Plans Are Shaping Up for 2025 Annual Conference
The Northern Illinois Conference’s 186th session, themed “Grace is Sufficient,” will take place June 9-11. Bishop Dan Schwerin, inspired by the transformative power of grace, e…
Explore the wave of new Christian churches emerging to reach unchurched and dechurched people living in a culture that is increasingly non-religious and multi-religious.
Special Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Beck, Director of Re-missioning with Fresh Expressions
Watch a Recording of the Prairie South Event
Sunday, September 18 at 9:30 am at Schaumburg: Our Saviour's, 701 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, Ill. (847) 352-8181
Questions Contact Martin Lee mlee@umcnic.org
Learn More about Fresh Expressions
Rev. Dr. Michael Beck is a pastor, professor, and author. He is a spiritual guide who helps people heal, love, and unleash imagination to create better lives, organizations, and communities. Beck and his wife Jill are co-pastors of Wildwood UMC in Wildwood, Florida, St. Marks UMC in Ocala, Florida, and a network of 13 fresh expressions led by laity that gather in tattoo parlors, dog parks, burrito joints, and digital spaces. They direct an inpatient rehab center, a shelter for those experiencing homelessness, and an anti-racism movement.
He serves as the director of Fresh Expressions for the Florida Conference of The UMC, director of the Fresh Expressions House of Studies at United Theological Seminary, and director of ReMissioning for Fresh Expressions US. Beck has a passion for helping laity and clergy plant new forms of church. He helps church leaders across the globe follow Jesus in fresh and exciting ways. In addition to teaching as an adjunct professor at several seminaries, he coaches, trains, and educates leaders internationally across a broad theological spectrum and has consulted with hundreds of churches, districts, denominations, networks, synods, and dioceses.
Beck earned a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Doctorate in Semiotics and Future Studies at Portland Seminary with his mentor Leonard Sweet. He’s the author of eight books and is considered a global thought leader in the missional church movement. View his books here.
The Northern Illinois Conference’s 186th session, themed “Grace is Sufficient,” will take place June 9-11. Bishop Dan Schwerin, inspired by the transformative power of grace, e…
Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer provides practical ways to live a year in grace, inviting individuals and congregations to embrace God’s unmerited favor as a fou…
The Northern Illinois Conference provides grants to empower churches to expand ministries, address community needs, and strengthen their mission to make disciples and serve oth…
The Northern Illinois Conference is integrating the Discipleship and Anti-Racism Task Forces into the Discipleship Committee and the Commission on Religion and Race, respecti…