Logan Square Welcomes the Rev. Paula Cripps-Vallejo!

Rev. Paula Cripps-Vallejo is the new Lead Pastor of Humboldt Park United Methodist church, and is an ordained United Methodist clergywoman. Paula received her Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology (located right outside Los Angeles, California) and has served local churches as well as being assigned as an inter-faith community organizer for economic justice and immigrants’ rights with Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice in California. Born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa she loves being in Chicago for this part of her journey.

An avid believer that we should see the world the way that God sees the world, Paula has little respect for borders and policies that keep families and loved ones apart. Growing up, one of her most formative experiences is that she spent many weeks each year on the border of Mexico/Texas with her grandparents’ mission “Casa Y Mas” to build homes and be transformed by the community of God’s people in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico. Paula is blessed to be married to her wonderful husband, Santos Cripps-Vallejo, Jr., who is a Humboldt Park (Chicago) native of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage. Though Paula still tries to use “Mexican Spanish” at home, they often enjoy “habichuelas guisadas” together! Paula and Santos are blessed to have one beautiful daughter who is two years old, and a black lab mix dog.

Rev. Paula Cripps-Vallejo truly believes that “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” (Translation: “The people united will never be defeated”) and feels that being a part of a faith community is one of the most important and powerful ways that God works to make the kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. She is excited to be a part of the ministry of HPUMC, and the Logan Square Ecumenical Alliance, and trusts that when we unite our hearts and minds to live for God and unite our voices and actions to make God’s kingdom come that there is a God-sized revolution overflowing with grace, peace and justice!

Paula can be contacted via email at revpaulacrippsvallejo@gmail.com, found on Facebook at Pastora Paula Cripps-Vallejo or reached via phone at 773-342-0441.