Rev. Dr. Daniel Cote

Pastor Dan was born in Maine and lived there through his college years. Upon graduating, he moved first to Boston and then to Connecticut as a young adult. Dan was raised as a Roman Catholic but has been a Protestant since 1984 when he married Nancy. A nominal Christian all of his life, Dan came to faith in Christ in 1996. Dan held numerous positions in churches he attended and has taught Sunday School for children of all ages. Dan was hired as Director of Christian Education by the Second Congregational Church of Winsted in April 2005. In 2008, he was ordained by the Second Congregational Church of Winsted as Associate Pastor. In January of 2024. Pastor Dan was called as the Senior Pastor.

Dan began his career as an engineer and progressed into management. He has held senior-level positions in operations and engineering management, including vice president of engineering and corporate vice president of technology. In 2001, Dan left the business world to spend more time with his family, complete his seminary degree, and serve the Lord more fully. In addition to his responsibilities at the Second Congregational Church of Winsted, Dan teaches college-level physics and philosophy at Christian Heritage School in Trumbull. He also teaches Christian apologetics and other science courses there. Dan is a certified adjunct instructor in the University of Connecticut Early College Experience program.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maine and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Bridgeport. He attended executive education modules in management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 and 1997. In 2005, Dan completed a Master of Ministry degree at Southern Evangelical Seminary, graduating magna cum laude. In 2020, Dan completed the Doctor of Ministry program in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University, graduating with high distinction. Dan’s doctoral thesis paper is titled “Original Monotheism: A Signal of Transcendence Challenging Naturalism and New Ageism.”

Dan holds ordained ministerial standing in the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference. In 2006, Dan founded multimediaapologetics.com, a ministry that provides free Christian apologetics and education materials through its website. He is the author of two books, Jesus Is God and Savior: How Prophecy, Science, and History Affirm the Truth of Christianity and Earth to Eternity, a straightforward book defending the truth of Christianity. Dan resides in Naugatuck with his wife, Nancy, and loves to spend time with his children and three grandsons.