Please consider sharing your own call story, reflecting on the call of Mary, Elizabeth, John the Baptist and the Magi, or the joyful response of the shepherds to the angels’ proclamation and their experience of the good news of Christmas. 

You can share during the season of Epiphany - either in worship during a Covenant Renewal service around the New Year, or during Epiphany worship which is either on January 2 or 9.

You can also share any of the Call Testimony videos on Vimeo.

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Dear friends across the Northern Illinois Annual Conference,

Once again, we are working to highlight God’s persistent calling of all servants to lives of holiness and ministry, and some servants to the set-apart ministry of the ordained. This year we are highlighting the season of Epiphany and offering resources that could be used in worship during a Covenant Renewal service around the New Year, or during Epiphany worship which you might be celebrating on January 2 or 9.

If you would like to review liturgical resources (prayer, call to worship, Scripture, song), or if you would request a video resource that could be played during live or virtual worship, please reply to us at srpastor@fumcbelvidere.com. If you prepare and use your own elements and record your worship, please edit a clip for offering and send it as an attachment to the same email address. If we receive enough content, we will format a Facebook or Youtube page where the text or video offerings can be shared. A separate email will notify you if that becomes available.

During this season, please consider sharing your own call story, reflecting on the call of Mary, Elizabeth, John the Baptist and the Magi, or the joyful response of the shepherds to the angels’ proclamation and their experience of the good news of Christmas. As always, if you perceive that God is calling someone in your charge to licensed or ordained ministry, we remain available to support them as candidates and you as their pastor in nurturing and responding to that call.

Epiphany is the season in which we declare that new light from God continues to shine in the darkness and the darkness has not, can not, and never will be able to overcome it. Thank you for your ministry and please let us know how we can support you as you steward that trust.

Board of Ordained Ministry Recruitment Team,

Caleb Hong, chair
Jim Bell, Local Church liaison