Pastor Paul Doyle
Paul is a Norwich native, raised as an Irish Italian Catholic and served as an altar boy at St. Joseph’s Church. He had always assumed he would serve God in the priesthood, but as life has its twist and turns a spiritual mentor provided a new and very different perspective in Paul’s learning process. Paul moved to Long Beach, CA and became an assistant in the founding of an ‘inter-denominational’ church that began in a living room, then moved to a converted garage and finally to its beautiful church home where it is today. For Paul, the teacher never stops being the student. Paul then became founding pastor of an affiliate church in Palm Springs, CA eventually moving to the Seattle area to be Senior Pastor there.
Paul received his license and ordination in California in 1985 as an Independent minister through a four-year program with the Long Beach church and then after moving back to Connecticut was granted privilege of call in the Connecticut Conference of the UCC by the CT Windham Association in 2012. Paul has many years of experience in a diverse range of churches. He has also served as the Executive Director at Estuary Council of Seniors and the Covenant Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Willimantic.
Paul is an outgoing, high energy, self-motivated, Pastor with a compassionate heart. He is passionate about Prayer, Worship and Music and will provide not only a high standard of service, but also, the utmost in integrity and respect. His greatest joy, aside from sharing God’s word, is helping people to discover their gifts and talents and use them to the glory of God’s kingdom.
You’re welcome here. Really.
We know that might be hard to believe. Every church says “Everyone’s welcome,” right? We strive to mean it–to talk the talk and walk the walk. In 2019, our congregation became Open and Affirming–a designation within our denomination (the United Church of Christ) that offers an explicit and genuine welcome to everyone and specifically LGBT+ folks. Here’s that declaration:
In accordance with our discernment of God’s will as expressed in the life and teaching of Jesus, we, the Park Congregational Church of Norwich, CT declare ourselves Open and Affirming.
As an Open and Affirming congregation, we celebrate the sacred worth of all persons as unique individuals made in the image of God. Whatever your age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, or physical, cognitive or emotional ability, we invite you to find a safe and nurturing spiritual home with us. All are welcome to participate, fully and without reservation, in the life, leadership, ministry and mission of this church as we seek to grow together in a community of faith.