November 2021 E-Blast, Second Edition |
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IL Conference 57th Annual Celebration!
Last week we came together as the Illinois Conference for our 57th Annual Celebration! We had book discussions, a two-day Sacred Conversations workshop, two incredible worship services, a financial panel Q&A, reports from our Conference Minister and Conference President, a keynote from the Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, a time for fellowship, and sessions to conduct the business of the Conference. In case you missed anything, everything with the exception of the book discussions and Sacred Conversations can be viewed on our YouTube Channel.
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Rev. Dr. W. Sterling Cary Dies at 94
The Rev. Dr. W. Sterling Cary died in his home in Flossmoor, IL on Sunday, November 14th. Cary was a civil rights activist and pioneering minister. In 1972 he became the first Black president of the National Council of Churches and in 1974 he became the first Black UCC Conference Minister when he was called as the Illinois Conference Minister, where he served until he retired in 1994. You can read more about Cary in the articles linked below. When details about services are known, they will be shared with the Conference.
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Giving Tuesday - November 30th
Next Tuesday, November 30th, is what has become known as "Giving Tuesday." This year for Giving Tuesday, the Illinois Conference is making "Friends of the Conference" our focus. Friends of the Conference is the new name for what has historically been called "Mission Friends" in the Illinois Conference. This is a fund very similar to Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM), except that 100% of the funds donated to this fund stay right here in the Illinois Conference. You can donate online to "Friends of the Conference", or mail a check to the lockbox at Byline Bank along with this remittance form.
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Rittenhouse Acquittal & Call to Organize
Showing Up for Racial Justice
Just one day after our two-day "Sacred Conversations to End Racism" workshop with the Rev. Dr. Velda Love, Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges. In light of this verdict and our recent work as a Conference during our Annual Celebration, Rev. Dr. Love shared a statement published by Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) and asked us to share it with the members of the Illinois Conference along with these words:
"I hope there are clergy and lay leaders ready to respond and join SURJ in their organizing efforts because injustice continues to impact African American communities.
Prayers for the families who continue grieving the loss of their beloved family members due to Rittenhouse’s violent actions with an assault weapon.
Until justice comes, we fight on." - The Rev. Dr. Velda Love
To read the statement by the Community Renewal Society, click here.
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Medical Debt Relief Campaign
10 Million in 10 Weeks
The Illinois Conference is STRONGER TOGETHER when we act together for mission and justice. What is your church doing to raise money?
We just finished week SEVEN of our "$10 Million in 10 Weeks" Medical Debt Relief Campaign and have raised $13865 which equals $1,386,500 in medical debt that will be erased. With just THREE WEEKS LEFT in our campaign, we need all of our churches to come together to help us reach our goal.
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Pension Boards Credit Union Survey
LAST CALL IS TODAY!
Dear UCC Partner,
We have made great progress toward securing permission for a credit union charter, authorized by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and initiated by a 2017 General Synod Resolution. The next vital step toward launching a credit union for UCC members, clergy, employees and family is a preliminary interest survey. Your response using this link is essential to the success of this venture. The charter for a new Credit Union cannot progress without enough responses. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (800) 642-6543, from 8:30-4:30 Eastern Time.
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Justice Leadership Program
Want Justice? As Christians we are called on to stand up for compassion and in opposition to injustice. But it can be difficult to know how and where to get started and be effective. The Jubilee program exists to inform, equip, and inspire people to act for social justice. The 6-month virtual program is for adults who want to increase their understanding of social justice, deepen their faith, and gain the skills and confidence to take meaningful action while building relationships of support with a community of their peers. Download the informational flyer here.
Accepting applications now for the program starting in January.
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Active UCC Global H.O.P.E. Appeals
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The financial support for our fall fundraiser will preserve our camps for future guests. As we move forward to achieve this year’s goal, know that your gift directly changes a person’s life. This year’s goal is $100,000 (split between each camp) and as of 11/18/21 we are at 77% of that goal! There are various ways of pledging a donation and every dollar is appreciated. You can donate online here.
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Events and Training Opportunities |
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Community Thanksgiving Dinner
Tuesday, Nov. 23rd, 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM
San Lucas United Church of Christ
San Lucas UCC is hosting their annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Tuesday, November 23rd. Throughout the year, San Lucas provides services to people in need - referrals to mental health and housing, clothing, meals, rental assistance and more. Their Community Thanksgiving Dinner is open to all. In addition to the meal, they will also be offering vaccine and flu shots, free haircuts, and giveaways.
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Recognizing, Responding to and Healing Trauma in Faith-Based Communities
Tuesday, Nov. 30th, 2-3:30 PM CST
F.A.I.T.H. Faith Leaders Against Abuse in the Home and Prevent Child Abuse - NJ
Join Dr. Bruce Perry and Rev. Dr. Darrell Armstrong, both members of the board of Prevent Child Abuse America, Gina Hernandez, Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, and panelists from various faith traditions for a conversation inspired by Dr. Perry’s #1 bestselling book, “What Happened to You?” Click here to download the flyer.
