Celebrating over 120 Years of Service

Rev. Dr. Robert S. Norris | Royal Poinciana Chapel

Rev. Dr. Robert S. Norris

The Reverend Dr. Robert S. Norris serves as pastor and head of staff at the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach, Florida.

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Dr. Norris is an inspired preacher and teacher, a passionate prayer, a dynamic worship leader who has for 40 years dedicated his professional life to the pastoral ministry. He enjoys preaching and teaching in a church setting. He is energized by social outreach and mission, the spiritual nurture of congregations and imagining new forms of ministry. His goal always within congregational ministry is with God’s help, to cultivate an environment, where the delight expressed among friends in faith is so appealing that its natural outgrowth causes others to notice and ask about where it comes; where the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and the Gospels proclaimed captivate, challenge, inform and inspire people to hope filled, joyous Godly living; where forgiveness is the hallmark of one’s personal experience, and where God’s love and grace is made real.

Bob was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in American History and Philosophy in 1976 at Bloomsburg State College in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and attended Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey where he received three degrees – a Master of Divinity in 1979, a Master of Theology in 1985, and his Doctor of Ministry in 2004.

Dr. Norris was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in July of 1979 and became Associate Pastor at The First Presbyterian Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania. His next position was as an Associate Pastor at The Presbyterian Church in Liberty Corner, New Jersey. Dr. Norris later became Executive Pastor of the 4,500 member Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas and followed there as the Interim Senior Pastor from 1993-1996. In 1995 he was called as the Senior Pastor, Head of Staff of the 2,500 member Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania. In April of 2004, Dr. Norris was invited to become the Senior Pastor and Head of Staff at the Royal Poinciana Chapel where he continues to serve 16 years later. In 2015, Dr. Norris was invited to serve as an adjunct member on the faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary and additionally has taught classes of students studying for their Master of Divinity at Palm Beach Atlantic School of Ministry.

Dr. Norris serves on the Advisory Board of the School of Ministry at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and the Board of Directors at The Lord’s Place, an organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Palm Beach County.

Dr. Norris is passionate about his family and pastoral ministry. “There is nothing that excites and motivates me more than ministering to the people of God’s calling. There is nothing that delights me more than being the husband of Debbie Norris, and Dad to Megan, a paralegal in Chicago who anticipates entering law school in the fall of 2020.” Bob and Debbie Norris thoroughly enjoy parenting and been dedicated partners in ministry throughout their pastoral life and their marriage of 36 years.