Sunday, May 18 at 4:00 p.m.
Please join us on Sunday, May 18, at 4 p.m. as the First Church Choir sings a service of Choral Evensong. This service will be offered in memory of beloved choir member and church archivist Richard (Rick) Sayre. A homily will be offered by Designated Minister Joanna Samuelson, and a reception will follow in the Parish Hall where you will have the opportunity to share memories of Rick.

Wednesday, May 7, 12:15 p.m.

Rees Taylor Roberts, organ

Take a break from the busy workweek and enjoy the artistry of organist Rees Taylor Roberts, a graduate of Indiana University and Arizona State University.

Sunday, May 4, 4 p.m.

Caroline Robinson, organ

Organist and church musician Dr. Caroline Robinson has been featured as a solo recitalist across the United States. Previously serving as Organist and Associate Choirmaster at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Caroline was recently appointed Assistant Professor of Organ at the University of Michigan.

Wednesday, April 2, 12:15 p.m.

Andrew Sords, violin

Be captivated by the fiery brilliance and delicate mastery of violinist Andrew Sords! Praised for his "flawless performance" and "consummate musicianship," Andrew has thrilled audiences worldwide with his expressive and passionate playing. Join us for an extraordinary performance and experience the artistry of a true virtuoso.

Sunday, March 23, 4 p.m.

Alan Morrison, piano and organ

Join us for a spectacular afternoon of music featuring Alan Morrison, one of America's premier concert organists and pianists, in a performance that showcases his extraordinary artistry and versatility. This concert celebrates First Church's acquisition of a wonderful Steinway Model D concert grand piano

Sunday, February 23, 4 p.m.
Joshua Stafford, organ
Ronald Jenkins, conductor
Joanna Frankel, concertmaster

Experience the breathtaking synergy of organ and orchestra in a program of profound beauty and thrilling virtuosity. First Congregational Church presents Organ + Orchestra, featuring acclaimed organist Joshua Stafford, conductor Ronald Jenkins, and concertmaster Joanna Frankel in a program that highlights the expressive range of the organ in partnership with a dynamic chamber ensemble.

The concert features:

Howard Hanson – Concerto for Organ, Harp, and Strings
Francis Poulenc – Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani
Edward Elgar – Sospiri for String Orchestra with Harp and Organ
Samuel Barber – Toccata Festiva for Organ, Strings, Trumpet, and Timpani

From the lush Romanticism of Hanson’s concerto to the striking contrasts of Poulenc’s beloved masterpiece, the dazzling brilliance of Barber’s Toccata Festiva, and the poignant lyricism of Elgar’s Sospiri, this program promises an unforgettable afternoon of music in the stunning acoustics of First Congregational Church.

Free and open to the public | Freewill offering

Posptponed! New date:

Saturday, February 8 at 10:00 a.m.
Join First Church Arts for the 2nd annual Family Organ Day on Saturday, January 11 starting at 10 a.m.: an opportunity for the young and young-at-heart to meet the two magnificent pipe organs at First Church!

The morning includes:
A Short, Family-Friendly Concert
An Explanation & Demonstration of the Organs
A Chance to Play the Organs!

This is a great opportunity for any children interested in music, and especially piano students, to experience the thrill of hearing and playing a pipe organ! First Church is unique in being home to two world-class organs- a Kimball from 1931 and a Beckerath from 1972. There is no charge for this event.

All are welcome- please reach out to us if you or your child(ren) need any accommodations!

Wednesday, February 5, 12:15 p.m.

Qin Ying Tan, harpsichord, Guillermo Salas-Suárez, violin

Take a break from the busy workweek and experience an unforgettable concert of Baroque brilliance with acclaimed violinist Guillermo Salas-Suárez and harpsichordist Dr. Qin Ying Tan. Don’t miss this extraordinary showcase of talent, artistry, and musical heritage.

