Who We Are
THEOLOGICALLY PROGRESSIVE
Most of us have been raised to understand that it’s what you “believe” that makes you a Christian. Yet that is not the gospel message. It’s not the purity of your beliefs that matter, but the depth of your compassion and the courage of your convictions. Many people think that being a “Christian” today means saying that you believe things that you doubt are true in order to receive rewards that you doubt are available. But Jesus never said, “Go and believe likewise.” He said, “Go and do likewise.” Here are the six principles that guide our work at First Congregational Church:
Live and work for Social Justice
Live and work for Human Dignity
Practice Radical Inclusion
Be a faithful community
Be followers of Jesus
Promote Non-Dogmatic Christianity
This might be just the place you are looking for.
Proud of our Pride.
First Congregational Church of Norman UCC is proudly Open and Affirming, by publicly welcoming our LGBTQ+ friends into the full sacramental hospitality of the church. Over the years, we have become an important force in advancing both progressive Christianity and radical inclusion for all persons. We never miss a Norman Pride parade, and our witness has influenced other Norman churches to become more inclusive.
When we say you are welcome here, we mean it!
Our Story
In the fall of 2006, Rev. Dr. Robin R. Meyers, senior minister of Mayflower Congregational Church UCC in Oklahoma City, convened a meeting of Norman citizens to determine the level of interest in planting an unapologetically progressive church in Norman. For the next three years, the new Norman UCC held worship services, meeting first in the United Ministry Center, 1017 Elm Avenue, and then in the small chapel of First Presbyterian Church. Rev. Chris Moore, a student a Phillips Theological Seminary, served as our first part-time pastor.
First Congregational Church of Norman UCC has been served by five ministers, Chris Moore, Warren Jensen, Dwight Welch, David Wheeler, and our current pastor, Robin Meyers. All have preached a gospel of inclusion, while insisting that freedom of conscience and radical hospitality are essential to the life of faith. We have fearlessly addressed some of the most divisive issues of our time, especially the need for open-mindedness about what one must “believe” to be a Christian. First Congregational Church UCC is a safe space for asking tough questions in a supportive community of seekers. We believe that God is still speaking.
