First Congregational Church of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
About Our Church:
First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is the oldest English speaking Protestant Church in the city of Los Angeles.
Our mission statement is: To praise God, towork for God's kingdom, and to advance the Congregational Christian way of life through worship, education and involvement.
We are located at 540 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020. Our telephone number is 213)385-1341. Our fax number is 213)487-0461.
Katie has been a member of our church for almost 30 years. All EMail will be going to her home address. Any questions regarding the church can be directed through her and she will forward the information to them as they do not currently have EMail capability.
First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is an inner city church. We are member owned and member run. Our Senior Minister is The Rev. Steven E. Berry, D.D. We also have several ministers on staff. They are: the Rev. Rebecca Ver Straten-McSparran, M. Div. Asst. Minister of Membership, outreach and Christian Education; The Rev. William Gentry, M. Div., Asst. Minister of Youth/Chaplain of Pilgrim School; the Rev. Pieter Noomen, Th. Drs. Minister of Visitation; the Rev. Joan Laska, Licensed Minister; the Rev. Harry R. Butman, D.D. consulting Minister; Thomas Somerville, D.M.A., Minister of Music; Clinton L. Carbon, Headmaster of Pilgrim School, Robert B. Brown, Director of Operations.
Our services are held at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. each Sunday morning. The 9:00 a.m. service is held in our Shatto Chapel and is an informal service. The 11:00 a.m. service is a liturgical service and held in our main sanctuary.
We host an active music series each year under the direction of Dr. Thomas Somerville. We also house the fifth largest drawknob pipe organ in the world and are the host to the southern California Organ Guild concert series and the Los Angeles Bach Festival. If you are in the Los Angeles area, you might find the following concert schedule of interest.
CALENDAR OF MUSIC 1997-98
Sunday, October 5, at 11:a.m.
WORLD COMMUNION SERVICE
Cathedral Choir sings music from "Mass in G" by Franz Schubert
Sunday, October 19, at 4:00 p.m.
Opening of the Organ Concert Series: Marilyn Keiser, organist
Sunday, October 26, at 2:00PM
Hymn Festival
Hymn arrangements and congregational singing led by choir and organ
Saturday, November 1, at 11:30 a.m.
Lunch & Organ Crawl
Box lunch and tour the inner workings of the Great Organs of First Church
$11 donation (suggest you call ahead on this one as space is limited. We will be going inside the pipe boxes in the organ loft, so dress accordingly.)
Sunday, November 2 at 11a.m.
Festival Service for Reformation
Cathedral Choir, soloists and orchestra in J.S. Bach's "Reformation Cantata: Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild (God the Lord is Sun and Shield)"
Friday, November 7, at 8:00p.m.
Duo from Switzerland: Pan Flute & Guitar
Donation: $15 regular, $10 seniors/students
Sunday, November 23, at 11:00 a.m.
Festival Service for Thanksgiving Music by the American colonial composer William Billings
Thursday, November 27, at 10:00 a.m.
Union Thanksgiving Service
Combined Choirs of the Wilshire Center Parish Assn.
(If your choir will be in the area for Thanksgiving, drop me a line and I'll pass it on to Dr. Somerville.)
Sunday, December 7, at 4:00 p.m..
Organ Concert Series: Lloyd Holzgraf, organist
Organ music for the Christmas Season
Ticket donation: $11 regular, $6 seniors/ students
NOTE: This will possibly be Lloyd's last concert at First Church after over 30 years at the console. Mr. Holzgraf will be retiring. If you are a fan or know someone who is, we would like to fill the sanctuary with well wishers.
Wednesday, December 24 Pre-Service Concert at 10:30 p.m.
Conrad Susa's "Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest" for soloists, choir, harp, guitar and marimba.
This will be followed by the Christmas Eve service and candlelight carol singing outside and is one of our most popular service of the year.
Same night:
Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols at 11:00 pm.&"The Nine Lessons of Christmas" by John La Montaine for soloists, choir and harp
Sunday, January 18, at 11:00 a.m.
Martin Luther King Jr. Festival Service
Daniel Moe's "Cantata of Peace" for narrator, choir, trumpet and organ
Sunday, February 1, at 4:00 p.m.
Organ Concert Series: Diane Meredith Belcher
Ticket donation$11 regular, $6 seniors/students
LOS ANGELES BACH FESTIVAL: MARCH 6-15:
Friday, March 6, at 8:00 pm. Organ Concert Series: James Kibbe, organist
A concert of Bach organ works Ticket donation $11 regular, $6 seniors/students
Saturday, March 7, at 8:00 p.m. Chamber Concert in Shatto Chapel at 8:00 pm.
Harpsichord/guitar duo
ticket donation request to be announced
Sunday, March 8
Service for the Bach Festival at 11:00 a.m.
Festival and Cathedral Choirs sing Bach Moted VI "Lobet den Hern alle Heiden"
Concert: LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) Bach Honors Chorus with Orchestra at 2:00 p.m.
Thomas Somerville, conductor - Ticket donation to be announced.
Five Bach Noon Concerts
Monday-Friday, March 9-13, 12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m.
a different artist and program each day
Friday, March 13, 10:30 a.m.
Young People's Concert
Thomas Somerville leads the Festival Chorus and Orchestra.
Guest soloist: the winner of the Jr. Bach Festival Concerto Competition.
Sunday, March 15, at 3:00 p.m.
Bach's "Magnificat in D & Weihnachts Oratorium" (Parts 1-3)
Thomas Somerville conducts the Festival Choris, Orchestra and Soloists.
Pre-concert lecture at 2:15 p.m. - ticket donation to be announced.
Saturday, April 11 at 11:00 p.m.
Easter Eve Service of the Holy Flame
Depicting Christ's death and resurrection in readings and anthems
Cathedral Choir sings music of Monteverdi, Handel, Leighton and others.
Sunday, April 12, at 9:00 a.m.
Festival Services of Easter Music from Haldel's "Messiah" for soloists, choir, brass, and organ
Sunday, May 3
Festival Service of Choir Recognition at 11:00 a.m.
Cathedral Choir sings Bernstein's "Chichester Pslms" with organ and percussion
Organ concert Series at 4:00 p.m.: Dame Gillian Weir, organist
Ticket donation: $11 regular, $6 seniors/students
Sunday, June 7
Baccalaureate Service for Pilgrim Schol at 11:00 a.m.
Cathedral Choir sings music of Kenneth Leighton and Leonard Bernstein
Cathedral Choir Ice Cream Social at 1:00 p.m.
"More Music from Broadway" for soloists and chorus.
(This is part of our monthly "Chuck and Mike's Cafe" which is a social get together where we have a light luncheon and entertainment. Cost for lunch is $5.00 per person (sorry, no checks or credit cards). We usually have soup, sandwich, chips, drink and desert and great fun.--the choir gets a chance to show they can sing all kinds of music, both serious and funny.)
If you would like to be on our mailing list, please contact the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90020-1298, Please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you are ordering tickets. Request for information only can also be sent to Katie Pegelow, EMail: LRDV47B@Prodigy.com. She will be happy to forward your request to the church and try to get information.
Since this is a new Web Site and I have never done one before, this will be a work in progress. I hope you will forgive me if I occasionally goof up.Here are links to other sites that you may be interested in: