The Oldest Congregation in Stonington, CT
Welcome to the First Congregational Church of Stonington, also known as the Road Church. We’re not just the oldest church in Stonington, but one of the oldest in all of Connecticut, with the church being established in 1674 with our first minister, Reverend James Noyes.
Our meetinghouse has seen the passage of time, and while it was rebuilt in 1829, many of the original elements, like the sturdy beams and architectural details you see today, were carefully preserved and incorporated into the current sanctuary. This connection to our past is woven into the very fabric of our building. We’ve been a welcoming home for folks from Stonington, Mystic, Groton, Westerly, and beyond for hundreds of years. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or just passing through, we’d love for you to join us for worship. And in 2024, we celebrated a truly remarkable milestone – 350 years of faith and community!
Mission & Outreach Programs
Our Outreach programs have a primary focus on our local community but also provide support worldwide.
Our annual Missions Sunday supports local community programs with an auction/luncheon.
Make-a-Meal Ministry
On the first Tuesday of every month we prepare lunch for the Warm Center in Westerly (for the following Wednesday).
The mission of the Warm Center of Westerly is “to provide a continuum of service and care to the homeless and needy by providing affordable housing and assuring supportive services, and to help the homeless and needy build self- esteem and move toward independent and responsible living.” The Warm Center serves Westerly and surrounding communities in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Lunch and dinner are served seven days a week. Approximately 100 meals are served at the Warm Center every day.
If you’re interested in participating, please call Mark Porizky at (860) 759-6720.
Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center
We continuously collect items for the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center (PNC). The Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, founded in 1985, is a multi-purpose facility which offers a variety of social, educational, health and human services programs with an emphasis on community spirit. For information on volunteering your time at the PNC please contact the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center at (860)599-3285.
Operation Fresh Start
Our Missions Ministry supports: Operation Fresh Start Inc. it is a community based non-profit 501(c)(3) charity serving our neighbors in New London County. They assist families with children in crisis, giving them a much-needed hand up. They provide household items to set up apartments, backpacks full of necessary items for children and a helping hand when needed.
In addition, through various donation drives, they have provided many families with back-to-school supplies, diapers and baby wipes, toiletries, pajamas, gifts and toys for the holidays, and more.
Take a Book, Leave a Book - Library/Book Store
We have set up a Library/Book Store in the nursery room off the parlor. The concept is to “Take a Book and Leave a Donation”. Once you donate, the book is yours. If you would like to donate books, that would be great and we ask that you simply put them on the shelves. We hope you all will enjoy the chance to read a great book and help Missions at the same time! Dee Kimball and Susan Schneider are the Missions liaisons for this project.
Meet Our Pastor
Rev. Dr. Mark Porizky
Interim Pastor
Rev. Dr. Mark Porizky began serving The Road Church of Stonington as Interim Pastor in January 2025. Originally from California, Mark headed east for graduate school, fully expecting to return to the West Coast after seminary—but God had other plans. He was called to serve as Youth Minister at Miami Shores Presbyterian Church in Florida, where he remained for seven years.
In 1996, Mark made his way to Southeastern Connecticut to pastor St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Nearly two decades later, in 2015, he transitioned into chaplaincy, serving as the multi-site chaplain for Yale’s hospitals in New London (Lawrence + Memorial Hospital) and Westerly (The Westerly Hospital), a role he continues today.
Throughout these years, Mark has remained close to the pulpit through guest preaching and an interim role at Preston City Congregational Church, a fellow 4C’s congregation.
Mark and his wife, Lucretia, live in Mystic and are the proud parents of three children—Joshua, Cassandra, and William. Outside of ministry, he’s an enthusiastic (if self-proclaimed “bad”) birdwatcher, a hopeless swing dancer, and a reasonably competent mountain biker.
A storyteller at heart, Mark’s sermons draw from a lifetime of experiences, offering reflections on God’s abundant grace. He invites you to come and see for yourself!