Recent Worship Services – Watch, Reflect, and Reconnect

Revisit our latest spirit-filled worship experiences, where bold faith, radical welcome, and justice-centered preaching meet sacred community.

Abstract artwork symbolizing divine calling and light breaking into the world, reflecting the theme 'Called to Be Light'.

Called to Be Light — A reminder that God names us beloved before asking anything of us, and then calls us to let that love shine into the world.

Worship Service – January 18, 2026 | Second Sunday After the Epiphany

Bulletin – 01-18-2026

Scripture: Isaiah 49:1–7

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we gathered on the Second Sunday After the Epiphany to reflect on calling, courage, and the quiet persistence of light. Worship invited us to consider what it means to be named by God—not after we feel prepared, but before—and to trust that belovedness is the beginning of faithful action.

From the opening prayer, we were reminded that we come carrying the weight of the world and the doubts we hold about our own adequacy. And yet, we were invited to center ourselves in the truth that we are loved simply because we belong to God—formed not only for comfort, but for service.

Our scripture from Isaiah 49:1–7 named a servant who feels weary, unseen, and unsure whether their labor has mattered at all. Into that exhaustion, God speaks a deeper truth: the work is larger than imagined, the calling wider than expected, and the light meant not only for one people, but for all nations.

In his sermon, “Called to Be Light,” Pastor Chris invited us to release the myth that readiness precedes calling. Drawing on voices from the civil rights movement and prophetic faith, we were reminded that justice grows when people trust that their contribution matters—even when the destination remains unclear.

The service wove together scripture, prayer, and witness to affirm that justice is not the absence of pain, but the refusal to let pain have the final word. Through communal prayer and song, we named our doubts honestly, received words of grace freely, and were reminded that God equips those God calls.

Music carried the theology of the day with power and tenderness—from the opening spiritual “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” to the stirring anthem “Roll Down, Justice,” and the communal hymn “We Shall Overcome.” Together, worship reminded us that faith is not passive—it sings, it marches, it hopes.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen”
  • Introit: “Holy Ground”
  • Hymn: “Oh Freedom”
  • Modern Lesson: Words of Fannie Lou Hamer
  • Scripture: Isaiah 49:1–7
  • Sermon: “Called to Be Light” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Special Music: “Roll Down, Justice”
  • Poem: “Let America Be America Again” — Langston Hughes
  • Closing Hymn: “We Shall Overcome”
  • Postlude: “Deep River”

“God does not call us because we are ready; God calls us because love demands a response.”

Baptism of Jesus artwork depicting Jesus in the waters of the Jordan, with the Spirit descending and a sense of sacred renewal and belovedness.

💧 Baptism of Jesus — A holy reminder that we are already known, already claimed, and already beloved… and that belovedness commissions us to live with courage.

Worship Service – January 11, 2026 | Baptism of Christ

Bulletin – 01-11-2026

Scripture: Matthew 3:13–17

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we gathered to celebrate the Baptism of Christ—a day centered not on achievement, but on identity. In the waters of the Jordan, Jesus is named beloved before he performs a miracle, preaches a sermon, or takes a single step toward the cross. Worship invited us to receive that same truth: we are loved, claimed, and called—not because we have earned it, but because we belong to God.

Our centering prayer framed the service with gentleness and clarity: before we speak or sing or try to make sense of anything, we remember that we are already known and already loved. The Call to the Heart echoed this invitation, drawing us toward “the welcoming waters of grace” and the voice that calls us precious and whole.

In the Gospel reading, Matthew 3:13–17, Jesus comes to be baptized by John, and heaven breaks open: the Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of God declares, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” The story reminds us that belovedness is not sentimental—it is foundational. It is the grounding that makes faithful living possible.

Pastor Chris preached a sermon titled “The World Is Waiting and the Waters Are Calling,” inviting us to hear baptism as both affirmation and commissioning. The waters tell the truth about who we are—and then they send us out. God’s love is not meant to stay contained in private comfort; it becomes public courage. To remember we are beloved is to step into the world with a steadier heart, a clearer purpose, and a deeper commitment to justice.

