A new faith community in Oswego, Ill., is springing up in the new year. Wellspring UMC launched on January 1, 2021, with the Rev. Corey Ashley serving in the former Oswego Campus of Wheatland Salem UMC. On the heels of a difficult year for churches with the pandemic and restrictions on in-person services, some may ask, ‘is this the right time to plant a church?’
Read MoreAs we reach a sobering milestone of 400,000 lives lost in the U.S. as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Illinois moves forward in steps toward restoration from the devastation of this infection with the hope that vaccinations will move us further along throughout 2021.
Read MoreAs of January 11, 2021, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has reopened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Churches who did not apply for PPP in 2020 can apply now for a First Draw PPP Loan and secure 10 weeks of many operating expenses. In 2020, the SBA extended more than $4.2 million to 130 local NIC churches.
Read MoreAt our recent virtual annual conference session on November 14, 2020, the Northern Illinois Annual Conference voted to reduce the number of districts (and district superintendents) from six to five, effective July 1, 2021
Read MoreA live nativity scene at United Methodist Church of Geneva highlighted a drive-by Christmas Story Caravan that included Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles UMC churches Sunday, Dec. 6.
Read MoreSearching for some information on our conference website recently, I was struck by how many times the word “different” popped up on the screen. It made me laugh out loud. We are in a season defined by the “different”.
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