Synod Resolutions/Bylaw Changes

During General Synod, delegates will consider 17 resolutions and several bylaw changes. If you have not had a chance to review these proposed updates, you can do so here.

The UCC has hosted several virtual town hall gatherings to learn more about an amendment to the UCC Bylaws that would change the frequency of General Synod from two years to three years.

All three town hall gatherings were recorded. We edited the videos to remove the empty space between questions, tech support moments, and duplicated introductions, opening presentations, and goodbyes.

Starting Saturday, June 10, at 8:00 AM Central, you can access the three Town Halls in one simple video. You can also download the video for offline viewing. (Note: if you attempt to access the link before Saturday, June 10, at 8:00 AM Central, you will reach an error message).

Click here to read the recent UCC news article with information from the Task Force on General Synod Frequency.

Summer Camp Scholarship Program

As the summer season approaches, Pilgrim Park and Tower Hill are excitedly preparing to host our Youth Summer Camps. These camps provide a nurturing and inclusive environment where young people can grow spiritually, develop life skills, and create lasting friendships. Unfortunately, we recognize that some families may face financial constraints that prevent their children from participating in this transformative experience.

Our Summer Camp Scholarship program aims to remove these financial barriers and ensure that every child, regardless of their financial situation, has the opportunity to attend our church camps. By offering scholarships, we can ensure that all children and youth have a chance to engage in the enriching activities and faith-based teachings that our camps provide.

To make this program a success, we are seeking donations from compassionate individuals and organizations like yours who share our vision of empowering children and youth. Your generous contribution will go directly towards providing financial assistance to deserving applicants, allowing them to attend our summer camps and benefit from the transformative experiences they offer.

Your donation will make a significant impact on the lives of these young individuals, helping them build self-confidence, develop leadership skills, and deepen their spiritual connections. By investing in their personal growth, you will contribute to a brighter future for our whole community.

We kindly request your financial contribution, large or small, towards providing scholarships for children and youth to attend our church camps. We genuinely believe that together, we can make a positive difference in the lives of young individuals who are eager to grow and learn in a supportive environment. Your generosity will ensure that no child is excluded due to financial limitations.

On behalf of Tower Hill, Pilgrim Park, and the children and youth who will benefit from your kindness, we express our heartfelt gratitude for considering our request. Together, let us create a summer filled with unforgettable experiences, personal growth, and lasting memories for our children and youth.

Juneteenth Webinar

Thursday, June 15, 2023

As part of our engagement with Ibram X Kendi’s book How to Be an Antiracist, Join the Movement’s All Church Read, our Juneteenth panelists will reflect on the themes of the last chapters of the book: Failure, Success, and Survival. The exploration of each theme will include our resident historian, Dr. Renee K. Harrison offering a historical connection to Juneteenth and emancipation, reflection from a UCC leader on the implications for our continued work of emancipation and antiracism, and an artistic expression connecting it to our call to abolitionist futures. Join together to discover how practicing antiracism can continue the Juneteenth lineage of moving us from emancipation toward freedom.

Immigrant Welcoming Toolkit

This month, Global H.O.P.E.'s Refugee and Migration Services, alongside the UCC National Collaborative on Immigration, released the updated Immigrant Welcoming Congregations Toolkit. This resource includes a suggested action plan for immigration ministries of the UCC as well as a wide range of options for engagement. This toolkit was introduced during the Becoming an Immigrant Welcoming Church webinar. In the webinar churches were provided information about formally joining the network.

Refugee and Migration Services and the UCC National Collaborative on Immigration will be joining together again at General Synod to offer a workshop entitled “Immigration at the Border and the UCC Response.” Churches will benefit from hearing updated information on the UCC’s border response and how they can help.

In an unusual move, the Office of Emergency Management of the City of Chicago (OEMC) has issued an appeal to the members of the Northeast Illinois COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster). The Illinois Conference is one of the founding members of this organization.

The city needs our assistance in collecting new clothing, gently-used home furnishings and houseware utensils. Gift cards are also helpful. Do not donate food. All donations will be distributed as part of the resettlement of the nearly nine thousand refugees who continue to arrive by bus from Texas.

I invite all of our congregations to look around their closets and cupboards and see if you can find a few of the needed items to send along. Please contact the Office of Emergency Management of Chicago directly at: 312-746-9111.

Thank you for all you already do,

Roger Dart

Conference Disaster Coordinator

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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.