Hello from Pastor Lacey Brown

In May 2020 Pastor Lacey Brown became the pastor of Community UCC. The COVID pandemic had begun in March, and Lacey arrived at a church where the church facilities were in lock down. On May 6, 2020, Pastor Lacey gave her official "hello" to her new congregation ...

Saying Goodbye to Pastors Carol and Tony

On April 19, 2020 the congregation shared a video goodbye and thank you to bridge pastors Carol Ripley-Moffitt and Tony Hoshaw.  Carol and Tony served jointly during the period July 2019 through April 2020.

Pastor Carol Ripley-Moffitt - Final Sermon

Pastor Carol Ripley-Moffitt served as temporary pastor during two different periods 20 years apart. During 2000-2002 she served as "interim" pastor prior to the long term service of Pastor Steve Halsted who arrived in 2002. And then for almost a year during 2019-2020, Pastor Carol served with Tony Hoshaw as "bridge" pastor during yet another transitional period. Her final sermon was delivered on April 19, 2020 as part of a "virtual worship service" during the COVID-19 pandemic that hit in March 2020. Following is the text of that sermon ...

Link to printable copy of sermon

John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Judeans, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

Worship Honoring Bill and Marty Lamb

On July 28, 2019, the 10:30 worship service honored the 50th wedding anniversary of Bill and Marty Lamb. Santi Matthews gave the homily. An edited version of the service is shown here. (This video as all YouTube videos can be viewed full screen via the expander button in the bottom right corner of the video.)

A video of the reception and party that followed the service is also available.

Rev. James A. Forbes, Jr. at Community UCC

Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr. spoke at Community on July 14, 2019. Dr. Forbes is a highly renowned  native of North Carolina, and the congregation was delighted to receive his message. His bio is included beneath the video on this page.

This video may also be viewed directly at YouTube: https://youtu.be/c8TdHUKPf9c



A biography of Rev. Forbes is available at The HistoryMakers.

Youth Sunday - April 22, 2018

This is a video of the Youth Sunday program presented on April 22, 2018, by the Community UCC Youth Group. The program was created by the youth under the direction of Youth Education Coordinator Śānti Matthews, and filmed by Lavon Page at Śānti's request.

Installation of Pastor Jenny Shultz-Thomas

Rev. Jenny Shultz-Thomas was installed officially as pastor and teacher of CUCC on August 20, 2017.

CUCC photographer Suzette Roach took photos of the worship service and the reception.

The videos of the service are split into two parts. Part 1 is the worship service that preceded the Rite of Installation, and Part 2 is the rite itself. Each video is about 45 minutes in length. These videos may be viewed full-screen or viewed directly at YouTube.

Part 1 (Worship)

Part 2 (Installation Ceremony)

Easter Sunday - 2017

This video features the Easter Sunday sermon delivered by Pastor Jenny Shultz-Thomas on April 16, 2017.

Lenten Sermons - 2017

Rev. Jenny Shultz-Thomas previews the sermons for the Lenten season during the period March 5 - April 9, 2017. The clips were filmed by Karen Withem and friends on March 2, 2017.

Preview for March 5, 2017   Download sermon (mp3 audio)


Preview for March 12, 2017 - Download sermon (mp3 audio)


Preview for March 19, 2017 - Download sermon (mp3 audio)


Preview for March 26, 2017 - Download sermon (mp3 audio)


Preview for April 2, 2017 - Download Youth led worship service (mp3 audio)


Preview for April 9, 2017 - Download sermon (mp3 audio)

Sunday Morning Worship - January 15, 2017

January 15, 2017 marked the first Sunday with Rev. Jenny Shultz-Thomas serving as Senior Pastor at Community UCC. The videos below show the sermon from that special Sunday, along with the Children's Sermon led by Śānti Matthews.

Religious Freedom and Events of the Week - July 10, 2016

Rev. Peg Williams and Karen Withem presented the sermon on July 10, 2016. Karen reflected on her Baha’i faith and integrating it into her life in Community UCC.

During the previous week there were national reported shootings by police in Louisiana and Minnesota, followed by a sniper attack in Dallas that took the lives of 5 policemen in Dallas. Pastor Peg commented extensively on the national dialog regarding this violence.

The Good Samaritan (for children)

Pastor Peg Williams shared a version of the story of the good Samaritan with the children on July 10, 2016.

Sermon for Children - June 5, 1016

Anne Bailey Zschau and Bill Lamb presented the children's sermon on June 5, 2016.

Pentecost Sunday Story for Children

On May 15, 2016, Laurel Powell led a story for children on Pentecost Sunday.

Pentecost Sunday - 2016

On May 15, 2016, Rev. Peg Williams preached on the topic "Mission Impossible: Speaking the Same Language". Here is her homily in its entirety.

Children's Sermon, Easter Sunday 2016

Joy Alford gives the children's sermon on March 27, 2016

Easter Sunday Sermon - March 27, 2016

Rev. Peg Williams delivers Easter Sunday sermon, March 27, 2016

Sermon - March 13, 2016

The sermon entitled Jericho: Zacchaeus: Welcoming vs. Inviting Revisited was given by Rev. Peg Williams.

Story of the Angels and the Shepherds

This sermon was delivered by Pastor Peg Williams on December 20, 2015. The sermon is brief in order to accommodate the choir special presented also on that date.

Stewardship Sermonettes - November 8, 2015

Presentations by CUCC  members on Stewardship Sunday, November 8, 2015 (Grady McCallie, Fawn Pattison, Skip Stodard, Mike Soboeiro, Betsy Towler

And the lamp had not gone out yet - Rev. Peg Williams

An update on the interim process at Community UCC, 10:30 worship service, October 4, 2015.

Community Under Construction: Acts 9:1-22

On August 9, 2015, Pastor Peg Williams used the sermon title "Community Under Construction" to deliver a message based on Acts 9:1-22.

View print version

Rev. Peg Williams arrives at CUCC

TextVerstion

On Sunday, February 8, 2015, Rev. Peg Williams appeared for the first time in the pulpit at Community UCC. This video is the sermon she delivered on that occasion. A downloadable text version of this sermon is available. The text version includes some photos that Rev. Williams shared following the service.

Festival of Lights - Children's Sermon

The "Festival of Lights" program was held at Community UCC in Raleigh NC on November 30, 2014 (the first Sunday of Advent).  This children's sermon given by Pastor Steve Halsted was a part of the Festival of Lights service.

All videos from the Festival of Lights

Stewardship Sermon

Stewardship sermon for the pledge campaign leading up toward adoption of the church budget for 2015. Presented by Pastor Steve Halsted on November 16, 2014.