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Annual Celebration!
Wednesday, October 19 - Saturday, October 22
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Annual Celebration is next week! If you haven't already registered, don't forget to sign-up. The registration deadline is this Sunday, October 16th. The fee is $50 per person, except for retired clergy and youth. We are using a new platform from Zoom called Zoom Events.
Registration is a two-step process.
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Register and pay through Realm (click here).
- Follow the instructions in your confirmation email to register through Zoom Events.
It is important that you complete this second step as soon as possible. It will only take a few minutes to complete your registration through Zoom Events, but is necessary in order to participate in Annual Celebration. The sooner you complete this step, the more time we have to address any issues.
If you have any questions or issues registering and accessing Zoom Events, email Sarah Lohrbach or call the Conference office M-F, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM (708-344-4470).
In order to conduct the business of the Conference - approve the budget, approve the slate of nominees - we need a quorum of 100 Voting Members present. Please sign-up today to help ensure we meet the required quorum for our meeting.
To learn more about the event and sign-up to participate, click on the buttons below.
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The Great Central ShakeOut
October 20
This year's International ShakeOut Day is October 20, when millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at work, school, or home! At 10:20 am (local time) on 10/20, you can join more than a million people across the Central U.S. practicing earthquake safety. While we encourage you to participate on International ShakeOut Day, you can register your ShakeOut drill for any day of the year, and drill at a time of your choice.
The Illinois Conference is registered for the 2022 Great Central ShakeOut and we encourage our churches and members to hold ShakeOut drills either on October 20th or a date of your choosing. Click here to learn more about the Great Central ShakeOut and why it's so important. Here's a helpful video about what do during an earthquake if you are near a sturdy desk or table.
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(In)Justice For All Film Festival International
The Justice and Witness Ministry of the Chicago Metropolitan Association invites all Illinois Conference members to the (In)Justice for All Film Festival International (IFAFF) which began ten years ago at Trinity UCC, Chicago. IFAFF curates the work of international filmmakers, focused on the front-burner issues of our time, including mass incarceration - their rallying issue. They seek to illuminate audiences and bring new allies into the struggle for justice and human rights and inspire direct and indirect action. Click here to learn more on who IFAFF is and what they do.
The highlighted films are meant to inspire and motivate viewers to act, take a stand, and most importantly, to grow empathy and compassion for those who are systematically oppressed. The full seven-day festival will run in the fall of 2023, and special films will be presented over the course of the coming year.
IFAFF is proud to present Chicagoan Kevin Shaw's critically acclaimed film, Let The Little Light Shine, October 27-28, 2022, via On-Demand virtual screenings through the Eventive Platform. They are also excited to announce, a special "live" virtual panel discussion featuring filmmaker Kevin Shaw, National Teachers Academy (NTA) parent-activist Elisabeth Greer, former NTA principal Isaac Castelaz, parent-activist Audrey Johnson, and current NTA principal Teneka Horton for a community conversation on Building Community Power. This takes place Thursday, October 27, 2022, 7pm CDT, immediately following the screening of the film. Click here to pre-order your tickets for both the On-Demand screening and special presentation.
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Our Faith Our Vote Our Voice
The United Church of Christ’s Our Faith Our Vote Campaign is our ongoing commitment to equip you with the tools for nonpartisan faithful engagement in our democratic process. The campaign is made up of three main components; voter registration, issue education, and voter empowerment.
The Our Faith Our Vote webpage has several resources available for all three components, as well as helpful links to check your voting status, register, find a polling place, and more!
Pledge to Vote and Help a Friend!
Many voters like you are pledging to increase civic engagement in 2022 by committing to encouraging three friends to vote on or before Election Day. Join our Vote Tripling Campaign and make your pledge today!
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Clergy Praycations
Tower Hill & Pilgrim Park
In celebration of Clergy Appreciation Month, we are opening registration for Clergy Praycations. Clergy and their families are invited to register for a 3 day, 2 night stay at Tower Hill or Pilgrim Park for only $60.
This is a time, not to learn something new or acquire another skill, but to take a deep breath. We invite you to step away to renew and refresh, to play and 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.
Authorized Ministers & MIDs of the Illinois Conference may register.
Call Tower Hill Camp at 269-426-3881 or Pilgrim Park Camp at 815-447-2390 to schedule your Praycation.
We are grateful to the Brown Endowment at United Church Funds for making this gift to clergy possible.
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HOPE UCC Naperville Organizes Counter Protest in Support of UpRising Bakery in Lake in the Hills | |
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A local business called UpRising Bakery in Lake in the Hills has been the target of harassment and protests since July because of their family-friendly drag shows. They have been subjected to angry phone calls and social media messages, vandalism including smashed windows, spray painted homophobic slurs, and even excrement being left on their doorstep. Click here to read an article from the Northwest Herald on September 18th about the persistence of this harassment and its negative effects on the café owners and surrounding community.
Protests still continue today, but so do the counter protests that demonstrate support for the bakery. One such counter protest is being organized by HOPE UCC in Naperville for this Saturday, October 15 at 12 PM at UpRising Bakery, located at 2104 W. Algonquin Road in Lake in the Hills. HOPE invites other Illinois Conference churches and members to join them for this counter protest in support of the bakery and of all LGBTQIA+ people. Click here to download the flyer.
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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.
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