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We, The First Congregational Church of Portland, Connecticut, are an Open and Affirming church.  With God’s grace, we continue to be a congregation that includes persons of every race, ethnicity, age, family configuration, marital status, mental and physical ability,

economic status, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.  All are welcome to share in the life, sacraments, missions, responsibilities, and blessings of participation in our community of faith.

Eva Cudmore is an ordained minister and has served as a pastor in many churches. She is married to Rev. Richard Cudmore, a chaplain at Covenant Living. They live in Cromwell and they have four children: Greta, Cedrik, Ian, and Karl. Eva is originally from Sweden, and her interests include things that fall in the "artistic and creative" category. 

Eva will provide pastoral leadership during Rev. Hawken's sabbatical leave from June 15-September 6. During that time, Rev. Cudmore will lead Sunday worship services and provide pastoral care as needed. Because this is a most unusual time as we find our way out of the pandemic and since we do not expect Eva to maintain office hours, we have determined her commitment will be approximately one quarter time. 

Eva is a pastor in good standing with the Evangelical Covenant Church, having been ordained in 1997 in Sweden. Eva was born in in Africa, and is the child of missionaries who lived and served in Africa. When she was about to begin school, her family returned to Sweden where Eva's schooling and theological training took place, with the exception of a semester in Chicago where she met her husband Richard, who is also an ordained clergy.

Eva and her husband have four children ages 17-22, and the family moved back to Sweden from 2010-2016 for the purpose of allowing their children to embrace their Swedish heritage. Eva has served as a co-pastor with her husband in Naugatuck,and also as an interim pastor in Cromwell, Granby, and North Easton, MA. While in Sweden, Eva was lead pastor in a church there for nearly six years. At this time Eva is in the process of pursuing clergy standing in the United Church of Christ. 

Eva's experience is vast and she describes herself as well rounded in in most areas of ministry and comfortable dealing with most human needs and experiences, from cradle to grave. Eva is fully bilingual in English and Swedish, and adjusts well to new situations and changing circumstances, which will be helpful as we carefully begin to navigate our pathway post-COVID, 

Eva's first Sunday service will be held on June 20 at 9:00 a.m. Watch The Weekly Word for details of the service. 

Introducing our new Sabbatical Pastor

Worship with Us

Currently we are not holding in person worship in the 

sanctuary. We invite you to join us for outdoor services in the Memorial Garden when weather permits. All services will be added every Sunday to our You Tube channel.

Click here to take you there.

The summer worship schedule will begin on June 20, at 9:00 a.m. We will welcome Rev. Eva Cudmore as our sabbatical pastor on this date. The details for these summer services are yet to be confirmed, and will be announced in The Weekly Word, on the church website, and in the weekly community newspaper, The Rivereast.

Phone - 860-342-3244

Email -   

First Congregational Church

554 Main Street

Portland, CT 06480     

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