Continue reading »]]> Join us for “Adventures in Advent” throughout December for fellowship, worship and outreach leading up to Christmas Day! Dec. 4th- 5 p.m. Chili/Soup Cook-off with proceeds to purchase sleeping bags and tents for 7 Hills Homeless Shelter. Jars of peanut butter collected for Cooperative Emergency Outreach pantry. Dec. 11th - 5 p.m. Children’s Christmas Program and sandwich meal. Dec. 18th - 5 p.m. Christmas Dinner with music and singing. Dec. 24th- 6 p.m. Candlelight Christmas Eve Service. Dec. 25th - Christmas Day! One combined worship service at 10 a.m. All are welcome!

Continue reading »]]> First Christian is blessed to claim generations of people who have come before and followed God’s vision and call for this church. A 160-plus year legacy in Fayetteville comes with a responsibility that inspires us to continually move into the future and to  seek direction on ways to engage our minds, grow our hearts and use our hands in God’s world.

First Christian Church of Fayetteville, Arkansas was born in the winter of 1848 from a 12-day tent meeting, founded by two pastors, 25-year old Robert Graham and 60-year old John T. Johnson. A few years later, Graham founded Arkansas College on grounds where the church now stands. The college buildings were destroyed by fire in December of 1862 during the Civil War Battle of Fayetteville. Fire also destroyed the original church, located on the downtown square, and after the war, a new church was built at the location where the school once stood.

Another fire in 1912, caused by a faulty coal furnace, destroyed the new church, and it was time to rebuild, once again. On May 24, 1914, a dedication service was held for the First Christian Church in which we still worship today.

A complete history, “Fayetteville First Christian Church: Historical Notes from the First 160 Years,” is available at the Fayetteville Public Library and in the Mullin’s Library at the University of Arkansas.

1909 sunday school

Arkansas college

Continue reading »]]> 1. Decorations and Building Use

a. Please do not remove altar paraments. Candlelighters are available on request.

b. Advent, Christmas, and Easter decorations are not to be removed or changed for weddings that occur during these seasons.

c. The church is not responsible for personal items and accessories brought for use during the wedding or reception; nor can the church be liable if these items are lost, stolen, or damaged.

d. Because of fire hazards, unhoused burning candles are not permitted in the windows or along any chancel rails.

e. No nails, thumbtacks, staples, screws, glue or tape are to be used to fasten decorations to the pews, furnishings, chancel rails or any part of the building. Sticky-Tack is permitted for securing decorations. Only birdseed and/or bubbles may be used outside the  church.

f. Please do not move furnishings in the building without permission from the church wedding facilitator.

g. No rice, confetti, birdseed, glitter, or real flower petals may be used in the Sanctuary.

h. Facilities for child care are not provided by the church for weddings.

i. All wedding decorations and other items should be removed immediately following the ceremony. Any items left without prior arrangement are subject to discard by the custodian. Fresh floral arrangements not removed will be considered as a kind gesture of the wedding party. All church property (carpet, furnishings, etc.) must be left in the condition in which they were found.

j. Please discuss your overall decoration plans with the FCC Wedding Facilitator prior to confirming with your florist and or personal wedding coordinator.

2. Music

a. Music selections must be submitted to the pastor in advance for approval.

b. Use of the church’s grand piano is available to be utilized by an approved pianist. 

c. An in-house technician is required for use of the church sound system.   The FCC Wedding Facilitator will make the contact between the wedding party representative and the church’s sound technician in advance.

d. If the organ is to be used without the FCC organist, the guest organist must contact the church organist ahead of time to make arrangements. If the church organist is requested, he will need to be contacted as soon as possible after the wedding date is confirmed to check his availablity. Plans may be made with the FCC Wedding Facilitator for booking the church organist.

