Illinois: Young Adult & Campus Ministry Anchor Congregations

  • Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign and The Channing-Murray Foundation
    Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
    Central Midwest District
    The Channing Murray Foundation (CMF) is an Unitarian Universalist Campus Center that offers worship services, social action, spirituality circles, discussion groups, concerts, conferences, great vegan food at the Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant/Coffee House, and more. The Foundation provides over 500 opportunities to participate in a Unitarian Universalist campus community per year. Its roots go back to congregational-based “Campus Clubs” that started over 100 years ago in Urbana. After the local Unitarian Universalist (UU) merger, it was incorporated and run as a Congregational Outreach Campus Ministry for 36 years. Since 1991, CMF has been a self-governing, financially independent UU Campus Center. The CMF building is a historic site and is in the center of campus. The UU Church of Urbana/Champaign created CMF in 1954 and continues ongoing support of Channing Murray Foundation.
    Read more about CMF's young adult ministry program.

    Received Anchor Congregation designation in 2005.
  • Second Unitarian Church
    Chicago, Illinois
    Central Midwest District
    Second Unitarian Church does have an active young adult ministry program, but the congregation is very young and relies heavily on its young adults to fill key leadership positions. The young adult group participates on the church council and has members serving on the Board of Trustees. In fact, every active committee in the church (except for the Retiree group) has young adult involvement or leadership. Many Sundays the young adult group gathers informally for lunch after the second service. They also meet for Circle Worship—an intimate, participatory worship that provides an opportunity for spiritual exploration and community building. The young adult group hosts monthly social events and holds social justice activities throughout the year.
    Read more about Second Unitarian's young adult ministry program.
    Received Anchor Congregation designation in 2008.