First Christian Church Tyler, TX
We hold two services at the same time, in two rooms across a shared hall. This way, everyone who comes to FCC Tyler begins and ends in a shared middle space. Staying together on one schedule keeps us together as one family.
Services begin at 9:30 a.m.
After worship and an intentional 15-minute break, we offer Sunday School for all ages. The goal of this time is to develop friendships as well as faith, to offer engagement and to grow connections that draw us into mutual care and service.
Two Services one church
Traditional Worship
Housed in FCC’s original sanctuary, our Traditional service is a mix of time-tested elements and fresh energy. It includes a choir, organ, frequent special music, and often
familiar pieces of singing/ reading (like the Lord’s Prayer, Gloria Patri and Doxology). Communion is taken seated in pews, in unison.
You’ll find a range of casual to business casual attire in the room, which welcomes an average of 150-175 people on Sundays.
Young children most often sit with their families until half-way through this service, when they’re invited into Children’s Hour programming. They move with adult volunteers.
Rev. Dr. Chris Pulliam is the leader of FCC’s Traditional service since coming to Tyler as Senior Minister in 2008. He was trained at Brite Divinity School and holds a doctor of ministry from Asbury.
Important to the Traditional Ministry Team is the feeling of togetherness and family in the room. We emphasize great music and traditional elements of Christian worship to bring even first-time guests into a feeling of “home.”
Contemporary Worship
Found in the Worship Space, our Contemporary service is smaller than our Traditional service, and more changing with the season or series. It features a band up front, candle-lighting during prayer time, and weekly Communion taken in small groups, as we stand and serve one another using a shared tray.
Dress is casual and seating options include banks of chairs curved around the room, plus standing-height tables and stools in back. Children also tend to congregate in this service, and we invite the 4th and 5th graders to sit together and take “worship notes.” Younger children are invited out of each service mid-way through, to go into Children’s Hour programming. They can stay or go as parents prefer. Babies and toddlers are also welcome in the nursery but invited to stay in this worship service with their families.
Rev. Ginger Brandt has been the leader of Contemporary service since late 2017. She is a second-career Disciples minister who first came to FCC as a congregant and went through the career Commissioned Ministry process of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Important to the Contemporary Ministry Team is the kind of welcome we establish and the “air” in the room, each Sunday. We want all who arrive to feel drawn into a warm, safe space where worship comes easy, where every weight is lighter and every joy brighter in community.
Adult fellowship & Study Groups
We have 6 class options for adults, all starting at 10:45.
Each class has its own customs and character; we invite you to sample them over a few Sundays. Here, we’ve grouped your options by location.
DISCIPLES
PARLOR, directly off Sanctuary. A combination of early retirees to senior adult ages, about 15-18 people. Series of lessons cover topics of interest with a spiritual component (eg: how to pray, stories of our favorite hymns).
SEEKERS
SEEKERS CLASSROOM, behind the Choir Room, through the Choir Hallway. A well-established group with strong attendance (between 20-25 people), mostly senior adults. Class often follows video material or invites guest teachers. Class members share facilitation role.
THE WAY
CHOIR ROOM, behind the library, down the hallway leading towards the back exit. Multi-generational discussion group that focuses on following Jesus’ Way in real life. Includes young adults. Larger in size (avg. 20-25 people). Marked by willingness to “deconstruct” past beliefs and reconstruct our most positive, life-giving theologies. Begins with a presentation and ends in discussion.
SEASONAL, “POP UP” SUNDAY SCHOOL
CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP SPACE. Several times a year, ministers lead limited-duration classes (often, in 4-8 week runs) on books of the Bible or topics of personal interest. Ask when the next session is scheduled!
BELIEVERS
ROOM 8, CLC hallway. Lecture class of larger size (usually 20+ people). Multi-generational – marked by diverse ages and points of view, and keen interest in a scholarly approach to Scripture. Leans heavily into theology/ history/ sociology of the Bible.
KOINONIA
ROOM 7, CLC hallway. Video + discussion class of mostly married couples, entering or into retirement years. Avg. size 25-30. Known for sponsorship of special-interest speakers on occasional Sundays. Class has been together many years but also welcomes newcomers.
GENESIS
SCOUT ROOM at end of CLC hallway. A small group (currently 6-8) of “middle years” adults, married and single, that uses both book and video prompts for discussion facilitated by rotating class members.
Children & Youth
At FCC Tyler, we provide a welcoming and inclusive space where children and youth can explore their faith, grow in their relationship with God, and build meaningful connections with others. Through worship, education, and fellowship, our programs nurture 6th–12th graders and younger children alike, helping them discover God’s unconditional love and the teachings of Jesus, including the Double Commandment: to love God and others as we love ourselves. Our dedicated church staff and volunteers create a safe, supportive environment tailored to the unique needs and interests of every child and youth, fully integrating them into the life of our congregation.
Nursery | Sundays, 9:15 - 11:30AM | Children’s Wing of Main Building
FCC offers childcare for newborn infants to children aged three years old so that parents can fully experience our worship service and have the freedom to explore our variety of Sunday School classes offered following. Our Nursery employs paid staff with a wealth of experience working with young children in addition to Youth volunteers that love to serve.
Children’s Church | Sundays, 10:00–10:30 AM | Children’s Wing of Main Building
Children’s Church offers an engaging, age-appropriate worship experience for kids ages 3 through 3rd grade. After the Children's Sermon, children leave the sanctuary for an interactive study and craft centered on the day's sermon text or Bible story, fostering creativity and connection.
Sunday School | Sundays, 10:45–11:30 AM | Children’s Wing of Main Building
Our Sunday School program provides hands-on, Bible-based lessons designed for Kindergarteners through 5th graders. Children are grouped by age or grade and paired with caring adult leaders to ensure a meaningful and interactive learning experience.
Sunday School | Sundays, 10:45–11:30 AM | Christian Life Center, Upstairs
Interactive and conversational, our Sunday School class is led by adult volunteers and our Youth Director. Youth engage with scripture and faith topics in a dynamic, discussion-based setting. Each year, the youth take charge of Youth Sunday, planning and leading every aspect of the worship service, from music and preaching to presiding over the Lord’s Supper.