INFORMATION FOR VISITORS

It is wonderful that you are interested in First Church.  We hope that you will stop by to visit us very soon.  Because it can be overwhelming and a bit intimidating to visit a new place and new people, especially a church, we thought we’d try to answer the most common questions people have about First Church.

Q: When are your services?

We have two worship services are on Sundays at 9:30 and 11:30 am that usually last approximately one hour. The sermons are the same, while the music may vary, depending on the presence or absence of the choir.

Q: Does anything else happen on Sunday mornings?

We offer many other activities at First Church on Sunday mornings, including religious education for children and youth, brunch, and several program offerings for adults.  It would be wonderful to see you at any of these.

Q: Where are you located?

Click here for a map and directions.

Q: Where do I park?

Click here for parking information.

Q: What should I wear?

You are welcome to dress up if you are more comfortable or prefer to do so, or you may dress casually.  You will see folks in suit and tie, others in shorts and sandals.

Q: I have children. Are they welcome during the service?

You and your children have several options during the service. We welcome children to join their families in the sanctuary, participate in their age-appropriate religious education classes, or if under the age of 3, enjoy supervised play in our Nursery with our trained caregivers. For those young ones who stay with their families, we have activity boxes available for their entertainment.

Q: Where can I find background information about First Church, Unitarian Universalism, or your programming?

On any of your visits, stop by at one of the welcome tables located near the Southmore and Fannin Street entrances. You will see much literature.  Please don’t feel overwhelmed by all of it.  There are a few that might be of interest to you though.  The one most often sought out by guests is the First Church News.  This is our newsletter.  It is a great source to pick up and get some information on the many things happening at First Church.  There may be others of interest, so please feel free to take any of them.   Some recommendations are the detailed descriptions of our Children’s and Adult Programs, our Chalice Circle brochure, the short description of Unitarian Universalism, and the short history of First Church. For more information about Unitarian Universalism, you can access the Unitarian Universalist Association website (uua.org).

Q: Do you have any literature available on this website?

You can find a link to the newsletter here.

Q: Do I need to register as a visitor? Is there anything special I need to do?

You are not required to register, or check in. But we want to get to know you. We invite all visitors to stop by one of our welcome tables; you will be welcomed by one of our greeters.  Please don’t feel pressured or overwhelmed, as they are there to offer you as much or as little conversation and help as you need or desire.  If you do have any questions, feel free to ask them or our minister. If they don’t know the answer to your question, they will be able to find someone who does.

While not a requirement, feel free to fill out a blue nametag while you are chatting or looking at any of the pamphlets. It makes it easier for us to remember your name and face if you do. You will see that many First Church Members, visitors and friends will wear nametags to help those of us who remember faces, but not names, keep track of one another.

During the service you will be given the opportunity to fill out one of the guest cards, which may be found in the pew pocket in front of you.  If you do, we will send you our newsletter for several months to keep you abreast of the happenings here at First Church.  Don’t worry; your address will only be used for the newsletter.

Q: Do you have any sort of Religious Education programs for children?

Yes. We have religious education classes for different age groups. If you stop by the greeter table when you visit, the greeters will be able to introduce you to Patti Withers, our credentialed Director of Religious Education.  She will make you and your family comfortable and explain the Sunday morning routine.

Q: How can I get to know church members when I visit?

We would be very happy if you would join us for coffee or tea in Channing Hall before, after or between any of the services.  We would also like to invite you to join us for brunch between services at 10:30.  Pick up a red coffee cup; this indicates you are ready for conversation! While coffee is free, please note there is a small charge for brunch items.

Q: How do I become a member of First Church?

You can let us know you’re interested in becoming a member of First Church by completing a guest card (you’ll find them in the pew pockets in the Sanctuary), and then turning the card over and checking the box by “I am/we are ready to join.”  We will contact you to get you started on the process.

As soon as you feel that First Church is the place you have been seeking and would like to join us on our journey, we have two ways to learn about becoming a member.  One is the Pathways to Membership Workshop.  We usually have four throughout the year.  Feel free to sign up for any of these.  The other way is to set up a personal meeting with the minister.  Stop by or call the church office (713-526-5200) to make an appointment. Find out more about membership by clicking here.