Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N Fitzhugh St
Add this concert to ICALTo kick off the new year, First Inversion presents a program about a universal human phenomena: dreaming. We do it at night; we do it during the day; sometimes we are in a state of sleep; sometimes we are fully conscious. Dreams come in many shapes and sizes. They may be frightening, whimsical, or inspiring. They may represent our deepest imaginings, hopes, or even our very essence and purpose.
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of a dream becoming reality—the formation of Downtown United Presbyterian Church (DUPC). In 1974, three congregations, very different, but bonded by their common denomination and hope for the future, merged to form DUPC. As can be imagined (and remembered by some members of the current congregation) the merger represented the coming together of a variety of ideologies, theologies, worship styles, activities, and yes, even different choir robes. Compromises had to be made and people had to work together. Amidst their differences, the three churches united to become not only a sacred space of faith and love, but a beacon for social justice and radical inclusion in Rochester, and for the Presbyterian denomination. Whether fighting for abolition and women’s suffrage (pre-merger), harboring refugees, or advocating for the full inclusion of LGBT+ rights within and outside the church, DUPC continues to challenge theological norms and societal patterns of injustice.