Rev. Val
@revsheseesfar.bsky.social
Pronouns: she/her/savage rebel. Pastor of a fully inclusive UMC Reconciling Ministries church in East TN. 4th or 5th generation (and cradle) Methodist. Straight CIS Ally and Dem. Watch those clobber verses. I tend to clobber back.
Pinned
Rev. Val
@revsheseesfar.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Intro post: I'm a UMC LLP, pastoring a 140+ yo rural church (unanimously reconciling & fully inclusive) in an ultra-conservative East TN county adjacent to Knoxville. My flock is 60-70% LGBTQ. They opted to turn their educ. wing into a transitional housing shelter (Bruno Project). 1/4
There’s a reason so many of us flinch a little at the word “king.”
It carries baggage—of conquest and control, of thrones built on backs instead of justice, of power used not to serve but to dominate.
#BeUMC #HepingZhanshi #churchsky #jesus
youtu.be/oICGEcvIQBE?...
It carries baggage—of conquest and control, of thrones built on backs instead of justice, of power used not to serve but to dominate.
#BeUMC #HepingZhanshi #churchsky #jesus
youtu.be/oICGEcvIQBE?...
Christos Kyrios: What Kind of King?
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 2:46 PM
There’s a reason so many of us flinch a little at the word “king.”
It carries baggage—of conquest and control, of thrones built on backs instead of justice, of power used not to serve but to dominate.
#BeUMC #HepingZhanshi #churchsky #jesus
youtu.be/oICGEcvIQBE?...
It carries baggage—of conquest and control, of thrones built on backs instead of justice, of power used not to serve but to dominate.
#BeUMC #HepingZhanshi #churchsky #jesus
youtu.be/oICGEcvIQBE?...
Growing Older in Grace is an 8-week journey for senior adults who long for gentle, honest, hope-filled spiritual companionship. This study affirms that God is not finished with us—no matter our age, our story, or our struggles.
books.by/manypathspre...
#BeUMC #biblestudy #aging #seniors
books.by/manypathspre...
#BeUMC #biblestudy #aging #seniors
November 20, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Growing Older in Grace is an 8-week journey for senior adults who long for gentle, honest, hope-filled spiritual companionship. This study affirms that God is not finished with us—no matter our age, our story, or our struggles.
books.by/manypathspre...
#BeUMC #biblestudy #aging #seniors
books.by/manypathspre...
#BeUMC #biblestudy #aging #seniors
Elpis — the Greek word for hope. But this isn't the wishful kind of hope that crosses fingers and waits around for things to get better. This is defiant, grounded, Spirit-breathed hope — the kind that sings while marching and plants gardens in the rubble.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/nRFRnN4D4j8
#BeUMC
youtu.be/nRFRnN4D4j8
Hope is More Than Waiting
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Elpis — the Greek word for hope. But this isn't the wishful kind of hope that crosses fingers and waits around for things to get better. This is defiant, grounded, Spirit-breathed hope — the kind that sings while marching and plants gardens in the rubble.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/nRFRnN4D4j8
#BeUMC
youtu.be/nRFRnN4D4j8
Reposted by Rev. Val
The UMC Bishops have just put out a book on how to be a disciple in the face of authoritarianism. It is from a global context. Check it out: www.cokesbury.com/Building-Bel.... #beumc
Building Beloved Community
Building Beloved Community by UMC Council of Bishops. Build inclusive communities & resist division with theological insight, practical strategies & global stories. Address extremism & racism.
www.cokesbury.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:51 AM
The UMC Bishops have just put out a book on how to be a disciple in the face of authoritarianism. It is from a global context. Check it out: www.cokesbury.com/Building-Bel.... #beumc
“Be holy, because I am holy.” These words from Leviticus are echoed centuries later by Peter. They are not a demand. They are an invitation. And they are not an invitation to some stained-glass perfectionism or high-polish performance. They’re an invitation to wholeness. #BeUMC
youtu.be/bGGfB4SBSN0
youtu.be/bGGfB4SBSN0
Holiness: Wholeness, Not Separation
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 4:06 AM
“Be holy, because I am holy.” These words from Leviticus are echoed centuries later by Peter. They are not a demand. They are an invitation. And they are not an invitation to some stained-glass perfectionism or high-polish performance. They’re an invitation to wholeness. #BeUMC
youtu.be/bGGfB4SBSN0
youtu.be/bGGfB4SBSN0
They say you can’t fight for peace, that peace must come quietly, gently, without the clash of conviction. But anyone who has ever tried to love a wounded world knows better. #BeUMC #HepingZhanshi
open.substack.com/pub/revshese...
open.substack.com/pub/revshese...
