📖 Isaiah 55:10-13 "As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Too often, salvation is spiritualized and heaven is pictured as distant. But God’s redemptive work includes the renewal of creation, transforming barrenness into abundance. ✨ Reflection: God’s word renews not only our spirits but the world itself. We are called to participate in this restoration—through gratitude, generosity, and nurturing new life in unexpected places. #UrbanVillageChurch #CreationCare #GiftEconomy #Isaiah55 #Renewal #FaithInAction

Sometimes we talk about nature as somewhere we go, but we are part of nature and share a deep interconnectedness with the rest of creation. In 1 Corinthians 12:12- 27, Paul teaches that each part of the body is essential to its function. Just as the body of Christ is interconnected, so too is all creation.

Join us as we continue Flourishing: Caring for All Creation and explore the call to reciprocity and generous living. In 2 Corinthians 9:6–12, we hear: “The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully… God loves a cheerful giver… God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance… so that you may share abundantly in every good work.” Giving is an act of joy, not obligation; God multiplies what we generously share, sustaining others, glorifying God, and producing thanksgiving. How can you sow generously in your life this week—through your time, gifts, or love?

This Sunday we begin Flourishing: Caring for All Creation – One Book, One Church with the story of Genesis 2. God places humankind in the garden, not to own it, but to tend and care for it. Robin Wall Kimmerer reminds us that creation is not a commodity but a gift—life flourishes when we receive it with gratitude and share it with generosity.#loveheals #CreationJustice #GodsGoodCreation #UrbanVillageChurch #FlourishingTogether

Join us this Sunday for our All Site Worship Service at Montrose Beach! We will worship together at 10:30, celebrate the grace of Baptism, and then enjoy lunch, music, and games together. We will give thanks to God for the gift of community, and will celebrate the joy of being Urban Village Church! #lakeside #beachworship #montrose #loveheals

Paul reminds us to avoid arguments that divide and instead root ourselves in the unshakable foundation of God’s truth. 💜 When we live with integrity, grounded in God’s Word, we become a reflection of Christ’s love in the world. ✨ Stay centered. Stay grounded. Stay known by God. #LoveHeals #UrbanVillageChurch #RootedInFaith #ScriptureReflection

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, he summed up the law and prophets in two calls: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind — and love your neighbor as yourself. Justice work begins here. In community, we turn love into action — showing up, speaking out, and standing with those in need. #LoveYourNeighbor #LoveHeals #Matthew22 #UVC

Rev. Pamela Lightsey leads us through Ephesians 2:3–10 in a message titled "The Way of Grace." Discover how God’s gift of grace transforms our lives—not because of what we’ve done, but because of who God is. Come as you are. Experience grace, healing, and community. #UrbanVillageChurch #WayOfGrace #Ephesians2 #LoveHeals

Cain's question—“Am I my brother’s keeper?”—still echoes today.John Wesley, founder of Methodism, answered with a resounding yes—especially when confronting the horrors of slavery. He called slavery “the sum of all villainies,” recognizing that to ignore the suffering of others is to deny our shared humanity.In this story, God hears the cry of Abel’s blood—just as God hears the cries of the oppressed across time. The call is clear: we are responsible for one another.As Methodists, as Christians, as people of faith—we are our siblings’ keepers. We are called to stand against systems that kill, exploit, and discard.#Genesis4 #JohnWesley #FaithAndJustice #AmIMyBrothersKeeper #UMC #LoveHeals #ChurchForJustice #LoveHeals #JohnWesley #UMC

Join us this Sunday as we discuss God's desire for us to be open to God's will, even to the point of letting go of the ways we thought we were right. Open to God's shifts for our lives. We will read and study Acts 10:9-16.

This week we are excited to celebrate with a sermon on The Gospel of Our Bodies.

You are altogether beautiful — body, desire, and all. We confront shame and reclaim sex as sacred.For Week 2: Bodies, Sex & Shame, we explore the holy erotic, the truth about purity culture, and the freedom found in consent and joy.Song of Songs 4:1–7 Purity culture doesn’t get the final word. God’s love is embodied—and so are you. #GospelOfOurBodies #SexIsSacred #HolyDesire #FaithAndFreedom #UVCChicago #LoveHeals

You were made in the image of God — not in spite of your body, but through it. This week, we reclaim the truth that our bodies are not mistakes to be fixed or burdens to be carried — they are good. Sacred. Wonderfully made. Come hear the good news your body’s been waiting for. 💜   #GospelOfOurBodies #BodiesAreSacred #HolyAndWhole #GodInOurBodies #LiberatingLove

Pride Sermon sharing our theme Together in FAITH, United in PRIDE, Rooted in LOVE by Rev. Wei-Jen. Verses from 2 Kings 2:1-2 6-14, Luke 9:51-62.

  In the story of the Ethiopian eunuch, we encounter a divine yes—across borders, bodies, and binaries. Hear a word about how God’s Spirit moves us toward liberation, belonging, and bold action.   #QueerlyBeloved #PrideWorship #UrbanVillageChurch #AffirmingChurch #QueerTheology #Acts8

Join Rev. Dr. Danie Buhuro for The Power of a Rolling Stone — a powerful sermon on John 11:32-44, resurrection, liberation, and queer hope that rolls away what holds us back. Rev. Lightsey will talk about true liberation, resurrection, and the queer power to roll away what tries to bury us. #QueerlyBeloved #QueerTheology #UrbanVillageChurch #PridePreaching #FaithfullyQueer #ComeOutComeOut #PrideMonth #QueerFaith #RollingStonesAndResurrection #FaithInAction

🔥 “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues…” — Acts 2:4 On Pentecost, the Spirit moved through a diverse crowd—people of different languages, cultures, and experiences—bringing them into holy understanding. The birth of the Church was never about sameness. It was, and still is, about radical inclusion, divine disruption, and sacred queerness. The Church isn’t meant to fit inside the boxes of empire—it breaks them open. The body of Christ is bold, multilingual, boundary-breaking, and beautifully queer. Come be part of a church that hears across difference, honors every tongue, and makes space for God’s upside-down kind of love. #PentecostSunday #QueerChurch #Acts2 #UVCBelovedCommunity #SpiritLed #RadicalWelcome #HolyDisruption

What does it mean to live with wisdom from above? This week, we're reflecting on James 3:13–18, where scripture calls us to lives marked by humility, gentleness, and peace. 📖 “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits...” — James 3:17

📖 Acts 1:1–14 Recap — The Promise & Power Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, giving final instructions before ascending to heaven. He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. They asked about restoring Israel, but He redirected them: “You’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, and you’ll be my witnesses everywhere.” As they watched, Jesus ascended into the clouds. Two angels appeared and said, “He’ll return the same way you saw Him go.” The disciples returned to Jerusalem and gathered in unity—devoted in prayer with one heart and one purpose. #BookOfActs #JesusAscension #HolySpiritPower #BibleStudy #FaithInAction #Acts1 #ChurchOnline #ChristianCommunity #StreamyardLive #PrayerAndUnity #WitnessesForChrist #GospelMessage #KingdomMission

This week, we’ll explore Luke 24:13–35, the powerful story of the Road to Emmaus. Two disciples, heartbroken after Jesus’ crucifixion, walk with a stranger who opens the Scriptures to them—and in the breaking of bread, they realize it’s the risen Christ. It’s a beautiful reminder that Jesus walks with us, even when we don’t recognize Him. Join for a message of hope, revelation, and renewed faith.