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What time does the worship service begin?
Our Sunday morning services begin at 10:30 a.m.
Where are you located?
2001 Niles Avenue
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085
Phone: 269-983-5519
Facebook: FCCStJoseph
Email: office@fccstjoseph.org
Office hours:
M-Th: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Friday: Office closed
What happens during worship?
We pray that the Holy Spirit helps you discover God, be equipped for daily living, and encourages you to go out and serve! We create this atmosphere through our hymns and instruments, our written liturgies, and our interactive and engaging sermons. Everything is outlined in our worship bulletin to help visitors understand the flow of our one-hour service. You can check out one of our worship services on the “Videos” page. You can also read more about our beliefs on our “About” page.
What is the UCC?
The UCC stands for “United Church of Christ” – this is the larger denomination (tradition/organization) that First Congregational Church is part of. To find out more about the United Church of Christ, visit their webpage. Our congregation is part of the Michigan Conference of the UCC – to find more region-specific information, check the Conference out here. While the UCC is our larger tradition, we invite you to learn more about who we are here.
What options are available for my children?
All kids may begin in worship with their parents and then leave after the Children’s Message for Sunday School, ages preschool through 5th grade. Childcare is available in our Nursery for infants through three-year-olds and is available 15 minutes before worship begins through the end of the worship service.
Our preschool class meets upstairs. Kindergarten through 5th grade begin in the Chapel upstairs, continue in a classroom downstairs, and then end in the Chapel. Our classes follow the Orange curriculum, which allows every class to study a familiar Bible topic each Sunday, making it easier for parents to guide family discussions afterwards about what each child learned. Click link for more information about our Sunday School curriculum, Think Orange.
Will there be Communion (The Lord’s Supper / Eucharist)?
We celebrate Communion on the first Sunday of each month. We believe in an open table, which means Communion is offered to anyone, regardless of church background or belief system. We have gluten-free wafers available upon request.
Will I be expected to give money?
As a response to the blessings God has given, we take up a collection every Sunday during worship. We encourage members to grow as generous givers – one of the six practices of a disciple that we hold as foundational in our church. You can find more information about giving options here.
Is there a New Members class?
First Congregational Church UCC is a welcoming congregation and warmly invites you to attend our services. If you want to become more involved or just want to know more, you can always contact the church office or connect with the Senior Minister. The Senior Minister also offers quarterly “New Members” classes that provide insight into who we are at FCC and what we do, as well as Q&A’s for anyone interested in joining the congregation.
