Urban Village Church

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! 

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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!!

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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 word.

 

Like Mary, we are all called to sing songs that bespeak joy, justice, and love for all

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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 good to give, yes. It is also good (and sometimes necessary) to receive.

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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?

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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 things are dim, God’s kin-dom is particularly evident and near. Will we look for those signs? Can we see them?

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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. Hannah’s prayer reveals to us a boldness in expressing our *actual* needs to God. What new possibilities exist when we do the same? 

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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…

 

Mary’s gift reveals a hallmark of discipleship and makes a bold claim about who Jesus is. Join us as we discuss our community’s identity and how we can continue being bold, inclusive, and relevant in in our gift giving
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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 and holy ways. As we connect individual gifts to the creation of greater community, we celebrate how the puzzle is more beautiful with every added piece. Please join us! All are welcome and affirmed.
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Sign up to receive our eNews and stay in the know! (link to sign up is at the bottom of our webpage). Follow us online and support our bold, inclusive, and relevant ministry into the new year!