Continuing to keep the health and safety of clergy and lay members a top priority, the 2021 Northern Illinois Annual Conference will convene again as an all-virtual session from July 16-17 with Interim Bishop John L. Hopkins presiding.
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 MoreAs of January 1, 2021, I will be retired after 43 ½ years of active ministry in The United Methodist Church. My ministry in Northern Illinois began on September 1, 2012 and due to the postponement of General and Jurisdictional Conferences, I extended my time in Northern Illinois until the end of 2020. I have already begun my post-retirement ministry as the Ecumenical Officer for the Council of Bishops/The United Methodist Church. Retired Bishop John Hopkins will be the interim bishop as of January 1, 2021. I know that you will welcome him into your midst!
Read MoreThe first Sunday of Advent is right around the corner on Nov. 29. Many churches have had to shift plans as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Illinois. We are compiling some great ideas and resources for Advent and Christmas at a time when in-person gatherings are limited or not possible.
Read MoreAs we gather in this virtual format, it is yet another reminder of how COVID-19 has changed our everyday lives, and while we are inconvenienced, we have learned new ways of doing things, some of which will stick with us post-pandemic. We have also had a chance to assess what things in our busy lives were really important to us and needed to be done, even if in a different way. Our churches are no different. The onset of the shutdown came at a rapid pace for most, without a chance for pre-planning, we had to learn to adapt on the fly.
Read MoreNorthern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (NIJFON) has been blessed with a $25,000 gift from Berry Memorial UMC in Chicago through the sale of the church’s historic building. As Berry UMC seeks to plant the seeds of a new church home in Chicago, they also chose to plant seeds for justice through supporting the mission and vision of NIJFON.
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