(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
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.
🕊️ “Called Together, Called Forward” — A Sunday of Gratitude, Vision, and Shared Ministry
Worship Service – November 16, 2025 | Annual Meeting Sunday
Bulletin – 11.16.2025
This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, our worship became a gathering of stories — a shared look back at God’s faithfulness and a hopeful look forward into the year to come. Instead of a sermon, the voices of our ministry leaders shaped the morning. Each brought a snapshot of their team’s work, their joys, and their dreams for what is unfolding among us.
Pastor Christopher Czarnecki opened our time with gratitude for the many hands and hearts shaping our life together. He reflected on the deep spirit of resilience, generosity, and imagination that has guided Holy Covenant through another transformative year — and he reminded us that the Spirit continues to meet us in the work ahead.
Ed Vickery offered the Worship Team report, celebrating a year of music, thoughtful liturgy, and creative collaboration. He highlighted the faithful work of musicians, readers, and volunteers whose gifts shape the worship life that anchors our community each week.
From Christian Education, JoAnn Jellison spoke about the growth of our children’s ministry, the curiosity of our young learners, and the dedication of teachers who help nurture faith in every season.
Kim Buch shared the Creation Justice update, lifting our commitments to environmental care, earth-focused worship practices, and community action. Her message looked toward deeper engagement with sustainability and justice in the coming year.
Representing Communications, Joy Decker reflected on the many ways we tell our story — through digital platforms, weekly news, and the launch of our expanding “HCUCC Everywhere” presence. She celebrated the volunteers who help keep our community connected and informed.
On behalf of Mission & Justice, Suzanne Lamorey shared about ongoing partnerships, outreach efforts, and service projects. Her update reminded us that our call to love neighbor extends far beyond our sanctuary walls.
From Buildings & Grounds, Dave Shimberg provided a concise overview of the caretaking work happening behind the scenes — projects completed, needs being assessed, and long-range stewardship of our physical space.
Gregg Walker then presented the Endowment Team report, celebrating the continued growth of our endowment and the meaningful ministry it supports. He emphasized responsible stewardship, transparency, and the blessings that generous giving makes possible.
As the service concluded, Pastor Chris invited the congregation to remain for our Annual Meeting — a time to receive the full Annual Report, hear additional updates, and vote on important matters for the life of the church.
🕊️ “We listen. We give thanks. We step forward together.”
“Gratitude is the root of every new beginning.” — Annual Meeting Sunday
🕊️ “Faith for a Worried People” — Finding calm assurance when the world feels unsteady, and rediscovering trust in the God who holds us fast.
Worship Service – November 9, 2025 | Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost
Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1–5, 13–17 | Modern Lesson: Grace Ji-Sun Kim
This Sunday at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, Pastor Christopher Czarnecki invited us to loosen our grip on fear and rest in the promise that God’s love never lets us go. His message, “Faith for a Worried People,” drew from 2 Thessalonians 2:1–5, 13–17, where Paul urges believers to “stand firm and hold fast” even in uncertain times.
The morning began with a Centering Prayer that invited us to release the need to control outcomes and to rest in divine assurance: “Center us in you, O God, so that we might listen for your voice, trust your goodness, and find peace in your presence.” That quiet invocation became a thread of peace woven through the entire service.
During the Children’s Message, Pastor Chris brought out bubbles — a visual reminder of what it means to let go. Each child received their own small container, encouraged to think of a worry, blow a bubble, and watch it float away. “Are your worries floating away?” he asked. “Then let’s give those worries to God.” The joyful moment filled the sanctuary with laughter and light — a living parable of release and trust.
The sermon explored the everyday worries that weigh us down: the furnace that might fail, the illness that surprises, the world that feels fragile. From minor anxieties to major fears, worry can whisper worst-case scenarios and steal our peace. Pastor Chris reflected that even Paul’s early church in Thessalonica faced their own fears — convinced they had somehow missed God’s promised day. Paul’s reassurance was simple yet profound: “You didn’t miss Jesus. Don’t let fear steal your peace.”
