February 20, 2026

UCC Yearbook - Time for Reporting!

United Church of Christ

Due on or before Friday, April 10, 2026

Once again, it is time for the UCC to begin preparing for the coming year’s Yearbook & Directory! We are deeply grateful for your continued efforts to help us maintain up-to-date and accurate data. This year marks our second year using the new UCC Database and Directories (DAD), and we anticipate a much smoother experience.

In case you were unaware:

1. Your church's 501(c)3 status is dependent on a current updated listing in the UCC Yearbook. 
2. When your church is searching for a Pastor you will need current and updated data, which comes from the UCC Yearbook. If no reports have been submitted for your church for five (5) years, all data reverts to zeros.  

The site opened to churches on Monday, January 26th. 

The Yearbook reporting will close for churches on Friday, April 10, 2026. 

Links below are documents from the National UCC office to help you get started.

• Church Yearbook Instructions: DOC | PDF
• 12 Important Reasons to Report Annual Church Data
• Yearbook Report Quick Reference

Thank you for all your hard work in collecting and reporting. Your participation is the ONLY way our records are kept up-to-date. If you need help, please contact Naomi in the Conference Office (708-344-4470 or conferenceadmin@ilucc.org). 

YOUTH VOICES: BOLD FAITH

Apply to be part of a UCC Youth-Centered Week of Advocacy in Washington, D.C.  

High school students who will complete 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in Summer 2026

Washington, D.C. on June 14 - June 19, 2026

Registration Cost: $250 (includes lodging, ground transportation, meals, and programming)

Are you ready to make your voice heard? Join the United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C. for Youth Voices: Bold Faith, a week-long immersion in faith-based advocacy, justice, and community. Together, we’ll explore how our faith calls us to speak truth to power, stand up for what’s right, and work toward a world where all can thrive. Click here to learn more.

Applications are live! The deadline to apply is Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 9 pm. Review of applications will begin February 23, 2026, and applicants will be notified by February 27, 2026. The $250.00 payment and registration for accepted applicants will be due by March 27, 2026. Apply online here.

Please feel free to reach out to the Network of Wider Church Youth Ministries at nowcymucc@gmail.com with any questions or for more information.

Please note:

Travel logistics and cost to get to and from Washington, D.C. are the responsibility of accepted applicants. Upon arrival in Washington, D.C., chaperones and adult supervision will be provided by the Network of Wider Church Youth Ministries and the UCC Office of Public Policy and Advocacy. NOWCYM will also work with accepted applicants to connect with their local church, association, and conference to support attendance. 

Due to the limited size of the group that the UCC Office of Public Policy and Advocacy can accommodate, participants will be selected through an application process. Priority will be given to older high school students, especially those in grades 11 & 12.

Updated Compensation Guidelines



2026 GUIDELINES FOR THE CALL AND SUPPORT OF MINISTRY LEADERSHIP

The Illinois Conference 2026 Compensation Guidelines are now available.

Download them here. 

Power-Up Your Finances: Register for Practical Steps to Achieve Student Loan Forgiveness

The Pension Board UCC (PBUCC)

Wednesday, February 25 at 1 pm CT

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is a federal student loan program that forgives the remaining balance of any federal student loan after 120 payments for borrowers who work in the public sector and for certain non-profits such as churches.

This workshop is designed to teach PBUCC members how to:

• Start the payment count towards loan forgiveness.
• Understand how to ensure payments qualify.
• Define qualifying employment.
• Request loan forgiveness once 120 payments have been made. 

Questions? Contact us at 1-800-642-6543

Register Here

Saturday Sharing: Inclusive Liturgy

UCC Musicians Association (UCCMA)

Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 11 am CT

Dr. Amanda Udis-Kessler, sociologist and hymnwriter, will draw on trainings she has offered to UCCMA and UCC congregations to consider why inclusive language is so important and how we might center it in our music programming. This is a free, one-hour conversation on ZOOM.

Register here.

Walk with Us: A Virtual Roundtable to Start your ONA Journey

Open and Affirming Coalition UCC

March 11, 2026 at 6-7:30 pm CT

In a time of rising harm, LGBTQ+ people need churches that will stand publicly and faithfully with them, This roundtable helps you begin the Open and Affirming journey.

This is not a lecture or slide presentation. It is a facilitated, small-group learning space where participants can ask questions, receive guidance, and begin working through what the ONA process looks like in their own context. You will be accompanied step-by-step through the early stages of the journey in a way that is clear, practical, and grounded in real congregational experience.

Your ONA Guide is Barbara Biedenstein (she/hers) a long-standing member of and serves as the secretary of Gateway ONA, the coalition of UCC churches in the St. Louis area. She has attended and studied the Building an Inclusive Church training. For the past 15 years she has served as the ONA coach for UCC and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) churches in the St. Louis and eastern Missouri areas. She has walked dozens of churches through their ONA journey and brings deep wisdom, care, and practical experience to this space.

Register here.

Early-Bird Registration Open for

The Gathering: Many Gifts, One Spirit

Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, UCC

March 24-26, 2026

Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis

Registration is now OPEN for The Gathering: Many Gifts, One Spirit, to be held March 24-26, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis. The theme is based on 1 Corinthians 12:4-7: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

The Gathering will draw some 500 leaders from Mennonite, Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker, and the UCC related health and human service associations for three transformative days of networking, thought-provoking keynote presentations, and exceptional education on best practices, innovations, and critical issues shaping health and human service ministries.

A limited number of scholarships will be available for first-time Annual Gathering attendees and smaller CHHSM agencies with limited budgets. Email chhsmpublic@chhsm.org for information.

The Gathering in 2026 is brought to you by these faith-based health and human service organizations: CHHSM (UCC), AQORD (Mennonite and Quaker), Methodist Ministries Network, and PAHSA (Presbyterian).

Register for The Gathering Today!

Nollau Leadership Institute Class of 2026-27 Enrollment

The Council for Health & Human Service Ministries (CHHSM)

1st Retreat: May 18-22, 2026 

2nd Retreat: October 5–9, 2026

CHHSM Annual Gathering: March 15-19, 2027

The Nollau Leadership Institute is CHHSM's signature program with more than 300 attendees in its 20+ years. Enrollment is open, and the short online application can be found here. We invite you to make plans to participate in next year's class by registering now. A limited number of tuition scholarships are available to help offset the cost of the program.

Grounded in the health and human service organizations of the United Church of Christ, this program offers a unique space in which to experience leadership formation. Each year, Nollau brings together a community of leaders committed to creating a just, caring, and compassionate world. Cultivating this connection between others, the world, and within themselves is the heart of the Nollau experience.

Through retreats, online interactions, and peer mentoring, this program supports leadership formation through a variety of learning modalities and within a community of practice. The use of rituals, art, poetry, embodiment, and time to simply be in nature are all part of the program, alongside the interactive didactic sessions. You can learn more about the curriculum here.

Details:

The program consists of two in-person retreats at Bellwether Farm, online interactions in between the retreats, and an additional day of programming at the 2027 CHHSM Annual Gathering, which includes the commissioning of the class as Diakonal Ministers. 

2026-27 Schedule:

1st Retreat: May 18-22, 2026 

2nd Retreat: October 5–9, 2026

CHHSM Annual Gathering: March 15-19, 2027

Location Information:

Retreat Center: Bellwether Farm, 4655 SR-60, Wakeman, OH 44889

Annual Gathering: Location to be announced in March 2026.

2026 PAAM Convocation registration is now open!

Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries of the UCC 2026 Convocation

Theme: Josiah Generation: Going Deeper in Faith

Irvine United Congregational Church, California

June 24-27, 2026

This gathering will be a time for spiritual nurture, inspiring worship, workshops, breaking bread together, fellowship and deepening our cross-cultural and inter-generational ministries. Hope to receive your registration information soon!

Click items below for details:

• PAAM official website
• Registration form
• 2026 PAAM FAQs
• 2026 PAAM Lodging Information



Follow our PAAM Facebook page for the updates, and contact your regional representative for details: Rev. Charing Wei-Jen Chen (陳煒仁 / 查令) (he/him), PAAM Annual Convocation Midwest Region PAAM Representative or Mitchi Reyes, Chair of Planning Committee.

