October 2021 E-Blast, Second Edition |
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Important Note Regarding Database Updates:
Churches and Pastors will be receiving a call/email from one of the 18 volunteers helping with our new Realm Database Updates. If you receive a call from someone saying they are working with Sarah Lohrbach and the Illinois Conference to update our database, it is not a scam. Please answer their questions and help us make sure our new Database is accurate and up to date before we officially make the switch.
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Medical Debt Relief Campaign
10 Million in 10 Weeks
The "$10M in 10 Weeks" debt forgiveness campaign is in full swing! We enthusiastically invite and strongly encourage EVERY congregation to participate, and we welcome every contribution. Remember, even a little goes a long way. For every $1 donated, $100 in medical debt will be erased. If every church donated to this campaign, it would take less than $500 per church to meet our goal of $100,000 in order to relieve $10 Million in medical debt - together as the Illinois Conference!
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Annual Celebration!
November 16-20, Virtual
This year’s Annual Celebration will be a little different! The completely virtual format, held from November 16 – 20. The fee is also different this year! The fee is $100 per church so anyone from a local church can participate in the learning and worship activities throughout the week!
Click the button below to learn more. Registration details are coming soon.
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Truth, Healing and Accountability for Indigenous Boarding Schools
UCC Justice and Peace Action Network
In 2003, the United Church of Christ’s General Synod passed a resolution addressing the UCC’s role in supporting the shameful history of Indian Boarding Schools. These schools have their ideological roots in the Doctrine of Discovery, and institutionally began in 1869 with President Grant’s establishment of a “Board of Indian Commissioners” to distribute Indian territories to various Christian denominations for the purposes of building boarding schools (including Congregationalists, Christians, and the American Board of Foreign Missions). It is time for us as a church, and a nation, to acknowledge and confess this dark history and support reparations for the cultural, psychological, theological, and physical damage done.
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Third Annual TPIRC Education Summit
Rev. Michelle Hughes
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Each year the TPIRC (Thriving Pastors in Revitalizing Congregations Program) is charged with hosting an educational event for program participants and those considering joining the program. In years past we have had a themed event with several speakers and workshops. This September we partnered with Church Building and Loan Fund and had a combined event: The Education Summit and Partners in Building.
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Active UCC Global H.O.P.E. Appeals
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Our camps are working in creative ways for the guests of coming generations to continue having an experience to carry them “out of the ordinary and into the sacred”.
This fall we are offering rental of cabins and facilities for short term getaways, a unique way to enjoy time in a natural, safe environment. Guests are asked to provide their own meals. Each rental has cooking capacity for easy meals and there are take-out options at local restaurants as well. This is also a great opportunity for guests who have an option to work "away" as our views inspire and renew.
If you wish to escape for a needed rest call Pilgrim Park at 815-447-2390 or Tower Hill at 269-426-3881. Dates may fill up quickly, as we are close, yet far away, a perfect place to recharge.
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Events and Training Opportunities |
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CRS Annual Membership Assembly
Saturday, October 23, 10:00 AM
Community Renewal Society
Community Renewal Society invites you to participate in their Annual Membership Assembly: Liberating Love. This event will happen via Zoom. Rev. Dr. Danielle Buhuro will be the keynote speaker and Kwyn Townsend Riley will be the featured spoken word artist. CRS hopes you will join them to spend time virtually with others committed to working for social justice and racial healing. We'll celebrate our victories over the past year and get energized for the work ahead.
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White Supremacy, Racism, & the Christian Church
October 23-24
Racial Justice Initiative, Pennsylvania Southeast Conference UCC
Join us Saturday, October 23rd, from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, and Sunday, October 24th, from 2:00 - 5:00 pm, as our speakers discuss the church's complicity and history with white supremacy and racism. Explore the entanglements of racism and white supremacy with western Christianity and discover creative anti-racist practices for churches and Christians committed to racial justice. Engage in opportunities for group discussion and Q & A with our speakers. Click to download the flyer.
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Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the Religious Right
Tuesday, October 26, 7:00 PM
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst University is hosting Randall Balmer, prize winning historian, Emmy Award nominee, and the John Phillips Professor of Religion at Dartmouth College. Balmer will be reflecting on his latest book titled Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the Religious Right. This will be a hybrid event with an in person option in the Founder's Lounge for the Frick Center and a Zoom option.
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Abuse Prevention: Back to the Basics
Friday, October 29, 1:00 PM
UCC Insurance Board
The Insurance Board webcast, Abuse Prevention: Back to Basics, offers essential considerations and best practices from the nation’s leading expert in abuse prevention through Insurance Board’s partnership with Praesidium. As ministries return to fully on-site programming, reevaluating safety considerations are critical. Our expert facilitator, Ross Mitchell, J.D., will discuss the need to review child abuse prevention policies for necessary updates, considerations for electronic communications, and appropriate guidelines for staff and volunteers.
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Boundary Training Opportunities
November 8 & 21
Illinois Conference UCC
You are invited to participate in one of two upcoming sessions of Clergy Boundary Awareness Training, hosted by the Western Association Committee on Ministry. Registration is required. You will receive the Zoom link in a confirmation email. To register, email our Conference Administrative Assistants with your name, association, and the date of the training you would like to attend.
November 8, 6:30 - 8:30 PM - All Authorized Persons
November 21, 3:30 - 5:30 PM - Retired Persons/Those Retiring in 12 Months
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Ordinations, Installations, and Other Celebrations
Oct. 24: Installation Service for Rev. Lauri Allen/161st Anniversary Celebration at Mayfield Congregational UCC. 2:00 p.m. via Zoom and in person.
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Conference and Association Meetings |
Oct. 19: FAB Committee Meeting. 9:00 a.m. via Zoom.
Oct. 19: Outdoor Ministry Committee Meeting. 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Oct. 23: Conference Council Meeting. 10:00 a.m. via Zoom.
Oct. 25: CMA Justice & Witness Team meeting. 7:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Nov. 2: Property Committee Meeting. 10:00 a.m. via Zoom.
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Click here to view and purchase the UCC "Rooted in Love" 2021 Stewardship theme resources. |
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Click here for information on several upcoming training programs for ONA and not-yet ONA churches. |
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Click here for more information about the new national office space and take a virtual tour. |
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Advocate Aurora Health News
Advocate Aurora Health is one of the top 12 non-for-profit health systems in the country and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the United Church of Christ. Advocate invites you to start receiving their mailings with news, events, and practical tools to help support the well-being of your church members and ministries.
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Church Communication
Rev. Deborah Owen from St. Peter's UCC in Champaign has passed along a resource from the local Disciples of Christ clergy cluster on church communications as we continue to navigate these strange times and stay in healthy communication. There is a template for having a conversation about communication in your church and details about 5 key areas of church communication. View the resource here.
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COVID-19 Vaccination Updates and More
Advocate Aurora Health Care
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Please let us know if you have a job opening you would like to have shared,
and also update us once the position is filled. Contact Sarah Lohrbach.
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Church Newsletter Request |
Please send us your newsletters so we can keep up with what's going on in your church.
Address for printed newsletters: Illinois Conference UCC, 1840 Westchester Blvd., Suite 200, Westchester, IL 60154. Electronic newsletters: Please add Sarah Lohrbach at SarahLohrbach@ilucc.org to your church’s mailing list.
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THE ILLINOIS CONFERENCE UCC E-BLAST 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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Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ | (708) 344-4470
1840 Westchester Blvd., Suite 200, Westchester, IL 60154
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