More Information, Resources and Links from the 2022 Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Northern Illinois Annual Conference Back Together - February Article

After two years of gathering virtually, the Annual Conference Committee is preparing to bring us back together in person for the 183rd session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference from June 8-10, 2022.

The Conference will return to the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center at 1551 N. Thoreau Dr., Schaumburg, Ill. While many of us long to be together in fellowship again, the Committee will continue to monitor all state and local health and safety guidelines on large gatherings, including mask-wearing, social distancing and Cook County vaccination requirements. Read the current health and safety statement.

"The Annual Conference Committee looks forward to being together this year in person, but we will continue to make necessary adjustments and arrangements to make sure that all participants feel safe and protected," said Deborah Dangerfield, Chair of the Annual Conference Committee. Bishop John L. Hopkins has chosen a two-year theme focusing on our core elements of our Christian faith – the sacraments.

This year's theme is "Connected in Christ: Come to the Water" and 2023's is “Connected in Christ: Come to the Table" with the scripture focus on Matthew 3:13-17 (NRSV), the baptism of Jesus.

"For 2022, the core of our connection to one another is through our baptism. Baptism is our primary entry point as individuals into the Christian community universal. Water symbolizes this action and becomes a powerful visual for the work of living in Christ," said Hopkins. “Choosing the sacraments as our focal point draws us into community, connects us to our roots and calls us into our mission.”

The Conference will open with the Memorial Service on June 8 and close with the Ordination Service on June 10. The AC worship committee is also planning a retirement service and Bible study. The conference will be longer this year to include mandated legislative sections which were passed by a resolution in 2021. The Clergy Session will be held May 24.

The Committee has also determined due to limitations brought on by the pandemic and concern for everyone’s health, no on-site childcare will be offered this year. Clergy and lay members are encouraged to begin thinking of alternative plans for their children. If lay members feel they can no longer participate, they should notify their pastor so either they can send the alternate lay member or elect someone new.

The conference will be livestreamed so that non-members and those who don’t feel comfortable meeting in person can still watch.

Online registration will open on April 4. Bookmark this page umcnic.org/AC2022 and check back for updates and details in the coming months. 

