(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
Pastor Chris Brings the Good News!
Love as We Have Been Lovedâ by Maximino Cerezo Barredo â A vivid expression of Christâs call to love one another with boundless compassion and solidarity..
Do You Love Me?
Gospel Lesson: Mark 5:21 â 34
On the peaceful morning of May 4th, Pastor Chris Czarnecki delivered a stirring and thought-provoking sermon titled âDo You Love Me?â, drawn from the Gospel of Johnâs tender account of the Risen Christ meeting his disciples on the shore.
As the disciples returned to fishingâretreating into the familiar after a season of upheavalâJesus appeared, not in grandeur, but in gentleness. He stood on the shore and offered them breakfast. This moment, Pastor Chris reminded us, is not just about fish and fire. Itâs about grace that meets us where we areâand love that calls us beyond ourselves.
The sermon explored our very human impulse to retreat when life gets hard. When we are overwhelmed, uncertain, or hurting, we tend to go back to what we knowâjust as Peter and the disciples did. But instead of chastising them, Jesus simply asked, âDo you love me?â Not once, but three timesâeach time pairing the question with a commission: Feed my sheep.
This was not a call to comfortâit was a call to service. Pastor Chris invited us to see that loving Jesus is not a private emotion, but a public commitment to care, to act, to lead with compassion. We were reminded that discipleship is not about retreating into safety, but stepping forward into purpose, even when itâs hard.
In true Holy Covenant spirit, this sermon was a bold invitationâto resist the pull of disengagement, and to embrace the sacred work of tending to one another and the world. Whether we are newly confirmed or long on the journey, Jesus is calling each of us: Come to the shore. Be nourished. And go feed the sheep.
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At Holy Covenant UCC, we celebrate Earth Sunday by affirming our call to protect creation, seek environmental justice, and honor the sacredness of our planet.
Earth Day Sunday
Gospel Lesson: Mark 5:21 â 34
In a sermon woven with urgency, tenderness, and sacred challenge, Pastor Chris invited Holy Covenant into a moment of deep reflection and bold action. Preaching from Mark 5:21â34âthe story of the woman who, after years of suffering, reached out and touched the cloak of JesusâPastor Chris drew a profound parallel between her long, unseen pain and the woundedness of our Earth.
The womanâs faith, persistent and aching, stirred Jesus to a radical act of unselfish love. He did not withhold healing. He did not count the cost. He offered wholeness freely, even when tradition and the powers of the day would have condemned her. So too, Pastor Chris urged, must we reach outânot only in desperate hope but in determined actionâto heal the bleeding Earth.
He warned that healing will not come without sacrifice. We must lay down the comforts and conveniences that are harming creation. As an example, he called attention to the alarming North Carolina Senate Bill 261, which threatens to unravel environmental protections under the guise of “regulatory reform.” If we are serious about offering healing to the Earth, we must also be serious about resisting the forces that continue to wound it.
Pastor Chris called each listener to be a living vessel of Earthâs healingânot in passivity, but in active, loving defiance against harm, rooted in the radical compassion of Christ.
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Easter at Holy Covenant UCC celebrates the power of resurrection and renewalâChrist is risen, and love leads us forward.
Easter Sunday
Gospel Lesson: John 20:1 â 18
On Easter Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, Pastor Chris delivered a thought-provoking and heart-stirring sermon titled “I Have Seen Jesus,” based on John 20:1â18. In the light of the resurrection morning, he invited the congregation to remain open to encountering the Risen Christâeven in the shadows, even in the grief-soaked silence of the tomb. The message called us to recognize resurrection not only in the expected places of joy and renewal, but also in the unconventional, overlooked corners of our lives where love insists on rising. Pastor Chrisâs words echoed with a sacred challenge: Where do you see resurrection? The sermon became a call to action, a summons to live as people who have seen the Lordâand who dare to believe that resurrection is not a moment, but a movement.â
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The Confirmation Experience | Palm Sunday | Confirmation Sunday
Palm Sunday at Holy Covenant UCC is a vibrant celebration of Jesusâ triumphal entryâfeaturing waving palms, joyful worship, and a powerful start to Holy Week.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 19:28 â 40
During the Palm Sunday service at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, Pastor Chris offered a heartfelt overview of the confirmation journey for the 2025 confirmands. He spoke about the significance of confirmation within the United Church of Christânot as a requirement, but as a meaningful opportunity for young people to affirm their baptism, claim their faith as their own, and publicly commit to a life of spiritual growth and service within the church community. Pastor Chris reflected on the unique paths each confirmand took throughout their time of study, discussion, and discernment, highlighting the courage and authenticity they brought to the process. He emphasized that the confirmation ceremony is both a celebration and a covenantâa sacred moment where the entire congregation joins in support, bearing witness to the unfolding of faith in the lives of these emerging leaders.â
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
Hebrew Lesson: Isaiah 43:16 â 21
In his progressive and thought-provoking sermon You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, based on Isaiah 43:16-21, Pastor Chris delivers a bold and inspiring message that urges believers to look beyond the past and lean into the future with expectant faith. While honoring the powerful moves of God in history, he reminds the congregation that God is not done yetâwhatâs coming is even greater. âIf you think the past was powerful, you ainât seen nothing yet!â he proclaims, challenging listeners to release old narratives and make room for the new. Pastor Chris emphasizes the importance of spiritual anticipation, declaring that to receive what lies ahead, we must remain open and ready for the fresh and unexpected ways God is still moving.
