Welcome Home!
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Join Us On Sundays
Adult Forum at 9:00 am
Worship & Children’s Sunday School at 10:30 am
Coffee Hour at 11:30 am
No Matter Who You Are or Where You Are on Life’s Journey,
You are Always Welcome Here!
First Congregational Church welcomes persons of all ages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, theological beliefs, political affiliation, and those living with mental health challenges. In our diversity, we find strength and a way to understand the inclusiveness of God. No matter where you’ve been, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome and needed here.
Welcome
Sundays At FCC
10:30 a.m. – WORSHIP SERVICE
Our worship service is a beautiful blend of tradition, alternative practices, prayers, scripture, poetry, new and old hymns, sermon, and music by the FCCH Choir and instrumentalists. All that we do in worship is offered with the hope of meeting everyone wherever they are on their life journey, and inspiring them as they live each day.
9:00 a.m. – FORUM
The Forum offers presentations and programs designed to encourage participants to explore new ideas and to expand their faith. Lectures, discussions examining multiple aspects of spirituality and philosophy, health and life issues, the arts and the hearing of life stories are all a part of Forum. All points of view are encouraged at this open exchange of ideas.
10:30 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN
Two outstanding teachers lead our children’s Sunday School hour each week. Spirituality, social justice, nature and cultivating a spirit of love and acceptance are all a part of our children’s Sunday School experience.
11:30 a.m. – COFFEE HOUR
Everyone is invited to the Fellowship Hall following worship for a time of greeting and visiting, along with delicious coffee and savory treats. Coffee Hour is a great way to end our Sunday morning experience.
Who We Are
We Are Welcoming
“Welcoming” means that we eagerly embrace the diversity among us in age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, theological viewpoints , spiritual expression and political affiliation. In this diversity, we find strength and a way to understand the expansiveness of God.
We are an “Open and Affirming” Congregation of United Church of Christ (UCC), affirming the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and non-binary persons (LGBTQ) in the church's life and ministry. We are a “WISE” (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged ) Congregation for Mental Health, welcoming to individuals and families living with mental health challenges, brain disorders, and substance use disorders.
We Are Unfolding
"Unfolding” means rather than resisting change, we eagerly experiment with new ways of being a church in these times and in this place, and new understandings of God, spirit, love and justice. We seek to nourish and support one another in spiritual and personal growth in a loving and accepting environment. We celebrate fresh thinking and challenging ideas. We believe the sacred journey is indeed our home.
We Are Open-Minded
We are an unapologetically “Christian” meaning we perceive in Jesus the beautiful qualities of love, peace, joy, hope and justice. It does not mean we think Jesus is the only path to God.
We are progressive, striving to follow the teachings of Jesus, leading to an action-oriented congregation that values right actions over right beliefs. We are each free to believe and act in accordance with our own experience of God. We encourage thinking and questioning that lead to life-long learning.
We explore the Bible for its spiritual wisdom contained in symbols, metaphors, history, and story. It does not mean a literal or heavy-handed approach that uses the Bible to prove we are right on any given subject. We also seek God’s truth and wisdom in other religions, poetry and literature.
We Are Justice Seeking
We believe that being spiritual means not only hoping for a better world of justice and love, but rolling up one’s sleeves and doing what we can to feed the hungry, care for the sick and struggling, serve our Mother Earth and all creatures, and advocate for social justice. We dedicate a significant portion of our annual budget to non-profits and agencies that align with our compassion and mission.