What is the Church Profile?
An early step in preparing for a pastoral search is the preparation of a church profile. This document helps the search committee to better focus on the needs of the congregation when it comes to calling a new Senior Pastor. The profile is also shared with selected candidates for the call prior to their face-face interview with the search team so that much of the conversation can be about how the candidate actually meets our needs. The profile we submitted is in excess of thirty pages, but here are some of the highlights of our profile. (All candidates for Senior Minister inquire through Illinois Conference UCC and the UCC Profile Office, not directly to the church or search committee.)
Our Membership
Today we have 1005 members, up from 884 ten years ago, while average attendance in worship is 275, down from 350 ten years ago. We have an average of 280 children and youth involved in our Christian education programs. Our membership includes a diverse mix of families with children, couples and singles. The main occupations of members are white collar and professional, and education levels are higher than national averages.
Church Finances
Our annual budget for 2015 is $626,660 and does not include Swing Set Preschool which has a separate budget of nearly $200,000. Pledges are projected at $470,000, contributions $90,000. Combined bank mortgage and loans from members total under $1.9 million. Total designated endowment funds exceed $275,000. At year end bank and money market funds exceeded $240,000.
Missions
Giving to various agencies and programs both local and global is budgeted at $22,000 including $11,500 to Our Churches Wider Mission. We take additional offerings to support Neighbors in Need and One Great Hour of Sharing. Hands on mission projects include Jesus has Left the Building where members go into the community to help others, Lazarus House homeless shelter, Back Bay and other mission trips for youth and adults, and serving meals at The Night Ministry.
Church Building & Grounds
The church is located on a 3.5 acre parcel adjacent to a residential development about 4 miles west of St. Charles, Illinois. The building is about 17,000 square feet, including a sanctuary for 350, a fellowship hall and kitchen, parlor/library, offices and classrooms for Christian Education and housing Swing Set Preschool. We moved to this location after selling our historic downtown St. Charles church in 1998.
Our Communities
The Church is located in the relatively new Village of Campton Hills, with a population around 11,000, and 4 miles west of St. Charles, population 33,000 and we use a St. Charles address. Most students in both communities attend St. Charles CUSD 303 schools. Members also live in Elburn, Geneva, Batavia, South Elgin among others. There is abundant open space and recreational areas, cultural opportunities, access to colleges and universities and a diversity of houses of worship. Chicago is about 40 miles, or an hour more or less by Metra train from LaFox or Geneva. The Fox River is a major feature of the St. Charles landscape. We actively participate in the communities, hosting an annual Fall Fest for Campton Hills, and marching in parades a couple of times a year in St. Charles.
Worship
Sunday Worship, at 9:30 am is an updated traditional service, including music, scripture,a children’s sermon and sermon along with occasional elements such as members’ faith stories, presentations by mission partners or the wider church. Sunday morning starts with an informal, 30-minutes prayer service, usually with two hymns, an abbreviated message based on the scripture of the day, and time for extended personal and community prayer. Additional worship opportunities exist on Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
Church Music
The centerpiece of our music program is a custom pipe organ with electronic augmentation,designed and built by the G.M Buck company, and including a full rank of pipes that were part of the pipe organ in our historic downtown St. Charles Church. But people make the music, and we have a chancel choir, two children’s choirs, and and award-winning hand bell choir. Special music performed by members or guests is often featured in worship.
Children and Youth
CUCC boasts a robust program for young people. Sunday School for children through fifth grade is taught by a rotating staff of members under the direction of a Children’s Ministry Director. For middle years, we have Helping Hands youth group, plus the FOG Puppet Troup. Galilee of Friends is our high school age youth group who meet almost weekly, do a mission trip each Spring, and a Summer retreat to places like the Boundary Waters. Confirmation classes culminate with Confirmation each Spring.
Congregational Life
In addition to a very active Women’s Fellowship, we have a men’s group, and a Congregational Life Committee that plans things like brunches, theatre or concert outings, and special events for the whole church and for small groups. Some activities are for the whole family, while a few are just for the adults. There’s always room for a new idea, so speak-up.
Our Staff
Besides the Senior Pastor, CUCC has a 3/4 time Associate Pastor and an on-call Assistant Pastor. We have an office manager and part-time office assistant. A Director of Children’s Ministries, a Parish Nurse, a Financial Manager, and a Connections Coordinator round out our part-time staff. The Swing Set Preschool has it’s own Director and staff. But almost everything that happens is backed up by a busy staff of volunteers, including office helpers and a group of (mostly) men who help with maintenance and small repairs.
But There’s More!
There is a lot more to learn about CUCC and its members, so please don’t stop here. Spend some time browsing this web site, download and read a couple of “Highlight,” our newsletter, and most of all, visit us. Everyone is welcome to join us for worship or most other activities. Everyday we go about “Increasing our Love for God and Neighbor.” Come share the love.