To Fight for Peace
How a Peace Warrior stands firm without striking back - Peace Warriors fight differently — not to conquer, but to transform. Their armor is conviction. Their weapon is compassion. Their battlefield is...
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:09 AM
They say you can’t fight for peace, that peace must come quietly, gently, without the clash of conviction. But anyone who has ever tried to love a wounded world knows better. #BeUMC #HepingZhanshi
open.substack.com/pub/revshese...
open.substack.com/pub/revshese...
Reposted by Rev. Val
This Moment Matters — because it's "who is my neighbor," not "who is my enemy."
Will you join us in welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry and caring for the sick?
Visit ThisMomentMatters.org
#BeUMC #ThisMomentMatters #LoveThyNeighbor
Will you join us in welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry and caring for the sick?
Visit ThisMomentMatters.org
#BeUMC #ThisMomentMatters #LoveThyNeighbor
November 3, 2025 at 10:34 PM
This Moment Matters — because it's "who is my neighbor," not "who is my enemy."
Will you join us in welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry and caring for the sick?
Visit ThisMomentMatters.org
#BeUMC #ThisMomentMatters #LoveThyNeighbor
Will you join us in welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry and caring for the sick?
Visit ThisMomentMatters.org
#BeUMC #ThisMomentMatters #LoveThyNeighbor
All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Souls are all wrapped up in our observance of Dia de los Muertos at Union Grove UMC. Inclusivity is not only easy, but it can be lots of fun and highly educational!
#BeUMC #inclusivity #seeallthepeople
#BeUMC #inclusivity #seeallthepeople
November 2, 2025 at 10:36 PM
All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Souls are all wrapped up in our observance of Dia de los Muertos at Union Grove UMC. Inclusivity is not only easy, but it can be lots of fun and highly educational!
#BeUMC #inclusivity #seeallthepeople
#BeUMC #inclusivity #seeallthepeople
Today’s message might surprise you. We’re talking about the word “apocalypse”—but not the way it’s usually preached. Apokalupsis - it might not be as spooky as you think.
#BeUMC #apocalypse #rapture
youtu.be/bfPTRm2CaaM
#BeUMC #apocalypse #rapture
youtu.be/bfPTRm2CaaM
Doom? Or Unveiling?
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
November 2, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Today’s message might surprise you. We’re talking about the word “apocalypse”—but not the way it’s usually preached. Apokalupsis - it might not be as spooky as you think.
#BeUMC #apocalypse #rapture
youtu.be/bfPTRm2CaaM
#BeUMC #apocalypse #rapture
youtu.be/bfPTRm2CaaM
Faith isn’t proven by wealth—it’s revealed in compassion that costs something. #HeartBeforeWallet #DoLikewise #EverydayMercy #BeUMC #generosity
youtu.be/PKmcyKtqjeM?...
youtu.be/PKmcyKtqjeM?...
Heart Before Wallet
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
October 30, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Faith isn’t proven by wealth—it’s revealed in compassion that costs something. #HeartBeforeWallet #DoLikewise #EverydayMercy #BeUMC #generosity
youtu.be/PKmcyKtqjeM?...
youtu.be/PKmcyKtqjeM?...
This week, we're talking about Heaven—but not the gold-paved place we heard about in childhood. The Greek word Ouranos means sky, heavens, air, and breath. It's not far away; it's all around us.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/8T-tFzFO8SU?...
#BeUMC
youtu.be/8T-tFzFO8SU?...
Beyond the Clouds
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
October 26, 2025 at 8:26 PM
This week, we're talking about Heaven—but not the gold-paved place we heard about in childhood. The Greek word Ouranos means sky, heavens, air, and breath. It's not far away; it's all around us.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/8T-tFzFO8SU?...
#BeUMC
youtu.be/8T-tFzFO8SU?...
“The locusts don’t get the last word.
The drought doesn’t get the last breath.
The rain is coming, and the Spirit still falls on all flesh.”
A short message from Joel 2:23–32 for anyone who needs a reason to hope again. 🌧️✨
#BeUMC
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-gq...
The drought doesn’t get the last breath.
The rain is coming, and the Spirit still falls on all flesh.”
A short message from Joel 2:23–32 for anyone who needs a reason to hope again. 🌧️✨
#BeUMC
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-gq...
The Rain Will Come
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
October 26, 2025 at 12:20 AM
“The locusts don’t get the last word.
The drought doesn’t get the last breath.
The rain is coming, and the Spirit still falls on all flesh.”
A short message from Joel 2:23–32 for anyone who needs a reason to hope again. 🌧️✨
#BeUMC
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-gq...
The drought doesn’t get the last breath.
The rain is coming, and the Spirit still falls on all flesh.”