2026 Season Tower Hill Camp and Retreat Center

• HUG Camp July 5-10, completed 4th-11th grades, $550 Directors: Carol Currier-Frighetto and Donna Boyko HUG Camp is a place where God Helps Us Grow memories and friendships that lasts FOREVER! In addition to growing our relationships with God, nature, and each other, campers choose from a variety of terrific activities each day. Double the fun by bringing a friend!
• HUG Tenderfoot July 8-10, completed K-3rd grade, $330 Director: Tom March HUG Tenderfoot gives younger campers the opportunity to experience camp in an abbreviated timeframe that is suited for their age group! Participants are excited to meet new friends and interact in a very welcoming environment! Godstock Camp July 19-24, completed 3rd-9th grade, $550 Directors: Jamie Kirscher and Theresa Graben Godstock is a week-long camp where youth can make life-long friendships while connecting with nature and their faith. Campers enjoy engaging in whole camp, age group and choice activities including campfires, sports and games, beach time, archery, worship, and much more.
• Godstock Tenderfoot, July 22-24, completed K-3rd grade, $330 Directors: Cindy and Allen White Campers will engage in activities both with and separate from the larger Godstock campers which will provide a fun and exciting experience for our younger campers. Activities include crafts, games, beach time, worship and much more!
• Creation Care Camp, August 3-6, $300/person Director: Rev. David Russell Parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, caregivers and the children in their lives are invited to come together to immerse themselves and play in Creation while learning how to serve as the Land Defenders & Water Protectors God's Creation needs at this time. We will explore Creation Care through the lens of water, especially Lake Michigan & its watershed. But this is summer camp so we will also play & swim at the beach, enjoy bonfires, star gaze & savor S'mores!
• Brush Harbor Retreat for Clergy of Color, October 1-3, $250/person Retreat Leader: Eyvette Jones-Johnson as Clergy, you constantly pour into others; our job is to pour into you. Come to connect deeply with your peers surrounded by the healing power of nature. Learn, write, release, and laugh out loud! Give yourself the gift of renewal and remembrance.  

Participant registration

Counselor and staff registration

Beyond Counting Heads: Creation of the LIFT Community Learning Center

Bethel UCC, Elmhurst. IL

We woke up to snow on December 7, 2025, the day of our We Are the World re-creation at Bethel UCC in Elmhurst, and more than 120 singers, instrumentalists, and volunteers were planning to attend. I remember thinking, “Who’s going to come now?” Nearly 100 people did—shoveling driveways, braving the elements, and showing up anyway.

Hearing all of us sing We Are the World together has never felt more meaningful.

That day became the kickoff for LIFT Community Learning Center, an initiative born from a simple but challenging question: what if the measure of a church isn’t just how many people show up on Sunday, but how deeply people are engaged the rest of the week?

Inspired by congregations like All Saints Church in Pasadena, which asks not “How many members do we have?” but “How are people being transformed?” we began focusing on engagement as the common thread.

Through LIFT, that engagement is taking many forms—square dancing (ages 7 to 80), art workshops for kids and parents, masterclasses, listening nights exploring music from jazz to Copland’s Appalachian Spring, social forums, and small circles for reflection and conversation. Again and again, we hear the same response: “I feel more connected!”

"At LIFT, we’re discovering that worship doesn’t happen only on Sunday mornings—and that transformation often begins when people gather, create, and learn together—in person, face-to-face, and heart-to-heart" according to Jenny Riddle, Co-Director of Lift with her husband.

For more information, contact Jenny Riddle at 630-707-7801 or jenny@jennyriddle.com, www.jennyriddle.com

LIFT video of We are the World link:

LIFT Community Learning Center Catalog of Classes

Free Webinar: Let There Be Lower Cost Light: US Fluorescent Lamp Bans and Your Church

Tuesday, March 10 at 1pm CT

Steve Jones will host a 30-minute free webinar on the issues surrounding the fluorescent lamp ban in Illlinois. Register here.

