Urban Village Church

We continue our sermon series on spiritual disciplines with a focus on prayer this week. Prayer can be pretty intimidating! Many of us feel we must bring something or be something in order to engage in this foundational faith practice. But Jesus shows us when he prays in the passage from Luke 22 that you only need to bring one thing: yourself. Engaging with God and sharing all of your hopes and dr...

Throughout Lent we'll be looking at the spiritual practices of Jesus and how they got him ready for the events of Holy Week. Pastor Hannah speaks this morning about the details in between Jesus’ actions that we don't often consider. In between the miraculous healings and wise parables Jesus practiced his faith too! We’ll explore today his practice of regularly breaking bread with friends, and how...

This week we enter Lent- a time when we reflect on ways we can fortify and deepen our faith. And singing is an amazing spiritual practice to lead us! This morning we’ll focus on the power of song and the ways music can speak to our emotions. Chicago musician Clif Wallace leads us in worshiop alongside a New Orleans-jazz ensemble with a guided reflection from Pastor Darneather Murph-Heath . urbanvi...

This Sunday in worship, we explored the text Job 33:12-16a: Now you’re wrong about this; I’ll answer you,     for God is greater than anybody. Why do you contend with him,     saying that he doesn’t answer all your words?[c] God speaks in one way,     in two ways, but no one perceives it. In the dream, a vision of the night,     when deep sleep falls upon humans,         during their slumber on a...

We hope this throwback meets you in a holy way. During our ‘Popcorn Gospel’ series, Pastor Emily spoke candidly about the realities of suicide with the all important, completely necessary reminder that YOU MATTER, and at UVC, you are always invited to come and be part of something that is inclusive, and relevant, and love-infused. Whether online or in-person, we can’t wait to see you  . urbanvilla...

Dreams inspire us, nourish us, and keep us moving towards a future we can’t see quite yet. This week’s dreamer, Ella Baker, once said “This may only be a dream of mine, but I think it can be made real.” We will follow her and Daniel of the Bible through their journeys to make dreams real in the midst of an oppressive, imperfect world, and in the process, hopefully get a little closer to making som...

If you grew up with in a family with a strong Protestant work ethic, it may seem sacrilegious to talk about sleep, napping, and rest as powerful acts of faith. But Number Three in the Big Ten (of commandments) puts it right there: Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Sabbath. Shabbat Which means "rest." As we talk about dreams this month, it makes sense that we would also talk about sleep a...

In scripture, God tells Joseph in a dream to flee Judea with Mary and Jesus and go to a town called Nazareth. At one of the most pivotal and courageous moments in our nation’s history, Harriet Tubman received dreams from God that directed and protected her on a perilous journey to freedom from slavery, freeing over 70 other enslaved people. In their dreams, Joseph and Harriet receive guidance on h...

Pastor of Emerging Ministries Christian Coon reflects on how God intercedes in our lives (including in our dreams) to provide guidance and protection. The Scripture focus is Matthew 2:19-23.

When Jesus enters the home of Mary and Martha, things happen! Raw emotions are expressed, people are calling people out, and Jesus brings to the surface the topic of care in a shocking way. This passage is both a favorite to many and also frustrating to many (are you Team Martha or Team Mary??).  This Sunday in online worship Pastors D’Angelo and Alexa will be in conversation with healthcare worke...

Familiar with the Great Resignation? It’s a term to describe a current economic trend where millions of workers are leaving their jobs during the pandemic and redefining work in relation to one’s life, purpose, and meaning. In scripture, the first disciples Jesus calls have a similar experience! In worship, Pastor Chan discusses this “great acceptance” in conversation with South loop member Julie...

This Sunday's Choose Your Own Adventure service was a justice edition in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  We still have opportunities to advocate voting rights, make meals for neighbors in need, learn Chicago music history, and more! In worship, Pastor Hannah connects Dr. King's message of civil rights and economic justice to modern movements and the ways we can be a part of that wor...

Grab your favorite hot drink of choice as Pastors D’Angelo, Hannah, Christian, and Emily gather around a virtual fire place to have a conversation about life in such a time as this. Focusing on Isaiah 40:26-31, we will explore challenges, grief, creativity, and fresh ways to imagine being relevant as people of faith, starting with an honest word . urbanvillagechurch.org . . . Sign up to receive ou...

