(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
Dec 19, 2025
Dear Holy Covenant,
This coming Sunday, we will be lighting our fourth Advent candle, the candle of love. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ next week, this Sunday has profound meaning in light of the heartbreak and violence our world has witnessed over the past week.
We’ve seen unspeakable violence: a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach that claimed 15 lives, a shooting at Brown University that killed two students and wounded nine others, the murder of an MIT professor in his own home, and the tragic deaths of director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. There’s been the ongoing violence of ICE activity in U.S. cities, and across the world in Gaza where a ceasefire is supposed to be in place, Palestinians continue to be killed by targeted military strikes. These events, along with ongoing violence and suffering around the world, remind us how desperately our world needs love…
Peace and Blessings,
Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
Senior Pastor, Holy Covenant UCC
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Stay connected with weekly reflections, essays, and pastoral updates from Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
Did you know that Pastor Chris has a Substack page where he shares thoughtful reflections, essays, and insights beyond the Sunday pulpit? This online space is another way to stay connected with his ministry throughout the week, to deepen your faith, and to join in conversation with others who are following along.
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