Liz Gracie, who has been one of the co-chairs of the Annual Conference Shepherding Team for the past eight years, told the Annual Conference 2023 members of an insight the team recently gained: Urgency is not enough; leaders have to internalize change itself.
Read More“Local churches are the strength of the conferences,” co-Lay Leader Mark Menzi told Annual Conference members in the Laity Address on June 8. “While there is training and resources available in districts and conference, it is in the churches where the ministry is happening, disciples being made, people are going into the community to see the people and minister with them.”
Read MoreIn late April 2023, a racially diverse group of 37 Northern Illinois clergy and lay people took a Civil Rights Pilgrimage to key historic sites where Black Americans courageously pursued freedom and justice.
Read MoreThe Northern Illinois Conference has the vision to do no harm to our planet by reducing the emissions of our church properties as close as we can to zero. To work on this goal, we are proud to announce the formation of the Net Zero Team, co-chaired by Richard Alton and Rev. Nancy Blade. On January 20th, leaders from all five districts gathered in Glenview to pray and plan together.
Read MoreWhat a joy it is to be in the house of the Lord to hear the Word and sing songs of praise to God. For the second year, the NIC Discipleship Task Force held a Fall conference-wide worship service. This year’s service was held at Journey of Hope UMC in Elgin. The service was also available via livestream. Rev. P. Devon Brown of St. Mark UMC (Chicago) and Rev. Heewon Kim of Evans UMC & Harlem UMCs (Rockford) and New Life UMC (Machesney Park) led the worship service planning. Choirs from Journey of Hope UMC in Elgin, Korean UMC in Flossmoor and St. Mark UMC (St. Mark Gospirational Choir) in Chicago provided moving musical selections.
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.
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