Who We Are

By this all people will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.

Our Staff

First Church Stratford is an active member church of the United Church of Christ. We are committed to the UCC beliefs, which include that God is still speaking and scripture is not limited to past interpretations; that we are all called to be ministers and participate as equals in the common worship of God; and that we are all free to believe and act in accordance with our own perceptions of God’s will for our lives.

The staff at First Church Stratford offers an extravagant welcome to those who chose to worship with us. Please join us for our 10 AM service each Sunday or visit our Events page to learn more about the activities at First Church Stratford.

Meet Our Pastor

Since graduating from seminary in 1978, Rev. Ed Rawls always wanted to return to New England. Before coming here, he started Good Shepherd UCC in Cary, NC, and pastored three other churches. He prefers being called Pastor Ed. He and his wife, Sandy, have four children between them, and four grandchildren. An avid reader of both of fiction and nonfiction, he feels most comfortable when he is reading one of each simultaneously. He and Sandy love tackling new hiking trails, riding their mountain bikes, and doing anything that is on the water. Pastor Ed is passionate about our church’s vision “where love comes first: love of neighbor, love of children, and love of creation.” He admires our church’s passion for mission. He said, “It’s fun being the pastor of a church that every day attempts to live out the meaning of love.”

Follow his story on Instagram

@edrawls