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700 Prospect Commemoration
Saturday, Dec. 4th, 1:30 PM CST
United Church of Christ
The National Office of the United Church of Christ invites you to join them for a virtual celebration, as they commemorate more than 30 years of ministry at the Church House, live from Amistad Chapel, on Saturday, December 4 at 1:30 PM CST. They will honor the UCC's first three decades in Cleveland, as they prepare to transition from 700 Prospect to the new downtown location in early 2022. Register today for the farewell celebration and worship.
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Bringing it Home: Interfaith Roundtable on Homeless
Thursday, Dec. 9th, 6:30-8 PM CST
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
In July, the UCC General Synod passed A RESOLUTION TO DECLARE AND RESPOND TO RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. Our country’s history of racial discrimination in real estate and banking, along with continued wage discrimination, have made housing instability skewed so that people of color are overrepresented among the homeless. 59% of Chicagoans experiencing homelessness are Black, and 25% are Latinx. Numerous severe health problems are linked to the experience of homelessness in all age groups.
On December 9th five leaders of different faith traditions will speak from the perspectives of their religious backgrounds on responding to people experiencing homelessness. This virtual gathering will feature the CMA’s Associate Conference Minister, the Rev. Dr. Terrill Murff, as well as representatives of Roman Catholic, Jewish, Islamic, and Baha’i faiths. Afterwards, we will enter breakout rooms for further discussion. Click here to download the flyer.
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Holiday Blessings Sacred Choral Concerts
December 3rd, 5th, and 11th
Lux Cantorum Chicago
Lux Cantorum is thrilled to share the blessing of a return to safe, in-person concert performances. The concert will be performed without an intermission, and will run slightly over an hour in length. An invitation to experience divine presence from many faith traditions, featuring works by J. S. Bach, S. Rachmaninoff, D. Forrest and others. Advance e-ticket purchase is required.
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Conference and Association Meetings |
Nov. 22: CMA Justice & Witness Team meeting. 7:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Nov. 25-26: Conference Office Closed. Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec. 4: Personnel Committee Meeting. 9:30 a.m. via Zoom.
Dec. 7: Property Committee Meeting. 10:00 a.m. via Zoom.
Dec. 21: Outdoor Ministries Committee Meeting. 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.
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Dec. 7: Boundary Training. 2:30-4:30 p.m. via Zoom. Class is full.
Dec. 9: Boundary Training. 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Register Here.
There will be no All Conference Chat for the month of December.
We will resume our weekly chats in 2022.
Have a blessed Advent Season!
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Click here to view and purchase the UCC "Rooted in Love" 2021 Stewardship theme resources. |
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Click here to find information and resources for the 2021 Christmas Fund Offering Suggested Date: Dec 19. |
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Click here to learn about Valarie Kaur's recently released Revolutionary Love Training Course! |
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Clergy Praycations!
IL Conference Outdoor Ministries
The Illinois Conference Outdoor Ministries are once again offering Winter Praycations - a time of rest and recreation between the two busiest seasons in the church year. This is a time, not to learn something new or acquire another skill, but to take a deep breath. We invite to step away to renew and refresh, to pray to laugh! We offer this time so our clergy are able to continue to serve our congregations and communities with integrity and vitality, and to respond to the call of God with courage and compassion.
Clergy and their families are invited to register for a 3 day, 2 night stay at either Pilgrim Park or Tower Hill Camp. Registration fee is only $60 (made possible through a generous grant from the Brown Endowment Fund). Download the flyer here. |
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The Grace to Move from Worry to Wonder
Rev. Andrew Warner, Generosity Outreach Officer, UCC
"I often find that congregations think of stewardship and generosity primarily as a 'money' question. They invite me in to figure out how they can find more money. But at the next council meeting, I will ask the 'grace' questions. These questions can provoke a more profound reflection than worrying about finances." - Rev. Andrew Warner
Rev. Warner has put together a list of stewardship resources for congregations including two new video series and an upcoming Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar.
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Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation
United States Surgeon General
The Surgeon General’s Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation provides specific guidance and resources for health care providers, educators, librarians, faith leaders, and trusted community members to understand, identify, and stop the spread of health misinformation in their communities. The toolkit provides 22 pages of specific guidance and resources. Get the resources here.
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Advocate Aurora Health Care
Safely Reopening Our Doors Toolkit
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Please let us know if you have a job opening you would like to have shared,
and also update us once the position is filled. Contact Sarah Lohrbach.
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Church Newsletter Request |
Please send us your newsletters so we can keep up with what's going on in your church.
Address for printed newsletters: Illinois Conference UCC, 1840 Westchester Blvd., Suite 200, Westchester, IL 60154. Electronic newsletters: Please add Sarah Lohrbach at SarahLohrbach@ilucc.org to your church’s mailing list.
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THE ILLINOIS CONFERENCE UCC E-BLAST is published by the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ, 1840 Westchester Blvd., Suite 200, Westchester, IL 60154. The Rev. Molly Carlson, Conference Minister; Sarah Lohrbach, Editor. Copy may be sent to: SarahLohrbach@ilucc.org.
This communication is made possible by your contributions to
Our Church's Wider Mission
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Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ | (708) 344-4470
1840 Westchester Blvd., Suite 200, Westchester, IL 60154
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