Unite-Worship-Serve-Thrive

Unite.  Worship.  Serve.  Thrive.

Cultivating Faith, Community, and Diversity Together.

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Looking to Join a Community?

Longing for belonging, support, and shared values?
You are not alone ~ and you are welcome here.

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 where all people feel seen, heard, and valued. 

Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+, live with disabilities, have faced racial injustice, or simply haven’t felt at home elsewhere ~ you are welcome here, just as you are.

YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE

Community in Action: Working and celebrating together

Easter Worship: Celebrating new life together

Looking to Grow Your Faith?

Searching for spiritual meaning, connection, or a fresh perspective on God?

We offer a welcoming space to explore life’s big questions, grow in faith, and walk your spiritual journey ~ with others and with God.

Our congregation honors diverse faith stories. Whether you’re a lifelong believer, a curious seeker, or somewhere in between, you’ll find space here to reflect, wrestle, and rejoice.

We don’t require certainty ~ only openness.
We believe faith grows through curiosity, compassion, and community.

WE HOPE YOU JOIN US ON YOUR JOURNEY

Meet Our Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby

Senior 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.” 🙏

Glimpses of Our Vibrant Community

At First Congregational UCC Sarasota, community isn’t just a word — it’s how we live. Here are just a few moments that show how we grow in faith, serve with purpose, and celebrate life together:

Church members serving homemade chili at our annual Chili Cook-Off, sharing food and fellowship

Serving homemade chili at our annual Cook-Off ~ food, fellowship, and fun

Pastor Wes baptizing a baby during worship, celebrating faith across generations

Pastor Wes baptizing a baby during worship ~ celebrating faith across generations

Church members gathered in front of a bus, preparing to join the Martin Luther King Jr. Day walk

Preparing to join the Martin Luther King Jr. Day walk ~ standing together for justice and unity

Worship This Week

Worship This Week

May 18, 2025 at 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. ~

Stephen Fancher, organist

9 a.m.  ~ In the Chapel ~ Pastor Wes will begin a 3 week sermon series on the Psalms ~ Wisdom We Long for Today.  All are welcome.

 

Hands holding glass globe

11 a.m. ~ In the Sanctuary and Online ~ Pastor Wes will begin a 3 week sermon series on the Psalms focusing on Psalm 1.  The Choir will sing, “the River of Water of Life”.  All are welcome.

Join us for a conversation with SRQ Strong on Mental Health and Resiliency today.

Click here to read Pastor Wes’ blog.

Journey Through the Psalms with Pastor Wes

Special Program ~ Journey Through the Psalms with Pastor Wes

Beginning May 12 – Read at your own pace

Feeling disoriented, uncertain, or spiritually weary? You’re not alone. Pastor Wes invites you to join him in a personal and communal journey through the Psalms—a sacred space to process life, praise, grief, hope, and everything in between.

Starting May 12, you are encouraged to read the Psalms—at any pace that fits your life. Read one a day and finish by October 2025, or read three a day to complete the journey by July 18.

There’s no pressure. No finish line to sprint toward. Just an open invitation to explore the ancient poetry that has comforted and challenged generations.

Along the way:
Morning Meditations from Pastor Wes will focus on the Psalms (beginning the week of May 5) ~ See today’s Morning Meditation below, or click here to access Pastor Wes’ entire blog.
– Read out loud, draw, color, journal, or reflect—whatever helps you listen deeply to your soul
– Use your favorite translation—or explore new ones
– Let the Psalms become a sacred soundtrack for your summer

Whether you’re reading at breakfast, bedtime, or on a park bench, may these ancient songs open your heart to new ways of living as an Easter-ing people.

Let’s read, reflect, and rediscover together.

Psalms for Today ~ How Long

Morning Meditation

Coffee cup with church logo
Psalms for Today ~ How Long
DATE:
May 16, 2025
AUTHOR:
Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby

 Read Psalms 13-15

 

I
love Psalm 13:2, How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day
have sorrow in my heart?  It feels
like the psalmist has read my journal! 
To be sure, I read enough popular psychology to know that thoughts are
just thoughts, and I don’t need to act on them.  But when the color commentary in my mind
keeps shouts “Fire,” suddenly that thought doesn’t feel so neutral.  Hold this line with verse 5, “But I trust in Your
unfailing love”.  What would that look
like for you today?  What would you do
differently today if the safety net of Sacred affection would catch...

Morning Meditation

On the Horizon

A glimpse at upcoming gatherings and special opportunities to connect

Think of these as some of the can’t-miss moments in the life of our church ~ special chances to gather, celebrate, learn, and serve together. While this highlights a few one-time events, you’ll find a full picture of what’s happening by checking our calendar, the current newsletter, the Midweek Message, and the Sunday bulletin. That’s where you’ll find the details for ongoing gatherings like study groups, ministry meetings, and outreach opportunities ~ we’ve always got something meaningful going on.

Local Faith Leaders Call for Justice, Equity, and Inclusion in Sarasota

Local Faith Leaders Call for Justice, Equity, and Inclusion in Sarasota

“Our destinies are bound together, and the path to true peace is paved with justice and the recognition of our shared humanity.”
A Call to Solidarity, Sarasota Faith Leaders

Standing Together for Justice, Inclusion, and Positive Peace

Rev. Dr. Wes Bixby, Pastor of First Congregational UCC, along with leaders from diverse faith communities, has co-authored two powerful opinion columns published in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, calling for justice, equity, and solidarity.

📖 A Call to Solidarity: Towards Positive Peace (January 30) (Read as PDF) – This column challenges harmful policies targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrant communities, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It calls on Sarasota to reject exclusion and embrace true peace—one built on justice, dignity, and compassion.

📖 Black History Month Message (February 19) (Read as PDF)– This piece honors Black history as an essential part of American history and includes a call to action. It highlights the ongoing struggles for racial justice, the importance of acknowledging the past, and the moral imperative to build a more equitable future.

Together, these statements affirm that peace is not the absence of tension but the presence of justice. We invite the Sarasota community to stand in solidarity with those who are marginalized and work toward a future rooted in inclusion and compassion.

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

UCC Sarasota values – click here for the pdf

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.

“Naomi: A Mother’s Story”
Latest Sermon

Latest Sermon

View This Sermon
on YouTube

“Naomi: A Mother’s Story”
DATE:
May 11, 2025
SPEAKER:
Rev. Micki Robinson
RELATED SCRIPTURE:

Rev. Micki Robinson embodies Naomi from the Book of Ruth, narrating her life’s journey from pleasant beginnings through devastating loss and unexpected redemption. Speaking in the first person, Naomi recounts the famine that drove her family from Bethlehem to Moab, the deaths of her husband and sons, and her return to Bethlehem accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth. Initially bitter and hopeless, Naomi reflects on Ruth’s loyalty, the protection offered by Boaz, and the eventual birth of a grandson who restores her hope. The message explores grief, prejudice, divine faithfulness, and the unexpected ways in which love and loyalty can redeem a broken life.

Latest Sermon

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.