A particularly powerful moment in the service was the Affirmation of Baptism. Congregants were invited forward to receive a blessing with water from the baptismal font—whether or not they have ever been baptized—because God’s love exists before and beyond any ritual. As the choir sang “Wade in the Water,” we were reminded that God still “troubles the water,” calling us into renewal, solidarity, and the messy places where love becomes action.

We also marked a significant moment in the life of the church through the installation of Elders and Deacons and the recognition of service from the Consistory Class of 2025. With prayer, covenant, and the laying on of hands, we celebrated leaders who have answered God’s call for the flourishing of the congregation and the healing of the world.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “For the Beauty of the Earth”
  • Introit: “Holy Ground”
  • Hymn: “Beautiful Jesus”
  • Modern Lesson: Rachel Held Evans (from Searching for Sunday)
  • Gospel Lesson: Matthew 3:13–17
  • Sermon: “The World Is Waiting and the Waters Are Calling” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Affirmation of Baptism: with music “Wade in the Water”
  • Offertory: “On Eagle’s Wings”
  • Installation of Elders and Deacons: including laying on of hands
  • Closing Hymn: “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart”
  • Postlude: “Amazing Grace”

“Knowing we are beloved gives us the courage to live, to love, and to seek justice.” — bell hooks

Abstract circular artwork with golden rings spiraling inward around the words 'And So I Chose to Begin Again,' symbolizing renewal, intention, and the courage to start anew.

🕊️ And So I Chose to Begin Again — A reminder that new beginnings are not about erasing the past, but choosing how we step forward.

Worship Service – January 4, 2026 | Second Sunday After Christmas

Bulletin – 01-04-2026

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:7–14

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we gathered on the Second Sunday After Christmas and the first Sunday of the new year—standing at a threshold where memory and possibility meet. Worship invited us not to rush past what has been, but to step deliberately into what is becoming.

From the opening prayers to the final blessing, the service was shaped by the language of homecoming—not as a return to something lost, but as a reawakening to a sacred presence that has never left us. We named the weight of the past year honestly, while affirming that we are not defined by it.

Our scripture from Jeremiah 31:7–14 offered a vision of gathering and restoration: a people brought home, mourning turned to joy, lives renewed like a lush garden. This was not a promise of ease, but of movement—God leading the people forward with intention, care, and hope.

In his sermon, “A Word for the Journey This Year,” Pastor Chris invited the congregation to consider the year ahead not as a blank slate, but as a call. A call to begin again—not by striving to become someone new, but by choosing to live more fully into who we already are, grounded in God’s presence and love.

A central moment in worship was the White Stone Ceremony, a sacred practice inviting each person to listen for a word to guide their intentions, actions, and becoming in the year ahead. These words were received not as resolutions to be perfected, but as invitations to be lived—quiet companions for the journey forward.

Music carried this theology throughout the service, offering welcome, courage, and resolve. From the opening tribute to Richard Smallwood to hymns that proclaimed hope, presence, and liberation, worship reminded us that faith is not only believed—it is practiced, sung, and embodied.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “A Tribute to Richard Smallwood”
  • Introit: “Welcome to This House”
  • Hymn of Joy: “What a World of Sound”
  • Special Music: “Joseph’s Song” — Ed Vickery
  • Sermon: “A Word for the Journey This Year” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Sacred Practice: White Stone Ceremony
  • Communion Hymn: “Jesus Is Here Right Now”
  • Closing Hymn: “Live into Hope”
  • Postlude: “Sleep Holy Babe”

“We are no longer defined by our past, but by who we are choosing to become.”

Abstract nativity artwork with Mary and Joseph silhouetted around the Christ child beneath a radiant star, emerging from flowing layers of UCC-inspired colors that cradle the scene in light and mystery.

🕊️ Keeping Christmas — A reminder that God meets us not in certainty, but in wonder, where mystery is held gently in the light of love.

Worship Service – December 28, 2025 | First Sunday After Christmas

Bulletin – 12-28-2025

Scripture: Isaiah 63:7–9 | Matthew 2:13–23

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we gathered on the First Sunday After Christmas to reflect on what it means not simply to celebrate Christmas — but to keep it. As the season’s brightness gives way to quieter days, worship invited us to consider how the mystery of God-with-us continues to shape our lives beyond December 25.

