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 invite you to watch this video of the Rev. Nancy Soukup and FCC congregation sharing some of their 2024 “Wonder Experiences”. Just tap on the image below to see the video in a new window. Close the new video window to return here.
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
Come to first Coffee House of the season!
Tickets are selling out fast. To be sure of getting tickets to all the shows, buy a season ticket package. Call 401-253-4813 for ticket information.
Gifts, food, baked goods, Silent Auction, Santa!!!
Make a day of it! Gifts for everyone on your list from local vendors. Delicious food and baked goods. A Silent Auction with exciting gifts and experiences at bargain prices. And a private interview and photos with Santa for children and adults alike! See you on November 22nd!
Come join us at the Stone Church Coffee House
Sign up as soon as possible. We sell out every month!
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
You can see the full August 24th FCC Congregational Meeting video
This Congregational Meeting was held on Sunday 2025-08-24 in the DeWolf room after the Sunday worship service. The sole discussion topic was a major FCC capital expense to improve the heating and cooling infrastructure in the DeWolf and Wardwell rooms….
Parade-Goers Greet FCC Float With Thumbs Up!
FCC last built a float for the July 4th parade back in 2005. (You can see a video of that float in the “Our History” page of this website.) Led by our 350 Fund mission statement, we were determined this…
FCC Hosts Patriotic Interfaith Service
On the afternoon of Sunday, June 29th, First Congregational Church hosted the 2025 Interfaith Service, part of Bristol’s Fourth of July celebrations every year. This event brings together clergy from the town’s houses of worship in a patriotic, multi-denominational prayer…
FCC Float Team Makes Amazing Progress
Ever since Alan Berry, our architect, finished the designs for the new FCC Bristol Fourth of July Parade float and Jim Sapp ordered in all the wood and other materials to build it, a busy and talented team has been…
Worship Service Videos
Worship Service for Sunday Sept 7, 2025
Worship service by: Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Scripture: “Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18” ; Scripture: “Luke 14:25-33” ; Message: “The Upside-Down World of Discipleship” Click here to view the Bulletin in a new window; https://vimeo.com/1116852407 For Closed Captions, click the icon…
Worship Service for Sunday Aug 31, 2025
Worship service by: Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Scripture: “Psalm 149: 1-5,9a” ; Scripture: “2 Chronicles 5:11-14” ; Message: “A Hymn Sing” Click here to view the Bulletin in a new window; https://vimeo.com/1114965512 For Closed Captions, click the icon and…
Worship Service for Sunday Aug 24, 2025
Worship service by: Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Scripture: “Isaiah 58:9b-14” ; Scripture: “Luke 13:10-17” ; Message: “Standing on the Threshold” Click here to view the Bulletin in a new window; https://vimeo.com/1112776853 For Closed Captions, click the icon and select…
Worship Service for Sunday Aug 17, 2025
Worship service by: Rev. Dr. Nancy Hamlin Soukup; Reading 1: “Hiroshima—The Testimony of Tanaka” ; Reading 2: “Hiroshima—The Testimony of Okada” ; Reading 3: “Hiroshima—The Testimony of Torikoshi” ; Reading 4: “Nagaskai—The Testimony of Michisita” ; Click here to view…