Unite. Worship. Serve. Thrive.
Cultivating Faith, Community, and Diversity Together.
Join Our Team as Director of Music! 🎶
First Congregational United Church of Christ is seeking a passionate and dynamic Director of Music to lead our diverse and vibrant music program. The ideal candidate will be an inspiring organist and choir conductor who collaborates closely with the Senior Minister to create engaging and meaningful worship experiences. If you have a heart for ministry and a talent for music, we invite you to apply!
Looking to Grow Your Faith?
Do you have a spiritual longing for a deeper connection, meaning, and purpose in life?
Our congregation offers a variety of opportunities to deepen your faith and strengthen your spiritual journey. From Sunday worship to Bible studies to fellowship events, we provide a space for you to connect with others and with God.
WE HOPE YOU JOIN US ON YOUR JOURNEY
Looking to Join a Community?
Do you feel a need for belonging, support, and shared values?
We are a faithful, diverse, inclusive and relevant congregation that honors and celebrates each individual. We believe that diversity strengthens our community, and we are committed to creating a space that welcomes people from all walks of life. Our congregation is made up of people with different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.
Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+, a person with disabilities, someone who has experienced racial injustice, or simply feel like you don’t fit in elsewhere, we welcome you with open arms.
YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE
Worship This Week
Worship This Week
January 26, 2025 at 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.
We welcome Glenn Priest as choir director & organist.
9 a.m. ~ In the chapel ~We begin a series on the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-12. All are welcome.
11 a.m. ~ In the Sanctuary and Online ~ We begin a series on the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-12. The Choir will sing, “Come Build a Church”.
Following worship we will begin our Annual Meeting in the sanctuary and online.
Click here to read Pastor Wes’ blog.
Engaging with Dr. King’s Legacy
Reflections on ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’
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On Sunday January 19, our church members engaged deeply with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” through readings and personal reflections. Susan Moore, Lois Wilkins, and Gregg Matthews read excerpts from the letter, while Clarence Rogers and Sheila Gossett offered personal reflections. These reflections underscored the enduring relevance of Dr. King’s message: the struggle for justice is ongoing, and it is imperative to remain vigilant and proactive in the face of challenges to equality and civil rights.
For a more in-depth exploration of these reflections, you can watch the full presentation here:
Special Program for January
The Wayless Way ~ Your Life as a Curriculum
(Hybrid: In-person at the Oasis Center & via Zoom)
🗓 Mondays: January 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th
⏰ 4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
As we step into the New Year, we are invited to listen to our lives as one way God shows up. Through prayers, hymns, scripture, and meaningful discussion, each session of The Wayless Way offers a unique theme:
- January 6th: Epiphany
- January 13th: Family Systems Theory
- January 20th: Prayers for the Wayless Way
- January 27th: Listening and Discerning God in Our Lives
While each week follows a connecting thread, you’re welcome to join when you can—no need to worry about missing a session.
✨ Pastor Wes reflects, “I firmly believe God shows up disguised as our life.” Come and explore how God reveals Himself through your journey.
📩 For more information or to register, contact Pastor Wes.
Deepen Your Faith in February
Deepen Your Faith with the Sermon on the Mount and Eager to Love
This February, join Pastor Wes for two enriching opportunities to explore the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) and its call to live in the way of Jesus.
Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount
Gather at the table for Bible Study on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom or Wednesday mornings at 11 a.m. in the Oasis Center or on Zoom. Together, we’ll reflect on these powerful chapters to ground ourselves in Jesus’ teachings and their relevance for today.
Book Discussion: Eager to Love
Complement your study with a conversation about Richard Rohr’s Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi. Explore themes of spiritual transformation and compassionate living on February 10 and 17 at 4 p.m. in the Oasis Center or via Zoom. Pastor Wes has a few copies of the book available for $16.
Come for some or all of these meaningful experiences to deepen your understanding and walk in the way of Christ!
Discover Our Culture
First Congregational United Church of Christ, rooted in Sarasota with a passion for God, all God’s people, and God’s planet, prayerfully seeks to be a light to the world. We covenant with God and each other to honor racial justice and people of color in all we do. We are open, affirming and allies of LBGTQ+ people. We seek creation justice, learning to actively care for our planet. We commit to study, learn and live these values.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” John 15:5
Our Covenants
Creation Justice
It is our duty to conserve natural resources, protect the existing natural environment and repair damage.
Open and Affirming
We work faithfully and prayerfully to end discrimination against our LGBTQIA+ siblings.
Racial Justice
We are intent to discuss America’s original sin of racism and that everyone is made in God’s image.
Meet Our Pastor
“Maybe you’re new to our church, new to Sarasota, or new to church altogether. Whatever brings you here, I’d love the chance to get to know you better. Please know I am available to talk with you and help you connect in meaningful ways with our community of faith.
