Meet Reverend

Mrs. Rachel L. V. Bickford

Ordained in 1995, the Reverend Mrs. Rachel L. V. Bickford enters our community with an impressive wealth of education and invaluable experience. She deeply loves the Lord and is genuinely thrilled to be a vibrant part of such an amazing and welcoming UCB!

Mrs. Bickford received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Connecticut State University, where she majored in Political Science and minored in English Literature.

She further advanced her studies by earning her Masters of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological Seminary in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. While at Andover Newton, she had the honor of serving two terms as the Student Executive Officer and dedicated four years as a student minister in the town of Walpole, MA.

During her education at Andover Newton, she also completed a Clinical Practicum in Pastoral Education at the Saints Memorial Medical Center located in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Additionally, her commitment to liturgical excellence was recognized when she received the prestigious MA Bible Society Award for her exceptional ability in the Liturgical Reading of Scripture.

She is ordained through the United Church of Christ and holds membership within the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, reflecting her strong commitment to the church and its mission.

Rev. Bickford has enhanced her education with various certifications in areas like drug and gang violence prevention, boundary awareness, and bereavement support for children. She is a certified Disaster Chaplain, trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, and has completed Disaster Religious and Cultural Literacy training.

She advocates for the homeless in our community and Boston, works with Habitat for Humanity, and volunteers with the Appalachia Service Project and Mission at the Eastward. Rev. Bickford is on the Board of Union Towers Elderly Housing and has led the United Church of Christ MA Disaster Team. She serves on the Board of South Shore Pastoral Counseling Centers and supports children's theatre and the arts. Additionally, she volunteered as a Chaplain for Father Bill’s Place in Quincy and served on the Weymouth Recreation Commission.

Her passion for service drives our congregation to assist with shelters, Schools on Wheels, Penelope's Shelter, Seafarer's Friend, Missions in Maine, and more. Rev. Bickford is dedicated to serving in the name of Jesus Christ, and we are grateful for her leadership in our community and beyond. She has been married to her husband, Peter, since 1995, and they have a daughter, Emma Faith, living in Braintree, Massachusetts.