A Welcoming Congregation on Cross Road
First United Methodist Church of Stamford sits at 42 Cross Road, just off Long Ridge Road in the northern part of Stamford, Connecticut. The building is approached through a generous parking lot that members and visitors alike describe as plenty large for Sunday mornings, with accessible spaces reserved for those who need them. Stained glass windows line the sanctuary and a grand piano anchors the chancel, giving the worship space a quiet beauty that many longtime members recall when they say it "always feels like home."
The congregation describes itself with a four-word motto: welcoming, diverse, Christ-centered, and socially just. That language appears across the church's own materials, and members regularly echo it in their written testimonies. People who have joined in recent years come from many faith traditions, ethnic backgrounds, ages, and walks of life, and the church names that diversity as one of its greatest strengths. A retired member wrote that the church is "a community that is seeking to worship God and to live a life under God's guidance," and others describe the sanctuary as a place where "Jesus is worshiped and honored." Visitors are warmly greeted, and the church's published newcomer page insists, "You are welcome here. God loves you, forgives you, and accepts you, and so do we."
A Mission to Grow Disciples in Stamford
The church's mission is to grow our community of disciples of Jesus Christ in and around Stamford, CT, for the transformation of the world. The church's vision statement unpacks four commitments. First, the church seeks to be Christ-centered, inviting everyone at any stage of a spiritual journey to nourish a sustaining relationship with God through worship, Bible study, and service. Second, the congregation embraces its diversity and strives to be "a sturdy bridge connecting people of different faith backgrounds, ethnic heritages, ages, races and genders." Third, the church accepts the biblical call to do justice and walk humbly with God, embracing John Wesley's vision of the world as parish and reaching out with hearts and hands to those in need. Fourth, the church practices radical hospitality with open hearts, open minds, and open doors, never turning anyone away from Holy Communion, Baptism, or full participation in the life of the congregation.
Pastor David Piscatelli and the Staff
The Rev. David R. Piscatelli has served as pastor of First United Methodist Church of Stamford since July 1, 2023. He is a second-career clergyman who left corporate life in 2003 to answer a call to ministry. He is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, where he earned his Master of Divinity. He was commissioned in 2006 and ordained in 2009. After seminary, Pastor David was appointed to Faith United Methodist Church in North Haven, Connecticut, where he revitalized the congregation by launching several new ministries. In 2014, he was appointed to Nichols United Methodist Church in Trumbull, Connecticut, where he rebuilt a declining giving base while investing in ministry programs and maintaining strong financial discipline. He has also served as an Approved Ministry Supervisor for Yale Divinity School, Chair of the New York Annual Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits, Greater Bridgeport Cooperative Parish Coordinator, and an Associated Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. He and his wife Holly have two adult children.
The Rev. Karen Eiler is a pastor on medical leave. The Music Director is Gabe Shuford, who has served FUMC for more than ten years and oversees four music programs. A freelance musician based in New York City, Gabe holds a Doctorate in Harpsichord Performance from Stony Brook University, with a specialization in Baroque Music, and performs in styles including jazz, bluegrass, and pop. He often performs with his wife Erin Hall, a cellist, singer, and songwriter. Tony Parenti leads the adult Bible studies, and Elizabeth Outlaw serves as the congregation's Lay Leader, representing the laity in working with the pastor to accomplish the mission and vision of the church.
The congregation is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Greg Chan and a Church Council chaired by Anthony Harris. The Board oversees all property of First Church, receives and administers gifts, and manages endowment funds, while the Church Council coordinates the ministries and programs of the congregation.
Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.
The principal Sunday worship service is held at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. The service runs about an hour, with fellowship and refreshments afterward in the lounge. The published newcomer page makes the dress code simple: "We are a come as you are church. Jeans or suits are equally welcome." The service is led by the pastor and features the Chancel Choir, the church's 80-rank Schantz pipe organ, and rotating guest musicians. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. Every person who comes to the rail is served without exception, using a common loaf of gluten-, soy-, and dairy-free bread and individual cups of non-alcoholic juice.
