Weekly Insights into generosity, Conference finances, and being stronger together. |
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Supporting Tower Hill and Pilgrim Park Staff
Rev. Dr. V. Rudra Dundzila, OCC
Pastor, Peoples Church Chicago (UCC/UUA)
Secretary, Outdoor Ministries Committee
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The support for Tower Hill and Pilgrim Park from members and friends of the Illinois Conference ensures excellent programming for youth and adults, congregations and retreat groups at our camps. It also supports working families who provide the backbone for everything that happens at camp. Both camps are run by full-time, part-time and seasonal employees who do everything to make sure guests are welcome, safe and comfortable. They manage the sites, run the office, clean everything, provide meals, repair storm damage and maintain the trails. Ultimately, they make sure everything inside and out is working, safe and sound for our guests.
Our camp staff have bills to pay, families to support, and their own homes to maintain. In the off season and during the COVID pandemic, some of the dedicated staff had to rely on unemployment. Our part-time staff either finance their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare or rely on Medicaid. Some also rely on WIC and SNAP. It breaks my heart when one of our cherished camp staff faces a health or financial crisis without adequate means (and this has happened several times).
In our commitment to social justice, the Illinois Conference strives to offer all its staff a living wage with benefits. However, our camps do not yet have adequate revenue to provide this to all staff. When UCC churches, clergy and members utilize the camps for retreats, leadership training, family reunions, youth events, etc., this revenue helps us become financially viable so that we can adequately and justly compensate the dedicated individuals who staff the camps.
Your support and contributions help us make our love real in the world!
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Help Keep Our Campfires Burning! |
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Pilgrim Park began as a vision of Dr. Glenn Lindley and the Northern Area for the Illinois Conference of Congregational Christian Churches. Through Dr. Lindley's efforts, the original 30 acres of our land were secured. These acres are the location where most buildings are still located. Additional acreage was purchased, which today totals 155 acres. In 2021 we are celebrating our 75th Anniversary, Pilgrim Park is honored to have created spiritual and fellowship memories to four generations of families.
Mitch Kloster
Site Manager, Pilgrim Park
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The Spanish Flu pandemic in the U.S. ended in 1919. By November of 1923, Tower Hill Camp in Sawyer, Michigan was born with the express purpose of providing a place of rest, comfort and recreation. Placed near the shores of Lake Michigan, the camp was designed for housing ministers and children connected with the mission of what is now the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ. In just a few years we look to our 100th year in offering campers our wooded splendor.
Rev. Tracy Heilman
Site Manager, Tower Hill
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Little Home Church 150th Anniversary! |
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The Little Home Church by the Wayside, located in Wayne, celebrated its 150th anniversary on Sunday, October 17. The Sunday worship service featured a specially commissioned hymn "Our Eternal Home" composed by Joel Raney in honor of this special occasion. After the worship, church members and guests were treated to an 'after party' out in the church courtyard with local food trucks and ice cream, music and children's activities. It was a glorious celebration to mark a very special event! |
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The Sanctuary was filled for this special celebration worship! |
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The after party had activities for members and friends of any age! |
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After worship, folks gathered in the church courtyard for fellowship. |
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We are now four weeks into our ten week campaign to raise $100,000 in order to erase $10 MILLION in medical debt for our neighbors in need. If each church raised just under $500 we would meet our goal by working together!
Donation information and resources can be found at the link below.
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Support the work of the
Illinois Conference
with your gifts today!
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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.
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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
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