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Ordained Ministry

Clergy

The church and society are in a time of exponential change. We need leaders, as never before, with convicted moral and spiritual courage, excellence in preparation and training and a compelling sense of mission or call.

You are invited to consider becoming part of a generation of Christian leaders who commit boldly to Jesus Christ and are characterized by intellectual excellence, moral integrity, spiritual courage, and holiness of heart and life, and a sense of vocational fulfillment.

Explore your calling

Spiritual Gifts Assessment

The Spiritual Gifts Assessment helps individuals identify their God-given gifts for living faithfully as Christian disciples day by day and find meaningful ways to use their gifts in connection with others through the community of faith. Click to take learn more and take the assessment.

Candidate Resources

  • 2022 Commissioning and Ordination Service, June 10 at 1:30 pm at the Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 N Thoreau Dr, Schaumburg, IL.
  • Ordination Letter

Distance Learning

At the September 2010 meeting of the Northern Illinois Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the policy from the University Senate on Distance Learning was adopted:

"In order to facilitate an education that is both technologically astute and relationally adept, the University Senate maintains the standard that two-thirds of theological education towards ordination shall occur on campus or in residence, and no more than one-third may occur by means of distance or online learning.  This standard applies to United Methodist and non-United Methodist seminaries.

The University Senate understands "on campus" or "in residence" to mean a course that includes a significant component of in-person dialogue and conversation occurring on campus either at a school's primary location or at an approved extension location.  "Hybrid courses," which combine online and on-campus instruction, are considered distance learning or online education for the purposes of this standard."

Seeking to transfer to the Northern Illinois Conference?

If you are an ordained clergy either from another United Methodist Conference or from another denomination and are seeking transfer to Northern Illinois Conference please contact Assistant to the Bishop, Rev. Arlene Christopherson, at achristo@umcnic.org.

Pastoral Transition Materials

Voluntary Transition Program

Download information for those considering transitioning out of ministry here.

Boundary Training Resources

Other Resources

Contacts


Executive Team:


Recruitment Team  


Candidacy Team      


Fruitfulness Team  


Conference Relations: Pam Rossmiller, Email: Pam.rossmiller@gmail.com

Order of Elders: Paul Lee, Email: umc.paul@gmail.com

Order of Deacons: Adrienne Stricker, Email: adrienne.stricker@gmail.com 

Fellowship of Local Pastors: Sharon Engert, Email: Safe331@comcast.net

Leadership Development Team

Allyson Talbert Email: talbertac@gmail.com 

Cabinet Liaison 

Jeffry Bross, Email: jbross@umcnic.org 

News & Announcements

Chriscoonwebsite

Rev. Christian Coon is Named Director of Congregational Development

Bishop Dan Schwerin has appointed Rev. Christian Coon as Northern Illinois Conference Director of Congregational Development, effective July 1. Rev. Coon will…

Nic At Celebration

40-year ban on gay clergy struck down

Without debate, General Conference removed the UMC’s ban on the ordination of clergy who are “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” —a prohibition that dates to 1984.

Openingworshipgc202umnssq

General Conference 2020 (2024) Updates

The UMC General Conference (postponed from 2020) came to order on the morning of April 23. Follow daily reports focusing on topics of interest to Northern Illinois Conference readers.

Group At Lincoln Statute Getting Ready To March

NIC’s Lobby Day uses lessons of the past to change the present

Early in the morning of 18 April 2024, 22 members of the Northern Illinois Conference Anti-Racism Task Force, many of whom had participated in last year’s Civil…

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