United Church of Christ



August 21, 2016Full Time Sr. Pastor Date Position to be filledImmanuel United Church of Christ of Highland, INLOCAL CHURCH PROFILEFOR LOCAL CHURCHES SEEKING NEW LEADERS The covenantal relationship between a church and those called by that church to serve as pastors and teachers and in other ministerial positions is strengthened when vital information is openly shared by covenantal partners. To that end, we attest that, to the best of our abilities, we have provided information in this profile that accurately represents our church. We have not knowingly withheld any information that would be helpful to candidates. As the committee charged with the responsibility for identifying and recommending a suitable new minister for our church, we have been authorized to share the information herein with potential candidates.We understand that a candidate may wish to secure further knowledge, information, and opinion about our church. We encourage a candidate to do so, recognizing that an open exchange of relevant information builds the foundation for continuing and healthy relationships between calling bodies and persons seeking a ministry position.___________Andrew L. Dudeck__________ 08/21/16 Signature of Search Team Chairperson DateChurchImmanuel United Church of Christ2201 Azalea Drive, Highland, IN 46322Search Team Chairperson and Contact PersonAndy Dudeck—ChairpersonMelissa Hartman-Graves—Secretary1254 Clifty Falls Court, Valparaiso, IN 46385Telephone: 219-921-5600Email:iucchighland@Conference/Association Staff Person Assisting our ChurchPastor Scott Bowie—Transitional Associate Conference Minister/Indiana-Kentucky ConferencePastor—St. Peter’s United Church of Christ915 North Ironwood DriveSouth Bend, IN 46615Church Telephone: 574-232-1500Email: s.bowie@Immanuel’s journey of faith began over 125 years ago. For more than a century the congregation has been Christ-centered, dedicated to serving God in the church and community. Immanuel is a welcoming church that officially became an “Open and Affirming” congregation on October 9, 2016. This church has?a long history of Christian service generous in time and money, while providing a variety of activities for all ages. Immanuel UCC is located in Highland, Indiana—a short drive from busy Chicago, Illinois.MEMBERSHIP INFORMATIONPROFILE OF THE CONGREGATION350520019050-1047741905014204128117 Employment372427557150-5714976200CHURCH FINANCESMISSIONFrom the onset of Trinity UCC in Gary, Indiana, Immanuel has contributed to the many mission projects of Trinity. This includes the ongoing clothing drive, prom dress collection and tailoring, collecting winter clothing, and collecting school supplies. Immanuel has been and continues to support the Greater Hammond Food Bank with monthly donations of food and time. A donation box is in the Narthex under the windows. The Heifer Foundation has received help from the church through monetary donations to purchase a variety of animals from chickens to goats to llamas. The church has shown excitement for a mission project to purchase a meditation bench at a reduced cost. The congregation needed to collect 400 pounds of bottle caps, prescription bottles and a list of other small recyclable items that are usually overlooked and thrown away. This project allowed all members, including the shut-ins, to participate. We currently have the bench in the narthex so that everyone can see the end product. This was a mission of time, effort, and patience. Members had to remember to recycle and be patient as collecting the 400 pounds of plastic took longer than most expected.ASSETS HELD BY THE CHURCHCHURCH PROPERTYImmanuel United Church of Christ building is a brick/frame building erected in 1974 with over 15,000 square feet consisting of sanctuary, large 2-story narthex, educational wing, kitchen and all-purpose room, library and offices. The building is located in a suburban neighborhood on three acres with a paved parking lot of 64,000 square feet. Facilities and land were last appraised in August 2007 at $1,300,000. The facility and grounds are well maintained and in very good condition. The Church building is handicapped accessible however, the pulpit is not.CHURCH PARSONAGEThe Church’s Parsonage is a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms, single-family, ranch-style residence with a two and a half detached garage located at 10014 – 4th Street, Highland. It is located 1.5 miles from the Church, 1.2 miles from Highland High School and 2 blocks from Warren Elementary School. The first floor is 1,278 sq. ft. and approximately 1,000 sq. ft. of finished family room and bonus room on the lower level. Several improvements have been completed in the last decade (i.e., new furnace, new air conditioner, new windows, and carpeting). We are currently renting out the parsonage and it is being well maintained. The property was last appraised in August 2007 at $173,000.FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF MINISTERIAL LEADERSImmanuel United Church of Christ is currently looking for a full time pastor utilizing the assets of the church as a financial support to pay the pastor’s salary while increasing membership and creating an influx of capital. The compensation for the new part time pastor will follow the conference guidelines using work units. The church members will be supportive of a full time pastor by having the council and the church secretary assisting with the normal administrative functions of the church. The