Beyond the Sons: Becoming Love
Gospel Lesson: Luke 15:1 â 3, 11 â 32
Pastor Chrisâs sermon, Beyond the Sons: Becoming Love, based on Luke 15:1-3 and 11-32, explores the radical inclusion, grace, and love of God, challenging believers to move beyond mere sonship into the fullness of divine love. He highlights the parable of the prodigal son as a powerful illustration of Godâs extravagant welcomeâembracing not only the lost but also the self-righteous. Pastor Chris emphasizes that true spiritual maturity is not just receiving love but becoming love itself, extending grace without limits and welcoming others without conditions. This message calls the church to embody the heart of the Father, creating communities of radical inclusion where all are accepted, restored, and transformed by grace.
When Bad Things Happen
Gospel Lesson: Luke 13:1 – 9
In his sermon When Bad Things Happen on Luke 13:1-9, Pastor Chris tackled the age-old question of suffering and divine justice with a compassionate and progressive perspective. He rejected the idea that tragedy is a punishment from God, instead emphasizing Jesusâ call to repentanceânot as fear-based guilt, but as an invitation to transformation. Pastor Chris reminded the congregation that when faced with suffering, our response should not be to assign blame but to cultivate grace, resilience, and deeper faith. Using the parable of the barren fig tree, he painted a picture of God as the patient gardener, always nurturing, always giving second chances. Rather than seeing hardships as divine retribution, he encouraged his listeners to view them as moments for growth, solidarity, and renewed purpose in working toward a more just and loving world.
Prophetic Courage
Gospel Lesson: Luke 13: 31 – 35
Pastor Chrisâs sermon on Luke 13:31-35 reflects on Jesusâ unwavering commitment to his mission despite opposition. In this progressive Christian sermon, Pastor Chris explores themes of courage, divine purpose, and Godâs boundless compassion. Emphasizing the call to embrace Christâs love, the message invites our faith-based community to stand firm in justice, mercy, and grace, even in the face of challenges.
Wrestling with Temptation
Gospel Lesson: Luke 4:1 – 13
Pastor Chris delivered a thought-provoking and progressive sermon on Luke 4:1-13, exploring Jesusâ time in the wilderness through a modern, relatable lens. He emphasized how the temptations Jesus facedâhunger, power, and testing Godâmirror the struggles of everyday life, urging the congregation to resist societal pressures that prioritize greed and domination over compassion and justice. In a particularly engaging moment, Pastor Chris reminisced about watching professional wrestling as a child, drawing a parallel between the staged battles in the ring and the spiritual battles we face. Just as wrestlers put on a show of strength and resilience, he encouraged believers to recognize the performance of power in the world and instead embrace the true strength found in humility, faith, and love.
Lifting the Veil: Embracing Spiritual Transformation
Christian Lesson: 2 Corinthians 3:12 – 42
Pastor Chris delivered a powerful and progressive sermon titled Lifting the Veil: Embracing Spiritual Transformation, based on 2 Corinthians 3:12-18. He explored the metaphor of the veil that once covered Moses’ face, urging the congregation to consider the ways in which fear, tradition, and rigid doctrine can obscure the transformative power of God’s love. With passion and insight, Pastor Chris emphasized that true faith is not about clinging to old rules but about stepping into the freedom and renewal that Christ offers. He challenged listeners to remove the veils that hinder their spiritual growthâwhether they be prejudice, legalism, or complacencyâand to embrace a faith that is ever-evolving, inclusive, and rooted in grace. His message resonated as a call to let go of the need for certainty and instead trust in the Spiritâs ongoing work of transformation in their lives and in the world.
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