Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson elected president of WCRC

“As people of faith, we remember that feeding hungry people was central to Jesus’ own ministry. When he broke bread and shared fish with the multitudes, it was more than an act of compassion, but a living expression of God’s love and justice. Our response today follows that same call.”

— Rev. Christopher Czarnecki

This week, Holy Covenant’s Endowment Ministry Team approved a $10,000 gift to Nourish Up, a Charlotte nonprofit working at the front lines of hunger in our community. The organization reports a sharp rise in demand as SNAP benefits face disruption and cuts, with visits across its pantry network up by roughly 20% in recent weeks. (Charlotte Observer)

“Be the Church — Everywhere.”

This gift expresses our congregation’s call to love made visible—standing with vulnerable neighbors, responding quickly to real need, and partnering with trusted community organizations. It’s how Holy Covenant lives our mission beyond our walls and into the city we love.

With Gratitude to Our Endowment Team

Our thanks to the dedicated members of the Holy Covenant Endowment Ministry Team, whose stewardship and generosity made this gift possible:

• Chair: Gregg Walker
• Consistory Liaison: Dawn Robinson
• Ex Officio: Rev. Christopher Czarnecki, Martha Bomely (Treasurer)
• Members: Mel Andersen, Tom Lannin, Alix Felsing, Cheri Lovell

Together, their leadership ensures Holy Covenant’s endowment continues to grow, serve, and make tangible impact in our wider community.

💛 Donate to Nourish Up

Your gift helps purchase nutritious food at scale—right when and where it’s needed most.

Learn more:
Nourish Up (pantries & Meals on Wheels) •
Charlotte Observer Article •
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina •
Crisis Assistance Ministry

#HCUCCEverywhere #ProgressiveClergy

Laughter, curiosity, and holy wonder — that’s the sound of Sunday mornings at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ.

Our Children’s Christian Education ministry helps young hearts discover faith through creativity, compassion, and community.

We believe that children are not just the future of the Church — they are its joyful present, vital members of the Body of Christ whose voices, energy, and questions reveal God’s love anew each week.

What We Believe About Children’s Faith Formation

• Every child is beloved by God, just as they are.
• Questions are welcome — doubt is part of faith.
• Faith grows through experience, community, and reflection.
• Justice, kindness, and compassion are central to Christian life.

Children’s Church School (Pre-K – 5th Grade)

Each Sunday, following Stories for All People, children are invited to Church School, where trained and background-checked volunteers lead interactive, age-appropriate lessons using the progressive curriculum A Joyful Path alongside UCC resources. Lessons include:

• Bible storytelling through art, drama, and music
• Hands-on activities that teach compassion and empathy
• Faith discussions that connect to kids’ real lives
• Celebration of liturgical seasons like Advent, Lent, and Easter
• Projects focused on kindness, stewardship, and inclusion

All-Ages Worship Sundays

On special Sundays such as Palm Sunday and throughout the summer, children remain in the sanctuary for intergenerational worship. These services feature music, visuals, and messages that engage every age, reminding us that faith flourishes best when generations learn together.

Nursery Care

Our cozy, fully furnished nursery provides a peaceful space for infants and toddlers. Ushers or the Christian Education Team will gladly help arrange a loving volunteer so parents can worship with peace of mind.

Faith in Action: Beyond the Classroom

Faith formation doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Our children live out their faith through service projects, family nights, outdoor play, and justice-focused activities that teach them to love boldly and act compassionately.

Come Grow with Us

Whether your family is new to church or seasoned in faith, Holy Covenant welcomes you with open hearts and minds. Our children’s ministry offers a place where kids are cherished, empowered, and inspired to grow in God’s love.

🌱 Learn More About Children’s Ministry

As Holy Covenant continues its Year of Wellness journey, we turn this week toward the sacred rhythm of stillness.
Before every sermon is spoken, there is silence.

Before every word is written, there is listening.

Pastor Chris invites us behind the scenes of ministry to discover how silence itself can become a teacher, a healer, and a wellspring of wisdom.

