On the north side of Curry Ford Road, about a block east of the Curry Ford and Conway intersection and roughly five miles north of Orlando International Airport, First United Church of Christ has spent decades introducing itself with a single line: Where strangers become friends. The progressive Christian congregation describes itself as Open and Affirming, and its welcome extends to people of every age, race, economic class, language, sexual orientation, gender expression, physical ability, and theological position. It is a member of the United Church of Christ and the UCC Florida Conference, and it shares its building and grounds with other churches, recovery groups, a chorus, and a radio club.
A Comma, Because
First Church's most recognizable teaching is shaped by a punctuation mark. Borrowing the story of Gracie Allen leaving George Burns a note that read, "George, never place a period where God has placed a comma," the congregation explains its name and its outlook in a series of short statements: a comma, because God is Still Speaking; a comma, because the period at the end of the Bible is not the end of God's revelation; a comma, because the church's faith is two thousand years old but its thinking is not; and a rainbow comma, because God's love is fully inclusive and the congregation tries to live that inclusive love. The image runs through bulletins, newsletters, and the church's identity online.
Sunday Worship at Ten
Worship happens each Sunday at 10:00 AM in the sanctuary. On the first Sunday of every month the service centers on holy communion, which the church describes as open to all who believe in Jesus Christ. After worship the congregation gathers for fellowship with refreshments, a tradition that turns the back of the morning into a chance to meet neighbors and newcomers. The service is led by Pastor Lynn Blevins, and the music is shaped by musician Kim Baker, whose role the church describes as integral to the worship experience.
An Open and Affirming Identity
First Church's welcome statement is also a membership covenant. The congregation commits itself to being "an open and inclusive fellowship where strangers become friends" and, "in the name of Jesus Christ," welcomes into membership persons of all races, creeds, traditions, sexual orientations, gender expressions, physical abilities, and ethnic origins, asking those who unite with it to share the witness of their particular traditions. The vision of the congregation is to become the most effective inclusive progressive Christian ministry in Central Florida by aggressively seeking and welcoming people of every kind.
What the United Church of Christ Believes Here
The church worships from within the broader United Church of Christ and uses the UCC Statement of Faith in the form of a doxology. The prayer names God as Eternal Spirit, Creator of the worlds and of people in God's own image, and gives thanks for Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, the crucified and risen Savior who shares the common lot of humanity and reconciles the world to God. It asks the Holy Spirit to create and renew the church of Jesus Christ, binding faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races in covenant, and it closes with blessing, honor, glory, and power.
The church's own description of its wider tradition uses four names of its own. The UCC is Christian in confessing the crucified and risen Christ, Reformed in affirming the primacy of Scripture, justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers, and Christian freedom, Congregational in placing the local congregation at the center of its life, and Evangelical in centering on the proclamation of the Good News. Two sacraments are celebrated: baptism and the Lord's Supper, also called Holy Communion or the Eucharist.
Rebecca's Pantry
Outreach is a steady part of the church's week. Rebecca's Pantry, affiliated with Second Harvest Food Bank, distributes food on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at a discounted cost made possible through that partnership. The Community Christian Disciples of Christ Church partners with First Church in the work, and donations of food and money are welcomed from members and friends, including contributions from Abiding Presence Faith Community and St. Mary's Missionary Baptist Church.
Joni's Treasures
Across the parking lot, in two of the church's outer buildings, Joni's Treasures runs as a thrift store open Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Originally Cindy's Thrift Store when it opened in 2000, the shop was renamed and dedicated in 2021 in memory of Joni Danford. It offers gently used clothing for men, women, and children along with housewares, decorative items, jewelry, and accessories. The store is staffed by volunteers who range in age from sixteen to eighty-three, and the revenue it generates supports the church's other ministry programs. Donations of clean and good quality items are always appreciated.
Sharing the Building
First Church makes its space available to other faith communities and community groups. Abiding Presence Faith Community meets in the sanctuary at noon on Sundays. Iglesia Renovados en Cristo gathers in Crimson Hall on Sunday mornings, and Iglesia Cristiana Pentecostés meets in Crimson Hall on Sunday afternoons, which is why the church's listed languages are English and Spanish. During the week Crimson Hall is the meeting place for the Women's AA group on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM and for the wider AA Sharing and Caring community, along with Al-Anon. The Orlando Gay Chorus, The Sound of Freedom Band and Color Guard, a Christian Academy, a radio club, and a dog scent training group also use the campus, alongside other vetted rentals for community groups. Crimson Hall itself is available to rent for parties, birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations.
Music, Prayer, and the Weekly Newsletter
Music at First Church is shaped by Kim Baker's work, from hymns to special pieces that mark the seasons of the church year. Congregation members and friends can also submit prayer requests through the church, where the prayer list resets each month. For those who want to stay connected beyond Sunday, the church publishes a Monday Musings newsletter; readers can email the office to be added to the mailing list. Audio recordings of past worship services are available through the Online Worship Resources page.
Visiting First Church
Visitors arriving by car will find a parking lot with reserved spaces for guests. The church sits about one block east of Curry Ford Road and Conway Road, on the north side of Curry Ford Road, roughly five miles north of Orlando International Airport. The sanctuary, Crimson Hall, and the two thrift store buildings all sit on the same campus, making it easy to step from Sunday worship into fellowship, into a community meal at the pantry on Tuesday, or into shopping at the thrift store on Wednesday. A weekly email, a prayer list, and a calendar of community gatherings keep the rhythm going through the week.