January 2022 E-Blast, First Edition |
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The deadline for all 2021 Contributions is January 10, 2022. Please make sure we receive your final donations by this date.
You can send your donations by check to the lockbox using this Remittance Form. You can also make a donation online by clicking this link. Thank you for supporting the mission and ministry of the Illinois Conference through your donations!
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Ongoing Implementation of Staff Changes
Rev. Molly Carlson
Over the next several months, the Illinois Conference staff will be focused on settling into all the changes implemented (or approved) in 2021. This will be our primary focus as we reorganize and streamline – an effort to best support the local churches of the Illinois Conference be stronger together.
First big change in 2022: Support Staff for Administrative Assistance
In June of 2021, we hired Naomi Else and Kim Whisler-Vasko to share the newly created position of Support Staff for Administrative Assistance. From the beginning, we were clear that this was an experiment initiated in good faith. However, after six months, it has been determined that two people sharing the job has not allowed for the efficiencies we were expecting. Both Kim and Naomi were informed in December that the job share would not be continuing into the new year. By seniority, Naomi was offered the full-time position first and after some prayer and reflection, she has accepted it.
Click here to read more and to see a rough timeline of the rollout for the new MLT job responsibilities.
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UCC Officers Remember Archbishop Desmond Tutu
United Church of Christ News
The national setting of the United Church of Christ acknowledges the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died on December 26, 2021.
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KY Donations - Overwhelmed with Stuff!
Lesli Remaly, UCC Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery
KYVOAD reported in late December that they are overwhelmed with donations and do not need any additional items. They asked that we communicate with our networks to please do not send more. If possible, sell the items locally and send the funds as a way of helping. They pleaded to please stop the tons of donations that are pouring in with no place to be stored. All the local donation sites are overflowing and are unable to be filled with more. This is now become the second disaster. Please help spread this message. Cash is BEST. Designate 2021 Severe Storms/December Tornados. You can donate through the UCC here.
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Watch your email in the coming days for a special E-Blast about a Conference Wide CWS Clean-up Bucket Challenge! We have a goal to assemble 1000 buckets! Details coming soon! |
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"Who Will Speak for the Trees?"
General Synod Resolution Reflection
CMA Justice & Witness Committee
General Synod took place during the summer of 2021, and delegates looked at actions Christians could take on issues involving our lives together. But resolutions alone do not bring about action. That task requires a response from local churches who act in accordance with how they see the resolution. And local churches and their members will have a nuanced response to what they read coming out of General Synod.
This article only responds to one of the resolutions. Called “Who Will Speak for the Trees?” this resolution speaks to the rights of nature. CMA’s Justice and Witness Committee has asked that I write this article to help local churches respond to the resolution, which calls us to recognize that we share the planet with many different forms of life.
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Arise Chicago Gala Breakfast
Arise Chicago hosted its annual Gala Breakfast as a virtual event in December 2021. This half hour video highlights the work that Arise Chicago does. Arise Chicago partners with immigrants and leaders from the religious, government, legal, labor, and academic communities to end workplace abuse.
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Active UCC Global H.O.P.E. Appeals
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Join SnugFest at Pilgrim Park and Tower Hill to unwind, relax and recharge! We have many rentals available ranging from 2 to 6-bedroom units to complete retreat areas. This is a great chance to "get away" in a safe manner and help our camps with the financial resource of this short-term rental income.
Come snuggle in with us for a couple days taking the time to enjoy activities that range from having hot chocolate and reading a book to eagle watching at Pilgrim Park to cross country skiing at Tower Hill. Call Pilgrim Park at 815-447-2390 Tower Hill at 269-426-3881 for all the rental details!
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Ordinations, Installations, Ecclesiastical Councils & More |
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Conference and Association Meetings |
Jan. 4: Property Committee Meeting. 10:00 a.m. via Zoom.
Jan. 15: Outdoor Ministries Committee Retreat. 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. In-Person/Zoom.
Jan. 18: Western COM Meeting. 9:00 a.m. via Zoom.
Jan. 24: CMA Justice & Witness Committee Meeting. 7:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Jan. 25: FAB Committee Meeting. 9:00 a.m. via Zoom.
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Events and Training Opportunities |
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Boundary Awareness Training
January 29, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Illinois Conference UCC
Conference Minister Rev. Molly Carlson will be hosting a total of four Boundary Awareness Trainings in 2022. The first event will take place via Zoom on Saturday, January 29, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Registration is required.
Each training will be capped at 50 participants. You must be present for the full duration of the training in order to receive credit. These trainings will fulfill the requirements in all five Associations of the Illinois Conference and will be based on the Ordained Ministers Code. Registration is open to both active and retired ministers.
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Building the Future for Our Youth
February 7-8, 2022
United Church of Christ
On February 7-8th, the national setting will offer a virtual conference for 100 youth ministers and leaders to reimagine youth ministry, National Youth Event and other events for the future. For more information about the event and updates regarding National Youth Event, you can read this article.
Additionally, we are asking anyone who has regular contact with youth in the United Church of Christ to complete a short survey to provide additional insight to the Faith INFO team and national setting. You may access the survey here. Your responses and presence are greatly appreciated.
For questions or additional information please reach out to Rev. Trayce Potter at pottert@ucc.org.
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Getting Congress to Act Webinar
Wednesday, January 12, 12 PM CST
United Church of Christ
Frederick Douglass once said, "Power concedes nothing without a demand." The next Creation Justice Webinar will focus on the art and craft of making a demand. Specifically, we will focus on how people of faith can best organize themselves to place pressure on Congress to act in 2022. For insight and guidance, we will turn to three panelists with local and national experience as organizers: the Rev. A. Kazimir Brown from the Poor People's Campaign, the Rev. Chibuzo Nimmo Petty from For Our Future, and Kim McMurray from Indivisible. Even if you can’t make the scheduled time of 1 pm ET on Wednesday, January 12th, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register now!
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Empowering Communication Workshops
January/February 2022
Empowering Communication, Inc.
Rev. Joel Westby (ELCA) and Rev. Leslie Ritter-Jenkins (UCC) are offering SIX Empowering Communication workshops for clergy in January and February 2022 via Zoom.
Empowering Communication has been a framework that has given us confidence in how we choose to live out our faith in our personal and professional work. We have studied and practiced Nonviolent Communication, also known as Empowering Communication, cumulatively for 32 years and found it invaluable in our work with staff, committees, worship teams, pastoral care, self-care, and healing small and large rifts in congregations and denominational bodies. We hope you will join us for a workshop or series of workshops in the New Year. Learn more here.
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CHHSM's 84th Annual Gathering
March 8-10, 2022
The Council for Health and Human Service Ministries
Registration for CHHSM’s 84th Annual Gathering — to be held at the historic Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky., March 8-10, 2022 — opens this week. This year’s Annual Gathering marks the first time a CHHSM corporate gathering has taken place in person since the COVID-19 pandemic caused stay-at-home measures to be enacted across the United States. Centering on the theme “Forward Together,” the 2022 gathering is taking its inspiration from the Philippians 3:13 passage, “Straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal.” The theme will be woven throughout the worship, speakers, and workshops of the 2022 Annual Gathering. Learn more here.
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Click here to read about Health and Human Service Sunday on January 30. You can access the resources by clicking here. |
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Click here to find a list of Reparatory Racial Justice Resources from the Rev. Dr. Velda as a follow-up to the Sacred Conversations workshop during our Annual Celebration. |
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Advocate Aurora Health Care
COVID-19 Updates - Dec 8, 2021
Safely Reopening Our Doors Toolkit
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Justice Resources
UCC Justice and Peace Action Network
DC Action Center
Each week, the D.C. Office creates an action alert based on what is happening at that time in Congress, and offers you the opportunity to contact your legislators with just one click! You can find all the alerts here.
The Pollinator
The Pollinator is a digital platform of the UCC for the sharing of ideas and inspiration. Its focus is the building of a faith-filled and faith-rooted movement for the care of creation.
Witness for Justice
Looking for up-to-date social justice commentary? Check out Witness for Justice, a weekly editorial opinion column written by the staff of Justice and Witness Ministries.
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Recently Added Lay Employment Opportunities:
For more lay employment opportunity postings, click here.
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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