Drawing on the words of theologian and musician Barry Taylor, we were reminded that “God is the name of the blanket we throw over mystery to give it shape.” Christmas does not eliminate mystery; it holds it — wrapping the unknown in presence, tenderness, and hope.

Our scriptures carried this truth with honesty and depth. In Isaiah 63:7–9, the prophet recalls God’s steadfast love — a presence that does not abandon the people but carries them through suffering and exile. In Matthew 2:13–23, the Christmas story continues not with angels and shepherds, but with flight, fear, and courage, as the Holy Family seeks refuge in Egypt and later returns home by a different road.

Together, we acknowledged that Christmas is not sentimental or safe. Love takes flesh, and then love must travel — into uncertainty, displacement, and the hard work of protecting life. To keep Christmas is to remain faithful to that journey.

Guest preacher Rev. Judah L. Jones preached a sermon titled “Keeping Christmas,” inviting us to see Christmas not as a single holy moment, but as a way of living — choosing compassion over fear, welcome over indifference, and hope that refuses to go silent.

Music carried this theology forward throughout the service, weaving joy, courage, and resolve into every note. From the opening violin prelude to songs of resistance and praise, worship reminded us that faith is something we sing — and something we live.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “Christmas Medley” — Violin
  • Introit: “Come On, Ring Those Bells”
  • Hymn: “Joy to the World”
  • Gift in Song: “Ella’s Song”
  • Sermon: “Keeping Christmas” — Rev. Judah L. Jones
  • Song of Response: “Christmas We Shall Not Be Moved”
  • Doxology: “W Żłobie Leży”
  • Closing Hymn: “Go Tell It On the Mountain”
  • Postlude: “Rain Down”

Candlelight image symbolizing reflection and quiet hope after Christmas.

Life After Christmas graphic inviting reflection on living faith beyond the season.

Happy New Year 2026 graphic marking the turning of the year.


✨ “The work of Christmas begins when the song ends.”


“Christmas is not something we finish — it is something we keep.” — Rev. Judah L. Jones

Candlelight in the sanctuary on Christmas Eve, symbolizing hope, justice, and God-with-us.

✨ “The Manger and the Oppressed” — God born not into power, but into vulnerability, solidarity, and hope.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service – December 24, 2025

Bulletin – 12-24-2025

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2–7 | Luke 1:26–38 | Luke 2:1–20

On Christmas Eve, Holy Covenant United Church of Christ gathered by candlelight to tell the ancient story once more — not as nostalgia, but as living truth. In a world marked by injustice, displacement, and longing, worship invited us to encounter a God who enters history not through empire or dominance, but through vulnerability, presence, and love.

Worship opened with a piano duet of “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” followed by a Call to the Heart that named why we gather on this night: not because all is well in the world, but because God chooses to dwell within it. Christmas, we proclaimed, is not an escape from reality — it is God’s commitment to meet us in it.

The Christ Candle was lit by the Hankins family, marking the culmination of Advent’s journey. As the flame rose, we named what this birth proclaims: love has come near, hope has been kindled, peace is possible, and joy abides. The light of Christ, we declared, continues to shine wherever compassion, justice, and mercy take root.

Scripture unfolded in a sacred rhythm — Isaiah’s promise of light dawning in deep darkness, Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, and Luke’s telling of Jesus’ birth amid occupation, displacement, and scarcity. These readings reminded us that Christmas is not sentimental — it is profoundly political, deeply human, and unmistakably hopeful.

Pastor Chris preached a sermon titled “The Manger and the Oppressed,” inviting us to see the nativity not as a gentle tableau, but as a radical declaration. God enters the world among the poor, the displaced, and the vulnerable — revealing where divine love continues to show up today.

Music formed the heartbeat of the Christmas Eve service, carrying the story of incarnation with reverence, beauty, and conviction. A solo of “O Holy Night” followed — offered as a welcoming invitation into the mystery of the night, drawing the congregation into holy stillness and awe.

The Handbell Choir offered a series of stunning and spectacular musical moments throughout the service. With clarity, precision, and grace, each piece rang out like prayer made audible — bells proclaiming peace, hope, and light in ways words alone could not. Their shimmering presence grounded the service in reverence and beauty.

