Welcome to the First Congregational Church in Bristol
The First Congregational Church in Bristol is a vital, progressive Christian community of faith with long roots in our community.
We promise you our friendship and prayers as we share the hopes and labors of the Church of Jesus the Christ. We pray that God grant that — loving and being loved, serving and being served, forgiving and being forgiven, offering grace and receiving grace — we may dwell together in love, unity and hope.
We are Bristol’s first and founding church. We have been here since 1680, formed by the same leaders who founded the town of Bristol a few months after the church was gathered. In 1785, more than a century after our founding, our congregation and our sixth Minister, the Reverend Mr. Henry Wight, began the Bristol 4th of July Parade and Patriotic Exercises. So we are the Founders of America’s Oldest Fourth of July Celebration.
Today, our congregation is known for its broad support for our community and our willingness to speak out regarding social justice issues. Sunday services are relevant and thought-provoking.
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!
Upcoming Events
95th Harvest Moon Bazaar & Luncheon!
Our 95th annual Harvest Moon Bazaar is coming up and will be held on Saturday, November 23nd from 10am to 3pm. This is our largest annual fund raiser for the church and it is our 95th year!!! Wow!! We as a congregation have been doing this that long, and of…
Support One Great Hour of Sharing
Donations in support of One Great Hour of Sharing’s international mission work will be gratefully received at any time throughout the year. The theme for the 2024 One Great Hour of Sharing® is Share the Light. The United Church of Christ invites you to participate in this special mission…
Good Night Lights
Join the “Good Night Lights” to shine a light of hope to children in hospital. Every Monday night First Congregational Church “Good Night Lighters” travel to the Squantum Association in East Providence to send a good night signal to children at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Anyone is welcome to join the…
News
Acknowledging & Celebrating the Pokanoket Origins of Bristol
FCC Bristol was honored to have Dr. David Weed as our speaker on October 6, 2024. Dr. Weed is the Coordinator of the Sowams Heritage Area Project, an effort to recognize Sowams as the homeland of the Pokanoket and Wampanoag…
Confirmation Class Starts
This past Sunday, there was something pretty exciting happening. I don’t mean when the fire alarm started blaring out in the sanctuary and everyone emptied out onto the church lawn to await the arrival of the police and the fire…
Coffeehouse is a Winner! Seventh Year in a Row!
This summer Bristol’s Stone Church Coffeehouse was honored for a seventh year in a row with a Best Local Music Venue recognition from Best in RI Awards. The event reception was held on July 25 at the Waterfire Arts Center…
Meet Cristina Marino: One of FCC’S Sunday Techs—and Her Senior Project
Each week, we have a faithful legion of techs who tape and livestream our Sunday services. If you were around for this summer’s services, you saw them out of their sanctuary balcony perch to tape our services in the DeWolf…
Worship Service Videos
Worship Service for Sunday October 27, 2024
Worship service by: The Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Scripture: Psalm 126; Scripture: Mark 10:46-52; Sermon: “When the Fortunes of Zion Were Restored”; Click here to view the Bulletin in a new window; https://vimeo.com/1019156242 For Closed Captions, click the icon…
Worship Service for Sunday October 13, 2024
Worship service by: The Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Scripture: I Peter 2:11-17; Scripture: Matthew 5: 17-20; Sermon: A Message by Dr. Catherine Zipf, Executive Director of the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society; Click here to view the Bulletin in…
Worship Service for Sunday October 6, 2024
Worship service by: The Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Scripture: Genesis 2:7-15; Scripture: Romans John: 1:1-14; Sermon: A Message by Dr. David Weed, Coordinator of the Sowams Heritage Project; Click here to view the Bulletin in a new window; https://vimeo.com/1014039779…
Worship Service for Sunday September 29, 2024
Worship service by: The Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Scripture: Isaiah 52:7-10; Scripture: Romans 12:9-21; Sermon: “Let Our Peace Be as Genuine as our Love”; Click here to view the Bulletin in a new window; https://vimeo.com/1011774162 For Closed Captions, click…