First Congregational Church of Los Angeles

{{Short description|Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument}}

{{Infobox church

| name = First Congregational Church of Los Angeles

| fullname =

| other name =

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| image = First Congregational Church (Los Angeles) (1a).jpg

| imagesize =

| imagelink =

| imagealt =

| landscape =

| caption =

| pushpin map =

| pushpin label position =

| pushpin map alt =

| pushpin mapsize =

| relief =

| map caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|34|3|51.8|N|118|17|5.4|W|display=inline,title}}

| iso region =

| coordinates display =

| osgraw =

| osgridref =

| location = 540 S Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020

| country = United States

| denomination = United Church of Christ

| previous denomination =

| churchmanship = Congregational

| membership = 491

| attendance = 225

| website = {{URL|fccla.org}}

| former name =

| bull date =

| founded date = {{start date|1867}}

| founder =

| dedication =

| dedicated date =

| consecrated date =

| cult =

| relics =

| events =

| past bishop =

| people =

| status = Church

| functional status = Active

| heritage designation =

| designated date =

| architect = Allison & Allison

| architectural type =

| style = English Gothic Revival

| years built =

| groundbreaking =

| completed date = 1932

| construction cost =

| closed date =

| demolished date =

| capacity =

| length =

| width =

| width nave =

| height = {{convert|157|ft|m|abbr=on}} (tower)

| diameter =

| other dimensions =

| floor count =

| floor area = {{convert|157,000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

| dome quantity =

| dome height outer =

| dome height inner =

| dome dia outer =

| dome dia inner =

| spire quantity =

| spire height =

| materials = Reinforced concrete

| bells =

| bells hung =

| bell weight =

| parish =

| deanery =

| archdeaconry =

| episcopalarea =

| archdiocese =

| metropolis =

| diocese =

| province =

| presbytery =

| synod =

| circuit =

| district =

| division =

| subdivision =

| archbishop =

| bishop =

| auxiliary bishop =

| abbot =

| prior =

| subprior =

| exarch =

| provost-rector =

| provost =

| viceprovost =

| rector =

| vicar =

| dean =

| subdean =

| archpriest =

| precentor =

| succentor =

| chancellor =

| canonchancellor =

| canon =

| canonpastor =

| canonmissioner =

| canontreasurer =

| prebendary =

| priestincharge =

| priest =

| asstpriest =

| honpriest =

| curate =

| asstcurate =

| nonstipendiaryminister =

| minister =

| assistant =

| seniorpastor = Rev. Laura Vail Fregin {{Small|(Interim)}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fccla.org/staff|website=fccla.org|title=Our Staff|accessdate=23 June 2019}}

| pastor =

| chaplain =

| archdeacon =

| deacon =

| deaconess =

| reader =

| student intern =

| organistdom =

| director =

| organist =Dr. Christoph Bull

| organscholar =

| chapterclerk =

| laychapter =

| warden =

| verger =

| businessmgr =

| liturgycoord =

| reledu =

| rcia =

| youthmin =

| flowerguild =

| musicgroup =

| parishadmin =

| serversguild =

| logo =

| logosize =

| logolink =

| logoalt =

| embedded =

}}

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is located at 540 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, California, United States. It is a member of the United Church of Christ.{{cite web |url= http://www.fccla.org/new-events/2017/9/12/board-of-trustees-meeting-hrzkk-btgtz-962ps |title= UCC Southern Conference Fall Meeting |website= fccla.org |accessdate= 19 December 2017}} Founded in 1867, the church is the city's oldest continuous Protestant congregation.{{cite web

|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120828034922/http://www.prolades.com/glama/la5co07/overview_1850-1930.htm

| last = Holland

| first = Clifton L.

|title= An Overview of Religion in Los Angeles from 1850 to 1930

|date= August 28, 2012 }} The congregation moved around using a variety of buildings until it moved to its current location in 1932, with the first service being held on March 13, 1932.{{cite web|last1=Richardson|first1=Eric|title=Downtown's Churches: First Congregational|url=http://blogdowntown.com/2008/07/3449-downtowns-churches-first-congregational|accessdate=2 August 2016|date=11 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216103633/http://blogdowntown.com/2008/07/3449-downtowns-churches-first-congregational|archive-date=16 February 2017|url-status=dead}}

The building is in English Gothic Revival-style designed by Los Angeles architects James Edward Allison & David Clark Allison. The massive concrete structure was reinforced with more than 500 tons of steel, and supported by more than 150 caissons extending up to forty-five feet into the bedrock.{{cite web|url=https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/first-congregational-church-los-angeles|title=First Congregational Church of Los Angeles|work=Los Angeles Conservancy|accessdate=16 November 2015}} Its dominant feature is a tower soaring 157 feet and weighing 30,000 tons. Four three-ton pinnacles used to cap the corners of the tower which rise another nineteen feet. These capstones were dislocated in 1994 by the Northridge Earthquake, and removed shortly thereafter, eventually to be replaced by fiberglass replicas, and eventually resurfaced as monuments at the church's driveway entrances on Commonwealth Street.

The church has the world's second largest church organ.

On March 15, 2002, the church was designated a Historic-Cultural Monument by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission.{{cite web|author1=Los Angeles Department of City Planning|title=Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) List|url=http://preservation.lacity.org/commission/designated-historic-cultural-monuments|website=Office of Historic Resources|publisher=City of Los Angeles|accessdate=2 August 2016|page=26}}