It is the duty of the Christian Mission Ministries to inspire,
enlist and coordinate Union Church's concerns for
service to the wider community.

Toward this end, the Board's tasks can be summarized
in two categories:

Agency Selection and Support

Response to Immediate Need

Opportunities for Involvement • Christian Mission Ministry Agencies • Ministry Members

Special Projects Fund Application *PDF • Spirit Gifts Order Form 2007 *PDF

Agency Selection and Support:

The Board, on behalf of the congregation, seeks to support a broad spectrum of agencies that address a variety of needs. Together, we support organizations that traditionally have had a relationship with the United Church of Christ or within Union Church, as well as those whose ties to us are limited. Above all, however, we seek to support agencies that work to fulfill their goals in the true spirit of Jesus. Agencies that—

• Work with, and not merely for, the people whom they seek to help
• Are willing to take risks with new programs
• Channel the maximum of their resources into their work rather than into their administration.

Each agency is assigned a liaison from among the Mission Board's membership. In the fall of each year the Board evaluates the agencies and establishes priorities for the coming year. Funding allocations are then formalized after the Board's budget is approved in January.

Response to Immediate Need:
Part of these monitoring activities includes taking note of the special needs of people in distress as a result of disasters around the world or of projects that are beyond the scope of our regular budget but that the Board, on behalf of the congregation, would like to support. The Board's contingency fund is often the funding source of our agencies immediate needs.

Special Offerings are conducted at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas and are designated for these projects.

The Mission Board selects the recipient of each of these three offerings. Sometimes the recipient is an existing agency that the board supports. In other cases, the recipient is a new organization that a board member or other member of the congregation brings to the board's attention.

A fourth offering is held each March and is given to the worldwide One Great Hour of Sharing. OGHS supports the work of the mission agencies and relief efforts of the ecumenical Church World Service.

Mission Statement:
Our mission in the service of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as empowered by the Holy Spirit, is to minister to the needs of the whole human family, both within our congregation and in our community, nation and world.

The United Church of Christ Statement of Faith,
in part:
God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants in the service of the whole human family and to have courage in the struggle for justice and peace.

Opportunities for Involvement

Good News Community Kitchen – On the fourth Sunday of each month, Union Church supplies the food and servers (member volunteers) for the Good News Community Kitchen (GNCK) in Rogers Park. The GNCK is open 365 evenings each year serving dinners to about 120 persons every night.

Chicago Theological Seminary
Community Renewal Society
Erie Neighborhood House
Family Shelter Service
Good News Community Church, UCC
Good News Community Kitchen
Habitat for Humanity
Hinsdale Community Service

Hope for Homeless Families
Interfaith House
Lifelink Charities
Night Ministry
Pillars Community Services
San Lucas Church, UCC
St. John UCC
Special Projects & other Christian Ministry Programs
Women's Opportunity Network / Opportunity International
Work Tour High School Mission of Union Church

Thom Parrott-Sheffer; Staff
Liz Doucette, Co-Chair
Jane Grimm, Co-Chair
Helen Benes
Carlton Berg
Sandy Blust

Craig Schaefer
June Scott
Joan Sunseri
Lucia Sutton
Linda van Schaayk
Nancy Whitney
Elizabeth Zott

(For more information about Christian Mission Ministries,
please contact Thom Parrott-Sheffer,the Minister for Christian Formation and Mission.)