Happy New Year! We hope this throwback from a few weeks ago is a helpful reminder about how we hope to be community in the months ahead - and - invite you to join us! As you listen, let us know how we can meet you with our resources. Whether through our online community of one of our sites meeting in-person, we hope to see you around.  . urbanvillagechurch.org   . . . Sign up to receive our eNews...

In our Weslyan Covenant New Year's service, we celebrate God's faithfulness and love while being honest about our circumstances. Responding to God's presence in our lives invites us to renew our commitments to one another as people of faith. This type of covenant is worth celebrating! We are empowered to love ourselves and to love our neighbor because God loves us. Join us! All are welcome. All ar...

On this first day of Kwanzaa, Pastor D’Angelo addresses the myth that we can go our way alone. We are meant for community- community that is rooted in love, care, and attention to our neighbor. During this Umoja Service celebrating unity, we honor community. It is a gift from God!  . urbanvillagechurch.org   . . . Sign up to receive our eNews and stay in the know! (link to sign up is at the bottom...

Merry Christmas! In our third week of Advent, Pastor Emily preached from the gospel of Luke about Jesus’ nuanced claim as the ‘Prince of Peace.’ We hope you enjoy this word in these days leading up to the 25th. May it meet you in a holy way. And during this Christmas celebration in particular - stay safe!! . urbanvillagechurch.org   . . . Sign up to receive our eNews and stay in the know! (link to...

Music is a constant companion for many of us. When we are feeling a particular emotion, we often reach to a particular song that evokes exactly how we’re feeling. Songs play a role in our Scripture passage this week, known as the Magnificat, which Mary sings. Mary has traveled a long distance to be with her cousin, Elizabeth. Her response to seeing Elizabeth is to voice a song that’s a prophetic w...

We hear the phrase ‘it’s better to give than receive’ this time of the year over and over. And it’s a fine thing to live into! But it’s also not a bad thing to receive, too. We read in our Scripture lesson this week about how Mary received good news from the shepherds and she pondered this news and treasured it. She is a model for us on how to receive joy, even in the midst of weariness. It is goo...

Pastor Hannah continues our sermon series, 'A Weary World... Rejoices?' as the shepherds were working the night shift and Mary had just given birth. They and everyone they knew were living under Empire. There were many, many reasons to be weary. Yet into the midst of their weary night comes an announcement from an Angel, and then, bounteous rejoicing. How can we find this joy too? . urbanvillagech...

Pastor Christian begins our Advent sermon series in a season of all things comfort: comfort food, comfy clothes, comfort music. It’s understandable that we’re drawn to the comfortable when so much in our lives these days sap us. Today’s scripture however seems to make us un-comfortable. Or does it? In the midst of these challenging images that Jesus gives us, Christ also seems to say that when thi...

Streaming from our Edgewater site! This weekend, Pastor Chan explored Hannah’s prayer and offering from 1 Samuel. Finishing our sermon series “An Important Piece of the Puzzle,” we recognize how the act of giving is usually portrayed as this honorable and faithful act. Not to say it’s not… but sometimes giving is hard. It can mean being honest about our struggles, anxieties, pains and frustrations...

We continue our series “An Important Piece of the Puzzle” claiming *every* gift matters because each adds up to creating and sustaining beautiful community. In our scripture this morning, Digital Pastor Jennifer Stephens explores this loving act by Mary when she pours expensive oil on Jesus’ feet and then wipes his feet with her hair. After presenting this gift though, Mary receives some shade…  ...

We reflected last week on what it means to put our whole selves in, but how exactly do we do that? What can we offer? Christian Coon reflects on the powerful story of Mary in John 12:1-8 and how she can be a model for us.

With the uncertainty of the pandemic still weighing on so many, it may feel awkward to talk about financial giving. But it’s also why community is so important! We begin our series this month claiming *every* gift matters because each adds up to creating and sustaining beautiful community.    This morning, Pastor Chan leads us in the practice of looking towards abundance amid scarcity in practical...