Now this is CHURCH! Holy Covenant is exactly what worship should be. It's exciting, dynamic, inclusive, friendly, charming, uplifting, diverse, messy, flexible, warm Growing up Catholic shaped the way I viewed religion/Christianity for a very long time. Upon moving to Chicago from Michigan (and starting a "new life") I began looking for a church that was GLBT inclusive. For some reason I never found Holy Covenant and after a few attempts. There are many progressive and inclusive churches in Chicago, but not one that I felt truly connected with. In January of 2009, at the recommendation of a friend, I walked into Holy Covenant as Pastor Trey Hall was preaching on Christianity and Homosexuality. I had invited a friend of mine who was running late. I decided to head in, terrified of sitting by myself and waiting for him. I was warmly greeted by a woman and her husband who quickly identified that I was new. They weren't overwhelming but made sure I knew everything I needed to know and also introduced me to a few people. While terrifying at first, this first impression proved to be lasting. I would be lying if I said I wasn't immediately connected to this community. I felt overwhelmed but joyous at the possibility of worshipping in a community like Holy Covenant. The music was a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary and Pastor Hall was terrific. The space is quaint and charming while still feeling very much like "church." I left that day feeling as if my life had changed, cliché or not. Over the next 6 months, my attendance increased and I began finding myself feeling as if I was missing something on a Sunday I didn't attend. In July of 2009, Holy Covenant welcomed Pastor Kate Floyd to the community. She is absolutely wonderful and has taken the reigns in perfect fashion. In September I approached Pastor Kate about joining the church and becoming a United Methodist. I completed that journey on October 18, 2009 and have never felt more excited to be a part of a faith community. Holy Covenant offers 3 services. The 9:30 and 11:15 are more traditional services with contemporary music, while the 7pm is all acoustic, candlelit and contemplative filled with traditional hymns. They have endless small groups and ways for members to feel connected to the church. They are very active in promoting justice and equality and also house Dignity Diner, a restaurant-style dinner night for the homeless and hungry. Holy Covenant has changed my life, something many people at HC say. If you're looking for a hip church that is socially active and filled with amazing people...this is your place. read more

I've been going to Holy Covenant just over two years now and I absolutely love it! I often describe my experience here to others as "magical." No joke. Being new to town, it was so important to me to find a place with people my own age (28) who I could hang out with. I don't mean to say the church is full of 20-somethings, because it's not, but it's still very young at heart. I joined a few small groups at the church, which has been a great way to get to know people at the church, and for them to get to know me. In addition to small groups, there are a number of committees you can be a part of, like Communications, Green Team, Hospitality/Welcoming, FUN squad, Missions, Spiritual Formation, Worship ... just to name a few. Oh, I must mention that it's RIGHT next to the Brown Line Diversey Station. Just head East when you exit the station, pass Einsteins, and you are there! Here's my take on promoting churches: When you find a restaurant you love, you want to tell everyone about it. Church is no different: If you love a place, you want to share it. And Holy Covenant is a place I want to share! read more

I'd been wanting to visit this church for a few months, and so we finally went this past Sunday. My first experience there was great! It was the Mardi Gras celebration service, so a bit different than what they usually do (I would imagine) but it intrigued me enough to make me want to return. It felt like a very friendly, safe environment - wear what you want, come as you are, that sort of thing. There seemed to be a lot of young people, a few kids, and some elderly people. We will definitely be back! The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because we (as new people) weren't really welcomed by anybody. It's so overwhelming to go into a church for the first time and not know anyone, so I wish someone had come to chat with us! I guess I'll just have to be more forward next week :-) read more

I've attended Holy Covenant a handful of times for the evening service. It is refreshing to even find a church that does a Sunday night service. I've also found the service worshipful, peaceful and warm. I live in Logan Square and attend an Episcopal church there, and make the trek east on Diversey when I can. The only bummer about the church (which at the same time is a blessing) is that the service is often silenced by the noisy Diversey Brown Line stop that run adjacent to the church. read more

My experience at Holy Covenant UMC has been a real blessing these past few months. I moved to Chicago, wary of what I might expect with big city churches. However, Holy Covenant showed me that being a Christian in the city can be a very exciting and fulfilling experience. The congregation is warm and welcoming. The educational and small group opportunities are enthusiastic and growing. And the preaching is heart-felt and Biblical. Pastor Trey Hall has a real gift for building bridges and helping everyone understand that, no matter their background, Holy Covenant needs each person to be a part of the whole. The congregation has been in existence for over a hundred years, but due to recent decades of typical urban demographic changes, this church is almost like a young congregation, experiencing the "good" kind of growing pains that make Sunday mornings and other weekly opportunities quite exciting. Even a newcomer can find a place to serve and be served in authentic Christian fellowship. Another thing I really appreciate about Holy Covenant is that they are intentional about being involved in the United Methodist Church as a whole. Our tiny congregation always has representation at Annual Conference and even sent delegates to this most recent General Conference. Now for non-Methodists, this may not seem like a big deal. However, given the size of Holy Covenant, it is quite an accomplishment and says a lot about how we consistently strive to make changes for the betterment of our own denomination. Holy Covenant is also involved in the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches, which demonstrates how we view our place in the larger community of ecumenical believers. Being a "reconciling congregation" can mean different things within different congregations. At Holy Covenant, being "reconciling" gives unconditional acceptance, no matter what a persons gender identity or sexual orientation. However, that's not where the message ends. Once that acceptance is established, Holy Covenant is able to move forward with the real message of the Gospel ... a message of love, transformation, salvation, freedom, and real sanctification / living a Christ-breathed life. Being a reconciling congregation is not the final message, but rather a jumping-off point to what God can truly do in our lives. I would urge you to visit ... no matter what your church background (if any) or place in the Chicago community. I am truly blessed to have been led to Holy Covenant during my time in Chicago. It's made me feel at home in the big city. read more