Drawing from Grace Ji-Sun Kim’s modern lesson, “Fear is not Christian,” Pastor Chris reminded us that when fear constrains imagination, love cannot breathe. He shared a story from a journaling workshop where participants listed their worries, then crossed out the ones they could not control — a spiritual practice of discernment and surrender. “Perhaps faith works the same way,” he said, “crossing out what isn’t ours to hold and trusting that God will handle the rest.”
He concluded with the story of a pastor on a turbulent flight. While passengers gripped their seats in panic, a small girl sat peacefully, unfazed. When asked later how she remained calm, she replied, “My daddy’s the pilot — he always takes me home.” Pastor Chris smiled as he drew the connection: “When the skies of life grow dark and storms toss us about, remember who’s flying the plane. God will always take us home.”
The Choir lifted that assurance in song with “It Is Well with My Soul,” each voice echoing the quiet truth of the morning: peace is not found in control, but in trust. Even in the face of fear, it is well — because love holds the horizon.
🕊️ “Faith is not the absence of worry — it is the decision to trust that love will meet us there.”
“Do not worry about your life… for your Creator’s love will meet you there.” — Rev. Christopher Czarnecki
🕯️ “The Light of the Saints” — A sacred reminder that love, once kindled, never fades. Its warmth continues to guide and grace our days.
All Saints & Souls Sunday – Worship Service – November 2, 2025
Scripture: Revelation 7:9–17 | Modern Lesson: bell hooks
This Sunday at Holy Covenant, we gathered for All Saints & Souls Sunday, a day to remember those who have gone before us and to celebrate the great cloud of witnesses whose love still lights our way. Guest preacher Rev. Belinda Sledge joined us from the UCC Southern Conference’s Call to Care Tour, bringing a message titled “When All God’s Children Gather at the Table.”
Preaching from Revelation 7:9–17, Rev. Sledge invited us to imagine the holy vision of John — a multitude from every nation and tongue, gathered before God in song, joy, and liberation. She reminded us that this image is not a distant hope, but a living call to community and compassion.
Drawing from bell hooks’ reflection that “those who came before us dreamed us into being,” Rev. Sledge spoke about the courage and faith of the saints who made our gathering possible — the ancestors who prayed, protested, loved, and persisted so that others might live freely. “Every act of care,” she said, “is a continuation of their dream. Every gesture of love keeps their legacy alive.”
During the Lighting of the Saints, the sanctuary filled with a soft constellation of candles — each flame a story, each prayer a whisper of gratitude. As names were lifted and memories rekindled, the stillness became holy space. Pastor Christopher Czarnecki led us in the Prayer of Remembrance, blessing the love that shaped us and reminding us that “the saints are not gone; they live on in the pattern of our days.”
This service also echoed the rhythm of our new November theme, Finding Rest in God – Sabbath Wellness. Through music, prayer, and communion, we were invited to rest in remembrance — to trust that peace is not the absence of sorrow but the presence of love that endures beyond it.
As we received Communion, the choir called us to draw the circle wide, to welcome even those we don’t understand, and to remember that the Body of Christ is made of many stories.
🕯️ “Remembering Our Saints” — A sacred reminder that love, once kindled, never fades. Its warmth continues to guide and grace our days.
“When we light candles for the saints, we aren’t just remembering the past — we’re practicing resurrection. We’re resting in the eternal love of God that still burns bright among us.” — Rev. Belinda Sledge
💚 “The Best Gift is You” — A reminder that God’s greatest abundance is found in the love and generosity we share.
Stewardship & Seminary Sunday – Worship Service – October 26, 2025
Gospel Reading: Luke 18:9–14 | Modern Lesson: Ada María Isasi-Díaz
This Sunday at Holy Covenant, we celebrated Stewardship and Seminary Sunday — a day filled with gratitude, humility, and the reminder that God’s mercy is our greatest gift. Pastor Christopher Czarnecki preached a heartfelt message titled “More Than Enough: Giving from God’s Mercy.”
