When I think of being called into ministry, I think of my father. Oh, he wasn’t a pastor. He was a mechanic who quit school in the eighth grade and was mostly a “home” Baptist. That means he did not go to church very much. He was “spiritual” but not “religious” long before those were sociological categories.
Read MoreThe word Fresh [Expressions] was borrowed from The Declaration of Assent, which is made by deacons, priests, and bishops of the Church of England. The Church of England and British Methodists started Fresh Expressions to revitalize existing churches and to start new forms of churches.
Read MoreOn the final day of the North Central Jurisdictional Conference (NCJ), the Committee on Episcopacy assigned Bishop Dan Schwerin to the Northern Illinois Conference, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Read MoreLooking at the possibility of a shared episcopal area, Rev. Alka Lyall and Krysta Deede, delegates from Northern Illinois and Wisconsin conferences, brought forth a joint statement at the North Central Jurisdictional (NCJ) conference on Friday afternoon. The statement is in response to the challenges facing the United Methodist Church and how it will best continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Read MoreA group of Early Response Team (ERT) members from First United Methodist Church in Morris spent five days in Betsy Layne, Ky., to help with the massive flooding that occurred in early August. Midwest Mission Distribution Center also continues to send disaster relief supplies.
Read MoreOne of the first steps to becoming a License Local Pastor is to attend a United Methodist Licensing School, which requires having a minimum of 80 hours of instruction with students. They receive training and mentorship in areas such as Administration and Leadership, Pastoral Care, and United Methodist Theology.
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