Sympathy Notice: H. Frederick Brown
Rev. H. Frederick Brown retired clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference passed away on October 7, 2017. Rev. Brown served as the Executive Director of the Methodist Youth Services.
Read MoreMemorial Service: Rev. James Moore
A memorial service for Rev. James N. Moore will be held Saturday, March 3, 2018, at 10 a.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in the Alpine Center Sanctuary, 4509 Highcrest Rd., Rockford, IL 61107. There will be no visitation. Refreshments will follow the service.
Read MoreLaity 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.”
Read MoreNIU remembers and grieves 10 years after school shooting
As bells tolled and wreaths were placed in remembrance of the 10th anniversary of the Valentine’s Day shooting which killed five students at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, news of another horrific school shooting was breaking in Florida. Feelings of shock, fear and disbelief reemerged for the families of victims, survivors, students, University staff, the community and faith leaders who were gathering for the memorial service at the garden outside Cole Hall, where a gunman opened fire in a lecture hall the afternoon of Feb. 14, 2008 taking the lives of Ryanne Mace, the granddaughter of two retired pastors from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, Gayle Dubowski, Catalina Garcia, Julianna Gehant, and Daniel Parmenter.
Read MoreUnite to End Racism
The Northern Illinois Conference and our Pan-Methodist partners along with the Illinois Conference of Churches are arranging buses to Washington D.C. so Illinois residents can take part in the anti-racism rally on the national mall on April 4, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme is ACT Now! Unite to End Racism. The memorial service in Memphis, Tenn. will be broadcast on the mall.
Read MoreSympathy Notice: Rev. Kenneth H. Crandall
Rev. Kenneth H Crandall, retired clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on Wednesday, February 7, 2018. Rev. Kenneth Crandall served at Wilmington, Tinley Park, Libertyville, Roselle, and Lansing: First.
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