Money Matters Oct 8 - The Brown Scholarship

Friday, October 8, 2021

Weekly Insights into generosity, Conference finances, and being stronger together.

United Church Funds

The Brown Scholarship

The Helen and Richard Brown Endowment for Pastoral Scholarships derive from a generous gift received in the 1990s, designated to support pastoral ministry in the United Church of Christ. Since its inception, the gift of $5 million has provided over $250,000 annually to UCC Conferences, seminaries and global partners, providing individual scholarships for seminarians and sponsorships for continuing education events.

United Church Funds is honored to serve as a trustee for The Brown Endowment, helping to ensure funding for pastoral education. Support is broken down into three categories:

Support for Members in Discernment (50%).
Support for ongoing nurture of those engaged in authorized ministry in the UCC (30%).
Support for persons preparing for ministry in UCC's Global/Overseas Partner Churches (20%).

In 2021, $219,000 in scholarships were awarded in amounts ranging from $7,500 to $19,000. For more information on the Class of 2021 Recipients, download the infographic here. If you would like to learn more about The Brown Scholarship:

Click here to download the br ochure and learn about eligibility requirements.
Apply online here.
Email the United Church Funds at: brown@ucfunds.org

And we Celebrate!!!

The 150th Anniversary of St. John UCC in Kankakee!

On Sunday, October 3rd, after having to postpone their original celebration due to COVID, St. John UCC in Kankakee gathered for worship and a special banquet to celebrate their 150th anniversary in their 151st year of ministry! Rev. Molly Carlson was in attendance for worship and was presented with a check to Our Church's Wider Mission in honor of the anniversary. Singer, songwriter, and storyteller extraordinaire, Ken Medema, was also there to celebrate this special occasion with a beautiful musical reflection following Rev. Barbara Lohrbach's message in worship. The day concluded with a celebration banquet and concert with Ken Medema, where church members shared stories about St. John that Ken turned into one-of-a-kind songs. The concert ended with an extra special gift from Pastor Barbara to the congregation: a song she commissioned Ken to write as a gift from her to the church titled, "Thanks from a Pastor's Heart." There was not a dry eye in the room during Ken's moving performance.

Rev. Molly Carlson is presented a check to OCWM by St. John members, Brock & Maggie.

Ken sings "Thanks from a Pastor's Heart" as Pastor Barb looks out on the congregation while her special gift to them is shared.

St. John members and friends rise to sing together as the banquet and concert come to an end.

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Illinois Conference

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Who we are

The Illinois Conference of the United Church

of Christ is made up of all of the churches, members, clergy and covenant partners

affiliated with the United Church of Christ

in the northern half of Illinois.

THE ILLINOIS CONFERENCE UCC Money Matters - a weekly conversation about money and ministry in the Illinois Conference UCC 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

Illinois Conference UCC | Ilucc.org