PRC will be utilized to its full extend to integrate the pastor into the congregation and handle disputes within the congregation. A team will be formed to provide lay-readers for scriptures readings. The members will assist with shut-in visitations and with training will administer communion.Cash SalaryConference GuidelinesHousingParsonage availableCustomary benefitsVacationMaternity/Paternity LeaveUCC Retirement AnnuityUCC Health BenefitsUCC Life and Disability Insurance BenefitsUCC Dental BenefitsSocial Security/Medicare OffsetContinuing Education FundsContinuing Education TimeMinistry ExpensesTravel ReimbursementMeeting Expense ReimbursementBooks and PeriodicalsReimbursement of Criminal Background Check FeeMoving ExpensesCOMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICSHighland Indiana is a diverse, moderately sized community just outside of Chicago, located in Northwest Indiana. According to the most recent government census taken in 2010, the population of the town is just under 24,000 at 23,747. A June 2015 estimate puts the population at 22,936. Our geographic location and industry draw people to the area. The population has become incredibly diverse. Previously known as a predominately white community, Highland now has an 80% white community, followed by a 12% Hispanic or Latino community, and 4% African American community. The remaining 4% of the population identify as having two or more ethnic backgrounds (UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU). The suburban location and high quality school district as well as the proximity to the region’s largest hospitals, have made Highland a major source of employment are education and healthcare. The extremely large presence of the steel and oil industry in neighboring cities have also drawn hundreds of hard working people to the area. In the next five years, it is anticipated that people will recognize how much this town has to offer and begin to move here. Highland is a special place filled with special people and it has extraordinary and endless opportunity being so close to Chicago. The three distinctive attributes of this community, things that show community pride, are high standards of education, hard work, and caring for one another. This kind of sense of community and knowing one another is not felt elsewhere as it is in this small town. It is only a matter of time before others recognize what this community has to offer.A problem facing this community is poverty at the family level. In this town, thirty-five percent of all students attending a public school receive free or reduced lunch and have parents who receive some form of federal, state, or local financial aid. As a member church of the United Church of Christ, Immanuel feels that the issue of poverty is a fight that should be prioritized and should be taken seriously. The church holds several events including food drives, community dinners, fundraisers, school supply drives, etc. to help families in need receive the tools necessary for survival. The church also holds many youth education programs and activities to help engage the community’s young population and to immerse them into the world of high quality education. The new pastor will need to endorse and support these missions by engaging in a ministry of presence. It is however a realization that the minister should not and cannot be present at all events. Pastors are humans with lives outside of the church, and it should be recognized that a pastor cannot possibly be everywhere at all times. A ministry of presence requires that a pastor be present in mind, spirit, and with supportive words of encouragement.The church building is rented out as a space that can be used for parties, fundraisers, and events, and has been doing so for years. Immanuel members host parties for many members of the church and the community. Immanuel is also pursuant to continuing the mission for education and opening the doors to educational ministries both secular and church related. The church is currently renting space with a reading institute for the summer.The youth members of Immanuel are drawn from several school districts. Most of the present members are from the districts of Highland, Hammond, and Griffith.CONGREGATIONAL LIFEIn the next five years, the Immanuel UCC envisions the church as becoming ONA, having a greater outreach in mission and ministry, experiencing growth, evolving spiritually, and building a closer relationship with the UCC. The planning in the church is done by the congregation, church council, committees/teams, and individuals. The pastor the church is seeking will have the right and responsibility to work with the council, committees, and boards. The most recent discernment and planning were in 2015 when the Open and affirming committee was formed to look into the training to become an inclusive church in the community. Through the process of committee meetings and meetings with members of the congregation, Immanuel is now an official UCC Open and Affirming congregation. The church is planning to have further training within the congregation as the long range planning.The church last completed a period of discernment and long range planning in 2012. The outcomes of this planning are shown in the attached Status of Immanuel’s Vision Plan (Appendix I). At this time the church is not at a point to have further intentional long range planning of the Vision Plan.The most important faith experiences or events in the life of