At a Potluck Supper on Friday, October 1, members of the congregation embarked on a journey to explore the past history of the First Congregational Church in Bristol, as a way to better focus our efforts on the present and plan for the future. FCC Bristol has played a central role in our community from its gathering in 1680. Back in the 17th c., a town could not be formed until there was a “settled pastor.” That condition was met in 1680 when Bristol’s first church was gathered. FCC was Bristol’s only church from 1680-1720. In a broad overview of the role that FCC has played in the history of our community, right up to the coming of our new pastor, Deborah Tate Breault, participants were able to better appreciate the core values of the church and its relationship to the greater community. This was followed by a small group deep dive into the strengths and “growing edges” of our most recent 5 pastorates. It also began a dialogue about how organizations deal with challenges from within and without, and what are the forward-looking intentions of the church family. We are planning a greater exploration of these central issues at future “Telling Our Stories” events. This initiative originated with Pastor Deborah and was sponsored by the Church Council.
First Congregational Church in Bristol
An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ
