March 8 was International Women’s Day, a global celebration of women’s rights which grew out of socialist and labor movements of the early twentieth century. In the United Church of Christ, we celebrate being a denomination of “firsts,” including the fact that one of our predecessor movements was the first to ordain a woman to ministry in the United States. The Reverend Antoinette Brown Blackwell, a graduate of Oberlin College, was ordained a Congregationalist minister in the early 1850’s.

International Women’s Day reminds us that we still have a ways to go. This week many of my clergy colleagues marked the day with social media posts, words of encouragement, and the recognition that the church has not always been a safe, empowering place for women to teach, preach, lead, or serve, despite our denominational “first.” The UCC may outpace other denominations which ordain women, but women clergy are regularly paid less than other clergy counterparts and are less frequently called as senior pastors of the UCC’s or other denomination’s “big steeple” churches as well.

The New Testament and other early Christian literature attest to a number of women’s roles in the nascent church: as deacons, widows who prayed and exercised pastoral care (and exorcism!). As teachers, evangelists, healers, benefactors, and catechists, and presiders at baptism and in eucharistic ministry. Despite how the history evolved or even sought to gloss over or conceal these roles, it is a fact that the first person Jesus charged to preach his resurrection was Mary of Magdala (“aggellou” in the Greek of John 20:18, which means to preach, to evangelize). This Women’s History Month, I invite you to call to mind the women preachers, teachers, elders, and saints who have shaped your faithfulness.

Download the flyer here.

For more information, email our Conference Disaster Coordinator, Roger Dart at disaster@ilucc.org.

The Illinois Conference Outdoor Ministry Committee put together several resources that can be used in our local churches for a “Camp Sunday” in order to promote the various camps and retreats that are happening at Pilgrim Park and Tower Hill in 2022. Click here to access our Camp Sunday webpage where you can find resources to hold a Camp Sunday in your church!

The 2022 OGHS offering date is March 27th. View more information and access the resources by clicking here.

Does your congregation desire to be more prepared for disasters, both to protect yourselves and to help your neighbors in time of need? Willing to Respond is for you! This new and rapidly growing network is providing congregations with practical tools, training and relationships, including online resources and connection to denominational, ecumenical and other disaster response resources. It's simple to access and easy to register.

Ministerial opportunities within the United Church of Christ.

Edgebrook Community Church seeks PT Church Administrator

Oak Park, Pilgrim Congregational Church seeks PT Assistant Pastor

Sawyer (MI), Tower Hill Camp seeks Summer Staff

Wheaton, St. Matthew UCC seeks PT Director of Children's Ministry

For more lay employment opportunity postings, click here.

and also update us once the position is filled. Contact Sarah Lohrbach.

Our Church's Wider Mission