Preaching from Luke 18:9–14, Pastor Chris unpacked the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector — two people who come to pray. The Pharisee prays boastfully, comparing himself to others, while the tax collector humbly asks for mercy. In a surprising reversal, Jesus declares the tax collector — the despised outsider — as the one who goes home justified before God.
“This is reality TV-level drama,” Pastor Chris said with a smile. “The Pharisee is devoted, disciplined, and admired. The tax collector is corrupt, hated, and shunned. Yet Jesus flips the script. The one everyone assumes is righteous is not justified — the one who simply cries out for mercy is.”
He reminded us that the parable challenges the subtle and seductive idea that we can earn our way to God. “Sometimes we fall into thinking that our worth or our faithfulness depends on what we do — how much we give, how often we serve, how hard we work,” Pastor Chris said. “But this story shows us that our relationship with God isn’t built on performance. It’s built on mercy.”
We were invited to examine our own hearts — those quiet moments when we might think, *‘Thank God I’m not like that person.’* Pastor Chris named this as the whisper of spiritual comparison, one that can slip into our faith lives and distort our sense of belonging. “If you’ve ever felt like you’re not doing enough or being enough — you’re not alone,” he said. “God’s mercy meets you right there, and says, ‘I still love you.’”
He went on to say that stewardship is not about meeting quotas or proving devotion. It’s about meaning — about giving in ways that reflect God’s mercy and transform lives. “I want to invest in a more just and forgiving world,” Pastor Chris said. “It’s not about how much we give, but about what our giving means — the grace it offers, the love it shares, the hope it creates.”
This message of mercy connected beautifully with Seminary Sunday, as we prayed for the next generation of faith leaders and those discerning their calls to ministry. Pastor Chris reminded us that supporting seminaries, scholarships, and ministry formation is an act of faith in God’s ongoing work through the Church.
Meanwhile, our Little Hands, Big Hearts children’s ministry put generosity into action by creating Christmas cards to benefit Time Out Youth, a Charlotte-based nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Their creativity and care reflected the sermon’s heart: giving not to prove worth, but to embody love.
The service closed in gratitude and grace — a reminder that we don’t have to earn God’s favor or prove our faith. We simply open our hearts to mercy, and let that mercy reshape how we live, give, and love.
“Our worth is not tied to what we do or give. It’s tied to God’s mercy — mercy that meets us where we are and says, ‘You are loved. You are enough.’” — Pastor Chris
🕊️ A sanctuary of stillness—where silence speaks, images stir, and God draws near in holy quiet.
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – A Contemplative Worship Experience – October 19, 2025
Scripture Reading: Psalm 46 | Centering Prayer, Poetry, and Guided Reflection
This Sunday at Holy Covenant, we departed from our usual worship rhythm to embrace the beauty and depth of contemplative Christian practice. Titled “A Contemplative Worship Experience,” the service invited us to breathe deeply, slow our pace, and become fully present to the sacred stirrings within and around us.
Before worship, congregants were invited to select a printed image—drawn from nature, art, activism, or everyday life—that “spoke” to them. Each person also received a small journal and pen to accompany them on a personal spiritual journey during the service.
Pastor Chris opened with reflections on Christian mysticism, tracing a lineage from the Desert Mothers and Fathers to Thomas Merton and Julian of Norwich. He explained that contemplation is not a retreat from the world but a deepening of our presence within it—a sacred practice of listening with the “ears of the heart.” Through visio divina (divine seeing), we were encouraged to seek God in imagery, silence, and reflection.
During the spiritual reflection, Pastor Chris shared his own experience meditating on a vase of flowers—noticing how we often overlook the vase, the very source that sustains beauty. “What is the vase in your life?” he asked. “What holds you up? What fills you with life?” These questions formed the center of our own journaling exercise, guided by prompts that asked us to pay attention to what we see, feel, and sense through our chosen image.
