Did you know that our Sunday School first began meeting in the passenger room of the Boston and Maine Railway Station on Essex Street in 1848?  Did you know that by 1852, our church had grown from 10 members to 24?  Did you know that our church was built to accommodate a Daycare?  Did you know that the Cochrane, Fuller, and Levi Gould retirement apartment buildings in Melrose are called “Congregational” because of our church?

Did you know that our parent denomination, the United Church of Christ, has a wonderful heritage of “firsts”?  In 1700 the Congregational Church was the first to call for the abolition of slavery.  In 1785, we ordained the first African American pastor; Lemuel Hayes.  In 1817, Congregationalist Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet developed American Sign Language and co-founded the first school for deaf people.  In 1853, we ordained the first woman pastor; Antoinette Brown.  In 1972, we ordained the first openly gay pastor; William Johnson.  In 2005, we became the first Mainline Protestant denomination to endorse same-gender marriage equality. 

A lot has happened in the life of our church and in the life of the United Church of Christ over the past few hundred years.  Ever wonder what changes, what “firsts” lie ahead in the next few hundred?  That depends on YOU!  

If you’ve been considering joining First Congregational Church, UCC, now is the time!  I will be hosting an Inquirer’s Class after worship THIS SUNDAY.  It will be a time to learn more about our church (a bit about our history and how we are structured) and the UCC so that you can feel more at home here and stake your claim on the future.  Not sure you’re ready to join but would like to know more?  Of course you’re welcome too!  No pressure!

Hope to see you there as we continue to celebrate our rich tapestry of faith formation and faith-in-action here at FCC during our 175^th Anniversary Year.

See you in church,

–Rev. Dominic