Sunday Worship Services

Sunday worship service is at 9:30 a.m. throughout the year. During the Program Year (between Labor Day and late May), we have Sunday school and nursery provisions. The children usually worship with their parents in the Meeting House for the first 10-15 minutes of the service. They then come forward for Rev. Tanya’s time with the children. The congregation then blesses them, and they depart for continued worship and learning downstairs.

During the summer months (late-May through Labor Day), we have toys available and an audio feed of the service in Emerson Chapel for parents and small children, but no Sunday school or attended nursery provision.

Sunday worship services are familiar and fairly traditional, consisting of hymns, liturgy and prayers, anthems, scripture and sermon, offering and fellowship.  They typically last 60-70 minutes. We celebrate Holy Communion on the first Sunday of the month, where we serve gluten-free bread and grape juice to all who wish to receive the sacrament.

Other Worship Services

In addition to our regular Sunday worship services, we have Lenten and Christmas worship services:

  • Ash Wednesday 
  • Maunday Thursday 
  • Easter Sunday Sunrise Service – this is in addition to the 9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday worship service in the meetinghouse
  • Longest Night (Blue Christmas) – December 21st (winter solstice)
  • Christmas Eve – An earlier family service with focus on celebrating Jesus’ birth with narrative and music appropriate to our community’s youngest members, and a our more traditional candlelight service of lessons and carols in the Meetinghouse later in the evening.

Children and Youth Programs

We know how precious your child is—to you, to God, and to our church! And we want them and you to know it. During the 9:30 a.m. worship service throughout the Program Year, we offer programs for babies and toddlers through teens:

  • A fully-furnished Nursery with trained attendants welcomes babies and toddlers
  • Sunday School classes for children age 4 through 6th grade with trained and enthusiastic volunteer leaders who provide a caring, accepting atmosphere where the children learn about the Bible and the principles of Christian faith
  • Journey to Confirmation program led by experienced and excited adult teachers where students in grades 7-9 delve more deeply into their faith. Confirmation classes meet on scheduled Sundays during the 9:30 a.m. church service throughout the Program Year (not every Sunday). Schedule provided to participants.

From Sunday School classes through Confirmation, programs are designed with age-appropriate materials and activities with both learning and fun in mind. The programs also provide many service opportunities, from making dog beds for animal shelters to making pumpkin pies to go in the Thanksgiving food boxes given to local needy families. In addition, Confirmation students participate in several field trips throughout the Program Year, complete in-church and out-of-church service projects, and assist with Sunday School lessons.

Go to the Infants & Children page to learn more about the Nursery and Sunday School programs and visit the Youth page to learn more about the Journey to Confirmation program.

What To Wear

We welcome you as you are! We don’t have a dress code; some people wear jeans and others wear suits—but ‘office casual’ probably describes what most people wear.

Accessibility

The Congregational Church of Hollis is handicapped accessible. There is an elevator at the center entrance that provides access to all levels of the building. You can be dropped off at the paved apron at the front of the driveway, and continue up the pavement toward the Meeting House. Enter at the double-doors near the granite bench at the center of the church. Please park either in the handicapped spots on the street, or in the parking lot at the back of the church.

How to Find Us

The Congregational Church of Hollis is located at the center of Hollis, at 3 Monument Square.

Parking

There are several places you might park when you arrive: there is a parking lot between the church and the Hollis Social Library; there is on-street parking all around Monument Square; and when these areas are filled, we own the small field adjacent to Valicenti’s (across Monument Square from the church) and overflow cars will occasionally park there — please just be sure not to block the driveway, which is private.

Where to Enter

The main entrance to Meeting House, up the stairs on Monument Square, allows you to enter at the rear of the sanctuary. The handicapped-accessible entrance, to the left side of the main entrance, accommodates wheelchairs and walkers. You can be dropped off in the small paved apron on the right side of the driveway at the front of the church. Continue up the pavement to the double doors, which open to our elevator: this takes you up to the Meeting House (turn right out of the elevator and travel up the ramp, which brings you into the front of the Meeting House), or down to Hardy Hall.

Or the side entrance, next to the Hollis Social Library. Go up the stairs and straight ahead, following the corridor around to the Meeting House — you’ll enter at the front of the sanctuary.

Office Hours

Except during the summer, the church administrative staff, Eileen Widner, Cindy Ryherd, and/or Lynn Goldberg, is available during church office hours, Monday  Closed; Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Summer church office hours (1st Monday in June through mid-August) are only on Thursday and Friday mornings from 8:00 a.m. – noon. They can also be reached by email at churchoffice@hollischurch.org or admin@hollischurch.org.

Reverend Tanya can be reached by email at pastor@hollischurch.org to schedule a meeting with her in the office.