welcome!
𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑
𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝐭𝐡: 𝟔:𝟎𝟎-𝟖:𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐦
𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝟖:𝟑𝟎-𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐦
𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫!
We’ve got children’s activities and tons of gently used 𝐭𝐨𝐲𝐬, 𝐣𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐫𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 to shop for; discover a 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 from our wine pull; find a treasure among our assortment of 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬; and explore a variety of 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬. You won’t want to miss our Christmas table for a beautiful array of 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.
Get a fully loaded baked potato on Friday evening or comfort food lunch on Saturday! Have a delicious 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐬’𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 or indulge in an array of delectable 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬. We hope to again have a special treat of 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐓 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐞.
KIDS, have the fun of 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 all the mess, buying all the ingredients, and attempting to put it all together! How about making 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐄 without messing up mom’s kitchen! We will be hosting a variety of activities to get you and your kids in the spirit: take part in Gingerbread House decoration, personalizing Christmas ornaments, and holiday-themed decorations for friends, family, and teachers. Did we mention there will be ⒻⓇⒺⒺ s’mores? Also, check out our HUGE selection of 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐲𝐬, 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐩𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬!
I’m Reverend Dominic Taranowski and I’d like to welcome you to the First
Congregational Church (FCC) in Melrose, United Church of Christ….
Our last 175+ years have been marked by many memories and milestones, not to mention challenges along the way. Would you believe the church was destroyed by fire not once, but twice? Disaster first struck in 1869 and almost 100 years later, history repeated itself with a similar tragedy in 1967. Each time, we rebuilt and the congregation grew stronger.
Aside from providing an intergenerational church with something for everyone – from our vibrant worship service on Sunday morning, to our Children & Youth programming, to our mission work, to our public advocacy presence – the FCC building is available and is used widely by the larger community. Notable is the Melrose Day Care Center, which is open 12 hours a day, year-round and has served thousands of children and their families since 1971.
A lot of churches say “come as you are,” but we really mean it. It doesn’t matter your age or your background or your story: you are welcome here. We strive to create a deeper relationship with God but also an outward expression of that faith in the wider world. The church provides opportunities for both of those. You can renew and strengthen your relationship with God and also find ways to live out that faith on a daily basis.
For our church to move successfully into the future, it is important to have a strong appreciation of our past. We welcome you to explore everything the FCC has to offer and hope you will be part of our future.
See you in church!
Join us weekly at 10 am for worship!
Join us in-person Sundays at 10 am. We are open and affirming and welcome people of all religious backgrounds as well as interfaith couples and those who may be “trying on church” again, or for the first time. Wherever you are in your religious journey, we welcome you!
Rev. Dominic’s weekly article
- 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑 - 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝐭𝐡: 𝟔:𝟎𝟎-𝟖:𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐦𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝟖:𝟑𝟎-𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐦𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫! We’ve got children’s activities and tons of gently… Read more "𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑"
- Time to Fall Back…Again - Well, it’s that time of year again! Before you hit the sack this Saturday, be sure to move your clock back one hour as we return to… Read more "Time to Fall Back…Again"
Click here to see more of Rev. Dominic’s weekly articles
Audio and VIDEO Updates
Reverend Dominic posts occasional updates to share with the congregation. You can find these under the “AUDIO & VIDEO MESSAGES” tab at the top menu on any of our website pages.
Mariko’s music recordings
Want to experience our music ministry from home? The best way, second to attending church in person, is to navigate to our “Sermon Spotlights” on YouTube! You can also go to the menu tab “Worship and Music” to listen to some recordings made by our music director, Mariko Matsumura.
Social Media
Members can view additional videos posted on our private friends-and-members-only Facebook page, the Virtual Narthex of First Congregational Church in Melrose UCC. Everyone is invited to join our public-facing Facebook page, located at facebook.com/FCCMelrose.
In-depth review
Church blogger George Parks recently attended our congregation and had this to say: “This is a warm, active, community church, that provides space for personal growth and contemplation, as well as advocacy for the greater good of the community. Melrose and the surrounding communities are very lucky to have FCC of Melrose contributing to the greater good.” Read his review here.
We support these ministries:
We invite you to learn about our worship and music ministry:
