Pastor's Welcome

My name is Pastor Martin Dam, and on behalf of the Stratford Christian Reformed Church, I want to welcome you to our website and tell you a little bit about us. But what to tell you? I could say that we are a church that enjoys worship in a variety of styles, which is true. I could say that we seek to take the Bible seriously as the Word of God in a way that’s consistent with the Reformed tradition, which is also true. I could say that we run a variety of educational ministries to deepen and strengthen faith, as well as a variety of outreach ministries designed to bless the community in which we are planted. And all that would be true. But those are things we do. They are not who we are.

So who are we? We are a midsized congregation of around 300-400 people, made up of a variety of ages and backgrounds. But what unites us is this: We are a group of sinners bound together by the hope of the gospel. We believe that it is Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death that make us right with God, and that putting our faith in his goodness provides our hope. We desire to know that God better through everything we do.

If that interests you, or if you’d like to know more about the hope we have in Jesus, we’d love for you to join us.

Blessings
Pastor Martin

Who We Are

The Christian Reformed Church of Stratford was founded in 1951 by sixteen families and seven members. As of 2014 our congregation has grown to about 525 baptized and confessing members. Over the years we have had various locations in and around Stratford and our current location is at 190 Athlone Crescent.

We are Christian because we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God; we are Reformed because we live by the grace of God as taught by all churches born of the Protestant Reformation; and we are Church because we are a part of the people of God of all times and all places from every Christian denomination.

What We Believe

• The Scriptures are true, authoritative and sufficient.
• There is only one true God, Creator of heaven and earth, who eternally exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• All things exist for the glory of God.
• All humanity – Christ excluded – is sinful by both birth and action.
• The deserved penalty for sin is physical and spiritual death.
• Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human.
• Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin.
• Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will one day physically return.
• There will be a future physical resurrection of the dead. Only those who turn from sin and to Jesus in repentance and faith will be raised to eternal life. Those who do not turn from sin and to Jesus will be raised to eternal punishment.
• Only through repentance of sin and faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ can one be reconciled to God and experience true life, peace and joy.

Doctrinal Standards

As a member of the Christian Reformed Church, Stratford CRC subscribes to the following confessions:
The Belgic Confession
The Canons of Dort
The Heidelberg Catechism

Ecumenical Creeds

As a member of the Christian Reformed Church, Stratford CRC subscribes to the following creeds:
The Apostles' Creed
The Nicene Creed
The Athanasian Creed