The Chancel Choir gave moving and powerful performances that anchored the theology of the night. In “Away in a Manger,” they offered tenderness and intimacy; in “Christmas Lullaby,” they gave voice to comfort and promise; and in the anthem “Candle in the Night,” they proclaimed hope that refuses to be extinguished — a light that endures even in deep darkness.

As the service drew toward its close, Eric Miner and Ed Vickery announced the birth of Emmanuel through a powerful and stirring presentation of “All Is Well” by Michael W. Smith — a declaration of faith that does not deny the world’s pain, but trusts God’s presence within it. The congregation then joined together in the candlelit singing of “Silent Night,” voices unified as light passed from flame to flame, filling the sanctuary with peace.

We departed carrying more than candle wax and melody — we carried a calling: to bear Christ’s light into a world still longing for justice, dignity, and peace.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” — Piano Duet
  • Introit: “On Christmas Night All Christians Sing”
  • Solo: “O Holy Night” — Dory Hankins
  • Handbell Choir: Multiple offerings throughout the service
  • Anthems: “Away in a Manger,” “Christmas Lullaby,” and “Candle in the Night” — Choir
  • Sermon: “The Manger and the Oppressed” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Proclamation: “All Is Well” — Eric Miner & Ed Vickery
  • Candlelight Hymn: “Silent Night”

Light, hope, and connection reflected through community and technology.

The Advent candle of joy glowing warmly.

The candle of peace lit during Advent.

The Rock of Hope symbol at Holy Covenant UCC.

✨ “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”


“God chose a manger — and in doing so, chose the oppressed, the forgotten, and the hopeful.” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki

Artwork of an expectant Mary titled 'Love Is All I Have to Give You,' symbolizing Advent love and courageous hope.

🕊️ “Love Is All I Have to Give You” — Love made visible, embodied, and brave enough to change the world.

Worship Service – December 21, 2025 | Fourth Sunday of Advent: LOVE

Bulletin – 12-21-2025

Scripture: Luke 1:46b–55 (CEB) | Modern Lesson: bell hooks

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we gathered on the
Fourth Sunday of Advent to dwell in the theme of LOVE — not as sentiment or softness, but as courage, commitment, and holy risk. In a world marked by injustice, fear, and exhaustion, worship invited us to remember that love is the force that dares to enter the impossible and bring new life where none seems possible.

Worship opened with a tender yet prophetic Call to the Heart, naming Mary as a model of love embodied — a young woman who carried love in her body before she ever held it in her arms. Together we confessed that God’s love is not distant or abstract, but takes on flesh, moves among us, and calls each of us by name.

The Candle of Love was lit by Markus and Kristen Fuchs, accompanied by words that named love as both gentle and fierce — a power that forgives, liberates, embraces the forgotten, and risks itself for the sake of others. As the flame burned, we proclaimed that God’s love endures and calls us to love one another with the same brave generosity.

Our Modern Lesson drew from the wisdom of bell hooks, who reminded us that love is not passive feeling, but active practice — a combination of care, commitment, responsibility, respect, and trust. Her words echoed through the sanctuary alongside Mary’s song in the Magnificat (Luke 1:46b–55), where love overturns injustice, lifts the lowly, fills the hungry, and imagines a world where everyone belongs.

Pastor Christopher Czarnecki preached a sermon titled “Love Is All I Have to Give You,”  inviting us to see Mary not as distant icon, but as courageous witness — someone who offered what she had, trusting that love would be enough to change the world. Love, he reminded us, is our vocation and our work: the presence we carry into every space, every heart, every moment.

Music carried the theology of love with depth and beauty throughout the service — from the piano duet prelude “Journey to the Manger,” to the handbell choir’s tender offerings, the choir’s moving anthem “In the Bleak Midwinter,” and the congregation’s powerful proclamation of “Canticle of the Turning.” Each note echoed Mary’s song: a world on the brink of turning, shaped by love that refuses to let injustice have the final word.

