MARIETTA — It’s the dawn of a new era for historic Roswell Street Baptist Church as it prepares for its upcoming merger with a Woodstock megachurch after years of declining attendance. What was once one of the largest and most influential Southern Baptist congregations in the U.S., Roswell Street Baptist will soon become the second location of First Baptist Church of Woodstock. And with the merger comes a brand-new name: Mission Church Roswell Street. The name is meant to honor the church’s past while also inspiring the future, according to Christian Norman, Roswell’s new location pastor. Christian Norman is Roswell Street Baptist Church’s new location pastor. “We thought that it was really important to keep Roswell Street in the name because of the footprint and the history that this church has. It’s really important for us to honor that,” Norman said. “The reason why we sing, the reason why we have a facility, the reason why there’s proclamation, the reason why we get together and provide community at different ages and life stages, the reason why we do all of that is because of the mission. And Jesus gave his mission to the church.” Jeremy Morton, lead pastor at First Baptist Wo
