What to Expect on Sunday
Visitors are always Welcome!
First Congregational Church welcomes visitors to this community as we strive to learn, grow, and act in our faith. As an Open & Affirming church, we welcome all individuals to join our community as full and equal partners in our journey of faith and understanding.
Sunday Worship
First Congregational Church celebrates worship services every Sunday morning at 10:30am. We join in music, singing, prayer, sacred readings, and preaching in order that we might reaffirm and ground our work and service as a community after the Way of Jesus. We encourage people to ask questions and challenge their own understandings as we imagine together how we can better be the church in our world.
Children are welcome to remain in the sanctuary during the service, go to Sunday School, or play in the nursery. We welcome and rejoice that they are with us. For children who wish to stay in the sanctuary, there is a space where they can play if it helps for them to be able to move around.
Children’s Sunday School
Sunday School for school-aged children and youth starts part-way through the Sunday service, after the Children’s Moment. Parents and guardians are invited to remain in the service or join their children. For children who wish to stay in the sanctuary, there is a space where they can play if it helps for them to be able to move around.
Nursery (currently closed)
Nursery care is available during worship services for children under 5 years. There are pagers available (or text messaging) in case a parent or guardian is needed during worship. Children are always welcome to remain in the sanctuary during the service. There is a space where they can play if it helps for them to be able to move around.
Communion
Communion is usually celebrated every third Sunday, using black currant juice from our edible landscaping project. We celebrate an open table where all are welcome at God’s table. It is a meal of invitation for anyone just as they are and as they arrive. That includes both young and old, long-time members and newcomers, queer and gender non-conforming, professing Christians, those with big unanswered questions, and those for whom church and communion is brand new. Basically, for anyone who believes that by eating together we might encounter a truly divine presence among us – you belong at this table.
Fellowship
Most people join together downstairs for coffee, snacks and fellowship after the Sunday service. It is a great way to get to know people in a more personal and relaxed way. We share a potluck lunch about once a month, usually on the last Sunday of the month.
Music
Music is an important part of our worship. We have a full choir, a large handbell choir, and feature other ensembles and individuals who help lead our worship. Congregational singing is most often in the form of hymns, but we strive to explore all sorts of musical styles. It is important that the words we sing together be gender expansive, support worship in thematic and varied ways, and be theologically progressive. To learn more about the music at First Congregational Church, visit the music page.
Parking
There are two parking lots: the top/front lot is accessed from the shared driveway with Wendler Middle School on Northern Lights Blvd near the Lake Otis Parkway intersection. The lower/back lot is just down the hill as you head east on Northern Lights Blvd.
Online Worship & Recent Bulletins
Join us in the online sanctuary or view recent bulletins by going to the Sunday worship page.