God
is Still
Speaking...
Welcome to First Congregational Church
We are dedicated to the health and safety of our community, especially those most vulnerable to Covid-19. We are abiding by the best medical guidance, and the directives of county and state officials. Our leadership in the Pacific Northwest United Church of Christ Conference wisely advises to err on the side of caution.
All in-person indoor activities at the church have been moved online or with safe, masked, distanced, small group outdoor alternatives.
Contact our office for information about recovery groups or go to
https://bluemtnarea-na.org.
Any changes to this policy regarding indoor meetings will not be considered until the county is safely in Phase 3 reopening.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP
View this week's sermon and pre-recorded worship service at our YouTube Channel here.
Drive-in Church
10am Sundays
CANCELED THIS SUNDAY (OCT 25) DUE TO COLD FORECAST
Pastor Nathaniel will be in the parking lot at 10am for those who want to check in and receive a blessing.
1. Please arrive early, before 10am. We will have prelude music starting early.
2. Please enter via the Marcus St entrance. – See the map below for traffic flow
3. Parking Ushers will direct you to a parking spot.
4. Hospitality Ushers will hand out worship sheets and prayer cards.
Please have masks up when interacting with them.
5. You may roll down your driver’s side windows. You may NOT roll down the passenger’s side window. This way you can take down your masks for the service
6. Everyone participating outside will wear masks.
7. Offering and prayer cards will be collected in a box at the exit
8. For those who come without a car, there will be distanced outdoor seating. Masks mandatory.
9. The service will be amplified via a P.A. system and low-power AM radio. Dial radio to AM 1590
10. Please do not idle motors.
11. Do not come if you are exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms, have tested positive, are awaiting a test or have had recent contact with someone who has tested positive.
We will still have weekly online worship videos as well as online prayer and bible study meetings.
Virtual Coffee and Prayer Time
11:30am Sundays
via Zoom
"Awake, My Soul!"
Praying the Psalms
Sundays 1pm
via Zoom
Contact office for information on connecting to the Zoom meetings
View some of our latest Sermons and Worship Videos below. And more are available here.
Our Vision & Mission
We are a congregation of diverse Christian believers empowered by love and guided by the Holy Spirit.
It is our mission to enable personal spiritual growth, collective outreach to the community, and stewardship of God's creation. We are an open and affirming church. Because of who you are and where you are on life's journey, YOU are welcome here!
Church Statement Committing to Antiracism, Nonviolence, and Police Reform
As people of faith and disciples of Jesus, our community at First Congregational Church of Walla Walla stands with those struggling for racial justice who are speaking out about racism and White supremacy in our culture and institutions. We declare that Black lives matter.
We share the grief over the violent death of George Floyd, and of many other unarmed Black, Brown, and Indigenous people who have died at the hands of those we entrust to provide fair and equal protection under the law. Our faith compels us to confront racism as a false idol and a force that crucifies.
We know that God’s grace, as a gift, is free, but it is not cheap. It calls us to a change of heart and of actions, seeing clearly the role of sin in ourselves and our society. We are humbled to acknowledge the sin of racism and White supremacy in ourselves, in our institutions, and in our country’s living history. We seek, with God’s help, and with the confidence that nothing truly separates any of us from the love of God, to do our part to overcome racism and heal the injustices in our society.
To that end:
We are committed to better understanding our own White privilege and racism, for those of us who are White, and to address its subtle and overt manifestations in our church culture. To aid us, we will use small group curricula developed by our national leadership in the United Church of Christ, such as “White Privilege - Let’s Talk: A Resource for Transformational Dialogue.” We invite others in our community to this work, and gladly will share these resources.
We are committed to supporting and responding to the leadership of Black and Brown people in our city and state who are developing policy measures that can reduce the risk of police violence and increase democratic oversight and accountability.
We are committed to finding appropriate ways as a church to help bring our local police and political leaders into conversation with the Walla Walla Black Lives Matter movement, as well as the Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition, as they request, to discuss meaningful reforms and reconciliation.
We are committed to peace and nonviolence, knowing all people are fellow children of God. We will do our part to reduce the level of violence in our society overall. This requires attending to larger injustices in our nation, largely impacting People of Color. This also requires attending to the seeds of violence in ourselves. A less violent society will reduce the level of risk and stress for all, including police officers who often respond to violent situations.
We are above all committed to following the Way of Jesus with integrity, confronting the forces of violence and racism with love in our hearts and with our trust centered on the God of resurrection at work through history and beyond.
Rev. Nathaniel Mahlberg, Pastor
J.R. VanSlyke, Moderator
Jen Rickard, Vice-Moderator
Dana Taggart, Chair, Board of Trustees
Judy Chacon, Chair, Board of Deacons
Heidi McFarley, Chair, Mission & Social Concerns Committee
Dot Willis, Chair, Christian Education Committee
We are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of our voting to become Open & Affirming of the diverse sexual orientations and gender identities God has seen fit to imbue humanity.
This bold stance on behalf of the belovedness and blessedness of each and all of God's children has been a rich source of blessing and challenge for this congregation.
For the 20th Anniversary, we're exploring ways of honoring this year by lifting up the stories of LGBTQ people of faith and allies in town, and to further explore what an affirming faith means.
If you want to be a part of dreaming up how we can make this a special year please let us know!