A short message from Joel 2:23–32 for anyone who needs a reason to hope again. 🌧️✨
#BeUMC
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-gq...
October 18, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Some things bear repeating. Get off the fence and take a stand.
#resistance #riseupchurch #holyresistance #endchristiannationalism #goodtrouble #EndICE #BeUMC 21st Century #Beatitudes #HépíngZhànsì
youtu.be/2lGebed45OM?...
#resistance #riseupchurch #holyresistance #endchristiannationalism #goodtrouble #EndICE #BeUMC 21st Century #Beatitudes #HépíngZhànsì
youtu.be/2lGebed45OM?...
Blessed Are the Blacklisted
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
October 14, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Some things bear repeating. Get off the fence and take a stand.
#resistance #riseupchurch #holyresistance #endchristiannationalism #goodtrouble #EndICE #BeUMC 21st Century #Beatitudes #HépíngZhànsì
youtu.be/2lGebed45OM?...
#resistance #riseupchurch #holyresistance #endchristiannationalism #goodtrouble #EndICE #BeUMC 21st Century #Beatitudes #HépíngZhànsì
youtu.be/2lGebed45OM?...
Some of us grew up with the idea
that Jesus had to die to satisfy God’s anger.
That someone had to pay, to bleed.
That God couldn’t forgive without a transaction.
But what if that’s not who God is?
What if atonement isn’t about punishment,
but about healing?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/EOhQmkjJC7Q?...
that Jesus had to die to satisfy God’s anger.
That someone had to pay, to bleed.
That God couldn’t forgive without a transaction.
But what if that’s not who God is?
What if atonement isn’t about punishment,
but about healing?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/EOhQmkjJC7Q?...
Healing, Not Payment
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
October 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Some of us grew up with the idea
that Jesus had to die to satisfy God’s anger.
That someone had to pay, to bleed.
That God couldn’t forgive without a transaction.
But what if that’s not who God is?
What if atonement isn’t about punishment,
but about healing?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/EOhQmkjJC7Q?...
that Jesus had to die to satisfy God’s anger.
That someone had to pay, to bleed.
That God couldn’t forgive without a transaction.
But what if that’s not who God is?
What if atonement isn’t about punishment,
but about healing?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/EOhQmkjJC7Q?...
If you’ve ever felt stuck in a valley—if you’ve ever wondered if new life was still possible—this message is for you.
Because resurrection isn’t just about the end.
It’s about standing up again.
#BeUMC #resurrection #newbeginnings
youtu.be/WJKPgLlRJkQ
Because resurrection isn’t just about the end.
It’s about standing up again.
#BeUMC #resurrection #newbeginnings
youtu.be/WJKPgLlRJkQ
Invitation, Not Transaction
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
October 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
If you’ve ever felt stuck in a valley—if you’ve ever wondered if new life was still possible—this message is for you.
Because resurrection isn’t just about the end.
It’s about standing up again.
#BeUMC #resurrection #newbeginnings
youtu.be/WJKPgLlRJkQ
Because resurrection isn’t just about the end.
It’s about standing up again.
#BeUMC #resurrection #newbeginnings
youtu.be/WJKPgLlRJkQ
If grace has ever felt like a reward you had to earn, today’s message is for you.
Jesus didn’t hand out grace like a prize.
He gave it like breath—
freely, fully, and first.
#BeUMC #Grace #worship #badlexicology #HépíngZhànshì
youtu.be/VppwTB5-IGs?...
Jesus didn’t hand out grace like a prize.
He gave it like breath—
freely, fully, and first.
#BeUMC #Grace #worship #badlexicology #HépíngZhànshì
youtu.be/VppwTB5-IGs?...
Charis: Invitation, Not Transaction
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
September 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
If grace has ever felt like a reward you had to earn, today’s message is for you.
Jesus didn’t hand out grace like a prize.
He gave it like breath—
freely, fully, and first.
#BeUMC #Grace #worship #badlexicology #HépíngZhànshì
youtu.be/VppwTB5-IGs?...
Jesus didn’t hand out grace like a prize.
He gave it like breath—
freely, fully, and first.
#BeUMC #Grace #worship #badlexicology #HépíngZhànshì
youtu.be/VppwTB5-IGs?...
Reposted by Rev. Val
Have a Great Friday, Beautiful Souls! ✨️🥰✨️
September 26, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Have a Great Friday, Beautiful Souls! ✨️🥰✨️
A devotional to share across generations. Mothers and daughters walking side by side with the women of the Bible. 💜
Available now at books.by/manypathspress
It's a good way to begin to #smashthepatriarchy
#BeUMC #women #BibleStudy #Devotional #WomensVoices
Available now at books.by/manypathspress
It's a good way to begin to #smashthepatriarchy
#BeUMC #women #BibleStudy #Devotional #WomensVoices
September 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
A devotional to share across generations. Mothers and daughters walking side by side with the women of the Bible. 💜
Available now at books.by/manypathspress
It's a good way to begin to #smashthepatriarchy
#BeUMC #women #BibleStudy #Devotional #WomensVoices
Available now at books.by/manypathspress
It's a good way to begin to #smashthepatriarchy
#BeUMC #women #BibleStudy #Devotional #WomensVoices
Most of us were taught that hell is fire, forever.
But Scripture paints a more complicated picture.
Jesus didn’t threaten us with Gehenna—
he warned us not to create it.
And today, we’ll explore what hell really means,
and how love pulls us out of it.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/i4rZKEI7vvk?...
But Scripture paints a more complicated picture.
Jesus didn’t threaten us with Gehenna—
he warned us not to create it.
And today, we’ll explore what hell really means,
and how love pulls us out of it.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/i4rZKEI7vvk?...
Hell: A Place or a State?
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
September 24, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Most of us were taught that hell is fire, forever.
But Scripture paints a more complicated picture.
Jesus didn’t threaten us with Gehenna—
he warned us not to create it.
And today, we’ll explore what hell really means,
and how love pulls us out of it.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/i4rZKEI7vvk?...
But Scripture paints a more complicated picture.
Jesus didn’t threaten us with Gehenna—
he warned us not to create it.
And today, we’ll explore what hell really means,
and how love pulls us out of it.
#BeUMC
youtu.be/i4rZKEI7vvk?...
They were always there. Sixty-one women across Scripture: prophets, apostles, widows, leaders, mothers, daughters. Their stories rise again in Sophia’s Daughters.
Not a footnote, but a voice. Not forgotten, but remembered.
#SophiasDaughters #BibleStudy #Devotional #Women
Books.by/manypathspress
Not a footnote, but a voice. Not forgotten, but remembered.
#SophiasDaughters #BibleStudy #Devotional #Women
Books.by/manypathspress
September 17, 2025 at 5:26 PM
They were always there. Sixty-one women across Scripture: prophets, apostles, widows, leaders, mothers, daughters. Their stories rise again in Sophia’s Daughters.
Not a footnote, but a voice. Not forgotten, but remembered.
#SophiasDaughters #BibleStudy #Devotional #Women
Books.by/manypathspress
Not a footnote, but a voice. Not forgotten, but remembered.
#SophiasDaughters #BibleStudy #Devotional #Women
Books.by/manypathspress
✦ Message for the Beloved Outsiders ✦
For everyone who’s been told you don’t belong in God’s love—hear this: You are beloved, you are not alone, and you are never beyond God’s embrace. 🕊️💜
#BeUMC #LGBTQIA #immigrants #leastofthese #outcasts
youtu.be/z9bjoRxICSM?...
For everyone who’s been told you don’t belong in God’s love—hear this: You are beloved, you are not alone, and you are never beyond God’s embrace. 🕊️💜
#BeUMC #LGBTQIA #immigrants #leastofthese #outcasts
youtu.be/z9bjoRxICSM?...
Message for the Beloved Outsiders
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
September 15, 2025 at 4:13 PM
✦ Message for the Beloved Outsiders ✦
For everyone who’s been told you don’t belong in God’s love—hear this: You are beloved, you are not alone, and you are never beyond God’s embrace. 🕊️💜
#BeUMC #LGBTQIA #immigrants #leastofthese #outcasts
youtu.be/z9bjoRxICSM?...
For everyone who’s been told you don’t belong in God’s love—hear this: You are beloved, you are not alone, and you are never beyond God’s embrace. 🕊️💜
#BeUMC #LGBTQIA #immigrants #leastofthese #outcasts
youtu.be/z9bjoRxICSM?...
Today we’re talking about something Jesus couldn’t stop talking about:
the kingdom of God.
But what if that kingdom isn’t a faraway place?
What if it’s already here? Already breaking through—
right where you are?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/1fa_o0Wq1SA?...
the kingdom of God.
But what if that kingdom isn’t a faraway place?
What if it’s already here? Already breaking through—
right where you are?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/1fa_o0Wq1SA?...
Here and Now
YouTube video by Rev. Valerie Ohle (Rev. Val)
youtu.be
September 14, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Today we’re talking about something Jesus couldn’t stop talking about:
the kingdom of God.
But what if that kingdom isn’t a faraway place?
What if it’s already here? Already breaking through—
right where you are?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/1fa_o0Wq1SA?...
the kingdom of God.
But what if that kingdom isn’t a faraway place?
What if it’s already here? Already breaking through—
right where you are?
#BeUMC
youtu.be/1fa_o0Wq1SA?...