Children are a visible part of Sunday worship. A children's message is offered during the 10:30 a.m. service, after which children move to Sunday School. Nursery and childcare are provided throughout the service for children up to age five. Professional childcare can also be arranged with advance notice for special programs, Bible studies, meetings, and choir rehearsals.
The church livestreams its worship services on YouTube, where the channel is named after the church. Those who cannot attend in person can join from home through the Watch Live link.
A Sanctuary Made for Music
Music is one of the defining features of First United Methodist Church. The sanctuary pairs an 80-rank Schantz pipe organ with the Chancel Choir, which sings weekly and rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. The Festival Choir joins the chancel singers seasonally for special programs such as the Christmas Cantata, Holy Week, and Easter; its rehearsals run Wednesday evenings during those seasons. The Children's Choir rehearses after the 10:30 a.m. service and leads worship regularly, including the Christmas Pageant at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
The Handbell Choir is open to adults and students in grades nine through twelve. The program uses five octaves of Schulmerich bells and two octaves of Malmark chimes. The bells rehearse Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the choir room.
Music is woven into nearly every milestone. The Christmas Cantata on a Sunday in mid-December features the Festival Choir and a brass quartet with musical guests. The Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service at 5 p.m. includes carols, scripture, candle lighting, and a children's message. The Chancel Choir also sings at the Blue Christmas service, a quieter service of remembrance for those grieving a loss during the holidays.
Children, Youth, and Vacation Bible School
First UMC takes seriously its work with children and youth. The church has adopted guidelines and policies to protect children in every space where the program meets, including background screening for all paid staff and volunteers who work with minors.
Sunday School is offered every Sunday during the 10:30 a.m. service for children from age three through fifth grade. Children begin with their parents in worship, hear a children's message from the pastor, and then move to their classrooms. Sunday School runs throughout the year, including the summer. On holiday weekends, children are invited to stay in worship with their parents after the children's message.
Confirmation classes prepare seventh and eighth graders for full membership in the church and are taught by the pastor. Middle and high school students also have leadership roles through the Acolyte Corps, which begins in sixth grade. Acolytes serve as pages and torchbearers bringing the light of Christ into the sanctuary, and older youth serve as crucifers, carrying the cross in the worship service.
The United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) designs programs for the spiritual journey of middle and high school students, develops leadership opportunities, and offers summer mission trips beginning at age twelve. In recent years the youth have traveled to Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky, where they helped with construction and household repairs for deserving families. Two youth who went on those trips, John Carroll and Will Rudolph, later received the FUMC Sally Weir Scholarship and credit the experience with shaping their sense of purpose and grounding their faith.
Vacation Bible School is an annual week-long summer program for children from pre-K 4 through entering sixth grade. The week runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and includes dinner at the start of each evening, plus music, crafts, games, storytelling, and Bible learning. Scholarships are available, and the program is open to children from across the Stamford community regardless of church membership. On the Sunday following VBS, the children lead the congregation in a music celebration showcasing what they have learned.
The church also runs a children's library filled with books and videos that help young readers grow in faith. The First United Methodist Nursery School and Kindergarten operates separately and has its own Facebook page.
Bible Study for Every Schedule
Tony Parenti offers two Bible studies every week. Sunday Morning Bible Study meets at 9:00 a.m. in the church lounge and on Zoom, with no password required. Studies have included "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel and a recent walk through the Gospel of John using a workbook from the "Genesis to Revelation" series. The Tuesday Men's Bible Study meets from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. on Zoom, with all men and women welcome. Current sessions work through the Wednesday lesson in The Upper Room booklet, a daily devotional with discussion questions.
Pastor David also leads a New Testament Bible Recap, drawing on The Bible Recap study guide and open to new members at any point in the schedule.
