Meet Rev Melissa Ashmore | Lead Pastor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rev Melissa Ashmore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rev Melissa, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
As a “Mission-Centered, Church-Without-Walls” we have decided to make the main thing, the main thing. We have chosen to center our energy and resources around our values and not a day of the week. We meet for worship once or twice a month and spend the rest of the time focused on the work of mission and outreach, community development, and justice advocacy. In other words, we are committed to leaving the world better than we found it. We have several community partners that do amazing work in our community and in our world. We volunteer with them and support them financially. We also feel that First Community Church UCC just existing in the world is important.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Selling the beloved church building at Ferguson Rd was scary. Many people were anxious about the change. However, that makes it even more brave that the congregation of First Community made this change. I feel like they are better equipped to step into whatever the future brings and whatever church looks like in the future.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First Community has an great foundation in the civil rights and environmental movements that it has expanded further in these last decades to become an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. First Community loves hanging out at the historic Lakewood Theatre. Though it has changed much in the years since both of our openings. First Community just celebrated their 76th anniversary and Lakewood Theatre is 77 years old. We love how it has evolved and change. I enjoyed a Depeche Mode concert in the 1990s there and more recently my wife and youngest son saw Sofi Tukker there. As a congregation, we enjoy grabbing pizza, drinks and bowling at Bowlinski’s. The people of Dallas are amazing and one of the most diverse places in the country. I’ll be working with First Community to document the history of Dallas and our connection to it.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First Community wants to give a shout out to Rev Ray Jordan whose prayers and visions helped First Community to take this big step of moving outside of traditional church and into a church that changes the world.

Website: https://firstcommunityucc.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EastDallasUCC/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@firstcommunity2169