(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
Revisit our latest spirit-filled worship experiences, where bold faith, radical welcome, and justice-centered preaching meet sacred community.
At Holy Covenant United Church of Christ in Charlotte, NC, worship is more than a weekly ritual—it’s a living expression of love, justice, and community.
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 – Worship Service – April 27, 2025
United Church of Christ Earth Day Sunday Worship Service
Gospel Lesson: Mark 5:21 – 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 5:21–34—the story of the woman who, after years of suffering, reached out and touched the cloak of Jesus—Pastor Chris drew a profound parallel between her long, unseen pain and the woundedness of our Earth.
The woman’s 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 out—not only in desperate hope but in determined action—to 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 Earth’s healing—not in passivity, but in active, loving defiance against harm, rooted in the radical compassion of Christ.
Easter at Holy Covenant UCC celebrates the power of resurrection and renewal—Christ is risen, and love leads us forward.
Easter Sunday – Worship Service – April 20, 2025
United Church of Christ Easter Sunday Worship Service
Gospel Lesson: John 20:1 – 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 20:1–18. In the light of the resurrection morning, he invited the congregation to remain open to encountering the Risen Christ—even 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 Chris’s 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 Lord—and who dare to believe that resurrection is not a moment, but a movement.
Palm Sunday – Worship Service – Confirmation Sunday – April 6, 2025
Palm Sunday at Holy Covenant UCC is a vibrant celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entry—featuring waving palms, joyful worship, and a powerful start to Holy Week.
United Church of Christ Palm Sunday Worship Service
Gospel Lesson: Luke 19:28 – 40
Our Palm Sunday worship service also celebrated the confirmation of the Class of 2025 confirmands. The service, beginning at 10:55 AM, marked the start of Holy Week and combined traditional Palm Sunday observances with the affirmation of faith by the confirmands.
The service commenced with a prelude of “All Glory, Laud, and Honor,” followed by a welcome from Rev. Christopher Czarnecki. The congregation participated in the Introit, singing hymn 216, “All Glory, Laud, and Honor,” and hymn 213, “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna,” reflecting the joyous entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
A “Call to the Heart” led by Ed Vickery invited the congregation to join in the spirit of Palm Sunday, acknowledging both the celebration and the impending passion of Christ. This was followed by a unison “Prayer for Transformation,” seeking courage and compassion in following Christ’s path.
The service included the Gospel reading from Luke 19:28-40, detailing Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The choir performed the anthem “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” arranged by J. Coates, enhancing the reflective atmosphere.
A significant portion of the service was dedicated to the confirmation of the Class of 2025 confirmands. This rite of passage allowed the young members to affirm their faith and commitment to the church community. The congregation supported them through prayers and blessings, recognizing their journey and growth in faith.
The service concluded with the congregation singing hymn 218, “Ah, Holy Jesus,” and a benediction from Rev. Czarnecki, sending the attendees forth with a renewed sense of purpose and reflection as they entered Holy Week.
Fifth Sunday in Lent – Worship Service – Mix It Up Sunday – April 6, 2025
United Church of Christ Worship Service
Hebrew Lesson: Isaiah 43:16 – 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 yet—what’s coming is even greater. “If you think the past was powerful, you ain’t seen nothing yet!” 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.
Fourth Sunday in Lent – Worship Service – March 30, 2025
United Church of Christ Worship Service
Gospel Lesson: Luke 15:1 – 3, 11 – 32
Pastor Chris’s 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 God’s extravagant welcome—embracing 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.
Third Sunday in Lent – Worship Service – March 23, 2025
United Church of Christ Worship Service
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 Jesus’ call to repentance—not 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.
Second Sunday in Lent – Worship Service – March 16, 2025
United Church of Christ Worship Service
Gospel Lesson: Luke 13:31 – 35
Pastor Chris’s sermon on Luke 13:31-35 reflects on Jesus’ unwavering commitment to his mission despite opposition. In this progressive Christian sermon, Pastor Chris explores themes of courage, divine purpose, and God’s boundless compassion. Emphasizing the call to embrace Christ’s love, the message invites our faith-based community to stand firm in justice, mercy, and grace, even in the face of challenges.
First Sunday in Lent – Worship Service – March 9, 2025
United Church of Christ Worship Service
Gospel Lesson: Luke 4:1 – 13
Pastor Chris delivered a thought-provoking and progressive sermon on Luke 4:1-13, exploring Jesus’ time in the wilderness through a modern, relatable lens. He emphasized how the temptations Jesus faced—hunger, power, and testing God—mirror 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.
Ash Wednesday – Worship Service – March 5, 2025
United Church of Christ Worship Service
Hebrew Scripture Joel 2:1 – 2, 12 – 17
Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lent is a time when we look deeply inside ourselves to see the ways we hurt one another and our world because of our own hurt and by not living as God intends. It is a time when we commit ourselves to changes and to new beginnings, opening ourselves up to being renewed through Christ.
Transfiguration Sunday – Worship Service – March 2, 2025
Welcome Sunday, United Christ Worship Service
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 growth—whether they be prejudice, legalism, or complacency—and 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 Spirit’s ongoing work of transformation in their lives and in the world.
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