Through the contemplative practice known as Centering Prayer, Pastor Chris grounds his day in quiet awareness of God’s indwelling presence—a discipline that nourishes both body and spirit, anchoring his ministry in peace.

Centering Prayer is a modern expression of the ancient Christian contemplative tradition.

It was popularized in the 1970s by Trappist monks who sought to offer a simple method of silent prayer for anyone desiring a deeper relationship with God.

In practice, one sits in silence for about 20 minutes, gently returning to a sacred word or phrase whenever the mind begins to wander.

Over time, this rhythm cultivates a habit of surrender—of opening the heart to divine presence.

“Centering Prayer cultivates awareness of God’s presence — not only around us, but within us.

It reminds me that the gift of God’s presence already dwells in us all, and that from this still center, we can respond to the world from a more Christlike place.”

— Rev. Christopher Czarnecki, Pastor

For Pastor Chris, Centering Prayer is not an escape from the world but a way of engaging it more lovingly.

In the hush before dawn or the quiet after dusk, this practice becomes a sanctuary of listening—where sermons are born, prayers take shape, and peace is restored.

In this stillness, the heart learns again that the best preparation for preaching, for living, for loving, is presence.

Stillness as Spiritual Wellness

In our fast-moving world, rest often feels like resistance.
Yet stillness restores balance to mind and body, allowing space for grace to surface.
Contemplative prayer reminds us that wellness is not only physical—it is spiritual: the quiet integration of heart, breath, and purpose.

Reflect & Respond

1. When and where do you feel most aware of God’s presence?
2. What practice might help you begin or end each day in stillness?
3. How could Holy Covenant’s Year of Wellness inspire you to nurture spiritual rest?

As we enter November, Holy Covenant’s Year of Wellness journey invites us to pause and rediscover what it means to rest in God. Sabbath is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline. This month’s theme, Finding Rest in God, calls us to reclaim stillness as sacred and to honor those who guide us there — our active and retired clergy whose lives and ministries have modeled the holy art of balance, rest, and renewal.

Sabbath reminds us that rest is not idleness but faith — a declaration that God’s grace continues to move even when we stop. When we rest, we remember who we are: beloved, enough, and held in divine care.

Why Sabbath Matters for Wellness

Sabbath restores perspective. It teaches us to breathe again — to find holiness not in endless motion, but in divine stillness. Rest is the soil where gratitude, clarity, and joy can take root. It is where our souls remember that we are loved for who we are, not for what we do.

Reflect & Respond

1. Where might God be inviting you to pause and rest more deeply this month?
2. Who in your life models faithful rest — and how can you honor them?
3. What might Holy Covenant’s Sabbath practice look like in your daily rhythm?

With toxic theologies like Christian Nationalism on the rise, it’s more important than ever for progressive Christians to be equipped with both compassion and clarity. In our latest Read. Reflect. Renew. selection, author and faith-rooted comedian John Fugelsang offers just that—a timely antitoxin in the form of a book titled Separation of Church and Hate.

Stephen highlights several strengths: the book’s tone, its scope, its sourcing, and its Biblical foundation. But he also names two caveats worth noting: a slightly oversimplified contrast between the Old and New Testaments, and a tendency to pit Jesus and Paul against each other a bit too sharply. Still, the heart of the book rings true—its message, both convicting and hopeful, is one we need in this moment.

Stephen Tarr, a member of Holy Covenant, offers this review:

“This is no academic tome, but neither is it a rant. While it’s forthright, it is chatty, informal and laced with humor. He doesn’t meet toxicity with toxicity.”

Fugelsang tackles a wide spectrum of justice issues—from racism and homophobia to capital punishment and xenophobia—grounding his arguments firmly in scripture and, more specifically, in the teachings of Jesus. His work is Biblically rooted and Jesus-centered, with a style that’s readable, accessible, and refreshingly grounded.

An actor, podcaster, comedian and progressive Christian, John Fugelsang has written Separation of Church and Hate.  Pursuant to its subtitle, it is intended as “a sane person’s guide to taking back the Bible from fundamentalists, fascists and flock-fleecing frauds.” Thankfully, it does just that!

