2023 UCC Yearbook & Directory

It’s that time again for the UCC to begin preparing the Yearbook & Directory for the coming year. The Illinois Conference is one of the lowest in participation across the denomination and we are doing a BIG push this year to have ALL our churches submit their yearly information.

The annual yearbook is not simply a formality, but is what your church's 501(c)3 status depends on! Data from the annual reports is also used in the church profile when you are searching for a new pastor - and if no reports have been submitted for your church for five (5) years, all data reverts to zeros. In case those aren't enough reasons, click here for a list of TWELVE important reasons to report your annual church data.

Instructional materials (both videos and documents) for local churches are available at the Yearbook and Directory webpage. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Naomi in the Conference office (708-344-4470). Below are key dates for you to remember:

• January 4, 2023 - Data Hub opens for churches
• March 1, 2023 - Data Hub closes for churches at MIDNIGHT (Eastern Time)

Your participation is the ONLY way our records are kept current and accurate. Thank you for your hard work in collecting and reporting, and a blessed Epiphany to all!

Unlock the mysteries of Faith in Faith Foundations

A 12 week learning intensive with the Damascus Project



So much has changed in the last three years that it is easy to feel adrift or alone in faith. What do I believe? Does God care? Who is Jesus, really? If God is a loving God, what do I do with all this chaos and loss? 

If this sounds like you, then consider joining the winter cohort of Faith Foundations. This 12-week learning intensive focusing on the topics of Reading the New Testament and Exploring Christian History starts Thursday, January 12. Last day to sign-up is January 9th. Learn more here.

Continuing Education/Trainings

ACM PIE

Racial Justice 101 Training for both clergy and lay persons, sponsored by the Southern New England Conference. This is a 3 1/2 hour online training scheduled over two evenings on April 12 and 13. Click here to learn more.

Boundary Awareness Training open to authorized ministers and MIDs, sponsored by the New York Conference. This is an online training on January 25 and there are only 15 spots available. The cost to participants outside the New York Conference is $95. Learn more here.

Throughout the year, Rev. Terrill Murff, ACM PIE, will continue to share news of other training opportunities.

Futures Lab

Convergence

Join us for a Futures Literacy Laboratory: the learning space where we explore multiple futures and play with the capability of Futures Literacy. Over the course of three hours, you will experience all three phases of a Futures Literacy Lab. Together we will explore:

• How will our spiritual practices shape us and our identity in the future? 
• What will this mean for the future of denominations?
• How can regions, conferences and districts play a role in shaping a desirable future?
• And what does this tell us about how we lead in the present?

Click here to learn more and register.

Open Table United Church of Christ in Ottawa swapped out its usual second Sunday of the month Community Meal with a neighboring church, to serve Community Christmas Day Dinner. Approximately 90 guests and volunteers enjoyed a ham and turkey dinner with abundant sides and desserts. Children from the local PADS shelter received gifts, and warm socks were made available to anyone who wished to take them. Members of the community also contacted the church to offer to help. Incarnation happened in wonderful and powerful ways!

(Permission was granted by parents to share photographs of children, unidentified.)

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FAITHFUL FRIDAYS 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.