Faithful Fridays, July 12

July 12, 2024

Rev. Kathy Lawes is on Sabbatical

Consistent with best ministry practices, our MLT staff earn a three-month sabbatical after each five years of completed service. Kathy Lawes is overdue for this time away. She will be away during the months of July, August, and September 2024. We pray that this will be a time of rest and renewal and we will look forward to welcoming her back in October.

In Rev. Lawes’ absence, Rev. Diane Weible will provide support to the five Committees on Ministry on a quarter-time basis. The rest of the Ministry Leadership Team will provide coverage for all pastoral and congregational concerns that arise during this season. Any questions regarding who to contact with particular needs can be made through the conference office at 708-344-4470 or ConferenceAdmin@ilucc.org.

Partners in Building

September 26-27

The UCC’s Church Building & Loan Fund helps churches like yours turn empty parking lots into community centers, basements into youth spaces and underutilized fellowship halls into affordable housing. This work transforms communities and revives churches.

Launch your church’s new chapter this September 26 and 27 at Partners in Building, the Church Building & Loan Fund’s signature training event! Trailblazing ministers, mission-driven real estate professionals and our experienced Church Building & Loan Fund staff will introduce you to faith-based real estate development during this two-day virtual event. Learn and more and register here.

Indigenous Bible Webinar

Tuesday, July 16, 2 PM CST

The "First Nations Version" is an Indigenous translation of the Christian scriptures. It brings a fresh language to how these scriptures are conveyed and understood. Notably, a decolonized rendering of the sacred texts articulates a different understanding of how humans understand their relationship to both God and all of God's creation. In this webinar, we will hear from three members of the translation council that produced the First Nations Version. Terry M. Wildman, who envisioned the translation, will be joined by Amy Allan and Kimberlee Medicine Horn Jackson. Even if you cannot make it at its scheduled time on Tuesday, July 16th at 2:00 pm CST, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording. Register now!

LEEAP (Local Evangelism, Envisioning, and Planting)

LEEAP has been charged with engaging in the evangelistic mission of the Illinois Conference and inviting all people to become disciples of Jesus Christ through new church development and existing church revitalization. The LEEAP Committee of the Illinois Conference is to assess and determine the distribution of specifically allocated Conference funds designated for church growth and revitalization. This is an ongoing, Spirit-led process of birthing new church starts and renewing existing churches. We are doing the work of the Spirit in bringing the message of Jesus to our communities in a relevant, meaningful way for our particular time and place. In recent years the available funding has been between $75,000 and $200,000. This year (2024) only $35,000,00 will be available.

The Process. Applications will go out in July and due back at the end of September, Again the applications are for new church starts and revitalizing ministry projects that could be self- sustainable. Each application needs to be approved by an Associate Conference Minister. We are excited to support conference ministries and creative projects. Our hope is to continue this funding for the years ahead, however for right now we only have funding for 2024.

We look forward to the applications and partnering with the Illinois conference churches and ministries. Please click here to view the guidelines. Applications will be sent at the end of July.

Great Lakes Collaborative Retreat

You are invited to join the second annual gathering of the UCC Great Lakes Creation Care Collaborative. The retreat will be held August 18-20 at Cedar Valley Camp and Retreat Center in West Bend, Wisconsin. Download the flyer here. Register by July 18th. Click here to register online.

This retreat will have informational workshops for:

Beginners, looking for ideas and actions for a newly formed environmental justice team.
Activators, wanting to step beyond the church and home projects and into relationships with their communities and other environmental justice organizations.
Agitators, ready to move into action to support individuals, congregations, and communities to advocate for diversification from fossil fuel and companies that continue to strip the land and pollute our water.

Brush Harbor Retreat for Clergy of Color

Ministry is demanding, and being a spiritual leader of color ups the ante. Imagine a retreat designed exclusively for you to fuel your ministry and your life. Renew yourself in a few short days and be back in church on Sunday with tools to be a healthier and happier you. Come enter a world of awe and wonder. Shake off stress among the nation’s tallest trees, soaring over 100 feet high, in forest as far as you can see. Or splash in the coastal waters of Lake Michigan at the retreat’s private beach. Celebrating 100 years offering sanctuary to clergy, Tower Hill offers guided nature hikes, a labyrinth for quiet reflection, 30 acres of winding trails, bar-b-Que grills at every building and fire pits with wood for laugh-out-loud conversations, roasting Smores and more. The retreat will take place October 3-5 at Tower Hill Camp in Sawyer, MI. Learn more and register online here.

Member in Discernment Gathering

Registration for the 2024 Member in Discernment Gathering is now open! The MID Gathering will take place August 1-4 in Cleveland. Registration information is here. This is an important opportunity for MIDs to network with one another, meet members of the MESA team and other representatives of the national staff, learn about the formation processes of the UCC, and worship together. Members in Discernment are welcome to attend one MID Gathering hosted by the national setting during their discernment time, with tracks for MIDs in three phases of their journey – Discovery (1-2 years in process), Progressing (2-4 years in process, or middle of their process), and Transforming (last year or so in the process).