“During times such as these, we are aware that many in our community are facing challenges. If you are in need of prayer or care, please let me know.” 🙏
Honoring Pastor Wes’ 10 Years of Inspired Leadership
Celebrating a Decade of Devotion and Leadership
Video created by your loving church family in collaboration with:
~ Carol McCloud: Power Point Presentation Pre-production
~ Gregory Chestnut: Music Selection
~ Douglas Kingsley: Post-production Graphics & Video Editing
Latest Sermon
In his sermon titled "Drenched," Pastor Wes reflects on Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:13-17, emphasizing the transformative and communal nature of baptism. He likens the twists and turns of the River Jordan to the meandering paths of our own lives and invites us to embrace God’s grace, which claims us as beloved even before we prove ourselves. Pastor Wes encourages us to remember our baptism daily, listening for God’s presence in the ordinary moments of life and opening ourselves to renewal and love.
Morning Meditation
You may well ask: "Why
direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better
path?" You are quite right in calling, for negotiation. Indeed, this is
the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create
such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly
refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks to so dramatize
the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension
as part of the work of the nonviolent-resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid
of...
Latest Sermon
In his sermon titled "Drenched," Pastor Wes reflects on Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:13-17, emphasizing the transformative and communal nature of baptism. He likens the twists and turns of the River Jordan to the meandering paths of our own lives and invites us to embrace God’s grace, which claims us as beloved even before we prove ourselves. Pastor Wes encourages us to remember our baptism daily, listening for God’s presence in the ordinary moments of life and opening ourselves to renewal and love.
Morning Meditation
You may well ask: "Why
direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better
path?" You are quite right in calling, for negotiation. Indeed, this is
the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create
such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community...
Upcoming Events
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January
11:00 am
26
January
9:00 am
26
January
11:00 am
26
January
12:00 pm
Open and Affirming Covenant
March, 2021
We of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida, by vote of our Church Council and ratification by our congregation became an Open and Affirming Congregation in 2001, as documented in our church bylaws. We now re-commit to God and one another our covenant with our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning sisters and brothers.
As we celebrate the diversity of the people of God, we commit to remain an Open and Affirming congregation that welcomes all our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters with love and support. We will be a place in which they can be fully themselves, where their full selves are embraced and where their God-given talents are utilized in the life and work of the Church.
We honor the vision of those in our congregation who, more than 20 years ago, founded COLLAGE (Coalition of Laity for Lesbian and Gay Equality) to provide support for LGBTQ+ persons in the congregation and community. In league with COLLAGE, we will continue to reach out to and welcome LGBTQ+ persons into our church family. We will serve as a refuge from hurtful words and harmful actions and work toward eliminating social injustices too often directed against them.
This covenant statement is hereby adopted this 16th day of March, 2021, by unanimous vote of our Church Council.
Creation Justice Covenant
January, 2021
We of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida, by vote of our Church Council and ratification by our Congregation, do solemnly commit to God, one another, and all creatures, to walk in God’s ways by cherishing the earth and all living beings who dwell upon it. This is the divine creation and we commit to promoting its health and sustainability.
We acknowledge at the outset that we are inseparably part of the web of life; our well-being dependent on the welfare of fellow creatures. We recognize the utmost value in creation – inherent value independent of creation’s usefulness for us. In this covenant, we understand that our creation is in crisis, in large part because of human activity. As a consequence, we promise to educate ourselves and others about the causes of and solutions to environmental degradation.
We commit to finding ways to respect and conserve our natural resources for the benefit of future generations and for the future of the planet. Because of our covenant with God and the earth, we will seek divine guidance and strive to follow God’s will. We will pursue justice for the earth, protect vulnerable living things from exploitation, and seek remediation of the environmental damage humans have caused.
This Covenant Statement is Hereby ADOPTED this 19th day of May, 2020, by unanimous vote of the Church Council of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida.
RATIFIED this 24th day of January, 2021, by a Congregational vote of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida.
Racial Justice Covenant
January, 2022
We of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida, by vote of our Church Council and congregation, commit to God and one another our covenant with our sisters and brothers of color.
As we celebrate the diversity of the people of God, we commit to remain a congregation that welcomes all our brothers and sisters with love and support. We will be a place in which we all can be fully ourselves and where our full selves are embraced. We will serve as a refuge from hurtful words and harmful actions too often directed against others.
First Congregational United Church of Christ of Sarasota has a history of embracing diversity and racial equity. We have sought and still seek to confront racism and the oppression of people of color. We strive to model the love and grace of Jesus as he reached out to all, especially those on the margins.
We reaffirm our Christian call to understanding and unity through discussion, research and the sharing of personal witness to identify systemic racism in all its forms.
We lament current racial injustice conditions, and commit to actionable steps of hard listening and anti-racist engagement by our ministers, church officers, church community and as individual participants in our local and greater community. These steps will build on our current practices of intentionally selecting diverse lay leadership, and promoting programs and community activities that reflect our stance on diversity and inclusion.
We reaffirm our commitment to policies of equity and steps to dismantle harmful myths, actions, rules and laws. We also commit to celebrating different cultures and voices, both in worship and in our community.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere…. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8
This covenant statement is hereby adopted this 30th day of January, 2022, by unanimous vote of our Church Council and the vote of our congregation.
Please click here for a list of resources put together by the SCOR group (Sacred Conversations on Race). The group meets Wednesdays at 3 on Zoom. All are welcome. See the events page for more information.