Covenant Presbyterian Church of Chicago

As a true believer in Jesus Christ, I am appalled by the conservative beliefs of this congregation. This church is directed by a group of conservative republicans who all live in the same cul-​de-​sac, in the affluent yet tacky suburb of Rolling Ghettos. This is not a urban church, caring for needy people. I cannot believe you can be Christian and republican, as republicans despise the poor and support the end of the middle class. They will fight to the nth degree their support of the NRA, and the resulting massacre of people. I kept my mouth shut while attending, however, I watched and listened to everyone and I was not pleased with the witness of these people. Shame on all of you.

I wouldn’t usually write a review of a church but given that I had been looking on Unilocal for one, it seems only fair to return the favor to other local church seekers.
We have tried countless churches in the Chicago area and had nearly given up. Following the recommendation of a friend, we decided to give Covenant Presbyterian Church a try and I am so happy we did! Of course, no place is right for everyone but this has been a perfect fit for our family. The music is fantastic (& my husband is a tough critic) — it has almost a folksy/​bluegrass quality that manages to feel both traditional and modern. The pastor’s messages are well composed and thought provoking. And, another key for us is child care as we have small children. There is a homey, comfortable feel to it but it also has a modern check-​in & pager system. There are always friendly volunteers waiting and age-​appropriate toys & activities. Best of all, our kids really look forward to it — we all do actually!

I really like the messages one of the Pastor’s gives. He has a creative way of «translating» to help the listener better understand the stories from the bible. He uses a good combination of historic info (outside of the bible), anecdotal illustrations and theology to provoke thought.
The service itself is ok. Music is a little unusual & I feel like I’m playing an icebreaker game with the constant sit down/​stand up throughout.
FYI: I’m not a regular member & not sure if I would be if I still lived nearby. Not b/​c it’s not good, it’s just a different «style» that I prefer. Worth checking out.

This would be 5 stars, but for one major drawback. We are a middle-​aged couple that recently relocated to the neighborhood as semi-​empty nesters, and have been seeking our next long-​term church family. Kate L’s review is a good review; there are many positives about the church and congregation. However, we feel compelled to add a comment regarding physical comfort when sitting for an hour or more. We wish we could afford to donate enough to the church to fund replacement of the very uncomfortable hardwood pews. The backs are absolutely straight — 90 degree angle straight; the seats are shallow (not deep) and there are no cushions at all. The lack of comfort is actually mentally distracting for the duration of the service. Our 20-​somethings, home from college, attended with us and confirmed our conclusion… we wish we could stay, and add our personal involvement and financial support to this wonderful church. We literally cannot handle the discomfort and are sadly still seeking our next church home.

Covenant Presbyterian has been a great church for me and my wife for the last three years. The sermons are always very thought provoking, practical and keep your interest. The worship has a very refreshing original style that is neither organ-​based traditional or rock show modern. There are also lots of ways to get plugged in with small groups throughout the city and service projects to help around our city and beyond.
We were able to meet a lot of great people fairly quickly and appreciate how welcoming people have been. Now that we have a little one, we found that they have an exceptional children’s program too.
Make sure to check out the Common Ground, coffee and bagel time between services.

I think rating churches is ridiculous. But this one is mine. And it’s more than 5 stars. You should visit if you’re inclined.

I’ve been going to this church for about 2 years, and it is beautiful in many ways.
1. The Sermon: Usually the main pastor preaches, Aaron Baker, and while he is theologically conservative, the way he articulates that is in a very compassionate and, if I may, mystical way. As someone who is more artistically minded, I gravitate towards understanding something in its many rich facets. He preaches in a style that communicates truth but brings out the beauty in it, with relevant and convicting admonishment.
2. The Music: This is my favorite thing about the church, and it is different than any church I’ve ever seen. The style is varied from Americana folk to classical. The music is very engaging with a very worshipful message and sentiment. Music is meticulously chosen for melody, harmony, and poetry. Whether or not you –like– any of the styles of music, you can depend on the songs to have beautiful melodies with engaging words.
3. The People: I would have to admit it has been hard getting to know people here, but that could be due to my own lack of trying and social anxiety.
This church is going to be different than ones you’ve been to, and is worth checking out especially if you are artistically and musically inclined (but not snobby)!

Considering that I go to this church I thought that I would be the first to review. I also just happened to beat everyone else. Anyhoo, I like this place, been going here for a quite some time now and find that the people who go here are not robots. It is a pretty comforting environment and the actual church is georgeous.
I am not a huge fan of all of the changes that have been occuring there in the past couple of years only because I was used to the same schedule and faces for many years. In fact, I attend less frequently now because things still seem new and I don’t recognize a lot of the faces that I used to. However; I know that they have made changes there for the good in the long run. Hopefully. Right now, the actual church community is growing apart due to some of these changes.
Here are some of the things that you might find there now:
1. Clicks. It wasn’t like that about 4 years ago. People stick in their own groups, and you feel left out when people freely talk about doing things together after church right in front of you without inviting you. I am someone who likes to get to know people, and not many people here are open to social outings outside of the church setting with new people not in their «group». It kind of feels like hs.
2. People seem less «aware» of who you are when they meet you. As I said, I have been going to the church now for a while (probably about 7 – 8 years). I have met some of the same people a million times and more. Each time they never remember my name and say that they, «Might have met me once before.» If you are not in a small group, but still happen to meet people (and hold a convo. with them) a million times, still expect to be forgotten. The good thing is that people aren’t rude there when they forget who you are. In fact, other than the whole «inviting in front of your face» thing, I don’t think I have come across a crude person there. People can act so nice and genuine its almost unreal. I guess that’s what makes you feel comfortable and wanting to come back.
3. Don’t think that everyone is not open to hanging out with new people. Some people I know who have been there for a while are actually considerate and enjoy the presence of many different people. They know who they are, I know who they are, and it is nice.