As the sanctuary grew still, one could hear the gentle whisper of pens gliding over paper, a soft chorus of thoughtfulness—a swish, a scratch, a scribbled pause—like holy rainfall on a page. Outside, the crisp autumn sun lit up the trees, and inside, a sacred hush blanketed the room.
Children were invited into the contemplative moment through a beautiful lesson in “Stories for All People.” Pastor Chris gave each child a smooth stone—symbolizing the quieting of the heart—and reminded them to breathe and slow down whenever they touched it. “Be still and know that I am God,” he quoted from Psalm 46.
The centering prayer, printed in the bulletin, grounded the service with the words:
“Quiet our restless thoughts… May we sense Your Spirit moving like a soft current beneath the surface of our lives—steady, gentle, and always near.”
Music was chosen with intention: from the Taizé chant “Ubi Caritas,” to Richard Smallwood’s “I Love the Lord,” to the contemplative anthem “Little Things with Great Love.” Each piece deepened the soul’s journey inward.
Intercessory prayer was offered in silence, holding one another in the gentle presence of God. Even the Lord’s Prayer was transformed—rewritten by Pastor Chris as a contemplative adaptation full of poetic grace and radical intimacy.
At the close of worship, Pastor Chris invited all to continue journaling and, for those called to share, to gather in the Prayer Chapel. “May we keep the nearness to God that we experienced,” he said. “Even in silence, God is still speaking.”
“Silence is the language of God. Everything else is a poor translation.” — Thomas Merton
🎨 “Real Equality” by Matteo Paganelli — A vibrant mural calling us to justice, unity, and the celebration of human diversity.
Access Sunday – Worship Service – October 12, 2025
Gospel Reading: Luke 17:11–19 | Modern Lesson: Rev. Sarah Griffith Lund
This Sunday, we celebrated Access Sunday and Disabilities Awareness Sunday with a worship service rooted in compassion, belonging, and the holiness of difference. From beginning to end, the message was clear: God’s image is gloriously diverse, and wholeness is not about conformity—it’s about community.
Preaching from Luke 17:11–19, Pastor Chris offered a powerful sermon titled “To Be Made Whole, Not the Same.” He began by reflecting on how Jesus’ ministry consistently lifted up those on the margins—the cast out, the stigmatized, the ones society tried to erase. The ten people with skin disease cried out to Jesus not for a cure, but for mercy, compassion, and the restoration of dignity. “They wanted to be seen,” Pastor Chris said, “not excluded.”
As they went, they were healed. Yet, the story doesn’t end there. One—the Samaritan, a foreigner and outsider—turned back to thank Jesus. This act of gratitude becomes the heart of the Gospel. Luke emphasizes the man’s difference, and Jesus honors it. “Your faith has made you well,” he says—not normal, but well. The Greek word points to wholeness, to wellness of spirit, body, and soul.
Pastor Chris explored how this distinction changes everything. “Difference,” he said, “is not something to erase. It’s something to bless.” Too often, our world pressures people—especially LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, people with disabilities, and those who are neurodivergent—to hide who they are in order to be accepted. Yet Jesus never sought to make people the same. He called them whole. He called them beloved.
Quoting Rev. Sarah Griffith Lund, Pastor Chris reminded us that “we are not whole in spite of our differences, we are whole because of them.” Inclusion, then, is not a special ministry or an act of charity—it is love made visible. It’s what happens when the Church resists the impulse to erase differences and instead celebrates them as holy. “The truth,” he said, “is that honoring difference leads to life.”
The sermon challenged us to begin with ourselves—our attitudes, our communities, our language, and our willingness to see the image of God in every person. “We’re not being asked to change the world today,” Pastor Chris said. “We’re being asked to start with how we see one another.” He called the congregation to recognize the Spirit already moving at our borders, through our missions, and within our walls—restoring dignity, belonging, and joy.