As we moved toward the table and the offering of our gifts, we were reminded that love is made visible through generosity — through shared resources, shared lives, and shared hope. Like Mary, we are invited to offer what we have, trusting that when love is shared, God continues to bring new life into the world.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “Journey to the Manger” — Piano Duet
  • Introit: “Away in a Manger” — Handbell Choir
  • Call to the Heart: Love that takes flesh and changes the world
  • Hymn: “O Come, All You Faithful”
  • Advent Moment: Lighting of the Candle of Love — Markus & Kristen Fuchs
  • Song of Response: “Light the Candle”
  • Modern Lesson: bell hooks
  • Anthem: “In the Bleak Midwinter” — Choir
  • Gospel Lesson: Luke 1:46b–55 (The Magnificat)
  • Sermon: “Love Is All I Have to Give You” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Song: “Canticle of the Turning”
  • Closing Hymn: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
  • Benediction Response: “Wonderful Child”

Rock of Hope
Candles of Peace
Articles of Joy
✨ “Love is not simply what we feel — it is what we dare to live.”


“Love is all Mary had to offer — and it was enough to change the world.” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki

Advent imagery symbolizing joy, light, and holy celebration.

🌸 “Even in Despair, Joy Is Still There” — Claiming joy as holy resistance and sacred strength.

Worship Service – December 14, 2025 | Third Sunday of Advent: JOY

Bulletin – 12-14-2025

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1–10 | Modern Lesson: Audre Lorde

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we gathered in the heart of Advent’s third week to celebrate JOY — not as fleeting happiness, but as holy defiance, resilient hope, and life-giving strength. Pastor Christopher Czarnecki preached a powerful message titled “Even in Despair, Joy Is Still There,” inviting us to reclaim joy as a sacred practice in a world too often shaped by fear, injustice, and weariness.

Worship opened with a vibrant Call to the Heart that named joy honestly — not joy that pretends everything is fine, but joy that rises in the face of injustice and insists on life anyway. Together we affirmed that joy strengthens the weary, liberates the oppressed, and belongs to all of God’s children.

The Candle of Joy was lit by Rev. Windy Allison and Angela Allison, reminding us that joy is an active form of resistance. As the flame flickered, we proclaimed that joy testifies to God’s promises even amid sorrow and uncertainty — rekindling courage, gratitude, and hope within us and among us.

Our Modern Lesson drew from the prophetic wisdom of Audre Lorde, who named joy as rebellion — a fierce commitment to live fully despite wounds and systems that thrive on despair. That witness echoed beautifully alongside Isaiah 35:1–10, where the prophet proclaims deserts blooming, bodies healed, and a holy way where grief gives way to singing and everlasting joy.

In his sermon, Pastor Chris reminded us that joy does not deny suffering — it confronts it with courage. Joy, he preached, is the strength that keeps us moving, the light that refuses to be extinguished, and the promise that God is still making a way where none seems possible.

Music carried that joy with brilliance and depth: a radiant violin prelude of “The First Noël,” the choir’s anthem “Song of the Baptist,” and the congregation’s joyful proclamation of “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” and “This Little Light of Mine.” Each note became a declaration that joy still rises — in song, in community, in shared breath.

At Christ’s open table and throughout the service, we were reminded that joy is communal — a gift we receive and a witness we share. In laughter, song, generosity, and prayer, we claimed joy not as escape, but as fuel for love, justice, and faithful living in a world still longing for healing.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “The First Noël” — Violin, Mary Tarr
  • Introit: “Welcome to This House”
  • Call to the Heart: “Joy that strengthens, liberates, and belongs to all.”
  • Hymn: “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice”
  • Advent Moment: Lighting of the Candle of Joy — Rev. Windy & Angela Allison
  • Song of Response: “Light the Candle of Joy Today”
  • Modern Lesson: Audre Lorde
  • Anthem: “Song of the Baptist” — Choir
  • Scripture: Isaiah 35:1–10
  • Sermon: “Even in Despair, Joy Is Still There” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Hymn: “This Little Light of Mine”
  • Closing Hymn: “Angels We Have Heard on High”
  • Benediction Response: “While We Are Waiting, Come”

The Advent candle of joy glowing in the sanctuary at Holy Covenant UCC.

✨ “Joy is not a distraction from the struggle — it is the strength that helps us survive it.”


“Even in despair, joy is still there — rising, resisting, and reminding us that God is not finished with us yet.” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki

Advent candles and signs of love arranged as symbols of peace and welcome.

