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2025 Laity Convocation

Location: New Lenox UMC, 339 W Haven Ave.

Laity Convocation Logo 2025 Color

"Having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." - Titus 3:7

Sat., Feb.  8
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

New Lenox UMC, 339 W Haven Ave., New Lenox

Online registration

Childcare will be provided (ages 3-11). Parents and Guardians will need to provide snacks/lunch for children if the lunch option is not choosen. (No peanut products, please.) Sign-up for childcare will be a part of registration.

Cost:

  • $15
  • $25 (with Box Lunch)

Walk Ins are welcome but registration preferred. Limited lunches available on-site.

All are encouraged to wear Star Wars apparel!

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SPEAKERS:

  • Micheal Pope, President, Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders (AACLL)
  • Bishop Dan Schwerin, Northern Illinois-Wisconsin Episcopal Area
  • Elaine Moy, Treasurer, Northern Illinois Conference

SPEAKERS:

Micheal Pope Square

Micheal Pope

Micheal Pope is the President of the Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders (AACLL) and was appointed the Conference Lay Leader for the California/Nevada Conference in 2016. Micheal is the Lay Leader at Concord United Methodist Church where she co-pastored a service for individuals living memory loss prior to the pandemic.  She is also the CEO of ASEB (Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay), motivational speaker and Podcast show host.   Micheal has served on many boards and committes with in the United Methodist Churrch and professionally. She has a special place for those seniors and their caregivers living with memory loss.  She has over 36 years in health care management, with an emphasis in community engagement.  In 2015, Micheal received the Administrators Award from the National Adult Day Services Association for her innovation and grassroots organizing on the topic of ageism. Micheal recently became the recipient of the 2020 “Harry Denman Evangelism Award” from the Foundation for Evangelism. Micheal Pope is the recent recipient of the 2023 Bishop Talbert Social Justice Award in recognition of her advocacy in the social justice community. Micheal is the recipient of the 2023 TAL Hero Award from the Touch a Life Foundation for her civic engagement in communities throughout the world.

Bishop Schwerin Square

Bishop Dan Schwerin

Bishop Dan Schwerin, Bishop of The United Methodist Church, is serving as the resident Bishop in the Northern Illinois-Wisconsin Episcopal Area. Bishop Schwerin (he, him, his) is husband to his wife, Julie, and a father, grandfather, poet, and Jesus is the gold in his life. He is a graduate of Perkins School of Theology and did post-graduate Bowen family systems theory work there. He has enjoyed many contexts for pastoral ministry, including urban and rural churches, a new church plant, a Superintendent of two districts, as well as a multi-staff downtown setting. After the General Conference of 2019,  lead a collaborative effort with Wisconsin conference partners to increase racial justice and radical inclusion. He then served as Assistant to the Bishop in the Wisconsin Conference.  He has also served on the General Conference Task Force on Funding Patterns in the UMC. He was elected to the Episcopacy in 2022.

Elaine Moy Square

Elaine Moy

Elaine Moy is the Chief Financial Officer/Director of Administrative Services for the Northern Illinois Conference. Elaine is the staff person serving on the Conference Council on Finance and Administration, the Board of Trustees, the Committee on Personnel, Red Door Mortgage Program, Board of Pension and Health Benefits, and NICUM Property Insurance Program. She has oversight for financial matters of the Annual Conference and directs the day-to-day work of the administrative office. Elaine has over two decades of experience working for The United Methodist Church's general agencies. She worked most recently as Senior Director of Finance, Development, and Institutional Equity for the United Methodist Church’s General Commission on Religion and Race and at the General Commission on Status and Role of Women as the Associate General Secretary over finance and monitoring. She is an active member of First United Methodist Church in Evanston.

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