Through storytelling, prayer, and music—including “Come Build a Church” and “I Love the Lord”—the service became an embodiment of its message: we encounter God not when we erase difference, but when we honor it. That is where healing begins. That is where the Church becomes whole.
“Jesus does not tell the Samaritan, ‘Your faith has made you normal.’ He says, ‘Your faith has made you well.’ We are not whole in spite of our differences—we are whole because of them.” — Pastor Chris
A radiant welcome to the Table—where all are fed, all are loved, and no one is turned away. ✝️🍞💖
World Communion Sunday – Worship Service – October 5, 2025
Gospel Reading: Luke 17:5–10 | Modern Lesson: Samuel Rayan
This Sunday, Pastor Chris delivered a deeply invitational message titled “Is My Faith Enough?” On this World Communion Sunday, the sanctuary pulsed with radical welcome and sacred belonging. From the opening call—“Come to this table of love, for Christ welcomes us all”—we were reminded that Holy Communion is not a reward for the righteous but a gift for the willing. For the doubters. For the seekers. For the weary and the wondering.
Preaching from Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Chris explored how even a mustard seed of faith—tiny, uncertain, imperfect—is enough for God to work with. He challenged the assumption that our faith must be flawless to be fruitful. “Faith,” he said, “isn’t a grand performance. It’s presence. It’s trust. It’s showing up—especially when you’re unsure.”
The sermon wove together scriptural truth with global and interfaith wisdom. Citing Indian liberation theologian Samuel Rayan, Pastor Chris emphasized that faith is not a badge to display but a table to share. That breaking bread with one another—across lines of culture, race, gender, and theology—is how we build the kin-dom of God on earth. Even when our faith feels fragile, God is still moving, still calling us to love louder.
Throughout the service, Holy Covenant embodied our extravagant welcome in both word and practice. The installation of eight new members became a moving centerpiece of worship. Each new member was introduced by their sponsor, who shared a brief story of that person’s faith journey and how they found a spiritual home at Holy Covenant. There was laughter, a few tears, and the unmistakable joy of community renewed. Each was presented with a welcome certificate and a UCC lapel pin—symbols of belonging and shared purpose within our covenant family. As the congregation spoke the words of mutual promise and welcome, the Spirit of unity was almost tangible in the room.
Music filled the sanctuary with hope and gratitude. During Communion, the congregation enjoyed “A Place at the Table” with the Choir delivering a wonderful performance. This sone will most certainly became a favorite.
“Faith doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be present. Keep showing up to the Table—God will meet you there.” — Pastor Chris
What if the good life isn’t about having more… but needing less?
To live freely, generously, and simply—this is the sacred invitation of Christ.
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost – Worship Service – September 28, 2025
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6–19 (First Nations Version & CEB) | Modern Lesson: Sherri L. Mitchell
This Sunday, Pastor Chris preached a powerful and peace-centered sermon titled “Taking Hold of What Is Truly Life.” Drawing from Paul’s letter to Timothy, the message centered on what it means to reject the trap of “more” and instead embrace the sacredness of “enough.”
In a world consumed by comparison and consumption, Pastor Chris asked us to pause and consider: What are we pursuing? What are we holding onto? And what might we need to let go of to live the abundant life God has already prepared?
He reminded us that gain is not always more. That the pursuit of wealth, comfort, and control can distract us from what really matters—our faith, our community, our calling. Instead, we are invited to seize a faith that is lived out, not stored up. One that prioritizes love, generosity, and justice over status and stuff.
Pastor Chris beautifully wove in insights from Buddhist wisdom, highlighting the suffering that arises from craving and attachment. Peace, he said, often begins with letting go. Letting go of perfectionism. Of scarcity. Of the lie that we must do or have more to be worthy of love.
