La Iniciativa Colectiva de la Iglesia Urbana (UCCI) se ha formado como un grupo de enfoque experimental para explorar y poner en práctica formas innovadoras de restaurar las prioridades de discipulado y alimentar el crecimiento en las comunidades urbanas.
This collaborative effort brings together seven United Methodist congregations in the Metro Nashville area—Antioch, Arlington, Hamilton, Hillcrest, Patterson Memorial, Seay-Hubbard, and Woodbine. Each of these churches is experiencing significant community and cultural changes, and together they are seeking new ways to meet the evolving needs of their neighborhoods.
The UCCI is being guided by District Superintendents BJ Brack (Harpeth River), Stephen Handy (Urban Cohort), and Jerry Wallace (Cumberland River). Their leadership will help shape the initiative as a launchpad for cultivating discipleship, fostering connectionalism, seeking justice, and embracing the vision of the Beloved Community.
Rapid growth and increasing diversity are reshaping Nashville’s urban centers, bringing both challenges and opportunities. Traditional models of church ministry often fall short in addressing these realities, creating an urgent need for fresh approaches.
Rev. Fabiana de Oliveira Ferreira, Associate Pastor at Woodbine UMC, expressed her excitement about the new initiative:
“I am happy and hopeful to be part of this group. It is a great joy to see the church committed to discovering strategies so that the transformed gospel of Jesus reaches all people. For me, the possibility of breaking down barriers and working together amid our diversity shows the essence of being a church. I pray for this and am happy that we are thinking together about the church in its multiculturality. I believe that God has much to accomplish in our midst, and together we can overcome difficulties and discover new possibilities. This is the essence of communion.”
The UCCI will serve as a missional-incarnational model focused on intercultural competence, racial inclusion, and a renewed culture of discipleship. It also seeks to identify new ways of measuring vitality among congregations.
Rev. Omando Bastian of Antioch UMC left the group’s first gathering encouraged:
“Hopeful anticipation! After our time together, I am feeling more confident about our shared goals for our churches and how we can partner to better serve our congregations and communities.”
As the Urban Church Collective Initiative takes root, it offers a vision for the 21st-century church—one grounded in collaboration, cultural competence, and curiosity, all aimed at transforming both congregations and communities.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
—Matthew 28:18–20 (NIV)
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