Illinois South Conference COVID-19 Response
UPDATE #12, June 1, 2020
Learning About Racism
Just as our state has opened to a new level of movement, the national crisis over police violence has flashed to center stage across the country. During this pandemic, disparities in the healthcare and economic system have been laid bare, exposing what was weak or already broken. People of color have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and are now forced to grieve the very public deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement.
Those of us in homogeneous communities may not understand the intensity of lives lived under systemic racism. And, we don’t know the anger, frustration and deep sense of injustice that comes with living under severe daily threat. Yet, this moment is calling for us as people of faith to listen more and judge less in order to understand what people are desperately trying to say.
There are no easy fixes to the very complicated structures of complicit and implicit systemic racism. Our Conference will begin to engage discussions about racism throughout the summer, with a hope of better hearing of life stories that are different than our own. We are all human. We all are God’s beloveds created in the image of our God.
If you choose to attend a protest or vigil during this time of pandemic, please follow these guidelines:
- First, listen to the leadership of the event you are attending
- Second, wear a face mask, because they are effective in slowing virus transmission
- Third, try to socially distance from others if possible
Please remember, the public perception about COVID-19 has changed, but the realities of the virus have not.
ISC Spirit
If you know of stories that show people being the church, please send it to ISCspirit@iscucc.org. Share the stories that are warming your heart. #ISCspirit.
Kindercottage Gets a Hand from Friedens UCC, Hecker Friedens UCC members Dianne Mertz and Vivian 
Horn recently made 180 book bags to prepare for Kindercottage to reopen. Vivian Horn also made an additional 30 face masks for their staff and volunteers, both with Velcro and with ties. These supplies will help Uni-Pres Kindercottage get back to serving children. Submitted by Rev. Ivan Horn
Thank you to these churches for their OCWM donations received last week. These donations continue to support all the work of the Conference.
Carlinville – St. Paul UCC
Grantfork– Grantfork UCC
Lenzburg– St. Peter’s UCC
Nashville– St. Paul UCC
Summerfield – St. John UCC
And anonymous gifts from individuals
Helpful Information
- The State of Illinois has released comprehensive guidelines for places of worship while we are in Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan. You can go here to get a copy.
- The Conference Local Church Ministries Team is producing a worship service that will be shared before Sunday, June 28. Pastors in the Conference can plan now to use this video and can take a Sunday off from preparing worship.
- The COVID-19 Update will move to bi-weekly with this edition. Next edition will be June 15.
Worship Resources
We have worship resources on the Conference website, with a link on the home page.
Together in Christ's ministry with you,