Festival Service
Festival Worship begins at 9:45am in the Sanctuary, except on Sundays with joint bilingual services.
Festival Worship is a great parade of God’s people as we sing together, enjoy the gifts of our children, and give thanks for the many signs of God’s grace among us. The service features rich music delivered by our Chancel Choir and other ensembles, a time for children to lead us in reflecting on God’s word, and careful attention to preaching. We join together in prayer to remember the concerns of our community. The service always concludes with a winsome invitation to communion, when the congregation comes forward to receive the bread and cup. As we each approach the communion table to receive the bread and cup, we honor God’s presence in each person as together we are nourished for the life of faith we share.
La Mesa Service
La Mesa is Sunday at 11am in the Assembly Hall, except on mornings with joint bilingual services.
La Mesa is a multicultural and bilingual (Spanish and English) worship service of United Church of Chapel Hill. Thanks to consecutive interpretation services and bilingual worship bulletins, anyone who knows English or Spanish can fully participate in worship. Through scripture readings, sermons, prayers, communion, and songs led by the La Mesa Choir, the La Mesa worship experience centers on God’s grace, justice, hope, and love. One distinctive characteristic of worship in La Mesa is the question time that follows the sermon. The preacher poses a question and encourages introspection in a testimonial style in response to the sermon or biblical passage. Through the spiritual practice of telling and listening to stories, we experience each other’s humanity with more compassion and witness how God is always present in our lives. God’s table is our refuge and sacred gathering place where all are welcome.
Joint Bilingual Services
On occasion throughout the year, we bring together the Festival Worship service and the La Mesa worship service so that we can all praise God together as one congregation. These services include elements of both communities, featuring hymns, prayer, and preaching in both English and Spanish supported by our team of interpreters.
Joint services begin at 10:30 am, and are usually followed by a congregational meal, special programs, or business meetings of the church.
Taizé Services
Taizé is a style of Christian worship that originated in Taizé, France 75 years ago. It is woven with Christian song and chants, interspersed with prayerful silence, scripture reading, more song, more prayer, and more silence. Taizé services are held on various Friday evenings throughout the year in the Sanctuary.