Village Presbyterian Church

You want big and thoughtful? If so, seems like Village PC may be the place for you. I have not worshiped there, but have met four of the pastors and when they are swinging that much talent in one place, it has to be good. Tom Are is a solid person that happens to be a pastor. Pastors Jarrett, Meg and Matt are also great folks who take seriously the call to engage in one's faith journey with hearts and minds.Keep in mind, this is a big big church, so if you are looking for a small community, this may not be it. But . . . if you want some good program, great pastoral staff and a larger church setting, this may very well be the church for you!DISCLAIMER:Yes, I give every church FIVE STARS not because every church is superfantablous, but every church that I will review can certainly be a FIVER to someone. I will never review a church that I would not be willing to try myself if I were looking. No need to bad mouth freaky-scary churches because they are uh, well, freaky and scary.

Village is one of the 'Flagship' churches in the PCUSA. I was just there today for a Presbytery Event "Embracing Hope" and it was an excellent venue for this event. Worship in the sanctuary was excellent. The Keynote in the Fellowship Hall was well attended, and the breakout workshop rooms all had adequate space.Village, being a BIG church (some would say a church it's size is a micro denomination onto its self) has a chef on staff. The chef and kitchen staff fed our group well and the quality of food was excellent.I go to a lot of events at Village and they are engaged in the larger community as well as the life of Heartland Presbytery. The Grief Support Network holds it's monthly meetings and it's annual conference at Village. Village provides a relaxed environment (and good coffee that is always ready) and the tech facilities that are needed for small conferences and events.This is a church that I look to to provide for me spiritual support as a pastor that helps me do my ministry with my congregation in the community.Their Village University has brought in speakers like Marcus Borg and Tony Campolo. I am glad that Village's ministry touches it's members and the Presbytery and the larger community.

My mother and my father joined the church in the late 1960s, snd I was raised in it. But let me say this as bluntly and as truthfully as need be said: it is not the same institution today. When my mother faced an (illlegal) guardianship in the State of Ohio, was held there against her will by a corrupt judge--a matter currently under FBI investigation slong with 242 other cases--and I was facing food insecurity, inability to pay utilities, and struggling to keep my house, I was told point blank by three senior church officials that Village Presbyterian not only does nothing to help crime victims, no matter whether they are members of the church or not, but would under NO circumstances help with an emergency loan nor let sny members of the congregation (hunfreds of whom know my family) be alerted to the problem. I was given a $25 gas certificate, a $40 Hen House food certificate, and directed to seek future help from local food pantries or publicly-available free legal clinics, and that they would 'pray for me'.... And had Village Presbyterian so much as LIFTED A FINGER to help, it would have allowed me to have legal representation in an Ohio courtroom where my mother's Trust on her house was (illegally) broken. Village Presbyterian knew God-damned well that this was happening--it CHOSE to do nothing. And I gave them three opportunities to help, and was denied three times.Jesus himself would find in Village Presbyterian today a shining example of un-Christian behavior and rank hypocrisy--he would neither feel welcome in its doors, nor comfortable ever returning except to deliver his justified wrath.

I heard Tom Are (senior pastor at Village Presbyterian Church) preach today (at another church where he was a guest speaker, in NYC) and his sermon was absolutely captivating--he had the congregation both laughing hysterically and tearing up throughout the sermon, and the practical Biblical guidance from the sermon was very useful (there was a clear "to-do" from the sermon). I hadn't emotionally connected with a sermon like today in years, and if I lived anywhere near Village Presbyterian Church, I'd be there every Sunday, for sure! Thanks for such an amazing sermon.