Urban Village Church

8/25/24 | Jonathan Grace | Ally or Freedom Fighter? | Esther 4: 9-17

Allies have the liberty (and have often exercised this liberty) to come and go as they please in the work of liberation. It’s easy enough to put up signs or wear clothing stating, Black Lives Matter. But what sacrifices are we willing to make to learn about these Black lives and to ensure their true liberation? Historically, those who claimed to be freedom fighters stayed the course, even to the point of personal harm. Liberation is a dangerous endeavor. We're excited for this sermon as we dive into scripture from Esther 4: 9-17.

8/18/24 | Jonathan Grace | Our Lives Matter: Reintroducing Ourselves to Ourselves | 1st Kings 19: 9b-18

This week's sermon, Our Lives Matter: Reintroducing Ourselves to Ourselves, shared Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey's book Our Lives Matter. In writing the book, Dr. Lightsey had to address the fact that her understanding of herself had shifted, and she had to come to terms with who she had become. We need to take the time to reintroduce ourselves to ourselves so that we can understand who God has led us to become, and to know how this new self can answer God's call on our lives. We explored scripture from 1st Kings 19: 9b-18.

8/11/24 | Juan Pablo Herrera | Pay It No Mind | Philippians 4:4-9

We shall continue to rejoice as we face hardships in life.

8/4/24 | Rev. Jonathan Grace | Kin-dom Come: Love and Humility | John 13: 1-17

This week our sermon series on Emergent Strategy, Kin-dom Come: Love and Humility, included scripture from John 13: 1-17

Brown identifies love and humility as essential tools for transformation. These virtues can help us navigate the complexities of social change and build stronger, more resilient communities. This sermon will focus on the transformative power of love and humility. We will discuss practical ways to cultivate these virtues in our daily lives and ministry, emphasizing that true social change begins with the transformation of our own hearts.

7/28/24 | Pamela Lightsey | Kin-dom Come: Spiritual Makeover | Galatians 6:1-5

This week's scripture is Galatians 6:1-5

 

This sermon shares that we must open up to relationships and urge to be deeper rather than just conversational. We should spend time with one another, share spiritual conversations, and grow together.

7/21/24 | Rev Jonathan Grace | Kin-dom Come: Getting Strategic for Social Change | Acts 1:1-14

Effective strategy for social change means making tough decisions, being disciplined, and staying focused on our goals. In this sermon, we will explore how Jesus and the early church employed strategic thinking to spread the Gospel and bring about transformative change, and how we can apply these principles to our context.

7/14/24 | Dr Pamela Lightsey | Visioning: Seeing What We Cannot See | Philippians 3:12-21, Hebrews 11

brown encourages us to practice visioning, to see and create what does not yet exist. This means imagining and believing in the possibilities beyond our current reality. As people of faith, we are called to dream big, envisioning a world where justice, peace, and love prevail. It is safe to say many of us are worried about the future. Genuine concern is not bad, but it could lead us to despair.

7/07/24 | Dr Pamela Lightsey | Mindset Matters | Romans 7:14-25 and Romans 8:1-5

This week we will explore Romans 7:14-25 and Romans 8:1-5. We talk about the love and relationship between the law of Moses and humans. We also share the freeing of human sin through love given to us.

6/23/24 | Rev. Lois McCullen Parr | Shine | Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 shares that "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Our responsibility is to shine in this light.

6/23/24 | Pamela Lightsey | Aging | Deuteronomy 34:5-9

After watching over Israel for 40 years, Moses dies on Mount Nebo, not before seeing the promised land of Canaan from a distance. Moses also lays his hands on Joshua which symbolizes the transfer of authority (and spirit of wisdom and divine gifting) for leading Israel. In Deuteronomy 34:5-9, we explore rites of passage and love.