Care, Prayer, and the Prayer Shawl Ministry
Pastoral care is available to anyone who seeks it. The pastor meets with members and friends by appointment, and Stephen Ministers are trained lay caregivers who provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, divorced, unemployed, and anyone facing a life crisis. The Stephen Ministry team offers continued, long-term care that supports and extends the pastoral work of the church.
Prayer requests may be submitted to the church office or through the website. Requests are held in confidence unless the submitter specifically asks to share them with the congregation, and anonymous requests are honored. The church prays for itself and one another, asking God to come alongside in challenges and blessings alike.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers crafters who knit and crochet shawls for the sick, those in need of a warm embrace, and newborns at local hospitals. The group meets on the first Saturday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to noon in Room 25. Yarn, needles, and patterns are available for anyone who wants to participate. Members may bring their own materials or borrow what is provided.
Mission and Community Outreach
First UMC's Mission Committee runs an extensive year-round program of local and global outreach. The church's most recent published list of recipients includes the ALS Foundation Hudson Valley, Bennett Cancer Center, Inspirica, New Covenant Center, Building One Community, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, CT Challenge, Greenwich Alliance for Education, Person To Person, Food Bank of Lower Fairfield, FISH, SIRS, Fundación Aernal Costa Rica, STAR Foundation, Boys & Girls Club Stamford, Laurel House, and UMCOR Hurricane Relief.
Annual missions activities follow a calendar that has become its own tradition:
- January: Planning and preparation month; all voices are welcome.
- February: Threads of Warmth collects jackets and adult clothing, delivered to St. John's Lutheran for distribution at New Covenant Center, along with Valentine's Care Packages.
- April: Easter Food Baskets and Easter Baskets for Children; the church provides sixty food baskets with grocery gift cards and sixty children's Easter baskets, donated to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families for distribution to families most in need.
- May: The Community Garden, where members plant vegetables that are donated to the local community.
- June: Dignity Grows, collecting feminine hygiene products for women in need.
- September: Backpacks and School Supplies, donated to DCF to distribute to children entering new schools.
- October: World Communion Sunday collection for global ministries.
- November: Thanksgiving Food Baskets; the church provides sixty baskets plus gift cards for perishable items, delivered to the Department of Children and Family Services.
- December: Christmas Food Baskets and gifts for children, plus end-of-year Christmas donations to area organizations and one international partner.
Ongoing support includes Covenant to Care, a partnership with the Stamford Department of Children and Families that responds to emergency requests for food, clothing, school supplies, and holiday gifts. The Prayer Shawl Ministry reaches patients and new parents at local hospitals. FUMC has been funding and delivering meals to New Covenant House every month for thirty-eight years, providing seven large casserole trays of chicken tetrazzini, salads, and iced tea for one hundred people, and volunteering as servers one day each month.
Mission trips have taken church members beyond Stamford. Adults and youth have traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi, to help with rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and to Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky, for construction and household repairs. In April 2025, Rev. Douglas McArthur and Eileen McArthur led a pilgrimage called "Journey in the Footsteps of Paul," tracing the Apostle Paul's missionary routes through Greece, with stops in Thessaloniki, Philippi, Meteora, Corinth, and Athens.
First Friday Dinner
One of the most distinctive rhythms at First UMC is the First Friday Dinner, held on the first Friday of every month from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. People begin gathering at 5:30 p.m. for conversation, and the discussion begins at 6 p.m. The event is hosted by the church as a casual way to get to know one another and connect with the wider Stamford and Fairfield County community. Everyone is invited regardless of church affiliation, and a sign-up form is posted online.
Becoming a Member, and the Path of Membership
Anyone can attend a United Methodist church, participate in worship, receive communion, and join service ministries. Membership goes further: it is the willingness to commit to the congregation, to profess faith in God, and to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Members vow to participate through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, supporting one another in the journey of faith.
