First United Church of Tampa is a community of compassion, inclusion, liberation, hope, and diversity. We are a Christian church that follows Jesus Christ and we value caring for those who are hurting and in need, and we believe that all people are empowered to minister and help those around us.
We are a progressive liberal community that values advocating for the poor, protecting the environment, and condemns sexism, ageism, racism, homophobia, ableism, and religious discrimination. Our church supports marriage equality for all couples, regardless of gender or gender identity. We enthusiastically welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning people into our congregation and leadership positions within our church. To erase any doubt of our welcoming stance, First United Church of Tampa's congregation unanimously declared ourselves an "Open and Affirming" church in the United Church of Christ in 1996. In celebration of our 125th anniversary in 2010, our Church Council unanimously reaffirmed this commitment. We know that the LGBTQ members of our community have many gifts and talents to offer our church, though they have often been discouraged from being "out" in church or from participating in church altogether in many church communities. This is why we reject the silence, condemnation, and discrimination that have been historically aimed at our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. Our open and affirming status also helps to discourage the misconception of Christians thinking being an LGBTQ person is sinful, and affirms that sexuality is a gift from God as its responsible and loving expression. We know that God's spirit exists in all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Our church values being accessible to all, regardless of ability or disability, building a sustainable, earth-conscious environment, embracing our multicultural and multiracial diversity, being an open and affirming community, promoting peace and justice for the world, and relationship building with others of various faith communities. We are a diverse congregation made up of many races, ethnicities, cultures, and we celebrate all of our unique, God-given differences! If you have every wondered whether you would be welcome at a particular church, you are not alone. Many of us did not know what to expect when we first walked through the doors of First United, but what we found has kept us coming back. We are a congregation that welcomes, values, and loves all of those around us. We hope you will join us!
