Events at the Church 
Part of our mission at First Congregational United Church of Christ, is to offer the use of the lovely spaces within our historical building to a larger community at a reasonable price. Centrally located in Downtown Portland's Cultural District, our church has, for many years, been an ideal location for events including lectures, concerts, seminars, fund-raisers, luncheons, workshops, meetings, and forums. Rooms may be rented for one night, a series of nights, daytime gatherings, weekends, or regular weekly meetings.

We offer both profit and non-profit rates.

The Rooms
We are pleased to offer the use of two main rooms, the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall, as well as our kitchen and several smaller meeting rooms to those who wish to hold an event or meeting in downtown Portland.
 
Our Sanctuary, used mainly for lectures, concerts, performances, and graduations, seats 800 on two separate levels without a "bad" seat in the house. A cozy "green room" is included in the price of renting this space. Straight-back chairs for the "stage," podiums, 8' rectangular tables, stools, and music stands are available to you for your event at no extra cost. The sound system in our Sanctuary may be used only "as is" - augmentations may not be patched in and the settings may not be changed.  It includes the use of two microphones and there is an extra charge.  If your event calls for a more complex system, we can recommend local sound companies who are familiar with the room.

Fellowship Hall accommodates 150 people in a theater-style seating arrangement, or 200 people without chairs. Use of this room has included lectures, small concerts, forums, meetings, luncheons, workshops, receptions, and parties. Chairs, 8' rectangular tables, 5' round tables, a podium, music stands, two easels, and a projection screen are available to you for your event at no extra charge. A simple sound system with a microphone and stand is also available, and may be used at no additional cost.

Our Kitchen may be used for preparing snacks, refrigerating soft drinks, or making coffee and tea. It is often utilized by those who wish to serve refreshments in Fellowship Hall or for small receptions after an event in the Sanctuary.

We also have several rooms, accommodating 10 - 50 participants, that have been rented as dressing rooms, meetings spaces, and "break-out" rooms for larger events.

A Few Things to Know:
The church is not available to rent on Sundays between the hours of 9 a.m - 2 p.m. or on church holidays such as Christmas or Easter.

When renting a space at the church, the hours of use need to include set-up, tear-down, and clean-up times.

Church staff for all events include a front-door security person, and a custodian for the set-up and tear-down of tables and chairs, as well as simple clean-up. Any additional staff requirements is the responsibility of those who rent the church for their event.

Alcoholic beverages are not allowed at the church.

No food or drink (except bottled water for speakers or performers) are allowed in the Sanctuary.

Those holding an event in the church are responsible for the conduct of those attending it, and for any damage done to church property as a result of their event.

A Certificate of Liability Insurance is required for all public events taking place in the Sanctuary or Fellowship Hall.

All items brought into the church for an event must be removed at its conclusion.

Booking An Event
We welcome all inquires from those interested in holding an event in this beautiful, historic building. If you would like to view our rooms, check availability, or find out about our rates, please call our events coordinator, Trudy Bradley, at 503 228-7219.