3. Sessions with the Pastor

Pre-marital counseling sessions are required prior to the ceremony. The bride and groom are responsible for scheduleing three, approximately one-hour sessions with the pastor. If another officiant is performing the ceremony, he/she should advise the pastor of the couple’s completed pre-marital counseling sessions at least two weeks prior to the ceremony.

4. Photography and Videography

There will be no flash photography and only minimal movement once the pastor has begun the ceremony and until after the ceremony has been completed.

5. Restrictions

a. NO alcohol is allowed inside or outside of the church, or in the surrounding parking lots.

b. Tobacco use of any kind is not allowed in the church. Tobacco use outside the church may occur at a minimum of 25 feet from the church entrances and sidewalks. An additional clean up fee may be assessed if there are remnants of tobacco use.

Continue reading »]]> The pastor and staff of First Christian Church (DOC) want to make every wedding a memorable event, beautiful and meaningful, and to extend every possible courtesy to wedding parties.

Our goal is to enable healthy, loving marriages that honor God. We wish you every happiness in your marriage and want to help you in any way to make your wedding a joyous one.

The following are the wedding guidelines that have been approved by our Church Board. The guidelines apply to both members and non members and were adopted to establish a procedure in regard to weddings at First Christian Church and to inform bridal parties of the customs and policies regarding weddings held in our sanctuary.

NOTE: Member Wedding: Either the bride or the groom or one of their parents or grandparents is an active  member of First Christian Church of Fayetteville. Non-Member Wedding: All others.

Request the Wedding Policy & Procedures packet from the church office, which includes all forms pertinent to reserving the church for your wedding. Please return forms to the church as soon as possible and no later than three months prior to your wedding.

Select a date and time for your wedding and rehearsal and have the Wedding Facilitator tentatively schedule or confirm your wedding on the church calendar. The date will be confirmed when a non refundable deposit has been paid. This deposit is part of the building usage fee and the remainder must be paid no later than two weeks prior to the rehearsal. 

RESERVING DATES: Church member weddings may not be reserved earlier than one year before the wedding date. Non member weddings may not be scheduled earlier than six months before the wedding date. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis.

Please Note: Weddings are not scheduled at all on holidays designated on the church calendar or the eve of these holidays. Weddings on other calendar recognized holidays will require increased service fees. (Example: Labor Day weekend, New Year’s Eve/Day, Memorial Day weekend, etc.) The church is available for weddings on Saturdays for non-members until 5 p.m. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis. Church-related activities will have priority for scheduling events on the calendar.

INVITATIONS: Do not order wedding invitations until you have confirmed the date with payment of your deposit and received all applicable copies of documents.

MARRIAGE LICENSE: A marriage license can be obtained at the County Clerk’s office located in the County Courthouse next door to our church. Bring the license with you to the third premarital session if you want it back the day of your wedding. Bring it to the rehearsal if you plan to pick it up within the two business weeks following your wedding. No wedding will begin without a marriage license.

BUILDING USE: These guidelines assume the use of the Sanctuary, church parlor, annex, and narthexes for the rehearsal (maximum two hours) decoration time, picture taking and ceremony.

Decorating may occur during the rehearsal or the day of the wedding. Picture taking may occur two hours before the wedding.These guidelines also assume that the Groom and his groomsmen and ushers will arrive at the church already dressed for the wedding ceremony.

WEDDING REHEARSAL

The pastor of First Christian Church (or his designee) and/or the FCC Wedding Facilitator must participate in all weddings and rehearsals on the premises. They will guide the couple on form and procedure for the wedding. If the minister you desire to officiate is not a member of First Christian Church, he/she would serve in this capacity at the invitation of the First Christian’s pastor. Please discuss this matter with the pastor at First Christian and ensure that your desired officiant makes  contact and arrangements with the FCC pastor.

The pastor of First Christian Church will have final say regarding wedding and rehearsal times. Of course, the couple’s requested time will be honored whenever possible. The rehearsal should not last more than two hours, and the building should be vacated as soon as possible afterward.