Music Events

United Church of Chapel Hill has a long tradition of experiencing the strong sense of God’s presence through its musical ministry. Music is a gift from God, and all of us offer our music to God in thanksgiving and praise. Music speaks to the soul and uplifts the spirit. It deepens our worship experience and helps us express our thanks, joy and praise.

Several programs are planned throughout the centennial year, as was already initiated during the impressive workshop by Dr. Mel Bringle when she explored with us 100 years of church music from 1909 to 2009.

Shadowboxes
At the “Light Up Your Winter” Wednesday evening program, each ministry at UCCH is invited to participate in a series of four art classes in the Sacred Space Studio. This is a continuation of the project which began during “Wednesdays Together” in the Fall and gives more groups the opportunity to create a shadowbox. Each representative creates a shadowbox to express their group's ministry and represents it for the church's centennial celebration. These shadowboxes will be much like the Stations of the Cross shadowboxes that are in our sanctuary during Lent/Easter. All of the shadowboxes will be presented to the congregation.

Future Directions

Wednesday, January 6, 1st session of the "Light Up Your Winter" series
Centennial/Futures Committee on "Introduction to being intentional about our future in ministry"

Wednesday, January 13, 2nd session of the "Light Up Your Winter" series
Ferrel Guillory on the "Changing Context of North Carolina and the Triangle"

Ferrel Guillory is a former editor of the News & Observer. He has been the Director of the Program on Public Life which is a part of the Center for the Study of the American South at UNC-CH. He has an article in the August 2008, Carolina Context, "North Carolina: She Ain't What She Used to Be." In 2008 he was also the co-leader of a report commissioned by the Triangle Community Foundation and WUNC-FM on "How the Triangle Gives Back." Ferrel has been a strong supporter of the North Carolina Council of Churches and is an active member of his Roman Catholic parish in Cary.

Wednesday, January 20, 3rd session of the "Light Up Your Winter" series
Mark Chaves on "Trends in American churches"

Mark Chaves is one of the leading sociologists for the study of congregations in the country and has led the recently completed National Congregations Study conducted in 2007. He is the son of a Presbyterian pastor and is currently a member at Pilgrim UCC in Durham.

Saturday morning, January 23, Winter Retreat and Sunday morning, January 24, Worship
David Greenhaw on the "Rejuvenation and Sustenance of the Ecumencial/Activist/Progressive/Reforming (pick your adjective) Tradition"

David Greenhaw is the President of Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO. He is a gifted preacher and a strong advocate for "a reformed and reforming" tradition within the church. He preached at United Church in March 2004.

Wednesday, January 27, 4th session of the "Light Up Your Winter" series
Centennial/Futures Committee on "Charting a course for United Church's new century"

24th Annual Chapel Hill/Carrboro CROP Hunger Walk

On March 21, United Church of Chapel Hill continues its long tradition of participating in the CROP Walk. The CROP Hunger Walk (CROP=Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) is a four-mile walk through the diverse streets of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and the UNC Campus with rest stops along the way and refreshments at the end. The CROP Walk links families and communities together to raise money in order to provide food and other resources for people in our community and around the world. We hope that you and 99 others from UCCH will join us in walking in 2010!

Cameron Avenue Celebration

On May 16, 1910, seventeen charter members officially organized the start of the newly formed Christian Church of Chapel Hill. For $500, Chapel Hill Christian Church acquired a fine site for a building on Cameron Avenue just two blocks from the University campus. The church construction proceeded slowly as the money came in; after four years and three months, the little church on Cameron Avenue held its first service on August 30, 1914, with 49 persons in attendance.
UCCH worshiped in this space until 1995.

On May 16, 2010, the Centennial Celebration Committee plans to host an afternoon reception at the original sanctuary on West Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill.

Centennial Celebration Main Event

Fittingly, May 23, 2010 is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost is the great festival that marks the birth of the Christian church by the power of the Holy Spirit. So what better day to mark the Centennial Anniversary for UCCH!?

On this day, we will celebrate! Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President of the UCC as of June 2009, will preach on this special day.

Complete details of the day are still being developed, but we anticipate that it will include events such as a specially commissioned musical piece, a congregational group picture as well as a Centennial Fellowship meal. Please mark your calendars and watch for future announcements!