God wants to do great things through you!
About
First Church is a community of believers. As a community, we believe that together in fellowship, we grow closer to God and one another.
First Church strives to be a church without walls. Jesus calls for us to go outside the walls to reach the lost and the broken. It is there that the lost will be found. First Church makes an effort to be the Church God has called us to be.
First Church highly values our relationships with one another. We look to grow through fellowship and ultimately grow closer to God. We value the Word of God and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We look to extend grace to all of the lost and broken and lead those with no hope to the hope of Jesus Christ.
Reverend E. Carl Howard
Reverend E. Carl Howard has decades of experience in the Pentecostal & Evangelical faith backgrounds. He served the First Congregational Church of West Haven as bridge and supply Pastor since November 2014. Additionally, he was the Associate Pastor of Dunbar Congregational Church, Hamden, Connecticut, from June 2017 until his current call as settled Senior Pastor of this great church.
Carl is a graduate of Yale Divinity and the recipient of several Master's degrees from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
Carl unashamedly encourages everyone he communicates with to consider the goodness of our God as he shares the Good News of Jesus Christ with humor, simplicity, and clarity so that we all may grow in our faith. He welcomes everyone, regardless of gender, cultural background, and socioeconomic status.
Married for more than 30 years to his wife, Belinda, he’s humbled to have such a wonderful woman as his helpmate.
Our Pastor
MISSION
Inspired by this love, we are sent out of our church into active mission in our beloved wider community.
VISION
The Holy Spirit is calling us to open our church doors to all people with love and concern for their needs, in order to create a more just and peaceful world.
VALUES
This is a house of prayer for all people. We are a faith community, unified in Christ, seeking to worship and bring glory to God. We welcome, in Christian love, all those who join us on this journey, as we seek to share the wonderful message of Jesus, the Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Who are we
Blessed by the Past | Servants in the Present | Poised for the Future
This is a house of prayer for all people. We are a faith community, unified in Christ, seeking to worship and bring glory to God. We welcome, in Christian love, all those who join us on this journey, as we seek to share the wonderful message of Jesus, the Christ, our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit is calling us to open our church doors to all people with love and concern for their needs, in order to create a more just and peaceful world. Inspired by this love, we are sent out of our church into active mission in our beloved wider community.
BEFORE WEST HAVEN BECAME A CITY, WE WERE HERE
In 1638, the community originally known as the West Side, later known as West Farms, and ultimately known as West Haven, was first settled.
The First Congregational Church, founded in 1719, has a long and proud history as the first organization of any kind to be established in West Haven. Our rich history is filled with centuries of proud and important ministry and service to this community. We take pride in our church’s contributions to the community of West Haven!
Some of our "firsts"…
Our church was the first organization of any kind in West Haven, then known as West Farms.
The first bank in West Farms was run by our church.
The first school in West Farms was run by our church.
Our church was the original authority figure for West Farms because the early government was a theocracy.
The first public library in Connecticut was created by our pastor Rev. Williston and functioned from 1792 to 1909.
Our sanctuary served as the original meeting place for West Farms.
We are excited to be part of a new direction God has for the city of West Haven, even as we exist in a culture of big box churches, many of which are glitzy, fluffy, aggressive, seeker-sensitive, proselytizing, and driven by results. In comparison, our church, on the other hand, is refined, substantive, contemplative, restrained, authentic, relational, and driven by love that remains despite our existence for over three-hundred years.
We welcome you to experience the Love of God with us in our historic and beautiful church that welcomes all people, no matter where they are on life’s journey — come as you are. Welcome Home!
Our History
Meet the Team
Pastor Carl Howard
SENIOR MINISTER
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Kirsten Vargo
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH & CHILDREN
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John Lewis
CHURCH MODERATOR
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Ruth Costa
CHAIR OF DEACONS
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Chris Vargo
CHAIR OF TRUSTEES
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Bill Ewry
DIRECTOR AUDIO & VIDEO
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Cathy Sabatino
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
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Nicole Randolph
DIRECTOR OF FOOD INSECURITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY MEALS
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Lydia Iarocci
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
We are Congregationalists who are in covenant with the United Church of Christ:
We believe the Bible is God's inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word. We believe the Bible is the final authority in every area it addresses for every Christian faith and the church collectively. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21, John 10:35)
We believe there is one God who eternally exists as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that all things were created by Him and for Him. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 45:21-22, Matthew 28:19, Colossians 1:16)
We believe that God the Son became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. That He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life (for He was without sin), died a substitutionary death for all mankind, was raised from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God until His enemies are made His footstool. (John 1:1, 14, Matthew 1:18-25, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Hebrews 10:12-13)
We believe the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. We believe the Holy Spirit regenerates and indwells and seals every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and that He empowers us to live as witnesses for Christ. We believe that all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to His church today. (John 14:16-17, John 16:7-11, Titus 3:5-6, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 1:13-14, Acts 1:8, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12-14, 1 Peter 4:10-11)
We believe that, as a result of the Fall, all people are sinners by nature and in need of a Savior and that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of the world. That salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Him. We believe that all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved eternally. (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:18-19, Matthew 1:21, 1 John 4:14, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9,10)
We believe there is one church, the body of Christ, consisting of men and women from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. We believe that each local congregation is an expression of that universal church. (Ephesians 4:4, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Revelation 5:9, Acts 2:42-47)
We believe that each person is unique and valuable: It is the will of God that every person belongs to a family of faith where they have a strong sense of being valued and loved.
We believe that each person is on a spiritual journey: and that each of us is at a different stage of that journey.
We believe baptism is an outward sign of an inward conversion of a personal commitment to follow Jesus Christ, their Lord, and Savior. Notwithstanding race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, class, or creed – we all belong to God and one worldwide community of faith. All persons baptized into the Body of Christ – past, present, and future – are connected to God through the sacrament of baptism. We baptize during worship when the community is present because baptism includes the community's promise of 'love, support and care' for the baptized – and we promise that we won't take it back – no matter where your journey leads you. We further are not opposed to full emersion baptism.
We believe that all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by faith 'belong body and soul to Him.' No matter who – no matter what – no matter where we are on life's journey – notwithstanding race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, class, or creed – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith.
We believe that all people of faith are invited to join Christ at Christ's table for the sacrament of Communion. Just as many grains of wheat are gathered to make one loaf of bread and many grapes are gathered to make one cup of wine, we, the many people of God, are made one in the body of Christ, the church. The breaking of bread and the pouring of wine reminds us of the costliness of Christ's sacrifice and the discipleship to which we are all called. In the breaking of bread, we remember and celebrate Christ's presence among us along with a 'cloud of witnesses' – our ancestors, family, and friends who have gone before us. It is a great mystery; we claim it by faith.
We believe the UCC is called to be a united and uniting church. "That they may all be one." (John 17:21). "In essentials–unity, in nonessentials–diversity, in all things–charity," UCC mottos resonate with our underlying beliefs. The UCC has no creeds or doctrines. Love underpins it. UCC pastors and professors excel in theology, scripture interpretation, and justice advocacy. Despite our variety, love, and unity are our greatest advantages.
We believe that the UCC is called to be a prophetic church. As in the prophets and apostles tradition, God calls the church to speak truth to power, liberate the oppressed, care for the poor, and comfort the afflicted.
We believe in the power of peace and work for nonviolent solutions to local, national, and international problems.
We are a people of possibility. In the UCC, members, congregations, and structures have the breathing room to explore and to hear ... for, after all, God is still speaking, ...