About Us

Yorkville Congregational United Church of Christ Shepherds' Leadership Team (SLT) is a group of leaders (members of our church) who meet monthly to guide the activities of the church and make decisions to support the purpose, vision, mission, core values and core beliefs. The Shepherds' Leadership Team (SLT) is comprised of 11 elected "Shepherds" who protect, guide and watch over a person or group of people within his/her ministries. Also, on the Shepherds' Leadership Team (SLT) will be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Recording Secretary and the Pastor.

Biography

Ordained United Church of Christ minister, Rev. Barbara Lohrbach, is serving as the Bridge Pastor for YCUCC. She retired from full-time pastoral ministry in December, 2021 having served St. John UCC, Kankakee, IL for 17 years. Barbara serves the Wider UCC as Moderator of the Eastern Association of the Illinois Conference. Barbara and her husband, Dean, live in Kankakee, IL. They love spending time with their family–David & Val Lohrbach and grandson Liam, and Sarah & Paige Lohrbach. Music is also their other love, having sung together in church and community choirs throughout their marriage.

Biography

Barb joined the YCUCC staff in 2017 as Director of Christian Education. Grounded in faith, and a commitment to serve, she served in social services for 15 years prior to joining our church staff. Barb holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from Trinity Christian Collage and a master’s degree in Human Services Counseling from Liberty Christian University. Her passion to inspire and nurture children in the love of Christ is the driving force as she leads a committed team of leaders to encourage children to grow in faith, love others and serve with generous hearts. She is the mom of two amazing children, Matthew and Amy and loving Gram to McKenzie and Zoey. Barb and her husband Robert reside in Yorkville. She enjoys reading, biking, traveling and coffee!

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:40

Biography

We believe in God's continuing testament. This is why we are committed to hearing God's ancient story anew and afresh in our lives and in the world today. We try to remain attentive to God's creative movement in the world. Religion and science are not mutually exclusive, and your head and heart are both welcomed into our places of worship. We prepare our members and leaders to be engaged in ministry in the present and future church, and we embrace all kinds of communities and new modes of thinking. Why? Because God is still speaking,

The gospel is the good news of God's grace invading the darkness of this world. It is the grand narrative of creation, fall, redemption and consummation ordained by God and orchestrated through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Christ's crucifixion is the heart of the gospel. His resurrection is the power of the gospel. His ascension is the glory of the gospel.

Christ's death is a substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice to God for our sins. It satisfies the demands of God’s holy justice and appeases His holy wrath. It also demonstrates His mysterious love and reveals His amazing grace. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. There is no other name by which men can be saved. At the heart of all sound doctrine is the cross of Jesus Christ and the infinite privilege that redeemed sinners have in glorifying God because of what He has accomplished. Therefore, we want all that takes place in our hearts, churches and ministries to proceed from and be related to the gospel.