Our Association

The Fox Valley Association is 42 churches strong. It stretches from the western and northern suburbs of Chicago to the rolling hills of the Fox River Valley and down into the fastest growing communities in Chicago area. Its unique blend of city life, established suburbs, and growing communities bring people of all walks of life to the UCC congregations in its area. The churches in this association extend the invitation of “no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey – you are welcome here.”  In towns so established there is little room for diversity, and in towns so new they have practically sprouted up over night, leaving people searching for places to share and grow their faith.

Design for Ministry

Mission

The mission of Fox Valley Association is to develop, support and link leaders and congregations in ministry to one another and to the world in the name of Jesus Christ.

Vision

We envision an association of churches in covenant relationship,  working toward spiritually healthy, vital congregations; enlisting and nurturing persons for and in authorized ministries; partnering with Conference and national ministries, UCC-related institutions, and ecumenical and inter-faith bodies; witnessing and acting locally and globally for justice and peace; and organizing our life together for the greatest faithfulness and effectiveness.

Values

Toward these ends, we embrace the following values as guidelines for our life together:
  1. Congregations and individuals are free and responsible to reason together, guided by the Holy Spirit, our biblical heritage, historic testimonies, and our experience in order to express the faith in their own way, in covenant with the United Church of Christ and the whole body of Christ.
  2. Persons preparing for and engaged in authorized ministries are offered support, encouragement, review, and growth opportunities.
  3. We celebrate as an association family the ecclesiastical councils, ordinations, installations and anniversaries of our authorized ministers.
  4. We honor our covenant with and offer support to U.C.C. related institutions and ministries within and beyond our association.
  5. We seek to engage in dialogue and cooperative efforts with our partner churches and other ecumenical and interfaith groups.
  6. We initiate and gather resources for the study of social justice issues in the context of our biblical faith.
  7. Responding to the transforming power of God’s love, we engage in prophetic witness and service on behalf of those who are oppressed.
  8. We honor the unique and diverse gifts that clergy and laity bring to our shared life in worship planning, leadership and service, seeking to be inclusive in word and deed.
  9. We entrust to the elected committees and Council of the Association the right and responsibility to act on our behalf, with review by the Association at our annual meeting.