Christian Education
Making our Churches Safe for All: A UCC webpage with links to a variety of resources including a guidebook that can help your church provide safe space for everyone.
Partners In Education are available to help local congregations with ministries of education!
Seasons of the Spirit is a new lectionary-based resource created by publishers and denominational partners in four countries.
Bible Quest is a Bible story curriculum for all ages.
Pilgrim Press is affiliated with the UCC and publishes academic and trade books on social and religious issues in the areas of ethics, public policy, gender and sexuality, racial and ethnic issues, and science and technology.
United Church Press is one of the publishing imprints of the United Church of Christ. It publishes curriculum and approximately twelve to fifteen books per year. These materials are primarily targeted to clergy and laypersons in the United Church of Christ and the wider ecumenical community. It also includes materials from UCC Resources.
Faith Practices is a new exciting on-line curriculum being developed and available soon which will provide resources for worship, learning, and serving, on 24 faith practices. Resources on four practices of faith will become available each year for six years. The resources will be available for use by local churches beginning in September 2010. Examples are available now - follow the link!
Justice and Witness
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is an workers' rights organization which our Association has had close ties to for many years. The Coalition was central to the successful campaigns for Taco Bell, McDonalds and Burger King to change their policy which enabled tomato pickers to gain a significant raise for the first time in a decade.
Open and Affirming (ONA): for resources contact the Illinois Conference office for local ONA Consultants or the UCC Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns
Change the World: The UCC webpage with resources on child sponsorship, disability ministries, disaster response, Global Ministries, Health Ministries, LGZBTZ issues, Media Justice issues, Racial/Ethnic Ministries, Refugee Ministries and Volunteer Ministries.
The Back Bay Mission is directed by Sheri Prestimon who once served churches in the Fox Valley Association. TheMission is our only UCC presence on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and aiding Katrina victims.
World Council of Churches Decade to Overcome Violence
Worship
List of Supply Preachers lists ministers who are available to preach when your pastor is away.
Organist - For information about finding a substitute or permanent organist in the Fox Valley area from the Fox Valley Chapter of the American Organists Guild.
Composers & - Jeff Whitmill writes descants and other music for choirs.
Performers Bryan Sirchio, a good friend of the Illinois Conference, is a
composer and performer available for concerts or leading
events (especially with youth!)
Christopher Grundy is a performing songwriter whose music
ventures back and forth across the imaginary boundary
between secular and sacred music.
The Brad Nye Band for something completely different! Folk/
rock/country and ballads are represented in contemporary
forms that will inspire and lift your spirit. Come celebrate ‘The
life of the party’ born in you and have a blast!
Music and Liturgical Arts - what's new in these areas for our UCC churches!
UCC Worship Resources - A whole host of resources to help our local churches create vital and meaningful worship services!
Resources for the Church
Manual on the Church is a recent UCC resource which parallels the Manual on Ministry to help define the nature of and relationships between churches as well as the local church and the wider church. A discussion guide is also available.
Safe Church Resources has links to a number of helpful documents to assist a church be a safe community for all. Note: all churches who have UCC Insurance are required to have a Safe Church Policy in place and in practice. The minimal policy which meets this requirement is here
How to Write a Vision Statement is a brief guide to writing a guiding vision for a congregation.
Long Range Planning Process is an overview of the steps it takes to do this.
The Local Church in Relation To Its Pastor is a UCC document which describes the covenant a congregation makes to its pastor.
Covenant: A Sacred Adventure A study for groups and organizations in the local church to better understand what it means to "live in Covenant" in the UCC!
Church Growth and Finance
Go to the UCC Website, hold your cursor over "Church Stuff" at the top, then choose out of the drop-down menu "Financial Ministries" to see links to a host of information about Stewardship, the Cornerstone Fund, United Church Foundation, Pension Board, and Insurance Board.
Congregational Vitality is a great site full of UCC programs to help revitalize your congregation!
UCC Evangelism another great site full of resources available to your congregation to reach out to your community.
Giving-Guide - Includes a giving guide.
Stewardship Materials is a series of helpful excerpts from Inspiring Generosity, a resource of the Stewardship and Church Finances Ministry of the United Church of Christ.