Our Mission
We strive to be a prominent center of Christian activity and worship in Greater Philadelphia.
We offer outreach and programs that put Christian values into action, give spiritual uplift, and improve the quality of life for all in our community and abroad.
Urban Worship Center is a family church with dynamic and relevant ministries for Men, Women, Youth, and Children.
We are passionate about the Word and Presence of God, and put Love into Action!
Our Vision
We see a beautiful, thriving, crime-free, and united Christian community. We are a vibrant quilt of cultures living in peace and harmony with respect for one another.
Our Story
Urban Worship Center was founded by Bishop Frank and Carmen Vega in 1996 as part of Inner City Missions, which was a social evangelistic outreach on Kensington Ave and Hagert Street. They reached many drug users, prostitutes, and other homeless individuals that were ministered in a holistic way. Utilizing a variety of outreach strategies, they offered hand-up and not a hand-out to the “least of these” in region. The strategy included hosting short-term missions teams from around the country to help serve in the community. There are individuals that were reached by their most humble beginnings back then, that are integral parts of the church today. They have gone from homeless to homeowners and faithful husbands and wives free of any substance abuse and serving God wholeheartedly. In a season when Bishop Frank was experiencing some health problems, the leadership of the church transitioned to Jose and Debora Carrera. Dr. Jose Carrera is the son of Carmen Vega.
About Our Lead Pastors
Rev. Dr. Jose L. Carrera Jr. and Dr. Debora Carrera are born and raised in Philadelphia. They attended Philadelphia public schools and overcome great obstacles and challenges associated with separated parents, poverty, and peer pressure to attend and graduate from college. Although they were born in the same hospital and lived only a mile from each other, they did not meet until Debora was about to graduate from Temple University and Jose had started a marketing career at Cardone Industries after graduating from Penn State (University Park). Their wedding day came one day short of their first date on 8/13/1994 and today are raising three sons, Micah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, and their dog Kamron. They met at a youth rally and have been involved in every aspect of church ministry, including global missions in Mexico prior to becoming the lead pastors of Urban Worship Center in 2004. Urban Worship Center is active beyond Philadelphia in serving missions projects in Honduras, Puerto Rico, and Liberia, Africa. The church also supports various ministries throughout Latin America and Malawi, Africa. Today, Jose is a full-time vocational pastor, while Debora is also an Assistant Superintendent in the School District of Philadelphia, overseeing over a dozen high schools.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions.