United Voices for Children gives outstanding advocacy awards

United Voices for Children presented their three awards for outstanding advocacy and service for children and youth in Northern Illinois to four recipients at their annual breakfast at the 2018 Northern Illinois Annual Conference.

50 years later continuing the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr

As the nation marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the NIC Committee on Religion and Race takes the opportunity to challenge the congregations of our Annual Conference to consider once again, what it would truly look like to live into Dr. King’s vision of Beloved Community.

DYK? Laity are in ministry

Last month United Methodist Directors of Connectional Ministries from around the world met in Atlanta. It was an opportunity to visit the new General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) offices and meet with many of the key staff in that agency. The time was well spent as we learned more about the resources provided by GBGM for our conference and churches.

Laity Convocation focuses on discipleship making

One year after laity and clergy pondered the “why”, participants at the 2018 Northern Illinois Conference Laity Convocation focused on the “how” local churches carry out the mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. About 270 people gathered at Sycamore United Methodist Church on Feb. 17 to learn strategies for transforming ministry plans into action. General Secretary of Discipleship Ministries Rev. Dr. Junius Dotson delivered the keynote challenging local churches to move from the ‘why’, (the purpose), to the ‘how’, (seeing all the people.) Dotson calls it “missional engagement.”

Laity gather for annual convocation