Stewardship Materials Now Available

United Church of Christ

The new United Church of Christ stewardship materials are now available from UCC Resources to help congregations tell their story while making a request for financial support. The theme for 2024 is “Imagine Together.” This package of materials helps people understand the impact congregations can make in communities when they are supported. The materials include eight complete worship services, hymn suggestions, sermon starters from eight different authors, plus additional faith formation sessions for children, youth, and adults. “Imagine Together” provides practical tools such as logos, commitment cards, bulletin inserts, and letters. Campaign guidance for every step of a year-round or seasonal effort helps leaders make the best use of these robust materials for their specific context and size.

Get the Materials Here

Conference/Local Church News & Events

TPIRC Education Summit 2024

You are warmly welcomed to attend the Education Summit by the Thriving Pastors In Revitalizing Congregations (TPIRC) Friday, September 13th and Saturday September 14th. There is no cost to attend. If you are not currently a part of the TPIRC program, this is a perfect opportunity to try it out and see what value it may bring to your church.

Our 2024 TPIRC theme is Working Together with God. This two-day event will bring together Pastors and lay leaders to learn new skills to support and grow their communities of faith.

To register, please click this link to complete the TPIRC Education Summit Registration Form. There is also detailed information on the Summit events and presenters on the TPIRC Website. Please contact Marz Rivera (He/Him), TPIRC Program Coordinator at the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ at MarzRivera@ilucc.org if you have any questions.

2024 Annual Celebration - Save the Date

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?"

Isaiah 43:19

Join us for a weekend of inspiration and growth at the the Illinois Conference Annual Celebration as we Embrace God’s Imagination! Registration details to follow. Save the date and prepare to embrace new perspectives and possibilities! Stay tuned for more updates!

Dates:

Boundary and Anti-Racism Training: October 31
Annual Celebration: November 1 and 2

Venue: First Congregational of Western Springs

Hotel Accommodation: Holiday Inn Countryside

Does your church have news to share or an upcoming event you would like to advertise? Email us the information and any accompanying graphics/flyers.

Calendar At a Glance

Ordinations, Installations, and Ecclesiastical Councils

July 28: Service of Ordination for Ramona Bamgbose. 3:00 p.m. at University Church Chicago. Chicago Metropolitan Association.

Aug 4: Installation Service for Rev. David Fraccaro. 9:00 a.m. at Community Congregational UCC in Elburn. Fox Valley Association.

Aug 25: Installation Service for Rev. Malcolm Griffith. 3:00 p.m. at The Congregational Church of Park Manor in Chicago. Chicago Metropolitan Association.

Meetings and Events

July 21: Western Council Meeting. 3:30 p.m. via Zoom.

July 21: Fox Valley Council Meeting. 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.

July 24: Eastern Council Meeting. 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.

Aug 1: Prairie Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:00 a.m. via Zoom.

Aug 3: Personnel Committee Meeting. 9:30 a.m. via Zoom.

Aug 5: Stewardship Committee Meeting. 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.

Aug 8: Fox Valley Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:00 a.m. via Zoom.

Aug 13: LEEAP Committee Meeting. 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.

Aug 14: Outdoor Ministries Committee Meeting. 9:30 a.m. via Zoom.

Aug 18: Western Council Meeting. 3:30 p.m. via Zoom.

Aug 20: FAB Committee Meeting. 9:00 a.m. via Zoom.

Aug 20: Western Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:00 a.m. via Zoom.

Aug 21: Eastern Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:30 a.m. via Zoom.

Aug 26: Fox Valley Council Meeting. 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.

Aug 28: Eastern Council Meeting. 3:30 p.m. via Zoom.

SAVE THE DATE

Nov 1-2: Conference Annual Celebration at First Congregational of Western Springs.

Employment Opportunities

Recent Postings:

Burr Ridge Community Church seeks PT Custodian and PT Admin Assistant

Staff attorney sought: Valley Immigrant Advocates (VIA) is a nonprofit located in Ottawa, Illinois providing direct legal services to immigrants in asylum, U Visa, T Visa, VAWA, TPS, removal defense, family immigration, naturalization, and DACA, from screening through case preparation and follow-up. Its small staff helps to change lives every day. VIA is seeking an additional attorney; bilingual in English and Spanish, as well as two or more years of immigration law experience, is strongly preferred. Salary $70,000-$90,000 per year, depending upon experience.

VIA is closely supported by Open Table UCC, an Open and Affirming congregation in Ottawa. Located 80 miles southwest of Chicago in Starved Rock Country, the town is the hub to 4 state parks and a nature preserve, all within 20 minutes of VIA’s downtown office.

To see a full position description: https://valleyimmigrant.org/employment/.

Lay Employment Postings

Ministerial Positions

National UCC Openings

Please let us know if you have a job opening you would like to share,

and also update us once the position is filled. Contact Sarah Lohrbach.

Mon-Fri 8:30 - 4:30

708-344-4470