the congregation include dealing with marriage equality in the UCC in 2015, developing a monthly Community Dinner in 2014, the formation of the Mission Committee in 2014, and initiating Bonus Sundays in 2013. These events are ongoing.The most challenging experiences of the church revolve around the loss of pastors. This began with Pastor Al’s retirement in 2007. Pastor Dan resigned in 2010. Pastor Billy resigned in 2014. Through these experiences, the members have learned that they need to support and encourage the pastor more fully.In the next five years, members feel God is calling them to be even more involved in ministering to the Community. Members also want to offer more diverse worship experiences in addition to the Bonus Sundays. Through this they hope to experience congregational and spiritual growth. Members expect our pastor to offer personal involvement as well as use personal experience and expertise to help guide and encourage the church towards these goals. The theological and faith stance of the congregation tends to be diverse, ranging from conservative and moderate to liberal.The Christian Education Committee, with guidance from the Sunday school teachers selects the curriculum. The current curriculum is Deep Blue which is designed for a one room Sunday school. Immanuel expects the pastor to teach confirmation classes using the curriculum of his/her choice. Members also expect the pastor to offer input on all educational programs and assist in evaluating these programs. Immanuel offers educational opportunities for all; from potty trained to adults. The church has a written Safe Church Policy.Some of the strengths or positive qualities of Immanuel include an on-going Women’s Guild, a strong music program, church family, commitment to the UCC, and the mission-mindedness and willingness to accept challenges.Board/CommitteePurposeFrequencyLeadershipChurch Council 11 MembersTo administer the affairs of the congregation between congregational meetings. The Council shall be the policy-making body, subject to the occurrence of a congregational meeting, and shall transact the business of the Church, make provision for the adoption of the Church budget and for the auditing of financial accounts. It shall be the custodian of all Church records.MonthlyLaity*Board/CommitteePurposeFrequencyLeadershipChurch President,Jackie KossSee that all regular and special meetings of the congregation and Church Council are duly called, preside at all such meetings and see that all resolutions are duly executed.LaityChurch Vice President,Ginger GravesTo preside at meetings in the absence of or at the request of the President, and when business pertaining to the President or the incumbent administration is before the assembly.LaityChurch Treasurer,Sandy RusnackResponsible for maintaining a complete and accurate record of the financial affairs of the congregation.LaityChurch Secretary,Cindy WilkieTo keep accurate minutes of the proceedings of the congregational and Council meetings.LaityBoard of EldersChairperson, Gloria Bellow12 MembersResponsible with the Pastors in caring for the spiritual well-being of the congregation and shall aid and support the Pastors in promoting this activity. Shall maintain a special concern for the worship services of the Church, assist in the celebration of the Lord's Supper and the administration of Holy Baptism. Provide ushers, and maintain order and comfort in the sanctuary at all times, whereby an atmosphere for spiritual meditation is respected. Shall develop and/or promote such programs of evangelism or spiritual growth helpful to stimulate numerical growth of the congregation and spiritual growth of its members. Assist in addressing problems and/or conflicts within the congregation.Bi-monthlyLaityBoard of Deacons, Chairperson, Alexis Ross12 MembersResponsible for the financial well-being and health of the congregation. Assist in making known to the membership the financial needs of the Church, promoting stewardship, and in securing the funds necessary for the support of the Church at all levels. Responsible for the counting and depositing of all money received.Bi-monthlyLaityBoard/CommitteePurposeFrequencyLeadershipBoard of Christian EducationChairperson, Barb Haizlip6 MembersResponsible for the selection, development and implementation of an effective program of Christian education for the youth of the church, and exercise supervision over the Sunday Church School, the Vacation Church School, leadership training programs, summer camp experiences, youth ministry programs, confirmation program, adult study opportunities and other programs that shall be deemed appropriate.Bi-monthlyLaityBoard of TrusteesChairperson, Ronnie Graves6 MembersResponsible for the general maintenance of the Church and its properties. Bi-monthlyLaityPersonnel Committee,3 MembersServes the Church Council in an advisory capacity on issues related to personnel administration.QuarterlyLaityONA Committee,7 MembersTo provide educational programs and forums and exploring the topic of the church becoming an Open and Affirming congregation.MonthlyLaity*Pastoral Relations Committee,TBDTo insure a vital, healthy, mutually beneficial relationship between the congregation and members of the pastoral staff. The committee stands in the gap to facilitate communication and mediate between pastors and church members.TBDLaity*Hospitality Committee2 MembersTake responsibility for welcome and receiving church visitors coming for the first time, or