Our Beliefs
We believe the Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God.
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His Virgin Birth, in His sinless life, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension, in His personal future return to this earth and glory to rule a thousand years.
We believe in the blessed hope - the rapture of the Church at Christ’s coming.
We believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the blood of Christ.
We believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation.
We believe the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing of the human body in answer to believing prayer.
We believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, which, according to Acts 2:4, is given to believers who ask for it.
We believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a holy life.
We believe in the operation of spiritual gifts which are given by Christ to His body, the Church for its edification and growth.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation.
Our Vision
The vision of Glory Chapel International Cathedral comes from two scriptures:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19, NIV),
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with your always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).
Our History
Glory Chapel International Cathedral was founded in 1979 by the late Bishop Raul Gonzalez and his wife Lady Willie Gonzalez. The church was established to provide a place where the graduates of Youth Challenge and their families could be spiritually fed, become part of a church family, regain their dignity, and rebuild their place in society.
We originally met in a small chapel located at 19 May Street in Hartford forming the house of worship that our founders envisioned – a place that would be for all people, of all different ethnicities, backgrounds, and social standings.
By 1991, we had outgrown this facility and we began to hold services at 221 Greenfield Street; six years later we purchased the building and still meet there today. The ministry of Glory Chapel International Cathedral has continued to expand across the country and globe to places as near as Central Village, CT and as far as Wildwood, FL; Puerto Rico; The Dominican Republic; Guatemala; Costa Rica; Venezuela; Peru and Kenya.
Through all Glory Chapel does, we strive to stay true to our mission to help those in need by providing outreach and care for all people. We do this through our food pantry, prison ministry and street evangelism. We develop leaders, young and old, through children’s and youth programs and the Corinthian School of Urban Ministry.
Our name comes from Ezekiel 43:5b, “and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.” Here at Glory Chapel, we seek to live out this vision - to see God’s glory fill our church, our ministry, our city, and our world.