🕊️ “The World God Longs For” — Listening for God’s peace in a world aching for justice, healing, and wholeness.

Worship Service – December 7, 2025 | Second Sunday of Advent: PEACE

Bulletin – 12-07-2025

Scripture: Psalm 72:1–7, 18–19 | Modern Lesson: Dorothee Sölle

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we stepped into the second week of Advent carrying a longing both ancient and immediate: the longing for peace. Pastor Christopher Czarnecki preached “The World God Longs For,” inviting us to imagine a world shaped by compassion, justice, and the peace Christ is still bringing to life among us.

Worship opened with a gentle Call to the Heart, naming the many places where peace feels fragile — in our spirits, our relationships, our communities, and our world. Again and again we prayed, “God, guide us in the ways of peace.”

The Candle of Peace, lit by Rev. Jim and Faye Humphrey, reminded us that peace is not something we simply await but something we practice. Each act of mercy, every bridge rebuilt, each truth spoken in love becomes part of the peace God is birthing even now.

Our Modern Lesson from theologian Dorothee Sölle challenged us to refuse complacency and lean toward justice. This resonated with Psalm 72:1–7, 18–19, a prayer for leaders who defend the poor and nurture the flourishing of peace.

In his sermon, Pastor Chris reflected on peace as a daily choice — compassion over indifference, courage over apathy, solidarity over isolation. “The world God longs for,” he said, “is woven through the everyday acts of justice and mercy we choose.”

Music carried this longing with beauty: a shimmering harp prelude, the choir’s prophetic anthem “A Voice in the Desert”, and communion music reminding us that peace is a table we share, a welcome we extend, a love we practice.

At Christ’s open table, we remembered Jesus as the one who heals, lifts up, includes, and sends us out as bearers of peace in a restless world. All were welcomed — hungry or fed, certain or doubtful, straight or queer, named and unnamed — into the grace that meets us again and again.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “The Christ Child’s Lullaby / Tàladh Chriosda” — Kristin Andes, Harp
  • Introit: “Welcome to This House”
  • Call to the Heart: “God, guide us in the ways of peace.”
  • Hymn: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (adapt. Maren Tirabassi)
  • Advent Moment: Lighting of the Candle of Peace — Rev. Jim & Faye Humphrey
  • Song of Response: “Light the Candle of Peace Today”
  • Modern Lesson: Dorothee Sölle
  • Anthem: “A Voice in the Desert” — Choir
  • Scripture: Psalm 72:1–7, 18–19
  • Sermon: “The World God Longs For” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Communion: The Mystic Supper — an open table of grace, healing, and welcome
  • Communion Music: “Christmas Communion Song” & “Table of Grace”
  • Hymn: “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”
  • Benediction Response: “While We Are Waiting, Come”

Candle of peace glowing for the second week of Advent at Holy Covenant UCC.

🕊️ “Peace is born wherever justice deepens, mercy is extended, and love refuses to turn away.”


“The world God longs for is not a far-off dream — it is already taking shape wherever we choose compassion, courage, and peace.” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki

Advent candle of hope glowing against a soft winter backdrop.

🕯️ “Hope That Moves Us On” — Beginning the journey of Advent with trust in God’s renewing love.

Worship Service – November 30, 2025 | First Sunday of Advent: HOPE

Bulletin – 11-30-2025

Scripture: Isaiah 2:1–5 | Modern Lesson: Rev. Amara Reyes

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, Pastor Christopher Czarnecki led us into the sacred beginning of Advent — a season marked not by rushing, but by readiness; not by certainty, but by hope. His message, “Hope That Moves Us On,” invited us to lean toward God’s promise even when the world feels unsteady.

We began with the Lighting of the Candle of Hope by the Deck family, a our Hanging of the Greens tradition reminding us that every wreath, ribbon, and evergreen placed in our sanctuary is an act of preparing our hearts for Christ’s arrival.

The Hebrew Scripture from Isaiah 2:1–5 offered a sweeping vision of peace —swords turned into plowshares, nations learning war no more, and God’s people walking in holy light. The modern lesson by Rev. Amara Reyes echoed that promise: “Hope is the steady decision to rise again,” she wrote, reminding us that hope is less an emotion and more a practice.