perhaps the first time in a long time.TBDLaity*Endowment Fund Committee3 MembersEnhance the mission outreach of this church beyond general operation of the congregation.QuarterlyLaityHistorical Committee2 MembersTo acquire, evaluate, organize, maintain, and provide access to the historical records of Immanuel.On-goingLaityAudit Committee3 MembersTo perform an internalaudit to determine the validityof the financial statements and state its findings at the annual congregational meeting.SeasonalLaity*Pastor’s presence is requested as needed.As a church, Immanuel strives to respect and listen to each other and work things through without generating divisiveness. While conflict hurts unity, sometimes members tend not to talk about it. In other incidences, members have worked through painful conflicts and learned from the experiences. However, as with many churches, it is not uncommon for differences of opinion to be a problem and for some people to choose sides. As a result, some have left this church. While some conflict over past experiences lingers in the background, Immanuel is currently experiencing open conflict and is in need of a minister who can help us deal with it. While the congregation recognizes the need for change, there are some members of the congregation who have difficulty accepting change.Immanuel currently has one service per week on Sunday morning at 9:30 am. The exception to this is Bonus Sundays which is held the fifth Sunday of the month. Bonus Sunday services begin at 10:30 am. All services are in English. Immanuel has no sign language interpreter. There are no special ministries for those with developmental disabilities or mental illnesses.The worship is planned by the pastor in consultation with the church choir director. The worship service is primarily led by the pastor but is open to laity contributions. The exception to this is on Bonus Sundays when the congregation has a prominent role. Our congregation prefers preaching which relates to everyday life, is taken from the Bible and adapted to the current times, and is easy to understand. The two current hymnals Immanuel uses are The New Century Hymnal and Sing! Prayer and Praise. Immanuel began using the latter hymnal in 2012. There are a few within the congregation who are concerned with the use of Inclusive Language in worship services.WIDER CHURCH CONNECTIONSThe Immanuel congregation participates in the IN-KY conference as well as the General Synod. Delegates have regularly been sent to association and conference meetings. Members have also served as delegates to the General Synod. The lay leaders only moderately identify with the UCC. The results of the Search Committee's focus groups indicate there is an interest in becoming more closely identified with the UCC.Members participate in the Church Women United of Greater Hammond--a part of group fellowship of women of various faiths. The programs include:World Day of Prayer, Program and Tea Fellowship,Friendship Day, Program and Continental Breakfast,World Community Day, Program and Luncheon.The Highland First Christian Church and Immanuel UCC have shared Holy week services for several years. Immanuel UCC knitters and crocheters also participate with Westminster Presbyterian Church--Loving Hands group to provide warm blankets, hats, gloves/mittens and scarves to needy school children, the elderly, the homeless, soldiers, and others. The members of Immanuel expect the pastor to support the community activities as time and interest allows.RELATIONSHIP WITH MINISTERIAL LEADERSAfter experiencing the stability of 27 years with one pastor and his associate for his last 16 years, the congregation has worked through significant conflicts that have caused divisiveness and pain. Members continue to work through them, and the relationships with pastoral leaders are growing in significant ways.The following is a list of the last three installed pastors:Billy Kilgore2011-2013Dan Ganshe-Boythe2010-2010Al Dwenger1981-2007The church had issues with Pastor Dan--personality conflicts, social media issues, unpaid expectations for his wife--which then led to his resignation after seven months. The congregation's behavior toward Pastor Dan was both unharmonious and discordant. This disassociation caused contention which in turn caused a loss of members.Immanuel UCC supported Pastor Billy by providing him with a Pastoral Relations Committee. Congregants assisted with scripture reading, music offerings, and Bonus Sunday presentations. Pastor Billy left after a misunderstanding about paternity leave in his contract. The congregation and Pastor Billy parted civilly.The congregation has learned not to take the pastor for granted and affirms the need to keep open the lines of communication. The church does not have a Pastoral Relations Committee at the present time because the interim chose not to have one. Immanuel is committed to establishing one for the new Pastor. The purpose of the new Pastoral Relations Committee will be to insure a vital, healthy, mutually beneficial relationship between the congregation and the pastor. The committee will stand in the gap to facilitate communication and mediation between pastor and church members. The evaluation of the nature of work and performance of work is open to discussion between the pastor and the council. Immanuel expects the new pastor will:Help people work together to solve problemsBe an effective planner, teacher, and worship leaderRegularly encourage the congregation