Please see our COVID-19 updates page for details on Face Coverings and Social Distancing while on campus.
Welcome to First Church
We specifically believe God has called First Church to SEEK, LOVE, & SERVE at the urban core of Downtown Orlando. First Church is uniquely, centrally placed at the intersections of government, the arts, commerce, education, and culture. The cross in our logo also resembles the points of a compass, with arrow points directing us outward toward our neighbors. We believe our calling is to SEEK, LOVE & SERVE, as we intersect and engage each unique element of the Downtown community.
We celebrate the wonderful gift of diversity of our downtown community and world. We affirm that all people are created in the image of God and all are worthy of God’s love and grace and community. We welcome and affirm the diversity of people of every sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, age, faith history, marital status, physical ability, cognitive ability, socioeconomic status and all who have been marginalized.
We are better together! You are welcome here.
Our sermon series this month is “Work as Worship” – centered around Colossians 3:23 CEB – “Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.” We hope you will join us!
Join us for Sunday worship at either 9:30 am, for modern worship in the CWC (Contemporary Worship Center) or at 11:00 am for traditional worship in the Sanctuary. We will practice social distancing and recommend all attendees wear masks. We look forward to worshipping with you in person.
Not quite ready to return to in-person worship? You can watch the livestream of our 9:30 & 11:00 am worship on Facebook. Or catch the service later on our YouTube channel.
Join us for a five week series on antiracism with Me and White Supremacy: A Guided Journal, by Layla Saad. The workshop begins September 1 and will be held in the first floor Gathering Space every Wednesday evening, 6:30 – 8:00 pm. For more information and to register, click here.
Materials will be available for purchase ($30) at the first meeting.
Childcare is available. Please register in advance (click here).
This half-day retreat will take place Saturday, October 2, 9:00 am – Noon, in the Sanctuary and Gathering Space, allowing for social distancing. It will be a time for worship and reflection, around the life and teachings of St. Francis – who loved God, nature, and living a simple life of dependence on God. This retreat will be led by Pastor Vance.
Registration is requested for this retreat (click here).
Fridays | 10:00 am | Room 6&7 and ZOOM
Join Pastor Vance every Friday morning as he unpacks The Gospel of John. This study is open to anyone from beginning Bible student to advanced Bible scholar. For ZOOM information click here.
A midday meditation break has a number of potential benefits. It’s an effective way to de-stress after a long meeting or difficult conversation. It can relax tight muscles caused by sitting slumped over a computer. By breaking your normal cycle of thinking, it can also boost focus, creativity, and productivity. Plus, it can be a great awareness-building tool, allowing you to be more open-minded and accepting of others.
Join us each week, beginning Tuesday, September 14, for a variety of simple meditation practices.
Tuesdays, Noon – 1:00 pm | Yoga – Moving Meditation
Wednesdays, 12:15 – 12:45 pm | Meditation & Silence
Thursdays 12:15 – 12:45 pm | Music & Meditation
Our next book is entitled Eager To Love, by Richard Rohr. The book is available through various online outlets. Please read the whole book prior to our meeting, Thursday, October 14 @ Noon on Zoom.
Looking forward to a lively conversation! Everyone is welcome to attend. If you have other “book club friends” encourage them to join this group! Click here for more info and to register.
We are the beneficiaries of so much that’s been planted in this place by past generations. The forefathers and foremothers believed in us. They gave us what we have. They believed in what First Church could be. They planted, for us to enjoy. Now it’s our time. Let’s not let them down.
We believe it’s time for First Church to become debt free, so that we can dream new dreams and invest in the future!
If you have not made a debt retirement gift or pledge yet, please consider giving generously, knowing that every dollar you give goes directly to retiring the principal. Online pledging is available click here.
First Church Orlando is filled with many wonderful stories of faith, love, and a passion for serving each other, our community, and the Lord. We can all learn and be inspired by the extraordinary lives of our own church family. Listen to the My Story podcast to find out more!
You can also listen to a new weekly series titled Getting to Know Our Neighbors as well as the weekly sermon! Click here for audio podcast.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel or Audio Podcast and always have access to our latest sermons.
Latest News
Wednesday Night Workshop
Based on the viral Instagram challenge that captivated participants worldwide, Me and White Supremacy takes readers on a 28-day journey, complete with journal prompts, to do the necessary and vital work that can ultimately lead to improving race relations. Updated and expanded from the original workbook (downloaded by nearly 100,000 people), this critical text helps you take the work…
Job Posting
Full-Time Director of Children’s Ministries First United Methodist Church of Orlando seeks to hire an innovative, adaptable, and faithful leader to serve as our full-time Director of Children’s Ministries. The Director of Children’s Ministries will collaborate with pastors, staff, volunteers, and parents to develop the Christian faith in children from birth through 5th grade. The Director will cultivate a safe environment for children to seek and love God…
Sunday Morning Worship RSVP Page
As we begin to gather in person for worship, we understand many of you may not be able to join us. As of Sunday, April 11, the 9:30 am service will be livestreamed each week on Facebook. Recordings of livestreamed services will also be available for viewing after they go live. Thank you for your…
Wonder Worship Night
Join us for a socially distanced, outdoor worship night, where we will focus on wonder, awe, and anticipation of the holiday season and the hope that it brings! It all takes place in the Rotunda (Magnolia Ave), Sunday, October 25, at 6:00 pm. Childcare is available by reservation only, one week prior to the event. Click here to…
Wednesday Webinar
Join Pastors Vance and Emily for an interview and conversation about Moses and the Exodus with Rev. Dr. Latricia Edwards Scriven. What does this biblical account of slavery and the journey to freedom mean for us today? Rev. Latricia is the Pastor of New Life UMC and the Pastor/Director of the Wesley Foundation at Florida…
Adult Bible Study
As we continue our sermon series about the story of God and God’s love, we invite you to join the pastors as we dive into the story of God as contained in the New Testament. We will be using the Disciple Fast Track Study of the New Testament. Bible study workbooks are available for $15 and can…
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