The Northern Illinois Fellowship's activities are intended to strengthen unity among the churches and enhance each congregation's effectiveness in ministry. While Congregationalists believe in the autonomy of the local church under the lordship of Christ and the authority of Scripture, they also recognize cooperation between congregations as a New Testament imperative.

Gatherings

The eleven CCCC churches of northern Illinois work together through the Northern Illinois Fellowship. The NIF Executive Committee meets annually in the spring for worship, a business session, and for other activities that strengthen ministry. The annual meeting rotates among the churches; recent sessions have been held in La Moille, Freeport, La Harpe and Naperville. Current Moderator of the Northern Illinois Fellowship is Lynn H. Cate, lay preacher and elder from Union Congregational Church, North Aurora.

The churches also gather for a Fall Rally or Festival. This events builds fellowship and presents opportunities for education and training. Recent rallies have included a seminar by a CCCC leader Dr. Ron Hamilton on "Natural Church Development," a panel discussion of pastors on reaching new people for Christ, and a presentation on "Church Administration in a Congregational Church" by our CCCC Conference Minister, Dr. Stephen A. Gammon. Like the annual meeting, the fall gathering is held at different churches through the area. In recent years it has taken place in North Aurora, Blue Island, Monroe Center, Davis and Seward.

Pastors' Meetings and Installations

The ministerial members of the CCCC in northern Illinois gather quarterly for prayer and discussion. The ministerial fellowship is open to all with ministerial credentials, whether or not they are serving as pastors, and lay elders are also welcome. Pastors are encouraged to exchange pulpits with one another to promote a sense of CCCC solidarity across the area.

Special ministerial occasions sometimes bring the churches and ministers together. These include the installation of a new pastor or the ordination of a new ministerial member of the CCCC. When a church has a candidate for ordination, ministerial members and other leaders are invited to a "vicinage council" to examine him or her.

Special Events

Members of the CCCC community gather for special events. These include picnics for fellowship, special concerts, missionary presentations, anniversaries and church dedications. Recent concerts raised money for hurricane relief and other causes. Seward Congregational Church's 165th anniversary and the dedication of Zion Church, Freeport's new facility, both in 2006, are examples of other special occasions that bring the churches together. The CCCC Annual Family Conference each July is another occasion when member churches and pastors share worship, teaching and fellowship. The 2008 Conference was held in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area, New York; the 2009 Conference took place in Waterloo, Iowa; and the 2010 Conference is in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Missions and Youth Camp

The Conservative Congregational Christian Conference is a mission-minded fellowship, and each local church supports several missionaries, whether in North America and across the globe. The nation of India has been a special concern of CCCC members in northern Illinois; several pastors and lay people have been involved in mission trips to that land, and one pastor and his wife are serving permanently in India. The NIF's Missions Coordinator helps to promote the support of CCCC-related missionaries among the churches. The Northern Illinois Fellowship also supports a youth camp held in the region each June.

Area Representative

The CCCC Area Representative represents the Conference Minister and the Board of Directors of the CCCC in northern Illinois, working with the Northern Illinois Fellowship to strengthen the work of ministry among the local churches. He is responsible for interviewing candidates for CCCC ministerial credentials and for helping new congregations affiliate with the denomination. The current Area Representative is Robert E. Schroeder of Peotone, Illinois. Reach him at 708-876-8544, or use the link at left to contact him by email.

2007 Annual Meeting
Zion Church
Freeport, Illinois

2006 Fall Rally
Evangelical Community Church
Blue Island, Illinois

NIF Ministerial Fellowship, 2006
Community Church
Round Lake, Illinois

Installation of Pastor, 2005
La Moille, Illinois

Anniversary Celebration, 2006
Seward Congregational Church
Seward, Illinois

Pastor Thomas Curry
on Mission near
Chennai, India, 2005

N I F Youth Camp, 2007
Rock River Bible Camp