There are many places I go to find God. Church, growing up, wasn't really one of them. Then a few years ago I started attending this little funky, hip church in my neighborhood. It was the first Methodist church to request for a woman minister . The church, from what I've heard, also used to let the Black Panthers hold pancake breakfasts for the impoverished youth in the neighborhood. They've participated in marches for peace, gay rights and other important causes. They've celebrated with Mardi Gras style services, U2 services--every service is a celebration of spirit. I found my place there. When I would miss a service I felt like I was missing out on the festivities! I'd come in the next week asking, "What happened?!?" This is a church that walks the talk and is inclusive, warm, welcoming, sharing and holy. read more

I just moved to Chicago from out of state so I don't know anyone in the city and decided to attend worship. I was so impressed with the welcome attitude of everyone there. They made me feel at home. One person took the time to show me around the building and point out where the restrooms and such were. She also showed me where to find a list of upcoming events. I will go there again. read more

This church is as real as it gets. Real people. Real worship. Real involvement. Real missions. Stop in to this convenient location and be as involved as you want, or just sit back and enjoy the company of this vibrant community full of people who love God and love each other. There is a core group of people who attend, but due to the location and nature of the neighborhood, there are a multitude of people who stop in once or twice. I happened to see two people I knew the first week I went, so I was hooked! But if you find that people assume you've been there to worship before, they probably do, so introduce yourself! I promise you'll be as hooked as I am. read more

First of all, my friends laugh that I bring my Starbucks to church but it's that kind of place. It's come as you are and wear what you have on. It's a welcoming place (to all -- gay and straight alike). And that includes welcoming everyone to take Communion, unlike many churches. Best of all, it's a place where people are refreshingly real -- none of the judgmental holiness I've seen as the status quo at other churches (and which made me leave the church altogether for a number of years). At Holy Covenant, even the pastor is honest about having doubts and fears at times, and THAT'S OK. The music is great too (and people really SING unlike so many churches!). Very diverse -- some modern Christian music mixed with hymns, gospel, bluegrass. The church does a U2 service each fall (featuring the songs of U2) which is amazing. And there's a small, funky choir that anyone can join. You walk in the door and can't help but feel the warmth and genuineness at Holy Covenant, but also the very real sense of spiritual seeking on the part of the people there (it's not just about the feel good). If you're looking for a church on the north side, there's much to recommend Holy Covenant -- come check it out for yourself! Details: The church has two services (9:30 which is smaller, maybe 80 people, and 11:15 with about 100 people) with various small groups (some based in neighborhoods, some revolving around a topic, and a women's group). read more

I went on palm Sunday so my experience probably is not very indicative of what it would normally be. However there hasn't been any recent posts on this church so I thought I would contribute. As a disclaimer I grew up in churches that were huge and had amazing programs so that is my baseline. Overall it is not a bad church. The things I found lacking were all personal preference issues. The church is very small. I went to the 9:30 service and there was less than 75 people there and the entire room was filled. There is nothing wrong with this if your people are friendly, but during the entire time (even during the meet and greet session) I didn't have a single person introduce themselves to me and acted like they cared. If you are small you have to leverage the smaller size to make sure you have a warm environment. Other than that...it wasn't bad...but it didn't knock my socks off either. read more

This is a great church with a positive, uplifting message that focuses on social justice. The new pastor is a great preacher, and the congregation is welcoming of all kinds of people - of all races, sexual orientations, economic circumstances, gender identities, family situations, etc. They have a great homeless ministry (weekly dinner all year, plus evening activities in the winter), are REALLY on the front lines of LGBTQ inclusion in the church, and are working hard to tackle issues of racial justice. I'm so glad I found this community when I moved to Chicago last year! read more

I moved to Chicago in June of 2015. I met the lay leader at Holy Covenant UMC in a community charity kickball league. He invited me to join for the Sunday evening (5:30pm) service. I have been so immeasurably blessed by that invitation. Though I grew up United Methodist in my home state of Georgia, I had fallen out of regular church attendance for almost seven years. Holy Covenant welcomed me with open arms. The Church's motto is "Seek God. Love all People. Change the World," and no words could be better stated to describe my experience with this community. On my first visit, I was given a tour of the church, and parishioners went out of their way to make me feel welcomed. Since my regular attendance, I have enjoyed the most diverse church experience in my lifetime, and we have discussed tough issues, age-old doctrines, and ways to make our City a better place to live and care for one another. The Church also hosts a Dignity Diner each Tuesday at 6pm for homeless and hungry Chicagoans. Pastor Rev. Kelli Beard is WONDERFUL. Her sermons are powerful--they are topical and deeply moving (some make me laugh and cry!). She is so welcoming, and a joy to have fellowship with on Sundays. I have attended both morning and evening services, and they are both great opportunities to enjoy the spiritual life of the church. The morning service is more traditional, while the evening service is acoustic, much smaller, and quiet--a nice place to reflect on your week. I am so happy I found Holy Covenant UMC. I would never have imagined being the type of person to seek out a way to review a church, but I feel so compelled to share my love for this community. Come join us! read more