to participate in activities and programs sponsored by the United Church of ChristMake pastoral calls on people in hospitals, nursing homes/rehab centers and those confined to home Be effective in working with people of all ages, as well as with committees and officersWork with the congregation in bringing new members into the churchWork in the development of stewardship growth of the churchParticipate in ecumenical relationships and encourages the members of the congregation to participate alsoAssist people in relating their faith to their daily livesBe accepting of people with divergent viewsBe mature and emotionally stable Be experienced in dealing effectively with conflictGENERAL INFORMATIONThe congregation expects the pastor to exercise his/her right and responsibility to offer insight and expertise on any issue that may come before the church. For example, Immanuel is in the midst of an Open and Affirming discernment process designed to flesh out the portion of the vision statement which proclaims, “. . . we welcome all people unconditionally, . . .” ?As the committee moves forward with this process and others like it, the Pastor is expected to help address the issue from a theological perspective.The members also expect the Pastor to exercise supervision of the ongoing ministries of the part time paid staff. Although the Music Director, Jeff Behling, the Organist, Joan Chasanov, the Church Secretary, Lisa George, and the Custodian, Tom Wilborn, serve under the authority of the Church Council, their ongoing activities are to be supervised by the Pastor. ?????? The majority of the members of Immanuel have contributed to this church profile by attending various focus groups, participating in one-on-one interviews, and E-mailing questions and concerns for the Search Committee to discuss. Upon completion, this profile was sent to Carolyne Call, Associate Conference Minister, Indiana-Kentucky Conference to review and encourage changes. ?When a final draft was approved by her, the Immanuel Council members were invited to review the profile and copies were placed in the church office for the entire congregation to review or taken to the residences if requested for those members that are homebound.The Search Committee hopes this statement is informative and helpful as you consider assuming the Pastoral Leadership of Immanuel UCC, Highland. If you have questions or desire more information, please contact the following telephone references:You should also feel free to contact the chairperson of the Search Team, Andy Dudeck 219-921-5600, and/or our Church President, Jackie Koss 219-801-4405.Respectfully Submitted,Immanuel UCC Search TeamAndy Dudeck, ChairpersonMissy Graves, SecretaryTyler Betustak, ChaplainNancy WernerRick MangnallDeb UlmanJackie Koss, ex-officioBy authority of the Immanuel UCC Church CouncilIn Consultation with the entire CongregationAppendix ISTATUS OF IMMANUEL’S VISION PLAN Immanuel developed a Vision Plan in 2013 that was meant to be carried out over a two-year period. The church has missed its two-year deadline but has made substantial progress and continues to keep its Vision alive. The areas of progress have been:The creation of “Bonus Sunday”. This occurs whenever there is a 5th Sunday in a month.The church has experienced the positive impact of creating small ad-hoc teams vs. traditional committees. Congregants tend to shy away from long-term commitments due to their busy lives or limitations.Immanuel has a monthly bake sale, Fishes & Loaves, to raise money for special projects.Christian Education, which includes weekly (3-12 years of age) Sunday school and monthly youth age classes, is one-year into its reorganization plan.The responsibilities of the Hospitality Team are currently being shared with the Board of Elders. Immanuel will be transitioning all responsibilities to the Hospitality Team in the near future.Immanuel is approximately one year into its ONA study. The church continues to educate the congregation on the importance of welcoming others.The church has identified accessibility issues within the building and is in the midst of prioritizing the projects.Shortly over a year ago Immanuel started a monthly community dinner, serving those in need.The youth recently held a car wash to purchase gift cards for congregants and community members in need.The H.E.L.P. Mission Team is organized to hold four annual mission projects a year, most recently collecting plastic lids to be recycled and made into a meditation bench.The church works with the Indiana-Kentucky Conference and the UCC in various missions (i.e., school kits and hygiene kits).Annually, the congregants of Immanuel crocheted, knitted and collected mittens, hats, gloves and scarves to be distributed to various local schools to help kids be adequately prepared during the winter months.The following are areas of the Vision Plan that the church will be relying on the in-coming Pastor’s guidance to complete are:Challenging each member of the congregation to identify and share their spiritual gifts with the Immanuel family.Promoting financial support of Immanuel through exploring various options of fundraising.Revamping of the Visiting Team. Immanuel has a long-established Prayer Chain Ministry to assist in keeping members apprised of the health and whereabouts of the congregants. Congregants have expressed the need to be trained to assist in serving communion to shut-ins. ................
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