The Rainbow Covenant Program of the United Methodist Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) provides a way for congregations within the conference to show their love for missions here in Illinois, across the US and around the world.
At Community UMC the Missions team selects and promotes approximately 20 missions projects (including those directed by our own sponsored missionaries in Kenya and Senegal) for CUMC's annual Second Mile Giving Stewardship drive. These projects span all of the rainbow band categories. Also included in these options is a Greatest Need Fund that is used to provide for crucial needs that surface during the year.
Each year, during the stewardship drive, members of the congregation have the opportunity to pledge toward any of these programs. All monies contributed go directly to these programs. For seven consecutive years, the NIC has recognized CUMC with the Philip William Otterbein Award for highest amount contributed to Advance Specials through the Rainbow Covenant. In 2007, for the first time, CUMC also won the John Wesley Award for highest contribution per capita.
The following PDF files are available showing our Second Mile giving history (all under 50 KB):