Listed Alphabetically

• An Accessibility Coordinator will be present to help with any needs (vision, movement, hearing, etc.), within our ability. Please indicate your requests in the registration process. Large print programs will be available at the accessibility table near the hall entrance.
• The Agenda can be downloaded here.
• Blueprint for Wellness Screenings for HealthFlex participants will be held on-site on Thursday and Friday (June 9 and 10) from 7 am - 10 am in the First Aid room near Adventure Hall.
  Registration occurs two ways via Phone or Online via Virgin Pulse.
  • Phone: 855-623-9355 Employer group: HealthFlex or United Methodist Church
  • Online: Log in to your Virgin Pulse account. Click on the "Benefits" Tab and find "Quest Blueprint for Wellness Screening". When there is an option to schedule a wellness screening choose "at an event" then choose "Northern Illinois Conference UMC".
• Charging Stations will not be offered this year. Please come with devices charged.
• Childcare will not be offered on-site this year. Please plan on making alternative plans.
• Clergy Session will take place on May 24 at UMC of New Lennox. Click here for more information.
• Cokesbury will not have a booth on site but is extending the following offers to the clergy, lay members, and visitors at annual conference sessions: Free Adult Bible Studies Starter Bundle, worth over $100, with leader guide, commentary and six participant books. Available to those new to ABS or those who haven’t purchased ABS since June 2021. In addition to everyday pricing, take $10 off a $100 Purchase during annual conference. Simply visit www.cokesbury.com/annual-conference-2022 and use code AC2022. Download the flyer.
• Display Table guidelines are available here.
• Distribution of print materials will be limited as we continue to be good stewards of the environment. The Annual Conference Secretary, Randy Hayes, must preapprove any material to be distributed on the AC floor. Only ushers may distribute materials. Groups may provide handouts at their display tables. Other handouts may be housed at the lobby table. Announcements during AC will be projected on the screen after approval. Submissions can be sent to Randy Hayes at ra50h1y9s@comcast.net.
• Group meals will not be hosted on-site.  If groups wish to meet, they can make arrangements at local restaurants.
  • General food options at the hotel:
    • Food Cart outside of our conference center area: coffee, sandwiches and snacks
    • RENdezvous Cafe (Starbucks): Breakfast, Lunch
    • Schaumburg Public House: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Click here for a list of area restaurants.
• Health and Safety Protocols will be in place. Throughout this pandemic season, the mantra of the Northern Illinois Conference has been “Do No Harm.” With this in mind, the Annual Conference Committee has made the safety and well-being of our members, staff, volunteers, and visitors the most important priority for this year’s annual conference. Vaccines will be required for all attendees. Masking will be optional. As much spacing as possible will be provided between people. Sessions will be shorter and breaks will be longer. Read full statement here. (revised 3/8/22)
  • Health and safety protocols will continue to be evaluated based on guidance and requirements from federal, state, and local health authorities and will be adjusted accordingly throughout the spring and leading up to the conference.
• Laity Session will take place on June 8 from 11 am to 12 noon before the conference starts. Sign up for Laity Session occurs during registration.
• The number of Lay Members to Annual Conference per church was adjusted in 2021. The number of Lay Members per church can be found in this document.
• Legislation & Historical Documents were due April 6. All legislation and documents will be posted soon.  We apologize for the delay in posting legislation. Everything was posted Monday, May 9.
  • All documents must be in the Action/Rationale format with a maximum of 500 words for the rationale, be submitted as a WORD document, and editable to the Chair of Daily Proceedings, Joanne Ray by email at ACdocuments@umcnic.org by April 6 2022. Late documents must be submitted at conference to the chair BEFORE the opening of the annual conference session both electronically and with two printed copies.
• A Livestream of the Conference for guests will be available on the NIC YouTube channel.
• Media and Videos to be projected on the screens during AC will need to be submitted and preapproved.
• The Memorial Service will take place on Wednesday, June 8 at 1:30 pm. 
• For the Mission Challenge, we will be collecting items for the Midwest Mission Distribution Center.  More information click here.
• New Member Orientation will take place on Friday, June 10 at 12:30. Location TBD
• The Ordination Service will take place on Friday, June 10 at 1:30 pm. The Ordination Preacher is Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton.  View the Ordination Photos.
• Pre-Conference Briefings were virtual this year. Click for the recording.
• Packets of information for the Conference will be available for pick up starting at noon on Wednesday, June 8 at 12 noon.  There will be no onsite registration, only packet pick up.
• Registration opened April 4. Registration includes Clergy Session or Laity Session, and Pre-conference briefings.
  • Register here.
  • April 4 - April 29 - Early bird registration $80 - Closed
  • April 30 - May 29 - $95
  • No on-site registration
    • In case of emergency or illness, the Alternate Lay Member can be sent to replace the already registered attendee. Alternates will need to check in at the Information Desk prior to the start of the Conference.
  • What to have handy when you register:
    • Credit Card
    • District your church is located in. See the list of churches and districts here
    • Proof of Vaccination. (You will be required to upload your proof of vaccination during registration. The system will accept the following files: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp. NO Pdfs)
      • Have a PDF? Please use the free link to convert PDF into a JPG file. 
  • *Active clergy who are not attending Annual Conference need to send their reason for absence in writing to Episcopal Administrative Assistant Marva Andrews either by e-mail at mandrews@umcnic.org or by postal mail to Northern Illinois Conference, Attn: Marva Andrews, 77 W. Washington St. Suite 1820, Chicago, IL 60602 
• The Retirement Service will take place on Thursday, June 9 at 8:45 am.
• Volunteer Opportunities. We need ushers, plenary pages, greeters, secretarial pool members, set up/clean up and more to help Annual Conference run smoothly and efficiently. Please contact Laura Lopez, Events Administrator, at llopez@umcnic.org if you are interested in serving as a volunteer for a day or even part of a day or if you have questions. No previous experience is necessary.