About
Jeff Wells is the lead pastor of the
Church of the Village, a progressive,
radically inclusive, and anti-racist
community in the New York City.
Jeff preaches, practices, and promotes process-relational
and open & relational theology. He co-edited (with Thomas Jay Oord, Vikki Randall, and Nichole Torbitzky) the book, Preaching the Uncontrolling Love of God (Sermons, Essays, and Worship Elements from the Perspective of Open, Relational, and Process Theology),
SacraSage Press, 2024.
Jeff is a lifelong passionate advocate for social and economic justice and for the common thriving of humans and
other-than-human beings. Jeff is an active member of the Alliance for Ecological Civilization, a gathering of activists and thought leaders from around the world. In 2022,
he helped found and co-chaired the Living Earth Movement. With theologian and environmentalist,
John B. Cobb Jr., he authored the short book,
Is International Cooperation Possible?
A Bold Appeal for a Living Earth (2022).
Jeff has been involved for many years in crafting legislation in the NYAC advocating for full inclusion of LGBTQI+ persons and against expressions of racism and white supremacy within and outside of the UMC. He served for six years on the steering committee of Methodists in New Directions, the organization in the NY Conference advocating for full inclusion. Jeff has been a member of Methodist Federation for Social Action since 2000. He served on MFSA’s steering committee for three years. Jeff served on the
United Methodist NY Annual Conference Commission on Religion and Race and chaired the Conference Board of Church and Society from 2006 through 2012. In 2008, he co-authored and helped implement the NY Annual Conference policy requiring
anti-racism training for all clergy.
​
Jeff’s non-fiction writing has been published widely in print and online. He loves hiking, kayaking, singing, and playing acoustic guitar. Jeff loves being married to his spouse, Diane, a gifted and compassionate human being.