About us
Who We Are
🌈 At Hillsborough United Church of Christ, we’re Progressive, Inclusive, Creative, Caring, and Kid-Friendly.
💒 Come as you are — there’s a place for everyone here.
🙏 Let’s grow together in faith, love, and community.
#HillsboroughUCC #ProgressiveChurch #AllAreWelcome #FaithInAction #OpenAndAffirming
Our Mission
Guided by the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, and open to new insights, this congregation is committed to being a congregation engaged in an on-going spiritual growth that fosters a tolerant, loving atmosphere and is inclusive and affirming of persons of all races, backgrounds, social classes, physical and mental abilities and health, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities and cultures. We strive to be the whole people of God, welcoming all into the full life and ministry of the church.
Meet Our Staff
Rev. Dr. Christopher Aho, Interim Pastor
Chris Aho joined Hillsborough UCC as interim pastor in 2025, bringing with him more than two decades of ministry rooted in spiritual formation, thoughtful change, and faithful community leadership. A longtime North Carolina resident, Chris is a minister, writer, and facilitator who believes the church is at its best when it welcomes with intention, listens deeply, and lives out God’s expansive love.
Before arriving at HUCC, Chris led congregations across the southeast and most recently served as Director of the Thriving Congregations Initiative with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. There, he helped churches navigate change with courage and creativity—holding fast to the Spirit while experimenting with fresh ways of being church.
Chris holds degrees from Baylor University and Duke Divinity School, where his doctoral work explored the intersection of tradition and innovation in local church life. He’s passionate about hospitality, holy curiosity, and creating spaces where people are known, nourished, and invited to grow.
Chris is married to Natalie and they have two boys, Cam- a senior at Riverside High School, and Finn- A fourth grader at Duke School. He and his family live in Durham and can often be found on his bike, in a local coffee shop, cheering on the Duke Blue Devils or Carolina Hurricanes, or just finding joy in the ordinary moments of community life.
Gabriel Reynolds, Church Musician
Gabriel joined the church staff as part-time Church Musician in 2018. He brings to his work a passion for music as well as justice and inclusion. He is a professional musician who performs as well as writing and recording his own music under the professional name Wake Moody. He has a folk rock style, and is a big fan of the Beatles classic music. He brings to the work at HUCC an openness to incorporate a variety of styles of music and a desire to have the music enhance the worship experience at HUCC. He also leads our occasional choir at HUCC and encourages others to share their musical talents in worship. To find out more about Gabriel you can go to http://wakemoody.com Gabriel lives in Chapel Hill with his partner Aline and their pup.
Christy Gracia, Church Administrator
Christy joined the church staff mid pandemic in 2020. She has a strong background in bookkeeping and has worked to make the financial workings of HUCC clear and transparent. She provides support to the pastor in administrative duties, coordinates use of the buildings and assures the clerical and supportive work of the community is done with care. She offers a warm welcome to all who visit and call the church during the week. She is married and mother of three grown children, and loves being a grandmother.
Yesenia Cardona, Nursery Coordinator
Yesenia serves as our Nursery Coordinator during the worship hour on Sundays. She has a passion for working with young children and guiding them in their early learning journey. Yesenia assures our preschool children are safe and well cared for during worship service. She is a proud mother of one son and when not at HUCC on Sunday mornings, she also enjoys being a preschool teacher at Sounds and Colors.