Sunday, December 15 at 4 p.m.
Usher in the Christmas season with this beautiful candlelight festival featuring the First Church Choir, Ringers, Brass, and two organs. May the music of the choirs, the songs of the congregation, the prayers, and lessons read aloud bring you great joy and peace, which passes all human understanding.

Wednesday, December 4, 12:15 p.m.

Elizabeth McConnaughey, soprano; Sean Ferguson, lute
Take a break from the busy holiday season to listen to some of your favorite carols from around the world and learn the story behind them! 

Sunday, November 24, 4 p.m.

Clive Driskill-Smith and Joseph Gramley explore the lyrical and powerful tonal aspects of thunderous and dulcet organ pipes married to the visceral, arresting, and delicate aspects of a wide array of percussion instruments through a collection of new works as well as beloved classical compositions.

Sunday, November 17 at 4:00 p.m.
Worship in the beauty of holiness with the First Church Choir.

Wednesday, November 6, 12:15 p.m.

Join us for a midday treat! This 45-minute program will feature both the Kimball and Beckerath organs of First Church. Owen Reyda is a second year organ performance major at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, studying with Jonathan Moyer. In the summer of 2024, Owen worked with First Church minister of music Joshua Stafford as an organ scholar at Chautauqua Institution. He has played for local churches in his hometown Westfield, NY, as well as participating in summer organ events and academies. Owen also enjoys playing the piano, singing in choirs, and accompanying musicals. Owen plays for St. Paul Lutheran Church in Amherst, Ohio.

Sunday, October 27, 4 p.m.

Organist Joshua Stafford provides the improvised soundtrack to this 1920 German expressionist horror film on the 1931 Kimball organ.

Sunday, May 19 at 4:00 p.m.
Worship in the beauty of holiness with the First Church Choir.

Sunday, May 5, 4 p.m.

Organist Joshua Stafford provides the improvised soundtrack to this 1923 silent masterpiece on our glorious Kimball Organ. Lon Chaney gives an unforgettable performance starring as the tragic Quasimodo.

Wednesday, May 1 at 12:15 p.m.
Join us as our Minister of Music, Joshua Stafford, offers the final Wednesday Meditation of our 2023-2024 Season on the Beckerath organ of First Congregational Church in Columbus.

Sunday, April 21 at 4:00 p.m.
Worship in the beauty of holiness with the First Church Choir.

Sunday, April 14 at 4:00 p.m.
Richard Elliott is the Principal Organist for The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. For the past 32 years, he has accompanied the choir on its weekly radio and TV broadcast, “Music & the Spoken Word,” as well as in general conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on dozens of CDs and DVDs, and in the choir’s annual Christmas concerts, which are broadcast each year on PBS. As accompanist for the Tabernacle Choir, he has performed in many of the world’s great halls and appeared on numerous TV and radio programs, including the NBC “Today Show,” the “CBS Morning Show,” “A Prairie Home Companion,” and the nationally syndicated “Pipedreams” radio program. In his work with the choir, Dr. Elliott has collaborated with many guest artists including Andrea Bocelli, the Canadian Brass, Kristin Chenoweth, Renée Fleming, Evelyn Glennie, the King’s Singers, the Sesame Street Muppets, Robert Shaw, James Taylor, and Bryn Terfel.

Wednesday, March 6, at 12:15 p.m.
Daniel Colaner captured international media attention at the age of 12 with his same-day performances at Carnegie Hall on piano and at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on organ. Since then, he has been featured on PBS with the American Pops Orchestra in One Voice: The Songs We Share, ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America, NPR’s From the Top (Show #377), and BBC’s World Service Newsday. At the age of 16, he was recognized in The Diapason magazine’s “20 under 30” Class of 2021. He received the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award in 2020 and was named a 2023 National YoungArts Finalist (Winner) in Organ/Classical Music. Most recently, he was the 1st Prize and Audience Prize winner at the 2023 Arthur Poister Organ Competition and the L. Cameron Johnson Organ Competition. He performed Jongen’s Symphonie Concertante last spring as the winner of the 2023 Cleveland Institute of Music Concerto Competition and enjoyed playing the great organs of Paris this past summer as an Anthony Quinn Foundation Scholarship winner. Daniel is the Organ Scholar at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and a private organ student of David Higgs of the Eastman School of Music.

Sunday, March 3 at 4:00 p.m.
Organist Ahreum Han Congdon’s imaginative, powerful, and extraordinary performances have thrilled audiences throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. She has been a featured soloist at many conventions and festivals, including the 2012 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists, the 2010 AGO Winter Conclave, the Young Virtuosi Festival, and the White Mountain Musical Arts Bach Festival.

Sunday, February 18 at 4:00 p.m.
Worship in the beauty of holiness with the First Church Choir.

Wednesday, February 7, at 12:15 p.m.

Join us for a brief, free Wednesday Meditation at First Congregational Church on February 7 at 12:15 featuring Dr. Qin Ying Tan playing our beautiful Bechtel harpsichord.

Lauded by Cleveland Classical as "an excellent soloist, a compelling performer who is equally comfortable handling long strings of notes... and singing through emotive melodies with her instrument,” Dr. Qin Ying Tan currently serves as harpsichord faculty at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music. She also works at the Historical Performance Practice Program at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Tan has appeared in concerts in Singapore, Shanghai, Germany, France, and has performed extensively across the United States of America. This season sees engagements with Hudson Historical Society and Library, City Music, the Historically-Informed Performance Practice Department at Case Western Reserve University, and the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival. In addition to her commitment to early repertoire, Tan regularly presents new music to her audiences and has premiered several pieces, most notable Cenk Ergun's sound installation piece, "Fomare" at the Cleveland Museum of Art and “Are You You” by Michi Wiancko with City Music. Her passion for sharing historical music has led her to lead dynamic workshops on baroque dance and historical keyboards in Southeast Asia where accessibility to period music is rare.

Sunday, January 21 at 4:00 p.m.
Worship in the beauty of holiness with the First Church Choir.

Saturday, January 20 at 10:00 a.m.
First Church Arts presents our first-ever Family Organ Day on Saturday, January 20 starting at 10 a.m.: an opportunity for the young and young-at-heart to meet the two magnificent pipe organs at First Church!

The morning includes:
A Short, Family-Friendly Concert
An Explanation & Demonstration of the Organs
A Chance to Play the Organs!

This is a great opportunity for any children interested in music, and especially piano students, to experience the thrill of hearing and playing a pipe organ! First Church is unique in being home to two world-class organs- a Kimball from 1931 and a Beckerath from 1972. There is no charge for this event.

All are welcome- please reach out to us if you or your child(ren) need any accommodations!

Sunday, December 17 at 4 p.m.
Usher in the Christmas season with this beautiful candlelight festival featuring the First Church Choir, Ringers, Brass, and two organs. May the music of the choirs, the songs of the congregation, the prayers, and lessons read aloud bring you great joy and peace, which passes all human understanding.

Wednesday, December 6 at 12:15 p.m.
Organist Joshua Stafford offers a program of organ music for Advent.

Sunday, November 19 at 4:00 p.m.
Worship in the beauty of holiness with the First Church Choir.

Sunday, November 5 at 4:00 p.m.
Titulaire of the grand organ at Saint-Eustache Church in Paris and Professor of Organ Interpretation and Harmony at the Paris National Conservatory of Music (CNSMDP), Thomas Ospital is a young artist who has quickly earned a place amongst the world’s finest concert organists.

Wednesday, November 1 at 12:15 p.m.
William Rehwinkle, organ
Join us for a 45-minute program played on the organs of First Church by William Rehwinkel, an organ student at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. At the Oberlin Conservatory, William studies with Dr. Jonathan Moyer. William's organ education began with lessons by Angela Kraft Cross, and from 2014-2019 he studied with Mark A. Miller in Summit, NJ. From 2016-2019 William was the Organ Scholar at Christ Church, Summit, NJ.