2022 Justice & Local Church Ministries Grants

Rev. Dr. Aaron Wade

My name is Rev. Dr. Aaron Wade and I am the Minister for Congregation Granting, Scholarship and Leadership Development on the Faith INFO team of Justice and Local Church Ministries. I’m writing to inform you of the launch of our common application for congregational grants for 2022.

We are ready to receive your applications!

The common application allows grantees to apply for four different funding sources offered through Justice and Local Church Ministries: Neighbors in Need, Operational Support, CASA: New and Rebirthing Churches, and the Pension Board New Church Start. 

In 2021, $603,000 was granted to local churches and community partners. Click here to learn more about the 2021 grants and how they were used.

Click here to view the application and learn more about the grant opportunities.

On August 3, 2022 there was an informational session where went over frequently asked questions and key aspects of the grant application process. You can watch the recording of the meeting here.

How to Grow a Movement: Invest to End Racism

September 15 @ 6:00 PM CST

Join others from across the United Church of Christ as we kick off the historic Join the Movement Capital Campaign with co-chairs Otis Moss III, Naomi Washington-Leapheart, and Starsky Wilson sharing their visions of a church and a world moving toward fuller embodiments of racial justice. On the 59th anniversary of 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama that galvanized movements to end segregation and establish civil rights, we come together to remember and discover how our sharing of resources can fuel and grow our racial justice work today and for generations to come.

Accessible to All Webinar

Thursday, Aug. 18, 2:30 PM CST

The United Church of Christ adopted the Accessible to All (A2A) covenant as a denomination in 2005 as part of our commitment to disabilities justice. Barriers to accessibility are both physical and attitudinal. Disability justice intersects with the UCC’s commitments to racial, economic, gender, sexual identities, just peace, and environmental justice. Join representatives of the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board for practical resources for what UCC members and congregations can do to create a more just world for all.

Register online here.

The Flag in the Sanctuary

One of the most difficult and theological conversations a church might have is about the flag in the sanctuary. On July 14th, the UCC hosted a webinar with Rev. Roberto Ochoa and Rev. John Gage to discuss what considerations go into this conversation, as well as how your congregation might engage it with grace and care for the people involved. This program does not prescribe an outcome, but will provide resources for engaging the conversation. You can watch the recording here.

The UCC Faith Info team created an accompanying resource to help guide churches in these conversations. Click here to download the document.

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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.