Pastor Chris reflected on how hope works in real life — quietly, insistently, slow-growing, like dawn before daylight. He shared moments from our own community where hope is stitched into ordinary acts: meals delivered, prayers lifted, burdens shared, laughter rediscovered. “Hope is what keeps us moving when the way isn’t clear,” he said. “It’s the belief that God is already at work ahead of us.”

Our special music deepened the moment: “Patchwork Quilt” by D. Evans, a warm reminder that God pieces our lives together with grace; and a shimmering duet of “Advent Hymn” offered by Eric Miner & Ed Vickery, singing hope into the room with gentle conviction.

We also honored World AIDS Day, pausing to remember those lost, those still fighting, and the sacred call to justice, dignity, and care for every person affected by HIV/AIDS. “Hope is not naive,” Pastor Chris reflected. “It sees the world truthfully — and still believes in healing.”

The service closed with the beloved hymn “Abide With Me,” a prayer woven with longing and trust. As voices lifted together, we stepped into Advent with hearts open — still waiting, still watching, still hoping.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
  • Hymn 1: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
  • Hanging of the Greens: “Light the Candle of Hope Today”
  • Hymn 2: “Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates”
  • Special Music: “Patchwork Quilt” — D. Evans
  • Special Music: “Advent Hymn” — Eric Miner & Ed Vickery
  • Scripture: Isaiah 2:1–5 — “Let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
  • Modern Lesson: Rev. Amara Reyes — “Hope is the steady decision to rise again.”
  • Sermon: “Hope That Moves Us On” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • World AIDS Day Moment: A remembrance of dignity, justice, and love.
  • Closing Hymn: “Abide With Me”
  • Benediction: “Go in hope — God is already ahead of you.”

Winter greenery and Advent candles arranged in Holy Covenant’s sanctuary.

🕊️ “Hope leans toward the promise of God’s renewing love — even when the world feels uncertain.”


“Hope is not wishful thinking — it is trust in the God who is already lighting the way.” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki

Graphic with bold text 'Kingdom vs. Kin-Dom' contrasting empire power with inclusive, relational community.

🕊️ “Kingdom vs. Kin-dom” — Trading fear-based empire for a kinship of mercy, solidarity, and liberating love in the shadow of the cross.

Worship Service – November 23, 2025 | Reign of Christ Sunday

Bulletin-11-23-2025

Gospel: Luke 23:33–43 (CEB) | Modern Lesson: Valarie Kaur, Revolutionary Love

This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, we marked Reign of Christ Sunday not with images of royal crowns and distant thrones, but with a powerful meditation on “Kingdom vs. Kin-dom.” Pastor Christopher Czarnecki invited us to consider what kind of reign Jesus truly embodies — not empire and domination, but a kinship of compassion, courage, and shared liberation.

The morning opened with a Centering Prayer that named our mixed realities in this season: gratitude for abundance, but also the fear and grief hovering over our city. We prayed for neighbors afraid to leave their homes, for families bearing the trauma of separation, and for those whose daily lives are shaped by the presence of unmarked vehicles and armed agents in our streets. At the same time, we confessed the privileges that shelter many of us from dangers others face. Pastor Chris asked God to root us in a compassion that doesn’t look away, but listens, learns, and stands beside those most harmed. “Center us now in your peace, your truth, and your Kin-dom that is breaking in,” we prayed together.

In the Call to the Heart, Jeffery Edwards-Knight gave language to that tension. He named the fear of a city on edge — businesses closing early, neighbors trading warnings — and placed it alongside the world Jesus knew: a land patrolled by imperial soldiers, where people moved carefully under the constant threat of Rome. Into both worlds, Jeffery reminded us, Christ proclaims another kind of reign: not fear but love, not domination but compassion, not empire but the Kin-dom of God. We were invited to gather not in hopelessness, but in holy defiance of the fear meant to divide and silence, and to worship the Christ who reigns in love and calls us “kindred.”

