Worship at United Church

We welcome people of all ages, races, abilities and sexual orientations to join in worship with our open, caring congregation. We are an Open and Affirming congregation.

Regular Worship Services

Worship services at United Church are held at the our church facilities located at 1321 Airport Road in Chapel Hill.

8:45AM Service (Every Sunday Communion)

Includes a weekly children's sermon and periodic special music by the children's vocal and bell choirs. United Voices of Praise, our Gospel Choir, performs monthly. There is communion by intinction each Sunday.

10AM Church School for children and adults

11AM Service

Our Chancel Choir sings primarily at this service. Worship is also periodically enriched at both services by our Chamber Choir, hand bell choirs, orchestra and many small groupings and soloists. Communion is offered the first Sunday of each month.

Live@Five — Sundays, 5PM, beginning September 23

Live@Five will be a new worship service at 5PM on Sundays. The fourth Sunday of the month will be a service in the tradition of Taizé. As for the other Sundays, our worship style will emerge as we worship together.

We envision our Sunday evening worship as an opportunity for more participation and yet simple. On the one hand, it may be three hymns and sermon; but, on the other, we can hear jazz praising God. Since the morning services often follow the gospel texts, maybe the afternoon service would lift up the Old Testament or the Day’s Psalm. It may be a time to engage the Word by having a short reflection and inviting talkback.

Most of all we want it to have the feel of vespers or worship while on retreat. It is the close of a day, the end of a weekend, the beginning of a new week. The day you gave us, God, is ended, the light now fades at your request; to you our morning hymns ascended, your praise shall sanctify our rest.

Perhaps you have just dropped your child off for youth group and rather than running home and running back, you will gather for singing and prayers. Perhaps you were away over the weekend and you want to enter into worship and catch up with your church family. Perhaps there was not enough time at the morning service to express all the gratitude in your heart. All praise be yours, my God, this night, for all the blessings of the light; keep me, kind Maker of all things, beneath the shelter of your wings.

We will begin on September 23, a fourth Sunday, with a service in the style of Taizé. The first "new" service will be on September 30.

In addition to simply asking you to worship with us, we are asking you to share your gifts for worship. We do want to keep it simple but this is also a time to experiment with worship. We welcome your suggestions, ideas, talent, and music. Please talk with us. Richard Edens (redens@unitedchurch.org), Jill Edens (jedens@unitedchurch.org), or Susan Steinberg (ssteinberg@unitedchurch.org).

A time of fellowship (coffee hour) follows each service

Nursery for infants through kindergarten

Child care is provided in the lower level during both worship services and church school hour.

Healing Service

We offer a healing service every Sunday during the 8:45AM Sunday service and on the first Sunday of each month during the 11:00AM service. During Communion, those in need of healing for themselves or someone they know, may come forward for a laying on of hands.

Taizé Service

Every Fourth Sunday day at 5:00PM we offer a special Taizé prayer service. A Taizé service features communal signing, prayer, and silent meditation. The service lasts about 45 minutes. For more information, see our Taizé page.

Children's Church

Children’s worship services are held monthly at 10:00AM in the Sanctuary during the Church School year.

Sunday Morning Spanish Service 11:00AM

Iglesia Unida de Cristo, a new church for Spanish-speakers, meets for praise, prayer and Bible study in our Sanctuary at 11:00AM Led by Pastor David Mateo, Iglesia is sponsored by the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ in partnership with our church.

Communion

We celebrate communion every Sunday at the 8:45AM service and on the first Sunday of the month at the 11AM service. We believe that the Lord's Table is truly God's Table . . . Christ is the host. The Table of the Lord is open to all who wish to eat at the table with Christ and in fellowship with others. We come forward, pulling a piece of bread from the loaf and dipping the bread into the cup (intinction). We exit pews into the center aisle and return by the side aisles. If you are not able to come forward for communion, please raise your hand and communion will be brought to you.

Baptism

Baptism is the symbolic entry into the Church of Jesus Christ. It is a personal and community celebration and thus typically performed in the context of a worship service.

While our primary tradition is infant baptism, we know there are families whose tradition is waiting for individuals to make that decision themselves. Thus, we offer adolescents a confirmation/discipleship class -- to confirm those who were previously baptized and to prepare those for baptism who now wish to become disciples of Christ. We also offer adult believer baptism.

Opportunities to assist with worship

If you are interested in helping, please contact a Deacon.

Ushers: Ushering teams greet people, serve during the worship service, and help make our church a warm and welcoming place. We also need substitutes and summer ushers. You'll find ushering is an excellent way to meet people and to participate in the church community.
Greeters: Greeters welcome all as they enter the church. They especially assist visitors and new members in making them feel welcome and a part of our community.
Readers: If you are interested in reading the scriptures during worship, indicate your desire on the “Friendship Register” or speak with one of the pastors.
Bell Ringers: Children, youth and adults may serve as bell ringers, ringing the hour at the start of each service.
Altar Flowers: The responsibility for the flowers and altar decorations that enrich our Sunday worship lies with the flower committee. Members of the congregation may ask for specific dates to memorialize or honor someone, or to commemorate special events such as the birth of a child or an anniversary. You may make your own arrangement, have a florist provide flowers or send a check for flowers to the Women's Fellowship Altar Fund. The Flower sign-up poster is on the bulletin board across from the main office.
Advent Wreath Lighting: Each year we celebrate the Advent Season through the lighting of Advent candles and reading of devotionals at the beginning of worship. Families, individuals, and groups are welcome to participate. Interested? Contact Susan Steinberg.
Advent Devotionals: Each year we celebrate the Advent Season through the lighting of Advent candles and reading of devotionals at the beginning of worship. Families, individuals, and groups are welcome to participate.
Singers and Musicians: See the Music page.
Refreshment Hosts: See the Fellowship page.
Stories of Transformation: During Lent and occasionally throughout the year, lay people are invited to share a story of transformation in worship – a time when your life was changed by God’s grace. If you have a story to share please speak with Richard or Jill Edens

Special Worship Services

Stewardship Sunday — November 4: The Board of Deacons plans this service celebrating the underlying reality that "we are all ministers."
Christmas Eve — Dec. 24: 4PM Celebrating Baby Jesus' Birthday
7PM Family service featuring carols and candlelight
11PM service, also a candle light service, featuring special music, singing of traditional carols and communion.
Ash Wednesday - February 6, 7PM: This is a service to prepare for the beginning of Lent, including the distribution of ashes.
Maundy Thursday — March 20, 7:30PM: In remembrance of the Last Supper, the Service of Tennebrae is held Thursday evening.
Good Friday — March 21, 7PM: Highlighting this service is the reading of the Holy Week story, prayer and music.
Easter — March 23: Three services: 6:30AM Sunrise Service, 8:45 and 11AM Communion is offered at the 8:45 and 11AM services and special music at all three.
Laity Sunday — June 1