core Groups (Gender-Inclusive, Women's, and Men's), we meet in small groups to talk about what’s on our hearts and discuss Scripture as it applies to our lives as college students. We also spend time as a community studying, hanging out, watching movies, playing Spikeball, and sharing meals. We are deeply invested in our campuses and the communities we are part of. We are committed to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ by serving the Providence community and meeting people where they are. Moreover, we wholeheartedly believe in collaborating with the Christian space at Brown and RISD. This space is for you to grow in, and folks in our fellowship are happy to guide you to the various churches, campus organizations, and ministries in our city. We glorify God that so many have been blessed and have grown on our campuses. We have seen how deeply committed campus ministries, churches, and the Christians here are to their pursuit of God. Since the summer of 2022, we have partnered with The Navigators collegiate ministry.
You can meet our current Leadership Team here.
"Loving" is the word that comes to mind when I think of Branch. I am eternally grateful to be part of a community that was not insular, but one that instead really was intentional about discipleship, following God, and serving our campus. Being Christian was a new concept to me, but Branch and church helped foster a healthy and steadfast relationship with God.
-Anna Delamerced '16, MD,ScM'21
Church is a place to meet the diverse Providence community that we, as students, have the joy to be part of and the responsibility to edify and support. At church, you can meet mentors, fellow believers, or even folks who may be meeting Jesus for the very first time. Just as our fellowship is a place for college students to come as they are, the church serves the same purpose for the community of Providence. Going to church helps us meet spiritual mentors, learn more about the city we live in, and help us understand that God has called us to do more than just be students. Students from Brown and RISD attend many different churches like Renaissance, Grace Harbor, Mestizo Community, Aletheia, Sanctuary, and more. Our community walks to church in groups, takes the bus together, and carpools to make sure that we all go to a church that is spiritually sound and one where we can grow in Providence. Church may mean different things to everyone: you may have had negative experiences with it growing up, have never stepped foot in one at all, or even had a positive experience in a specific kind of church. We encourage you to step foot into the churches in Providence. Church communities have been lovingly formed through the grace of God, and they want to get to know you.
If you’re looking for a church, click here to learn about the ones in our area.
The first thing I noticed about the Branch was its foundation in Christ that brought about a strong sense of giving and caring. It’s amazing to be a part of such a diverse group of people who all support each other, and help each other grow in their faith, and do so with such an apparent love of God.
-Anthony Bomba '20
When you come to The Branch, you do not need to fit into all or any of these beliefs or thoughts. Whether you have identified as a follower of Christ your whole life or are new to the faith or are curious about God or feel like you can't be part of a "religion" right now: Please come as you are. Our fellowship is open and accessible to folks of all walks of life and all manners of thought. We hope, sincerely, that we can help you get to know Jesus, strengthen your relationship with Him, and grow in faith. We would be happy to meet you 1-on-1 or in a small group setting to talk more.
Thanks for learning more about us! Click the button below to fill out a Connect Card, our form that allows you to meet a current student or our staff member.