Clergy Support Group

Virtual Meeting on Fourth Thursdays of the month

9 to 10:30 am

Advocate Health Care

Aurora Health Care

Faith and Health Partnerships

Clergy are invited to this safe space for professional, spiritual, and psychological support. Receive encouragement, guidance, and answers to issues currently being faced. Group facilitators create an environment for dialogue and focus on being solution-driven. For more information and to register, contact Lashondria Purnell at lashondria.purnell@aah.org.

One Nation, Under Gods

CTS Andre LaCocque Interreligious Lecture and Schlaaman Award

Thursday, March 26 at 6 pm CT

This lecture and award event features Peter Manseau, Lilly Endowment Curator of American Religious History at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, and Dr. Brad Braxton, President of CTS, for a conversation exploring the religious diversity that has shaped American public life.

Register here.

Applied: Faith Formation and Spiritual Practices for Children, Youth, and Adults

Level 2 - begins April 8, 2026

It is a new world for faith formation and church leaders are taking new looks at “how we’ve always done it before.” Let us step out in faith to discover the best ways to nurture all ages in faithful Christian discipleship. Faith-forming ministries in today’s congregations mean more than choosing curriculum materials and recruiting volunteers.

*Child development research shows us that the Sunday School model is not effective in -passing on the faith in today’s culture.

*Volunteers are looking for short-term commitments. Mission and service focuses are desired over study groups.

*Parents are insisting on safety policies and their intentional implementation.

More and more parents wish to keep their infants and children in the service of worship with them.

*People continue to come to church seeking depth and meaning, as well as through their online church experiences.

Email registrar@PATHWAYSTheological.org, with questions or for more information.

Courses beginning April 8 or 9, 2026

Level 1 - What is the Bible? (Dickinson/MBS)* 

*(Introductory Level 1 Bible Course based on The Exploring the Bible Dickinson Series by Rev. Anne Robertson, published by the Massachusetts Bible Society.   

Level 1 - Eco-Theology: Centering Creation in Love                   

Level 1 - Living the Heart of Progressive Christian Theology [Pagán-Banks, Marilyn]

Level 2 - Applied: Faith Formation and Spiritual Practices for Children, Youth, and Adults

Level 3 - Contemporary Theological Perspectives Project [Shaver, Ruth]       

Courses beginning April 15, 2026

Level 1 - Understanding the Bible as a Progressive Christian                 

Level 1 - Variety of Belief within Christianity Today

Level 2 - Small Church Administration                         

Level 3 - Preaching Against Christian Nationalism (Proclaim) [Sanderson, Corey]    

Level 3 - Critical Thinking: Preaching Social Justice and Liberation Theology (Proclaim)

[Salazar Galvis, Diego]        

Level 3 - Supervised Ministry V                              

The UCC History and Polity 12-week course also begins April 15, 2026.

Go to the PATHWAYS website to learn more and to apply for these and other courses.

Summer Academy at Georgetown University

2026 Center on Faith and Justice Summer Academy, Washington, D.C.

June 14-18, 2026

We are currently accepting applications for our 2026 Faith and Justice Summer Academy. At a moment when authoritarian movements are gaining ground and democratic norms are eroding both at home and abroad, we believe that moral and courageous faith leadership is needed more than ever.

Since 2022, the Center on Faith and Justice has run a Summer Academy designed specifically for pastors, seminarians, graduate students, and those serving in ministry at the intersection of faith and public life. The program equips participants with a faith-based vision and practical skills for effective civic engagement, advocacy, and nonviolent civil resistance. It serves as a bridge between academic theology and public prophetic witness, bringing together participants from diverse traditions and Christian theologies.  

The Faith + Justice Certificate Program equips graduate students, seminarians, pastors, and faith leaders with the moral vision and practical skills to engage their faith in civic life and lead their communities in the work of justice. Combining formative content from classroom lectures, workshops, and guest speakers with congressional meetings on Capitol Hill and other experiences in the D.C. area, the certificate program constitutes a transformative, immersive experience that supplements academic learning and faith praxis.

