UrbanMission is a unique new church in our city of Pomona. We approach the work of "church" 180 degrees different from most church-planting efforts: UrbanMission is a ministries collective, established to live out Jesus' call to co-labor with God in making our community the best it can be. Our individual ministries are self-contained but deeply interdependent.
Located in south Pomona, UrbanMission is a United Church of Christ/Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) new-church plant that began late in 2013 as the inspiration of Claremont School of Theology student Al Lopez. Al, along with fellow seminarian Nora Jacob, was part of a special "Seed Planters" class held by the Disciples Seminary Foundation. Students were eventually asked, "What would you do to make your calling a reality, if money were no object?"
Al's answer was to take over a vacant church property and to try a new way of "being church." Nora's answer was to link up with another student, Shami Espinoza, to start a DOC regional ministry to serve and facilitate healing among individuals and communities affected by incarceration. As Al and Nora began to talk -- and a few people from Urbanmission's neighborhood joined Al to begin cleaning up the run-down facilities at 810 S. White Avenue -- another energized individual joined them.
Stephen Patten, also a seminary student at Claremont School of Theology and an established teacher at Damien High School, spoke eloquently about his passion for food justice and his desire to offer "open table" meals where all would be welcome, and where community members could come together to share concerns and celebrations. (Sound like church? Exactly!)
The three pastors worked on their respective ministries, setting down roots in the area and making connections with others. Thanksgiving Day, 2014, was a highlight because UrbanMission served as the city's Meals On Wheels staging area for preparation and distribution of meals by more than a dozen different organizations and agencies -- more than 300 meals, to be exact!
And then on the first Sunday of Advent, 2014, the three pastors -- now a solid, trusting ministry team -- began holding "preview" worship gatherings at 10:30 a.m. Conducted in a style known as "emergent worship," these gatherings include prayer, preaching, collection of offerings and prayers, and of course communion each week ... as well as an element unusual to many that is known as "the message response." This may be a craft activity, an interactive participatory discussion, or even a walk around the block!
UrbanMission's ministries have now begun to blossom, thanks to collaborative support from congregations like First Christian Church Pomona, First Christian Church Orange, East Whittier Christian Church, Diamond Bar UCC, Claremont UCC, St. Denis Catholic Community, and River of Life Community Church. Damien High School parents and students continue to be regular volunteers at the Sunday evening "Open Table" meal with the community at 5:00 p.m.
Our UCC tradition believes that, "God is still speaking," and we believe that this is true! Not just to us individually but also to the world at large, through different manifestations of "being church." It is a blessing for UM to be church alongside the city of Pomona!
Located in south Pomona, UrbanMission is a United Church of Christ/Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) new-church plant that began late in 2013 as the inspiration of Claremont School of Theology student Al Lopez. Al, along with fellow seminarian Nora Jacob, was part of a special "Seed Planters" class held by the Disciples Seminary Foundation. Students were eventually asked, "What would you do to make your calling a reality, if money were no object?"
Al's answer was to take over a vacant church property and to try a new way of "being church." Nora's answer was to link up with another student, Shami Espinoza, to start a DOC regional ministry to serve and facilitate healing among individuals and communities affected by incarceration. As Al and Nora began to talk -- and a few people from Urbanmission's neighborhood joined Al to begin cleaning up the run-down facilities at 810 S. White Avenue -- another energized individual joined them.
Stephen Patten, also a seminary student at Claremont School of Theology and an established teacher at Damien High School, spoke eloquently about his passion for food justice and his desire to offer "open table" meals where all would be welcome, and where community members could come together to share concerns and celebrations. (Sound like church? Exactly!)
The three pastors worked on their respective ministries, setting down roots in the area and making connections with others. Thanksgiving Day, 2014, was a highlight because UrbanMission served as the city's Meals On Wheels staging area for preparation and distribution of meals by more than a dozen different organizations and agencies -- more than 300 meals, to be exact!
And then on the first Sunday of Advent, 2014, the three pastors -- now a solid, trusting ministry team -- began holding "preview" worship gatherings at 10:30 a.m. Conducted in a style known as "emergent worship," these gatherings include prayer, preaching, collection of offerings and prayers, and of course communion each week ... as well as an element unusual to many that is known as "the message response." This may be a craft activity, an interactive participatory discussion, or even a walk around the block!
UrbanMission's ministries have now begun to blossom, thanks to collaborative support from congregations like First Christian Church Pomona, First Christian Church Orange, East Whittier Christian Church, Diamond Bar UCC, Claremont UCC, St. Denis Catholic Community, and River of Life Community Church. Damien High School parents and students continue to be regular volunteers at the Sunday evening "Open Table" meal with the community at 5:00 p.m.
Our UCC tradition believes that, "God is still speaking," and we believe that this is true! Not just to us individually but also to the world at large, through different manifestations of "being church." It is a blessing for UM to be church alongside the city of Pomona!
