College Street Congregational Church stands at 265 College Street in downtown Burlington, Vermont, a few steps from Church Street and the city's library, where it has gathered people for worship, music, and social action since 1860. The congregation joined the United Church of Christ in 1961 and formally declared itself Open and Affirming in 1994, and that posture of welcome continues to shape a church where hard questions are preferred over ready-made answers, where choirs, handbell ensembles, and a string-and-strum group share the same sanctuary, and where members walk in the Burlington Pride Parade, march for immigrant rights, and host a Head Start classroom in their own building.
Sunday Morning at 10 AM
The congregation meets for a single Sunday service at 10 AM, in person and on Zoom. Worship bulletins are printed and placed at the front door of the sanctuary, and a digital copy is posted for those joining from home. The order of worship is led by a pastor with lay participation woven throughout: scripture readers, unison prayers, and responsive readings are longtime traditions, and the church periodically offers a liturgy leadership training for members who want to learn how to lead those elements.
Casual dress is the norm, and the church asks only that visitors wear whatever feels comfortable. Children are welcome to remain with their families for the entire service. Most Sundays, the pastor invites children and youth forward for a Children's Time near the front of the sanctuary; parents may come up too if that helps a child feel at ease. After Children's Time, children in kindergarten through fifth grade typically head downstairs for Sunday school, and they return during the last hymn to rejoin their families. Communion is offered once a month, usually on the first Sunday. The cup holds non-alcoholic grape juice, gluten-free bread is available on request, and anyone who cannot come forward can signal an usher and be served in the pew. The table is open to everyone.
Getting In, Parking, and Accessibility
Public parking on the surrounding streets is free on Sunday mornings, as is the lot at the library next door. There is a ramp at the main entrance on College Street, and a second accessible entrance off South Union Street opens directly into the Perkins Meeting Room, which sits just behind the sanctuary. Handicap parking meters are available on both South Union Street and College Street.
A Sanctuary Built for Music
Music is described as essential to life at College Street, and the building reflects that priority. The sanctuary seats 366 people (336 on the main floor and 30 in the balcony) and was remodeled in 2014. Chestnut pews and chestnut floors give the room a warm tone, and the acoustics are widely noted as exceptional. A pipe organ and a Steinway grand piano are available for use, subject to approval by the Director of Music.
Eric Milnes directs the music program. He is a conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and recording producer whose career has spanned festivals and concert halls across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Lufthansa, Regensburg, Utrecht, Bruges, Mostly Mozart, and Boston Early Music Festivals. At College Street he oversees an ensemble that includes:
- The Adult Choir, which generally rehearses at 8:45 AM on Sundays when it is leading worship. Musical experience is helpful but not required, and new singers are welcome at any time.
- The College Street Ringers, the handbell choir, led by Jodie Auer-Johnson. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings; the group rings four octaves of Malmark handbells and hand chimes and contributes to services several times a year.
- Strummers, Pluckers and Strikers, a guitar-and-other-instruments ensemble that accompanies worship on the fourth Sunday of the month and rehearses after church on the first and third Sundays and at 9 AM on the fourth Sunday.
Worship services are recorded and posted to the church's YouTube channel, so anyone who cannot attend in person or by Zoom can still follow along.
LOGOS and the Children's Program
Children's ministry is led by Lacey Sanchez, who holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, became a Board-Certified Chaplain in 2025, and is pursuing graduate study in mathematics at the University of Vermont. The flagship program is LOGOS, a Sunday morning offering for children in kindergarten through fifth grade and their parents. LOGOS meets from 11:15 AM to 1:00 PM on Sundays, right after worship, and combines games, spiritual exploration, light refreshments, and open conversation about real-life questions. Each week centers on a theme such as why spirituality matters, what it means to "be good" or "be bad," or how to talk with children about magic and the Easter Bunny. No registration is required.
Childcare and Sunday school for children in kindergarten through fifth grade run during the regular worship hour, and a nursery is available for the youngest children. Children are always welcome to stay in the sanctuary with their families if that feels right.
Youth Ministry Across Two Churches
College Street shares a combined youth program with First Congregational Church in Burlington, a partnership described as joyful and rewarding. The Youth Ministry Leader is Will Robinson, an educator from Manlius, New York, who holds a BA in political science from Alfred University and an MA in teaching from Saint Michael's College and taught middle and high school social studies before being recruited to this role.
The youth group meets on Sunday evenings at 5 PM. Middle schoolers gather from 5 to 6 PM, everyone shares dinner from 6 to 6:30 PM, and high schoolers take over from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. The program centers on three pillars: service, faith formation, and relationships. Special events through the year include a fall retreat, a spring lock-in, Peace Camp, and a mission trip. Recent summers have taken the youth to Providence, Rhode Island, for a week of service with kitchens feeding people experiencing homelessness, clothing donations, food pantries, community gardens, and spaces serving children and families, capped off by a day at the beach in Newport.
Fellowship Groups for Every Season
The church's fellowship offerings range from weekly conversation to monthly crafts.
- Let's Talk, a weekly intergenerational gathering hosted by the Faith Formation Team and Lacey Sanchez, meets after Sunday worship for an hour of conversation about the sermon, the week, and life's bigger questions, with light spiritual prompts to keep things grounded.
- Discussions for Heart and Soul meets via Zoom on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 7 to 8:30 PM, exploring books, films, and music as paths into spiritual life.
- The Social Justice Book Club gathers on Monday evenings at 7 PM on Zoom. Recent reads have included Mark Kurlansky's Non-Violence: The History of a Dangerous Idea and Brianna Nofil's The Migrant's Jail: An American History of Mass Incarceration.
- The Caring for Loved Ones Support Group meets after church on the second Sunday of each month, in the Perkins Room and on Zoom, for anyone caring for, having cared for, or anticipating caring for a loved one.
- The Prayer Shawl Group meets after church on the third Sunday in the Perkins Room. Knitters, crocheters, and weavers make shawls that the pastor blesses before they are given to recipients.
- The Men's Group meets for coffee at Panera Bread on Shelburne Road on the third Tuesday of each month at 8 AM.
- The Young Adult Group hosts social meetups around Burlington for people under 30: dinners, games, quiz night, and karaoke.
Social Justice, Outreach, and the Wider Burlington Community
Social justice is woven through the life of the congregation. The Outreach Ministry Team builds ongoing relationships with several local organizations, including the Pride Center, the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS), STEPS to End Domestic Violence, the Department of Children and Families donation drive, and Spectrum Youth and Families' Share the Warmth drive. Members walk in the Burlington Pride Parade each September and partner with Street CATS of Burlington, a street outreach group that supports unhoused neighbors; the church's annual Parking Lot Dance Party raises funds for that partnership.
The Outreach Team also sponsors the Social Justice Book Club and, when special circumstances call for it, helps coordinate congregational response. Members have participated in ICEOutVt actions in St. Albans and Burlington and have joined interfaith clergy at vigils, rallies, and protests. The church has hosted a fall benefit concert in collaboration with the Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network (CASAN) to support asylum-seeking families, and members support a GoFundMe for a member of the wider community who is studying to become a registered nurse while awaiting work authorization renewal.
Inside the building, the church partners with the Champlain Valley Head Start Family Connections Program, which has operated on site for three years. In September 2026 the program is expanding to open a new licensed classroom, the College St. Early Learning Center, serving six more families with children aged 12 months to 3 years, year-round, Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The church also runs a food pantry that is restocked through regular collections announced in the weekly newsletter.
The Building and Rental Spaces
The church building is a working hub for the congregation and a venue for the wider Burlington community. Two spaces are available for rent.
The sanctuary seats 366 and is well suited to weddings and concerts, with its chestnut interior, balcony, pipe organ, and Steinway grand piano. The standard rental fee is $400 ($300 for nonprofits) and includes one four-hour rehearsal or sound check on the same day as the event, with additional rehearsals available for $100 each ($75 for nonprofits), up to two extra sessions within two weeks of the event. A $50 deposit is returned if the space is left as it was found.
The Perkins Room, an accessible gathering room behind the sanctuary that opens off South Union Street, holds 49 people and includes a restroom, a small kitchen, a baby grand piano, and folding tables and chairs. It works well as a reception space when rented together with the sanctuary, or on its own for meetings and smaller events. The standard fee for four hours is $100 ($75 for nonprofits); over four hours it is $125 ($100 for nonprofits).
An interest form collects rental inquiries, and the office staff follows up.
Pastors, Staff, and Governance
The Reverend Jessica Derise has served as Interim Pastor since the spring of 2025. She holds a BA in English Education and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary (PCUSA), is Board Certified as a Chaplain, served as a missionary in Russia and Southeast Asia, holds a yoga teaching certification, and is currently studying Ayurvedic medicine. She lives in Williston with her wife, the Reverend Debbie Ingram, and their dog Rio and cat Jasper.
Eric Milnes directs music. Will Robinson leads the combined youth ministry with First Congregational Church. Lacey Sanchez leads children's ministry and LOGOS. Gail Stevenson serves as Office Manager and Tim Gibbo as Facilities Manager. The church is led by an Executive Board that includes the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Clerk, and Member-at-Large, and by seven ministry teams: Congregational Care, Communications, Faith Formation, Finance, Outreach, Property, and Worship, with a Tech Team supporting worship production.
The church is currently in a settled-pastor search. A Local Church Profile has been posted through the Conference Office, and the Search Committee is reviewing candidates.
Getting Involved and Giving
Volunteers are at the heart of nearly everything the church does, from Sunday morning hospitality to outreach projects, youth ministry supervision, the Tech Team, choir membership, and property care. The annual Holiday Service Auction, an autumn community meal and live auction of donated services and goods, has long been both a fellowship highlight and a significant fundraiser. Stewardship letters go out each fall, and giving is available online.
A Note for First-Time Visitors
The church sits at 265 College Street in downtown Burlington. Sunday worship is at 10 AM, in person and on Zoom. The Zoom link and a digital bulletin are available online. Come as you are, wear what feels comfortable, and follow the lead of the people around you. If you need a gluten-free communion wafer or want to be served in your pew, ask an usher. After the service, coffee hour is a good place to meet people, and most Sundays there's also a children's program, a youth gathering, or a fellowship group to drop in on. The church office is reachable at info@collegestreetchurch.org or 802-864-7704.