Abby Holcombe (she/her), Site Pastor, West
Abby (she/her) was born and raised near Birmingham, Alabama where she fell in love with southern food and the outdoors. You can usually catch Abby on a walk, FaceTiming her nieces and nephew, or exploring the Chicagoland area with her partner Kristina. Abby received her Master of Divinity degree from Garrett Seminary in Evanston where she deepened her commitment to expansive understandings of God and all of creation. She has discerned her call to be part of God’s healing work in the Church and world by building bridges of reconciliation. Abby is excited to serve Urban Village Church’s new, and inspiring ways of worshipping God in ways that are particular to the times and relevant for all of God’s beloved children.
Erica Au (she/her), Children’s Ministry Coordinator
Erica Au (she/her) grew up in a small town in central Illinois and has lived in Chicago for over 15 years. She and her husband, Drew, have two young kids, Auri and Elinor. Erica has spent her career in nonprofit development. She holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration (MNA) from North Park University and worked in museum fundraising for 10 years before becoming a stay at home parent. When she is not at story time or the zoo with her kids, Erica enjoys reading fantasy books, crafting, and home improvement projects.
Melissa Kirk (she/her), Church Secretary
Melissa Kirk (she/her) is the Executive Administrator for Urban Village Church and Secretary for River Forest United Methodist Church, ensuring everything runs smoothly from behind the scenes! She also serves as the Assistant Director of Administration at Erikson Institute, a Graduate School in Early Childhood Development. She is a lifelong Chicagoan, mother of three, pet mom of 3 dogs & 2 cats, avid reader, loves cooking, baking & coffee, and is a Non-Skating Official with Chicago-Style Roller Derby, an Women’s Roller Derby Team located in Roselle, IL.
Aaryanna Mercer (she/her), Co-Worship Leader
Aaryanna (air-ree-yah-nuh | she/her) was born and raised in Macon, GA and has deep roots in gospel and choral music. She moved to Chicagoland in 2023 and has been a part of UVC since February 2024, volunteering on the worship team, marketing team, and SPRC/One Board Committee. She is excited to expand her service here as a Co-Worship Leader. When she’s not singing, Aaryanna enjoys journaling and creative writing, thrifting, quiet time in nature, trying new restaurants, and spending time with loved ones.
River Forest United Methodist Church 