About FCC
CHILDREN -
<!–[endif]–>We hold one worship service at 9:30 on Sunday mornings and children are always welcome. If they wish, they are invited to go to Sunday school immediately following the Children’s Time .Sunday School (for children age three through grade six) is offered duringthe Worship service most Sundays.
Nursery care is always available during worship. Sunday School will begin again on September 12th, with classes for children from age three through 3rd Grade.
Sunday School Registration Form
YOUTH PROGRAMS – are offered for for Jr. Highs and for Sr. Highs, beginning in September. If you have a son or daughter just entering 6th, 7th, or 9th grade, please let us know so that he or she will be on the right mailing list!
STEEPLENOTES DEADLINE – is the 15th of each month.
MINISTRIES MEET – on the second Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm.
ADULT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES – are offered throughout the year. Please watch the Steeplenotes for information.
OPEN AND AFFIRMING STATEMENT
The Foreside Community Church, United Church of Christ is an inclusive community of men, women and children, united by their faith in God and in their call to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Guided by the Spirit, we welcome and celebrate the diversity that God has chosen to create and love. We strive to obey the great commandments: to love God above all else and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27). The Foreside Community Church declares itself to be open to and affirming of all humankind. We acknowledge and affirm the equal merit of people of all ages, races, nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions; regardless of physical, mental, emotional abilities and disabilities, family configurations, faith backgrounds, education levels, political persuasions and socio-economic status. We all share in the ministry of the Gospel and we seek to be ever better disciples of Jesus. We feel called to promote justice and peace for everyone and accordingly, we invite all into the full life, ministry and joys of participation in our church. We humbly ask for continuing guidance from God in living our lives in fulfillment of this statement.
MISSION AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES – are offered throughout the year. Mission Moments are usually on the third Sunday of each month provide opportunities to learn about how you can be involved in reaching out the poor and powerless. The Ministry of Outreach provides other opportunities as well. The Good Samaritan Fund makes grants available to all church members and friends who are aware of a particular need, and application forms are available on the Outreacher in the entry way, or on the website.
CHURCH STAFF – The Foreside Community Church staff is always ready to assist you. The church office is open Monday – Thursday, from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, when Sandy Panenka, our Parish Administrator, is on duty. Brian Wilson, Minister of Music, is in the building quite often. Each of us has a confidential voice mail box for messages, and can be reached via email.
HOSPITAL VISITATION – Our Pastor, Janet Dorman, is always happy to call upon folks who are sick or in the hospital, but in these days when the congregation is large and hospital stays are increasingly short, word of your hospitalization doesn’t always reach the office in time. If you or a loved one are going into the hospital, please let Janet know.
HISTORY - Christian men , women and children have been worshiping on this site since 1793 when the first log church was built. The current sanctuary was built with its ridge pole over the town line between Falmouth and Cumberland so that residents of both towns would feel at home. This was done in 1811, making our building the oldest church structure in Falmouth, and the second oldest in Cumberland. Old stories are told of early pastors having to preach half of the sermon in each town, of residents of each town bringing wood to feed the stove on “their” side of the church, and of long running disputes between the towns. You are welcome to believe these tales of New England peculiarities or not, as we are tolerant of the beliefs of our members. Additions were undertaken in the 1920’s, 1950’s, 1980’s, and most recently in 1997. Each was to help preserve the structure and to make it more suitable for a growing congregation.
Originally a Methodist church, we became the Foreside Community Church in 1944 when the Methodists withdrew their interest. We were a non-denominational church until 1968. When we joined the United Church of Christ by a vote of the membership.
Historically, membership in the church has fluctuated widely, and as late as 1972, the few remaining members, concerned but not despairing, voted not to close the church, but to call a new pastor, the Rev. Peter Mercer. This began a period of healthy and steady growth. The Rev. Donald Hodgson was much beloved, with service for a decade and continuing the trends of numerical and spiritual growth. The Rev. Paul Shupe was called in 1987, and remained until 2007. Today, the Rev. Janet Dorman is our pastor. Foreside Community Church is a vibrant, lively community of faithful people with nearly 350 members.
Our BYLAWS: