Welcome to First Congregational Church! We're excited you want to join us for worship. We know that visiting a new church can be daunting so we have included some information to make you feel as welcome as possible.
Masking is now optional in most parts of the building and at all church events. The balcany (not including the choir loft ) in the meeting house is set aside as requiring masks for anyone who feels safer in an area that is 100% masked.
Yes! We stream our services on Facebook live and on youtube each week. All our responsive readings, hymns, and scripture appear on screen so you can fully participate at home.
There is ample parking around the green, in the community lot at the corner of South Main and Montowese Streets and also behind the shops on the north side of Main St. If you need to park closer there is limited parking in the circle driveway by Walker Chapel.
There are two accessible entrances to the church. There are steps and a ramp leading to the Narthex (foyer) outside the Meeting House where we worship on Sunday mornings. Our other entrance leads to Walker Chapel and the church office, and is also accessible via ramp and steps. The doors on Taintor Drive by the daycare are open Sunday mornings but not accessible. Once you’re in the meeting house feel free to sit in any anywhere.
Kids are welcome in worship. We love noisy babies and toddlers with the wiggles. After the anthem kids are invited to go to Sunday School and can meet their parents right after worship. Our Youth Group, Pilgrim Fellowship, meets regularly on alternating Sunday evenings. We did not offer a nursery during COVID but plan to resume it in early 2023. Even when we offer a nursery option you and your kids are welcome in worship even when they're fussy.
God put the wiggle in children; don't feel like you have to suppress it in God's house! We welcome you and your child/ren. Children are a gift to the church and a reminder that the church is growing.
There are restrooms by each of our main entrances. One restroom in the narthex (foyer) behind the Meeting House and two are by the church office. All of our upstairs restrooms are single stall and gender neutral. Downstairs there are several restrooms in our Sunday School and daycare areas. Most of our downstairs bathrooms are multi-stall and separated by gender, but you should use whichever one makes you the most comfortable.
Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, on any given Sunday you will find people wearing anything from shorts to suits and everything in between. We gather together to worship and fellowship, and we can do that no matter what type of clothes you’re in.
You can describe our worship in several ways. We are musical, and the music ranges from traditional hymns to jazz and bluegrass. We have an active choir, bell choir, and gifted friends who bring their many talents to worship. We are liturgical. We sing the doxology and pray the Lord's prayer together. There are responsive readings and chances for people of all ages to lead worship. Liturgy simply means “the work of the people.” We believe that when we worship, God, not the congregation is the audience. Everyone has a part to play. We strive to be a congregation that includes everyone in worship. We are creative. We use dynamic liturgies and art in worship so that all our senses are engaged.
People from various denominational backgrounds including Catholic, Methodist, Episcopalian, Baptist, and non-denominational have chosen to make FCCB their spiritual home. You can learn more about the UCC here. We don’t believe you have to agree about everything in order to worship God together.
Yes. Our church loves and welcomes people of every gender and sexual orientation, and includes them in all levels of leadership and worship. We have members and active friends in the LGBTQIA+ community, have had gay clergy, and ordained a lesbian member of the church to the ministry of word and sacrament. Inclusion is even part of our offical bylaws: "The First Congregational Church of Branford affirms the full diversity of God's creation and welcomes people of differing views, national and ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations, without regard to worldly condition. We hope you will share your particular gifts and faith journeys with us and join us in our worship and work."
Yes. People at FCCB span the spectrum from theologically liberal and moderate to conservative. Those who are affiliated with the Democratic and Republican parties worship together on a weekly basis. We don’t always agree about everything, and we don’t want to. That would be boring and inconsistent with how we interpret the Jesus of the Gospels. We believe every Christian is a minister and is able to interpret scripture with God’s help, and that everyone’s opinion and contribution is essential and valid. Diversity makes us stronger because we have the opportunity to learn from each other. You don’t have to think like everyone else does to be welcome here. That’s not even possible. FCCB is a safe place to wrestle with important issues and express doubt.