 
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF STAFFORD AT WEST STAFFORD
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
197 West Stafford Road
Stafford Springs, CT 06076
Church Office 860.684.2336
Pastor's Cell Phone 860.670.6441
E-mail: pastor@secondchurchweststaffordct.org |
Rev. Dr. Robert R. LaRochelle
Pastor Bob was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2002 at First Congregational Church of Vernon where he had served as Religious Education Director. Over the course of his career, he has been bivocational, having served as a pastor in several churches as well as working in education for 43 years, serving as a teacher, counselor and coach. These churches include the Congregational Church of Union where he served for 11 1/2 years as well as Second Congregational Church in Manchester. Under the Formula of Agreement among Christian denominations, he also served as a pastor at Christ the King Lutheran in Windsor (2014-17) and most recently at Grace Lutheran Church in Plainville (2019-2021) as well as a sabbatical pastorate at St. Paul's in Wethersfield. Over the last three years, he has done extensive supply preaching in UCC churches, as well as in several ELCA churches and an American Baptist church as well.
Pastor Bob was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and was ordained to its ministry as a Permanent Deacon in 1989. He served several Catholic parishes as a Youth Minister and Religious Education Director. In addition, he taught theology for ten years at East Catholic High School in Manchester. In 1998, he left the Roman Catholic Church and began the process of preparing for ordination in the UCC.
Pastor Bob holds a Doctor in Ministry degree from Chicago Theological Seminary (2007), an undergraduate degree from Holy Cross and Master's degrees from both Boston College (Religious Education) and Central Connecticut (Counseling). He has been married to Patricia Coppinger LaRochelle since August 23, 1980 and he and Tricia have three adult children, as well as two young granddaughters. He worked for several years as Varsity Baseball Coach at South Windsor High School with his team winning four conference championships and advancing to the state semifinals in 2009.
He has written nine books and has offered many workshops on them in different areas throughout this country. He and Tricia lived in South Windsor for most of their married life and now reside in Broad Brook.
The Rev. Dr. Robert R. LaRochelle