Unite-Worship-Serve-Thrive

Unite.  Worship.  Serve.  Thrive.

Cultivating Faith, Community, and Diversity Together.

Image is not available

Jump directly to Pastor Wes' 10 year celebration video!

Jump directly to Pastor Wes' 10 year celebration video!

Jump directly to Pastor Wes' 10 year celebration video!

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?

Multiple hands holding seedling

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?

Multiple hands holding multiple seedlings - 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

December 15 ~ TWO Services at 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. 

We continue the season of Advent, lighting the candle of Love.  We welcome Glenn Priest as choir director.

9:00 a.m.  We gather in the sanctuary to light the candle of love and Pastor Wes will preach on Isaiah 61:1-4

 

Hands holding glass globe

11:00 a.m. ~ On the Third Sunday of Advent, the candle of love joins the candles of hope and peace to light our way to Bethlehem.  Pastor Wes will preach on Isaiah 61.  The choir will sing, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”.  All are welcome.

 

Fellowship Time follows 11 a.m. service ~ Cookie Extravaganza! 

Please bring a plate of cookies to share.

Click here to read Pastor Wes’ blog.

Sharing God’s Love This Holiday Season

Hope, Love, Peace, Joy graphic

This holiday season, we are reminded of the profound impact that acts of kindness and generosity can have on our community. At First Congregational UCC, Sarasota, we believe in the transformative power of sharing God’s love. This season, we invite you to join us in making a difference by participating in various initiatives designed to uplift those in need. Together, we can create a ripple effect of love and hope that resonates far beyond our church walls.

Ways to Share

Community Meal

Volunteer for the Community Meal on Christmas Eve

Join us on December 24th from 4–6:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church to help serve our monthly Community Meal, a warm and welcoming dinner for those in need. Volunteers are needed to:

  • Prepare appetizers and desserts.
  • Set up, serve, and greet our guests with Christmas cheer.

We also need Christmas Cookies to accompany the meal. Please deliver cookies to St. Paul’s by 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Your time and effort bring the gift of nourishment and fellowship to our guests. To volunteer or for more details, contact Carol Hagglund.

Thank you for helping us share the Christmas spirit!

Christmas Love Offering

Support Christmas Love 2024!

This annual fundraiser led by our Mission Team supports local charities and organizations working tirelessly to help our neighbors in need. This year’s recipients include African American Studies at the Betty J. Johnson Library, ALSO Youth, Sarasota Bay Estuary, and several others providing vital services to our community.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 to make a meaningful impact. Please write checks to the church with “Christmas Love” in the memo line. Your generosity is a blessing!

And A Heartfelt Thank You!

Angel Tree Gift Tags

A heartfelt Christmas thank you to the “Angels” who selected a Salvation Army tag and purchased gifts for a child or senior in need. All 70 tags were chosen!

We hope that by providing gifts for others, your joy is increased this holiday season.

Toy Drive for Alta Vista School

Thank you to everyone who generously donated toys for the children at Alta Vista School! Your gifts of books, board games, Legos, and dolls will bring joy to many children this holiday season. We are grateful for your kindness and support in making this outreach a success.

First UCC Women Christmas Bag Program

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in this year’s program. Thanks to your generous donations and efforts in assembling and wrapping Christmas bags, we are able to bless shut-in seniors in our community, bringing joy to residents of Orchard Place and Meals on Wheels this holiday season.

Your efforts are a true reflection of the spirit of Christ’s love in action.

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

vine drawing with transparent background

Caring

Justice

Worship

Belonging

Faithfulness

Welcome

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 at First Congregational UCC, Sarasota
Racial Justice

We are intent to discuss America’s original sin of racism and that everyone is made in God’s image.

Slide 1

Meet Our Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby
Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby
Wes Bixby

“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.”
🙏

Wes Bixby

Honoring Pastor Wes’ 10 Years of Inspired Leadership

Celebrating a Decade of Devotion and Leadership

For ten years, Pastor Wes has been a guiding light for our community at First Congregational United Church of Christ Sarasota. His dedication to fostering a welcoming and nurturing environment has strengthened our bonds and deepened our faith. Through his compassionate leadership, Pastor Wes has touched countless lives, encouraging us to grow spiritually and support one another in love and kindness.

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

Pastor Wes’s journey with us has been marked by his unwavering commitment to our church’s core values. His ability to connect with each member of our congregation has created a sense of belonging and unity. We are grateful for his tireless efforts in building a community where everyone feels valued and heard.
“Being Light”
Latest Sermon

Latest Sermon

View This Sermon
on YouTube

“Being Light”
DATE:
December 8, 2024
SPEAKER:
Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby
SERIES:
RELATED SCRIPTURE:

Pastor Wes reflects on Isaiah 60:1-6, highlighting the imagery of God’s light shining on all people, including those in exile and those who remained in the rubble of Jerusalem. Using the often-overlooked camel as a metaphor, he emphasizes the beauty and resilience of God’s creation, urging us to recognize our role as carriers of God’s light. Drawing parallels between the Israelites’ return from exile and our own struggles with societal and personal “sandstorms,” Pastor Wes calls us to radiate God’s hope, peace, and goodness. He challenges the congregation to reflect on how they embody and share God’s light, offering the acronym HOW—Honest, Open, Willing—as a guide for living as bearers of hope and peace today.

Prayer

Morning Meditation

Coffee cup with church logo
Prayer
DATE:
December 11, 2024
AUTHOR:
Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby

 One of my favorite
poets/writers is Madeleine L’Engle. She writes is profound and powerful words:

 

I, who live by
words, am wordless when
I try my words in prayer. All language turns
To silence. Prayer will take my words and then
Reveal their emptiness. The stilled voice learns
To hold its peace, to listen with the heart
To silence that is joy, is adoration.
The self is shattered, all words torn apart
In this strange patterned time of contemplation
That, in time, breaks time, breaks word, breaks me,
And then, in silence, leaves me healed and mended.
I leave, returned to language, for I see
Through...

Latest Sermon

Morning Meditation

Upcoming Events

Giving
Thank you.
Everything we do here at First Congregational United Church of Christ Sarasota is made possible by the faithful generosity of our incredible community.