In 2024 the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ approved a new Constitution & Bylaws at our Annual Business Meeting. An overview of our new governance structured can be found below. The full Constitution & Bylaws can be found here.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors shall administer the affairs of the Conference between business meetings of the Conference and have such powers and duties as are usual and customary to a Board of Directors under the laws of the State of Illinois.
The Board of Directors shall be the board of the corporation of the Conference. The Board of Directors shall consist of:
- the Officers of the Conference;
- two representatives nominated by each association with a church membership under 50 churches, and four representatives nominated by each association with a church membership over 50 churches;
- the Chairs of the Finance Committee, Human Resources Committee, and Nominating Committee, all of whom have voice and vote, and
- the Conference Minister with voice but without vote.
The Board of Directors shall meet at least quarterly at such time and place and manner as it shall determine.
The Board of Directors shall have an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Board representatives from each of Standing Committees. The Conference Minister shall be a member of the Executive Committee with voice but without vote. The Executive Committee shall meet as needed between meetings of the Board of Directors.
OFFICERS
The Officers of the Conference shall be the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, all of whom shall be a member of a local church which has standing in an Association of the Illinois Conference.
STANDING COMMITTEES
The Standing Committees of the Conference shall coordinate the administration of the Conference, and shall be accountable to the Board of Directors. Each Committee shall be composed of two representatives from each Association. A quorum of at least five members from at least three associations is required in order to conduct business. Each Committee shall elect from its members a Chair and Vice-Chair for a one-year term. A member is eligible to these positions after one year of service on the committee. The Conference Minister, or their designee, shall be an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees with voice but without vote.
The Finance Committee, who promotes and preserves the financial integrity of the Conference and oversees such committees and teams that manage and promote financial development and stewardship of the fiscal or real properties of the Conference. The Treasurer shall be an ex-officio member with voice but without vote.
Human Resources Committee, who promotes the fair and just labor practices for all persons employed by the Conference and oversees such committees and teams that assist in this administration. They shall recommend employment policies, job descriptions, evaluation
guidelines, and salary structure.
Nominating Committee, who gathers the members of the Conference to be considered for election by the Conference at its annual meeting except for those whose nominations are provided by the Associations. The Vice President shall be an ex-officio member with voice but without vote.
MINISTRY COUNCIL
The Ministry Council shall facilitate and coordinate communication, information, and collaboration among the Ministry Teams.
MINISTRY TEAMS
The Ministry Teams shall coordinate the mission implementation of the Conference and shall be accountable to the Ministry Council. Each Ministry Team is composed of at least five members and a maximum of ten members elected from at least three associations by the Conference at the Annual Celebration. Each Ministry Team shall elect from its members a Chair and Vice-Chair for a two-year term. The Conference Minister, and members of the Ministerial Staff whose areas of ministry are represented in a Team, shall be ex officio members with voice but without vote.
The following teams have been established:
Community and Vitality Team; who discerns and drives the ministry that creates leadership development, Pastoral Excellence, and deep relationships in and among the Local churches and Associations.
Justice and Witness Team; who discerns and drives the ministry of advocacy and action to bring the world into a more just, equitable, and inclusive image of God’s realm.
Church Connections Team; who discerns and drives the ministry that supports the care and connections between the local churches, the pastoral leaders, and the structures that support the interconnected ministries of the Conference.
Wider Engagement Team, who discerns and drives the ministry of connections within the United Church of Christ and across our ecumenical partners.
Ministry Teams shall have authority to design, appoint, and give oversight to such ministry related task force groups as may be necessary to fulfill the Ministry Teams’ responsibilities and objectives as they are set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Illinois Conference. A Task Force shall be a small group that brings together a specific set of skills to accomplish a defined task. Task Forces shall be outcome-focused groups that are convened to support the Ministry Teams mission, strategic objectives, or program activities.