This in-person summer academy occurs June 14 -18, 2026. The program cost is $3000, which includes all meals, lodging, and activities.

For more information about the Summer Academy, including how to apply, please visit the Academy website: https://www.faithandjusticeacademy.com/.

2026

Boundary and Racial Justice

Trainings

Boundary Training Information

Dates: March 3 & 4; May 11 & 12; September 8 & 9; November 5 & 12

Boundary Training Registration

These trainings are separated by a week, as participants will be given “homework” between the trainings to prepare for a deeper conversation during the second day of training.

Level 1 Racial Justice Training training is a prerequisite to register for Level 2. If you took the Level 1 training with Diane Weibel, she has that information on file. If you took it with another organization, please send her proof of completion.

Level 1 Racial Justice Training Information

Dates: April 7 & 8; August 24 & 26

Level 1 Racial Justice Training Registration

Level 2 Racial Justice Training will use the “Respect and Affirmation” section of Rev. DaVita McAllister’s TARASC spectrum to explore systemic racism and areas of work that require attention to respect and affirm all people.

Level 2 Racial Justice Training Information

Dates: August 11 & 18; September 29 and October 13

Level 2 Racial Justice Training Registration

Healthy Conflict for Strong Churches

Enkei Resolutions

February 25, 2026

10 am - 2 pm CT via Zoom

Conflict is required for new growth to happen, and not something to be avoided. This four-hour workshop is for leaders who want to engage in conflict to build strong communities and foster growth. Participants will leave with tools and resources for building a healthy conflict culture. Email dweible@enkei-resolutions.com to inquire about discount pricing for multiple leaders

from the same church.

Ordinations, Installations, and Ecclesiastical Councils.

Feb 22: Service of Installation for Rev. Michael Jones. 3:00 pm at First United Church of Oak Park. Chicago Metropolitan Association.

Mar 8: Service of Installation for Rev. Kari Nicewander. 2:00 pm at First Congregational Church of Naperville. Fox Valley Association.

Mar 15: Service of Installation for Rev. Brian Louis. 3:00 pm at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Elmhurst. Chicago Metropolitan Association.

Mar 22: Service of Installation for Rev. Lauri Allen. 3:00 pm at St. John United Church of Christ in Kankakee. Eastern Association.

Apr 26: Service of Installation for Rev. Kenneth Jensen. 3:00 pm at St. John United Church of Christ in Arlington Heights. Chicago Metropolitan Association.

Meetings

Feb 21: CMA Cluster 2 Meeting. 9:00 am at Pastores Brunch.

Feb 23: FVA Council Meeting, 6:30 pm via Zoom.

Feb 26: CMA Cluster 4 Meeting. 7:00 pm at Westchester Community Church.

Mar 2: CMA Cluster 6 Meeting. 7:00 pm via Zoom.

Mar 5: PA Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:00 am via Zoom.

Mar 5: Annual Celebration Planning Committee Meeting. 4:00 pm via Zoom.

Mar 11: Outdoor Ministries Committee Meeting. 9:30 am via Zoom.

Mar 12: FVA Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:00 am via Zoom.

Mar 12: CMA Committee on Ministry Meeting. 12:00 pm via Zoom.

Mar 14: Conference HR Meeting. 9:30 am via Zoom. 

Mar 15: WA Council Meeting. 3:30 pm via Zoom.

Mar 16: EA Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:30 am via Zoom.

Mar 17: Finance Committee Meeting. 9:00 am via Zoom.

Mar 17: WA Committee on Ministry Meeting. 9:00 am via Zoom.

Mar 17: CMA Council Meeting. 6:30 pm via Zoom.

Mar 19: EA Council Meeting. 6:30 pm via Zoom.

Mar 20-21: Board of Directors Retreat at Pilgrim Park.

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This NEWSLETTER is published by the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ, 1840 Westchester Blvd, Suite 200, Westchester, IL 60154. The Rev. Dr. Terrill Murff, Interim Conference Minister; the Rev. Sarah Lohrbach, Editor. Copy may be sent to: sarahlohrbach@ilucc.org.