A Progressive Voice on Vernon Avenue in Edina
Chapel Hills United Church of Christ sits on a quiet stretch of Vernon Avenue South in Edina, a southwestern suburb of Minneapolis. From a single-story building on a residential block, the congregation has built a reputation for progressive Christian worship, an unusually active choral program, and an explicit welcome to LGBTQ people. The phrase that runs through the church's materials is plain and unqualified: "No matter where you are in life's journey, you are welcome here." That wider language of welcome shapes everything from Sunday worship to weddings.
The congregation describes itself as "a progressive Christian community following a path of love and grace and compassion," valuing both the head and the heart. Members see themselves as an inclusive, joyful congregation of witnesses to the life of Christ, charged with showing God's love to a world that needs care and hope.
What a Sunday Looks Like
Worship begins at 10:15 a.m. and typically lasts about an hour. The order of service follows the United Church of Christ's progressive tradition, with communion celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. Every service is livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings stay on the channel for those who want to revisit a particular sermon.
The main floor of the building is handicap accessible through the front entrance, and the entire service happens on that level. After worship, the congregation gathers for coffee, snacks, and conversation, and visitors are folded into that fellowship as a matter of course.
A Choir at the Heart of Worship
Music is described as "the heart of worship" at Chapel Hills. The choir, directed by Andrea Erickson and accompanied by organist Sandy Davis, holds two weekly rehearsals: Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 9:15. The group sings a repertoire stretching from the classic choral tradition through works by Mendelssohn and Handel, African American spirituals, and Lutheran-college arrangements by composers like Leland Sateren and F. Melius Christiansen. New singers are welcome regardless of skill or experience. A handful of audio clips from the 2025 Christmas Eve and candlelight services, posted on YouTube, give a sense of the sound: layered choral harmonies behind soloists Steve D, Beth G, Michelle L, and Ben D.
An Open & Affirming Covenant
By a unanimous vote on September 30, 2018, the congregation adopted an Open & Affirming covenant through the United Church of Christ, extending full inclusion into the church's life and ministry to people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. The same welcome shapes weddings: Chapel Hills will host a ceremony for any couple in love, and the Weddings page is explicit that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons are fully affirmed in the church's life and ministry.
Children and Sunday School
Nursery care is offered during worship throughout the year for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children. Sunday School meets most Sundays from September through May, running from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. for children in grades one through five (ages five and older). The teacher is Stephanie Tesch.
Life Together: Potlucks, Walks, and Books
The congregation is unusually social for its size, and a long list of recurring activities keeps members in touch outside Sunday morning. Cooks of Chapel Hills picks a culinary theme several times a year and gathers at a member's home for an evening meal; past themes have included Brazilian, Caribbean, Moroccan, Persian, Spam, Hawaiian, Israeli/Palestinian, Midwest Supper Club, and many more. On the first Tuesday in August, the church hosts the city's Night to Unite event with a picnic potluck, children's games, music, and visits from local police and fire crews. A long-running tradition called Cookies for College Students packages homemade treats for members away at school and for shut-ins.
Two other regulars round out the calendar. The Chapel Hills Book Group reads and discusses literary works through the year. On the first and third Thursdays, the Gentle Walks in Nature group explores neighborhood parks and trails, then returns to the church for coffee, treats, devotions, and conversation. Friends in Christ keeps members connected through birthday cards, holiday packages, phone calls, and rides for those who need a lift.
Sacraments and Milestones
Baptism at Chapel Hills is open to anyone who wants to be baptized or to have a child baptized, member or not. Weddings and funerals are hosted for the wider community as well as for members. The Funerals page frames the service as a moment to "celebrate the goodness of their life here and the promise of the new life that is to come," with time for grief, prayer, and mutual support.
Outreach: Locally, Regionally, and Beyond
Outreach at Chapel Hills is organized so that dollars, hands, and education travel together. The congregation has supported VEAP (Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People), which serves people facing housing and food insecurity in south Minneapolis and the southwest suburbs, for decades. The church has also backed Connect with a Child in Africa for many years. As a long-time "5 for 5" congregation of the United Church of Christ, Chapel Hills gives annually to OCWM (Our Church's Wider Mission), Neighbors in Need, the Christmas Fund for Veterans of the Cross, Strengthen the Church, and One Great Hour of Sharing.
Spaces for the Neighborhood
The Vernon Avenue building is not only a house of worship but also a resource for the wider community. Chapel Hills rents meeting and event space to small, medium, and large groups, and the sanctuary works particularly well for recitals, with audio-visual capabilities and refreshment service available. The office is the point of contact for inquiries about member and non-member rates.
Visiting Chapel Hills
Sunday morning visitors will find parking at the Vernon Avenue campus, an accessible front entrance, a worship service at 10:15 a.m. that runs about an hour, nursery care available, and a coffee hour afterward. The pastor, Rev. Christian Briones, was raised in Garland, Texas, the son of immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador. He earned a BA in biblical studies at Hardin-Simmons University and a Master of Divinity with a concentration in gender and sexuality from Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, where he was honored with the Walker Preacher Award. His preaching draws on liberationist figures such as Oscar Romero and Martin Luther King Jr., and he describes his teaching as Jesus-centered, working to dismantle white supremacy, transphobia, patriarchy, and Christian nationalism. He can be reached at revcbriones@gmail.com. The church office is at 6512 Vernon Ave S, Edina, MN 55436, by phone at 952-935-3025, and by email at chapelhillsucc@gmail.com. Online giving is available through EasyTithe.