Our worship was framed with gratitude and beauty. The service began with a Prelude of “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” offered by Mary Tarr on violin, while later the Handbell Choir surrounded us with thanksgiving hymns — “For the Beauty of the Earth” and “We Gather Together” — ringing out a gentle insistence that gratitude and justice belong together. Through Stories for All People, Jo Ann Jellison helped us see that God’s kin-dom holds room for every story at the table, especially those often pushed to the edges.

Our Modern Lesson, read by Alice Phelan-Young from Valarie Kaur’s book Revolutionary Love, asked a piercing question: When faced with injustice, do we let fear harden us, or do we let love expand us? Kaur describes revolutionary love as a labor that sees those most harmed by our systems as part of our own family, disrupting the machinery of empire by showing up, listening, and refusing to dehumanize. Her words set the table for the Gospel and sermon to follow.

The Gospel reading from Luke 23:33–43 placed us at the foot of the cross: Jesus crucified between two criminals, mocked by leaders and soldiers, with a sign above his head reading, “This is the king of the Jews.” One criminal joins the insults, but the other sees something different — a king whose power looks like mercy. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” he pleads. Jesus responds not with condemnation, but with startling intimacy: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

In his message, “Kingdom vs. Kin-dom,” Pastor Chris explored how Jesus’ reign looks nothing like the empires we know. Kingdoms and empires depend on hierarchies: insiders and outsiders, protected citizens and expendable lives. They move through the world with unmarked power, enforcing order through fear. But on the cross, Jesus reveals a different kind of sovereignty — a Kin-dom in which the condemned are seen and addressed by name, enemies are forgiven, and even in his final breaths Christ is drawing people into relationship, not control.

Pastor Chris connected this to our own moment in Charlotte and beyond: to migrants and families living under threat; to communities that have always felt the weight of surveillance and state violence; to those whose identities or immigration status make them vulnerable to the machinery of empire. He reminded us that the Kin-dom of God is not abstract — it looks like showing up for those most at risk, listening to their stories, and refusing to categorize any human being as disposable. “Where empire says, ‘You are a problem to be managed,’” he said, “Jesus says, ‘You are kin. You belong to me.’”

The sermon invited us to consider where we locate ourselves in this story. Are we living like citizens of a kingdom rooted in fear and scarcity, or like kin in a community rooted in mercy and courage? Small actions — advocating for humane policies, supporting immigrant neighbors, giving generously, praying for those targeted by violence — become ways we practice the Kin-dom in real time. As Reign of Christ Sunday closed the church year, we were reminded that Christ’s kingship is not about control over us, but solidarity with us and with all who suffer.

The service moved toward sending with the hymn “Fight the Good Fight” and a charge to let our lives bear witness to hope in the face of fear. The Postlude, “We Have Come into This House,” sent us back into the world with a simple truth ringing in our ears: we gather around Christ not as subjects of an empire, but as kin at a shared table of grace.

📖🙏 Order of Worship Highlights:

  • Prelude: “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” – arr. J. Evanovich; Mary Tarr, violin
  • Centering Prayer: “Center us now in your peace, your truth, and your Kin-dom that is now breaking in.” – Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Call to the Heart: Naming a city living in fear and proclaiming Christ’s Kin-dom of love – Jeffery Edwards-Knight
  • Hymn: “When Armies Scourge the Countryside” – PACE MIO DIO
  • Special Music: “For the Beauty of the Earth” & “We Gather Together” – Handbell Choir
  • Stories for All People: Jo Ann Jellison
  • Pastoral Prayer: Rev. Liz Colton
  • Modern Lesson: Valarie Kaur, Revolutionary Love – read by Alice Phelan-Young
  • Gospel: Luke 23:33–43 (CEB) – read by Jeffery Edwards-Knight
  • The Good News / Sermon: “Kingdom vs. Kin-dom” – Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
  • Hymn GG 846: “Fight the Good Fight” – DUKE STREET
  • Postlude: “We Have Come into This House” – arr. J. Purifoy

Quiet, open hands cupped together in prayer over a soft, blurred background.

🕊️ “Christ’s reign does not come riding a warhorse, but hanging on a cross, calling us kin and inviting us into a love that empire cannot cancel.”


“Where empire says, ‘You are expendable,’ Jesus says, ‘You are kin.’ That is the Kin-dom we’re called to live into.” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki

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