For those ready to take that step, Pastor David hosts a New Member Class, typically on a Sunday after worship, covering everything in one extended session. New Member Sundays follow several times a year. Visitors who are exploring membership are encouraged to attend worship, fill out the visitor form on the church's website, or call the church office to make an appointment with the pastor.
Sacred Events: Baptism, Marriage, and Funerals
Baptism is described by the church as the sacrament of being initiated into Christ's holy Church, whether for an adult or a child, marking the beginning of an intentional faith journey. Parents and the church family make a promise to help guide the newly baptized to live as Christ's body in the world. To arrange a baptism, members contact the pastor; non-members first meet with the pastor and then enter the membership classes.
The service of Christian marriage is described as a sacred covenant reflecting the Baptismal Covenant, with the bride and groom joined by a community of family and friends who come to seek God's blessing. Weddings at FUMC can be held in the sanctuary, which seats up to 350, or in the chapel, which seats 65. The music director and officiating pastor supervise the content of the service. To begin, the couple calls the church administrative assistant, completes the required application, and meets with the pastor for several pre-marriage counseling sessions.
When death occurs, the pastor is notified as soon as possible to provide pastoral assistance in making arrangements and to answer questions. The funeral service honestly faces the facts of death and bereavement and celebrates the gospel of resurrection in the context of God's Baptismal Covenant. A Service of Committal usually follows at the graveside. A memorial service is appropriate when the body of the deceased is not present.
Transparent Giving
FUMC is a 501(c)(3) organization; contributions are tax-deductible unless goods or services are received. Gifts can be made online by credit card, through Zelle to admin@fumcstamford.org, or by check mailed or delivered to the church office. The published operating budget allocates 49 percent to ministry staff, 26 percent to building and property maintenance, 13 percent to missions and connectional support, 7 percent to studies, programs, and support, and 5 percent to worship and music.
The church also supports planned giving through tax-deductible appreciated securities, Qualified Charitable Distributions directly from IRAs for those seventy and a half and older, and legacy bequests through wills and estate plans. Members who want to leave a lasting legacy to support future generations are invited to contact the pastor or church office for more information.
Getting to 42 Cross Road
The church sits between Long Ridge Road and High Ridge Road, easily reached from I-95, the Merritt Parkway, and neighboring towns. From I-95 Southbound, drivers take Exit 8 to Atlantic Street, continue as it becomes Bedford Street, and turn right onto Cross Road. From I-95 Northbound, drivers take Exit 8 to Elm Street, continue onto North State Street, turn right onto Washington Boulevard, then left onto Long Ridge Road and right onto Cross Road. From the Merritt Parkway, take Exit 34 to Long Ridge Road, head south for two miles, and turn left onto Cross Road.
CT Transit Bus 336 stops on Long Ridge Road at Cross Road, and Bus 331 stops on High Ridge Road at Cross Road. The parking lot has accessible spaces, and members and visitors regularly note the abundance of parking.
Community Gatherings Beyond Worship
The church building has become something of a community gathering place. In May 2026, First UMC opened its doors for "Leave 'Em Laughing: A Night of Comedy with The Ivy League of Comedy," a benefit evening featuring Al Lubel, Karen Bergreen, Joanne Filan, and Shaun Eli, with tickets sold through the church's online events system. A Lenten sermon series has gathered worshipers in the chapel on Wednesday evenings. The Communications Club designed a series of yard signs now appearing on private lawns around the church, carrying simple messages like "Love is Here," "Church is a Third Place," "Church is Change," and "Thank God It's Friday," designed to spark curiosity about what a neighborhood church can offer.
First United Methodist Church of Stamford is, in the words of its own members, a place where the deepest and most profound foundations of life are valued. Its principal worship on Sunday mornings, its year-round children's and youth ministries, its four choirs, its adult Bible studies, its Stephen Ministers and Prayer Shawl knitters, and its missions committee all share a single purpose, written into the church's mission page: to grow a community of disciples of Jesus Christ in and around Stamford, for the transformation of the world.