The paired reading from the First Nations Version and modern lesson by Penobscot author Sherri L. Mitchell brought fresh clarity and cultural depth. Together, they affirmed this truth: we find fulfillment not in accumulation, but in harmony. In living simply, truthfully, and close to God.
With prophetic tenderness, Pastor Chris called us to the good fight—not a battle of ego or achievement, but a deep wrestling with who God calls us to be. Faith, he said, is not passive. It’s something we take hold of and let shape our lives. And when we clear away what does not bring joy, we make space for God to move. That is how we take hold of what is truly life.
“When we let go of our need for more, we make room for God’s grace.” — Pastor Chris
Forgiveness Sets You Free — breaking the chains of resentment, we rise into freedom, peace, and new beginnings.
Peace is not only the absence of violence, but the active presence of compassion, justice, and love.
Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost – Worship Service – September 21, 2025
Bulletin-09-21-2025
Scriptures: Ephesians 4:32; Genesis 50:20 (International Day of Peace focus)
Today Holy Covenant observed the International Day of Peace, lifting up our UCC witness as a Just Peace Church. In place of Pastor Chris, members of our church family—Lloyd Spencer, Kristin Andes, and Diane Neese—offered a shared homily on forgiveness, compassion, and the call to be peace-makers in a chaotic world.
What is a homily? From the Greek homilia (“conversation”), a homily is a shorter, meditative reflection that connects scripture to lived experience. Unlike a formal sermon, it is often conversational in tone and can be offered by clergy or laity. Its purpose is not to explain every doctrine, but to spark insight, invite prayer, and encourage faithful action.
Our lay preachers reflected on Ephesians 4:32 and Genesis 50:20, reminding us that peace begins within but is never meant to stay there. Real peace is not just the absence of conflict—it is the presence of compassion, justice, and love lived out in community. They reminded us that forgiveness is not weakness but strength: the courage to release resentment and to stand firm in love.
They challenged us to be shrewd and intentional in how we plan for peace, to use our gifts and skills in service of others, and to nurture compassion—especially with youth, neighbors, and those most vulnerable. Peace is love in action. Love is the only power strong enough to transform division into healing and fear into freedom. The homily closed with a charge: go into the world as bearers of peace, showing and sharing the love of Jesus in tangible, everyday ways.
“Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.” — Ephesians 4:32
Sometimes we need to get lost in order to be found.
God’s love seeks us out, not when we are perfect, but especially when we wander.
Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost – Worship Service – September 14, 2025
Bulletin-09-14-2025
Gospel Lesson: Luke 15:1–10 (CEB) | Modern Lesson: Laurel C. Schneider
This Sunday, Pastor Chris preached a deeply moving sermon titled “Sometimes We Need to Get Lost.” Preaching from Luke’s parables of the lost sheep and lost coin, he challenged the idea that being “lost” should carry shame or stigma. Instead, he reminded us that wandering and questioning are part of being human—and sometimes even part of God’s design. To be lost, he said, is often the very place where transformation begins.
Pastor Chris reflected that God is never lost—we are. And yet God’s love is so fierce that it charges after us, refusing to rest until we are found. In contrast to the Pharisees’ narrow understanding of holiness, Jesus reveals a God who breaks open every boundary, goes to extraordinary lengths to seek us out, and celebrates our return with joy.
Drawing on Barbara Brown Taylor’s *Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith*, Pastor Chris invited us to see “getting lost” as a spiritual practice—a path where questions are holy, wandering is welcome, and God meets us exactly where we are. Sometimes, he said, we only discover who we truly are when we’ve stepped outside the familiar and allowed ourselves to be reshaped by grace.
With pastoral tenderness and prophetic clarity, this sermon named the good news of God’s kin-dom: there is no shame in being lost, and no limit to God’s relentless searching. In Christ, every life has worth, every person is pursued, and every journey finds its home in God’s love.
“The most radical thing we can do as Christians is tell every LGBTQ+ person: you are loved, you are wanted, you are already enough.” — Jayne Ozanne
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