The book contains several significant strengths:

Still not convinced?  Then there’s this: Willie Nelson likes the book; he says so right there on the back cover.

“Willie Nelson likes the book; he says so right there on the back cover.”

We invite you to check out Separation of Church and Hate and let it speak to your own faith journey—especially as we continue seeking ways to build a community grounded in justice, humility, and radical welcome.

📖 Want more information on the book or ready to purchase it? Visit our Read. Reflect. Renew. feature:

Separation of Church and Hate

📬 Got something to share? We’re always looking for thought-provoking content for the website and for The Loop. If you have a review, a reflection, or an idea you think our community would benefit from, please reach out to us at [email protected].

⛪ Guest Preacher: Rev. Belinda Sledge

Sunday Worship – November 2, 2025 at 10:55 AM

Rev. Belinda Sledge is the owner of S&V Financial Services, an accounting firm she founded in 2004 and named after her two children, Sierra and Victor. A native of Richmond, Virginia, she made her home in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she earned a B.S. degree in Accounting from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Over the years, she has been recognized with awards for outstanding service in her profession and for her work in the community.

Rev. Sledge is a trained church consultant, conflict resolution leader, and ordained minister. She holds a Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary and has served churches, nonprofits, and businesses for more than 20 years. In December 2018, she was commissioned by the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ as Minister for Financial Stewardship and Church Consultant—a role she continues today as Minister for Finance and Church Consulting. She led the first youth event of the Southern Conference in 2024.

Her pastoral ministry includes serving as Interim Pastor of her home church, Union Chapel United Church of Christ in Burlington, NC, from May 2024 to September 2025, as well as stepping into leadership as Interim Conference Minister during the sabbatical of Rev. Dr. Edward Davis in the past.

Rev. Sledge’s passion is teaching others how to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to them. She has dedicated her life to spreading financial knowledge and stewardship principles that empower churches, individuals, and business owners alike.

Beyond her professional and ministerial work, she spent 13 years as Executive Director of the Swann Middle School Drumline & Dance Team in Greensboro until the school’s renovation closure. She remains a strong advocate for children and youth. Her motto is her life’s mission: “All goals are attainable with the help of God and your efforts.”

In addition to her role at the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ, Rev. Sledge is a respected voice across the wider UCC. She recently served as Interim Pastor of Union Chapel UCC in Burlington and frequently consults with churches on financial integrity, stewardship, and sustainable ministry. She is the founder of S&V Accounting Services, offering faith-informed accounting and consulting support to nonprofits, congregations, and entrepreneurs across North Carolina.

We look forward to welcoming Rev. Sledge to our Sanctuary and into the vibrant spiritual life of Holy Covenant. Come experience her powerful message and the movement of Spirit among us.

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#HCUCCEverywhere | #BeTheChurch | #GuestPreacher

🖍️ Little Hands, Big Hearts

Children’s Ministry Project During Worship – Sunday, October 26

This Sunday, October 26, Holy Covenant’s youngest members will be joyfully putting their faith into action! During worship, children are invited to create original Christmas card artwork that will be printed and offered at our Craft Fair on November 2 to benefit Time Out Youth, a Charlotte-based nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth.

With crayons and compassion, our children will share messages of love, welcome, and hope — one card at a time.

This project is part of our Christian Education Ministry’s mission to nurture spiritual growth through creativity, generosity, and connection. Children will explore how their talents and hearts can serve others — especially those who may need a message of joy this holiday season.

👩🏽‍🎨 Who Can Participate?
Everyone! Whether your child is a weekly attendee or a first-time visitor, they are welcome to join the fun. We’ll have supplies ready and a warm space waiting for them!

💌 What Happens Next?
All of the children’s artwork will be professionally printed as greeting cards and made available at our upcoming Craft Sale. Donations collected will directly support Time Out Youth’s life-affirming programs for LGBTQ+ teens and young adults across Western North Carolina.

Through this joyful act of creation, our children are reminded that they are the Church — right now. Their voices, gifts, and compassion make a real difference in the world around them.

#HCUCCEverywhere | #FaithInAction | #LittleHandsBigHearts

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