In this week’s focus on Gospel Lesson (Luke 18:9–14), Jesus reminds us that humility—not performance—opens the way to grace.
Online, it’s easy to build a digital altar to ourselves: the perfect caption, the flawless filter, the well-timed post. Yet the Spirit doesn’t dwell in polish; it breathes through honesty.

When we post without pretense, we make space for connection that heals. The Pharisee prayed, “Thank you that I’m not like them.” The tax collector simply said, “Have mercy.”
Our digital lives offer the same choice every day: performance or presence.

Each winter, Holy Covenant joins Roof Above’s Room in the Inn program to provide overnight shelter, warm meals, and genuine welcome for neighbors experiencing homelessness.

Holy Covenant will host Room in the Inn on the following dates:

• Sunday, December 7, 2025
• Sunday, January 11, 2026
• Sunday, February 8, 2026
• Sunday, March 8, 2026

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” — Matthew 25:35 (NRSV)

In the quiet parable of Luke 18:9–14, Jesus contrasts two hearts at prayer: one self-assured and one humble, one comparing and one connecting. Beneath the story lies a deeper invitation — to stop performing and start belonging. To see others not as competition, but as companions. To practice the kind of friendship that heals.

This Sunday’s worship service at Holy Covenant is going to be a little different. We’re going to be slowing down, breathing deeply, and entering a quieter, more contemplative experience.

We went to Greensboro to learn more about the sit-in that desegregated the Woolworth lunch counter in 1960. We returned with new perspectives, and so much more.

Nearly three dozen people made the Oct. 4 pilgrimage, most by bus, to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro. Holy Covenant’s Racial Justice and Equity Team sponsored the trip and arranged for a tour of the museum, which includes the original lunch counter and is housed in the former Woolworth building.

Racial Justice & Equity Ministry

On this UCC Access Sunday, our children learned about access—and how God’s love makes room for everyone. Guest leader D. Evans joined Pastor Chris to show how people move through the world in different ways. Braces, crutches, and walkers became tools of courage and connection, each reminding us that accessibility is another word for welcome.

In a culture obsessed with instant results, perseverance can feel like an old-fashioned word. Yet Jesus told his followers “to pray always and not to lose heart.” (Luke 18:1) He knew that faith, like the soul, grows stronger through endurance — through the long obedience of love and prayer that keeps showing up, even when outcomes are unseen.

We’ve all been there — staring at the screen, endlessly scrolling, feeling our hearts slip into “low power mode.” When every headline feels heavy and every notification tugs at your attention, even the most grounded spirit can flicker. The good news? Our souls can recharge — not by escaping the digital world, but by transforming how we move through it.

“Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” — Isaiah 40:31

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.

On World Communion Sunday (October 5, 2025), Holy Covenant celebrated a radiant moment of belonging as ten new members joined our covenant family.

The welcome was deeply personal. Each new member was introduced by a sponsor who shared a brief story of that person’s journey to Holy Covenant—what called them here, how they felt seen, and where they sense God leading next. There was laughter, a few tears, and a chorus of “Thanks be to God.” Each new member received a welcome certificate and a UCC lapel pin, symbols of our shared covenant and a reminder that no one walks alone.