The Illinois Conference has officially posted the position of Associate Conference Minister for Pastoral Transitions and the search for our new ACM is underway. You can find the position posting on the UCC Ministry Opportunities Job Board under Wider Church - UCC Conferences and National Setting, or by simply clicking here.

"The Lord said, see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in!” - Malachi 3:10

When God made the proclamation recorded by the prophet Malachi, it was presented as a conditional statement - IF the people gave to God the loyalty God deserved, THEN they would be blessed. But over time, whether people complied or not, God in loving mercy granted a “blessing so great.” God opened the windows of heaven and sent a Savior. Even though the Savior’s love comes unconditionally, it is given according to the same IF. God’s gift at Christmas does not come with strings. Instead, it comes with the stipulation: be true to God and to God’s commitments if God is open to the opportunity for hope and new life. God’s window is not the only one to open. Now is the time to throw open our window and share the light which has shined into our hearts. In this new year to offer the first fruits of God’s blessings. We are enlightened to enlighten others. Proclaiming Jesus Christ to the world by shining his love from the window of our hearts is one way to be true to God.

We, the Stewardship Committee, wish to extend a sacred thank you to all of the churches who have completed their generous giving to OCWM and the other four special offerings for 2022. If you haven’t forwarded your gifts for 2022 to the Illinois Conference UCC please do so by January 10, 2023.

Notice from Faith Community UCC of Bensenville: Immediate need for substitute organist/pianist beginning January 15 for 10:00 a.m. Sunday worship while we search for a permanent candidate. Substitute may be considered for the permanent position. Please contact Pastor Gregory Sabetta by email [email protected] or phone Robin Smith in the office at 630-766-1141.

Ministerial opportunities within the United Church of Christ.

Chicago, A Just Harvest seeks Operations Assistant/Bookkeeper

NEW! Chicago, Bryn Mawr Community Church seeks PT Administrative Assistant

Elmhurst, Bethel UCC seeks PT Dir. of Children/Youth Ministries

Grayslake, United Protestant Church seeks PT Music Director

For a list of current open positions with the National UCC click here.

For more lay employment opportunity postings, click here.

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

CARDD is pleased to announce that the 2022 Statistical Profile is now available! The Profile can be downloaded either as a PDF or PowerPoint by clicking here. Thank you for all of the work that you, your Conference offices, and your congregations do to contribute the data for these analyses!

The Nollau Leadership Institute is the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries' (CHHSM) signature program with more than 250 attendees in its 20+ years. 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. Such values deepen during the program, as participants grow in their leadership skills from a place of belonging. Cultivating this connection between others, the world, and within themselves is the heart of the Nollau experience.

Through in-person retreats, online interactions, and peer mentoring, Nollau provides leadership formation through a variety of learning modalities and within a community of practice. Small group work, journaling, art, embodiment, and spiritual practices are all part of the program alongside the interactive didactic sessions. The program culminates with a capstone project and consecration as a Diakonal Minister at the CHHSM Annual Gathering. Learn more and apply here.

Trinity Church Wall Street, an Episcopal parish in New York City, invites you to apply to be a Trinity Leadership Fellow and join a diverse cohort of emerging leaders on a two-year journey of faith-inspired, values-driven, and community-oriented learning and mentorship. The Trinity Leadership Fellows Program is for individuals seeking to deepen the mindsets and skills needed to effectively lead organizations and serve communities in contemporary society, while also building lifelong supporting peer and mentoring relationships.

This non-residential, free program will prepare professional and community leaders who are people of faith, as well as ordained leaders across faith traditions with the mindsets and practical skills they need to energize and empower their congregations and communities in ways that heal divides and disrupt injustice. The experience will offer fellows an opportunity to learn from leading scholars, experts in the field, and mentors interconnected through their faith and Trinity’s core values. Fellows will build life-changing relationships with like-minded peers who share the passion for faith-driven leadership that produces positive change in our world. Learn more and apply here.

The UCC Council for Health and Human Service Ministries recently released resources for Health and Human Service Sunday, which takes place Jan. 29, the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany. The resources provide a means for CHHSM members and friends to bring the message of serving leadership and support for essential workers to their local churches. Included in this year’s resources are liturgical elements and prayers, including a special “Meditation for Mental Health,” written by the Rev. Dr. Elyse Berry, CHHSM’s associate for advocacy and leadership development. In addition to the mental health meditation is a “Beatitudes for Essential Workers,” also created by Berry.

Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM)