August

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Adalberto declares itself sanctuary for Arellano

(August 25) Elvira Arellano, lay leader of Adalberto UMC, has asked her church for sanctuary against the threat of being deported from the United States. Members of the small Hispanic congregation, located in a storefront at 2716 W. Division St. in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, have rallied around Arellano, granting her sanctuary and allowing her to live in the church while she attempts to stay in this country with her seven-year-old son, Saul, a U.S. citizen.

“She asked us for sanctuary,” said Walter Coleman, Adalberto’s senior pastor. “She’s a member of our church. We love her. We prayed about it, and we believe God asked us to provide a space where the voice of the marginalized can be heard. We pray that God will continue to protect her.”

Arellano, a 31-year-old single mother, came to the United States from Mexico in 1997 without documents. When she first tried to enter the country, she was turned back. Three days later, she walked across the border.

Arellano lived in the state of Washington where she met Saul’s father. They split up, and in 2000 Arellano brought her son to Chicago. She got a job at O’Hare airport cleaning airplanes.

In December 2002, Arellano was caught in a federal raid on O’Hare looking for undocumented immigrants. She was arrested and put in deportation proceedings. That’s when she joined Adalberto UMC.

Arellano’s son had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and other health problems, so she asked Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez for help. They managed to obtain approval of a private relief bill on her behalf that gave her an extension to remain in this country.

Arellano became active in the immigrant rights movement and established La Familia Latina Unida, an outreach of Adalberto UMC that helps families separated or on the verge of being separated by U.S. immigration laws. Earlier this year, she went on a 21-day hunger strike to demand an immediate moratorium on raids and deportations.

Arellano was ordered to report to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Chicago at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15. Instead, she went to church.

“I believe that this order is selective, vindictive, retaliatory and inhumane,” Arellano said. “One year ago, I was granted a stay while private bills in my behalf were pending in Congress. Nothing has changed since that stay was granted. Homeland Security has the legal power and, I believe, the obligation to extend this stay of deportation.”

Arellano said she told her attorney to notify Deborah Achim, ICE Chicago Field Office director, of her decision and her location. “Homeland Security knows where I am,” she said.

“I have done this because I do not wish my friends and community to be subjected to raids and harassment,” Arellano said. “Nor do I want Homeland Security to use me as an excuse to arrest and deport others like me, and to try to destroy their families and the lives of their children.”

“I am in very high spirits,” Arellano said two days after taking refuge in the church on Aug. 14, “because I am in the house of the Lord. The church that from the beginning has opened their doors for me, has never closed those doors.”

Arellano said that if federal officials come to get her, “they won’t be dealing with me. They will be dealing with the wrath of God. This is the house of God.”

“We are all willing to help her,” said Beti Guevara, Adalberto associate pastor. “The church has backed her up. We are going to do what scripture tells us to do: to be with her and to comfort her because she is a child of God.”

Guevara said the congregation is “happy that our leaders are also supporting her.”

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung and the Rev. James Preston, Chicago Northwestern District superintendent, visited Arellano to offer prayers and support. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, Bishop Minerva Carcano of the Desert Southwest Conference, headquartered in Phoenix, came to the church to pray with Arellano and Saul.

Bishop Jung released a statement supporting Arellano’s action, saying she was “invoking the centuries-old Christian tradition of sanctuary” and “drawing upon the tradition of civil disobedience.”

“While as Christians we may disagree over the best way to fix the nation’s broken immigration system,” the bishop stated, “we affirm that the Bible directs us to care for the foreigners in our midst (Exodus 23:9) and reminds us that we too are sojourners (Leviticus 25:23).”

Jung also noted that the United Methodist Social Principles state that “governments and laws should be the servants of God and of human beings” and that the church recognizes “the right of individuals to dissent when acting under the constraint of conscience and after having exhausted all legal recourse, to resist or disobey laws that they deem to be unjust or that are discriminately enforced.”

And Jung said the church will “uphold our commitment to families and urge the reunification of families now separated and those under threat of separation by our current broken immigration laws.”

Rep. Gutierrez also visited Arellano and brought her copies of letters he had written on her behalf to President George Bush and John Hostettler, chair of the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley sent a copy of a letter he wrote to Achim asking for an extension of Arellano’s stay of deportation.

The congregation has been holding prayer services “day and night,” Guevera said, and quoting Psalm 23 to gain strength. “We tell Elvira she’s walking through the valley,” Guevera said. “She’s not standing in it.”

Church offices have been turned into a bedroom where Arellano and her son can sleep. There are always members of the congregation in the church, watching over the mother and her child.

Church members believe Arellano has been singled out for deportation because of her activism on behalf of reform of immigration laws. “We feel she’s being punished because of her activism,” Guevera said.

“We salute Elvira’s courage,” Coleman said. “She could have chosen to just disappear and become one of the invisible 12 million [undocumented immigrants] in this country. Instead she is standing up for her people and her son. She is doing this so her son will know he is a child of God, a dignified person.”

“I am not a terrorist,” Arellano said. “I am not a criminal. I am not a fugitive. I am a mom. I love my son. My son is a U.S. citizen.

“My son says, ‘Mom, please stay here with me.’ So, I will stay here with my son.”

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Oswego Prairie begins outreach effort
with new location, cinema ads

(August 25)

Oswego Prairie UMC, 1217 Wolf Rd., is in the beginning stages of a new outreach effort to the rapidly growing community of Oswego. The small “farm church,” however, has proven to be structurally inadequate to accommodate further growth, according to the Rev. Keck Mowry, pastor.

As a consequence, the congregation will move its contemporary worship service to a nearby elementary school, Churchill Elementary School. Starting Sept. 10, Oswego Prairie UMC will hold its traditional service in its existing structure at 1217 Wolf Rd., and its second 10:30 a.m. service, at Churchill Elementary School.

The decision to expand to another location necessitated hiring new staff such as a Music Director and Director of Children’s Ministry, purchase of $10,000 of new equipment and $2,000 in advertising costs.

Igniting Ministry, the advertising and welcoming program of United Methodist Communications, has issued a grant of $450 in matching funds to help pay for three months of video advertisements at the local Kendall 10 cinema. The 30-second ads will run prior to all of the theater’s showings.

“Combining this advertising campaign with mailings, canvassing of neighborhoods and print media ads, Oswego Prairie UMC hopes to raise awareness of its ministry and new worship location,” Mowry said. “This is an effort, in particular, to reach the unchurched and dechurched residents, which are estimated to be nearly two thirds of the Oswego community.”

In the future, Mowry said Oswego Prairie UMC plans to add a new location, 1½ miles from its current location.

For more information, call (630) 554-8274.

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Schwab to lead Sept. 23 Natural Church Development workshop at Freeport Faith

(August 25) The Northern Illinois Conference Office of Congregational Development and Redevelopment will present seminars on “Natural Church Development Follow-up Training and Coaching 101” at three locations this fall. The training will be Saturday, Sept. 23, sponsored by the DeKalb and Rockford Districts; Saturday, Oct. 21, sponsored by the Aurora and Elgin Districts; and Saturday, Nov. 11, sponsored by the Chicago Northwestern and Southern Districts.

The DeKalb and Rockford District event will be offered at Faith UMC, 1440 S. Walnut Ave., Freeport. Leader of the seminar will be the Rev. Sharon Schwab (left), Indiana District superintendent from the Western Pennsylvania Conference.

Schwab specializes in small-membership churches, rural ministry, conflict prevention and management and teamwork in ministry. She served previously as Conference Church Consultant for the Western Pennsylvania Conference, and as a local church pastor.

The Rev. Dirk Elliott (right), associate director of Congregational Development and Evangelism in the East Ohio Conference, will lead the Oct. 21 training.

Elliott previously served 18 years of pastoral ministry in three appointments. He is the East Ohio Conference resource person for the following ministry teams: Urban Ministries; New Church Development; Redevelopment; and Town and Country Ministries.

Location of the seminar is First UMC, 328 S. Church St., Bensenville.

The Rev. Dr. Jack Stephenson (right), senior pastor, Anona UMC, Florida Conference, will lead the Nov. 11 seminar. Anona UMC is in Largo and one of the state’s largest congregations. Stephenson also started one of Florida’s fastest growing new churches. He works with local congregations, districts and denominations.

Location for the seminar is River Forest UMC, 7970 Lake St.

All seminars are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Cost of $25 per person includes lunch, seminar materials and books.

To register for any of these events, send a check and names of attendees to Office of Congregational Development, Northern Illinois Conference, 77 W. Washington St., Suite 1820, Chicago, IL 60602. For registration questions, contact Judy Siaba, (312) 346-9766, ext. 124.

For more information about these events or about Natural Church Development, contact the Rev. J. Martin Lee, director of Congregational Development and Redevelopment, at (312) 346-9766, ext. 108.

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Refreshing Worship 2.0 will
offer skills for digital ministry

(August 25) The Northern Illinois Conference Communications Commission will sponsor a workshop on Saturday, Sept. 23, on building skills for digital ministry. The workshop, “Refreshing Worship 2.0 — Building Skills for Digital Cultural Ministry,” will be 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Community UMC, 20 N. Center St., Naperville.

The seminar will focus on skill building in a variety of areas, including creating graphics with Photoshop, making and using videos, purchasing a projector, and doing biblical storytelling.

The event will offer three blocks of workshops with three or four choices in each block.

To register, contact Judy Siaba at (312) 346-9766, ext. 124, or Northern Illinois Conference, 77 W. Washington St., Suite 1820, Chicago, IL 60602.

For more information, contact the Rev. Dr. James Galbreath, Communications Commission chair, (815) 872-2821, or Linda Rhodes, Conference director of Communications, (312) 334-0707.

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Rockford Urban Ministries
fair-trade store will open Sept. 1

(August 25) On Friday, Sept. 1, Rockford Urban Ministries (RUM) will open a fair-trade store, the first of its kind in the area, at 201 Seventh St., site of a former notorious liquor store. The fair-trade store, JustGoods, will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., staffed by volunteers.

One and a-half tons of fair-traded gift items in the store have been supplied by more than five fair-trade outlets, including Ten Thousand Villages, a mission outreach of the Mennonite Church. Fair-traded items include pottery, wood products, baskets, Christmas ornaments and toys made and imported by mission and co-operative groups from around the world.

“We are bringing in wonderful gifts, arts and crafts from around the world. The items come from Ten Thousand Villages, which pays worldwide producers a fair and decent wage,” said Stanley Campbell, RUM executive director. “Fair trade is the wave of the future, especially for people concerned about working conditions, the environment and justice.”

Fair trade means a good portion of the purchase price goes to the producer. For example, fair-traded coffee means an individual farmer or cooperative that grew the beans was given a fair price for the product. JustGoods fair-trade marketplace will have a large selection of fair-traded organic coffee (i.e., no pesticides) as well as shade-grown coffee — no trees were cut down, which provides more cover for wildlife and improves the flavor of the coffee bean.

RUM is an outreach of 20 area United Methodist churches.

“We have volunteers to help sell fair trade items at churches, businesses, or in homes” Campbell said. “This is a nonprofit store, and proceeds will be used for the betterment of the neighborhood.”

For more information, call Rockford Urban Ministries at (815) 964-7111 or JustGoods at (815) 965-8903.

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New clergy pension plan will be topic at 3 sites

(August 25) A new pension plan for United Methodist clergy, CRSP (Clergy Retirement Security Program), will go into effect Jan. 1. All clergy members of the Northern Illinois Conference are invited to attend one of the information sessions about the new pension plan to be presented by representatives of the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits (GBOP) Tuesday, Sept. 5, Wednesday, Sept. 6, and Thursday, Sept. 14.

Clergy may attend any of the meetings, but preregistration is mandatory.

Each workshop will begin with a pension plan overview from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Each registered clergy will receive a personal pension projection during “Understanding Your Own Pension Projection” from 11 a.m. to noon. After noon, clergy will have an opportunity to speak individually with GBOP representatives.

The workshop on Sept. 5 will be at First UMC, 155 S. Main St., Lombard. Second workshop, Sept. 6, will be at River Forest UMC, 7970 Lake St. The Sept. 14 workshop will be at Rochelle UMC, 709 Fourth Ave.

To register, contact Shirley Burkhart, (312) 346-9766, ext. 120, or e-mail sburkhar@umcnic.org.

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‘Leading Turnaround Churches’ is Aug. 29-30

(August 25) The Northern Illinois Conference Office of Congregation Development and Redevelopment and its Institute for Congregational Development are sponsoring “Leading Turnaround Churches” on Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 29 and 30. The seminar will be led by the Rev. Dr. Gene Wood, author of Leading Turnaround Churches and Leading Turnaround Teams.

The workshop will be at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Rd., in Evanston.

For more information or to register, contact Judy Siaba at (312) 346-9766, ext. 124, or Northern Illinois Conference Office of Congregational Development and Redevelopment, 77 W. Washington St., Suite 1820, Chicago, IL 60602.

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Summit addresses ways to
expand ministries for children

(August 18) About 40 leaders in children and youth ministries around the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) participated in a two-day Children’s Summit called by Bishop Hee-Soo Jung and the NIC task force on the Bishop’s Initiative on Children and Poverty.

Meeting Aug. 4-5 at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, the gathering focused on how to continue NIC ministries to and with children, especially poor children, that resulted from the United Methodist Council of Bishops’ Episcopal Initiative on Children and Poverty begun in 1996.

The initiative was discontinued as of Dec. 31, 2004, after having been an emphasis for eight years, the longest period for any Episcopal Initiative.

“During the eight years of the initiative, some amazing things happened in the Northern Illinois Conference,” said the Rev. Bill Shaw, who became chairperson of the task force this year. “We need to determine what it means to continue.”

Bishop Jung assured the group that, even though the initiative has ended, the bishops are continuing children and poverty as an emphasis in their council life and residential area leadership.

“Congregations and individuals belonging to the United Methodist Church are beginning to open their eyes to the needs around them and enter into the pain and need of the most vulnerable ones of our societies,” Jung said. “We need to continue this journey together.”

The bishop noted that Methodism has always valued children. This value is exemplified in several ways, he said, including infant baptism, an open communion table that includes children, and Sunday school.

For centuries, Methodists have carried out the practice of infant baptism as a symbol of prevenient grace, the bishop said. “The baptism of children embodies our faith in the God who reaches out to us first, before we even knew God or thought to love God,” he explained.

Jung said the United Methodist practice of open communion for children is deeply rooted in Methodist piety and shows that this denomination believes that “children have value.”

“We see the communion of children as a significant expression of God’s hospitality,” Jung said. “Most United Methodists believe that any restriction of access to the Lord’s Table is a serious injustice, and they will fight to defend an open table.”

The bishop said that while United Methodists disagree on many political and theological issues, and they form factions relating to those disagreements, they are united in their commitment to the open table.

Jung also noted that even the establishment of Sunday school classes was done by John Wesley to reach out to poor children. “It was started because of love, because of love and care for children in poverty,” Jung said.

Jung urged summit participants to dream today about how to build a strong partnership between local churches, NIC ministry groups and institutions serving children.

Jung described his vision as “a new reformation, freeing God’s people in the church to use their gifts in the world.”

The bishop said most churches think children’s ministry means Sunday school. “But most of the children and young people in our society are not in Sunday school,” he pointed out. “We need to go out into the streets and marketplace. We need to re-engineer our church for children’s ministry.”

During the summit, participants heard information about Internet dangers, substance abuse and addictions, safety and bullying, and sexual abuse.

They also played children’s games, reflected on persons who had influenced them when they were children, celebrated with popcorn and children’s snacks, and tried to envision ministries needed by children and the poor.

The Rev. Norval Brown, chair of United Voices for Children board of directors, addressed the summit and urged participants to figure out ways to use existing resources of the conference, local churches and child-serving agencies to build relationships and organize to be able to respond to the long-term needs of children.

“It was a beginning,” Shaw said. “Establishing trust and developing long-term ministry you don’t accomplish overnight. But it was a real good beginning.”

Shaw said the group discussed holding a summit annually to support those working in ministries with children.

“We did get some good insights and some practical thoughts and ideas about how we can continue to build relationships, use our resources and respond to needs,” he said.

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Children’s retreat will focus on bullying

(August 18) “Building Bridges, Not Walls” will be a retreat for children ages 9 to 12 Sept. 22-23 at Wesley Woods Conference Center on the shores of Lake Geneva in Williams Bay, Wis. Focus of this year’s retreat, which is sponsored by the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Children’s Ministries Program Area, is “Bullying.”

The retreat will begin Friday at 7 p.m. with a “substantial snack,” singing and mixer activities, video and make-your-own t-shirt.

Saturday will have a morning worship outdoors, video presentation and small group discussion. Activity times will be held before and after lunch.

A nature walk will be conducted in the afternoon followed by skits, evaluation and a closing outdoor worship.

The conference is providing bus transportation on Friday from various locations depending on registrations. Departure times will be between 3:30 and 5 p.m.

Cost to attend is $15. Scholarships are available.

There is no charge for adult chaperones, but each adult must have a completed background check. One adult chaperone should accompany each five children from a congregation. Adults are expected to participate in studies and workshops.

Additional funding is provided by grants from the NIC United Methodist Foundation.

To register or for more information, contact Margaret Harrison, Children’s Ministries chair, (630) 355-1748. Registration deadline is Sept. 12.

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‘God in Christ Reconciling’

By Emmy Lou John
Northern Illinois Conference Delegate, 19th World Methodist Conference, Seoul, Korea

(August 18) On the last day of the 19th World Methodist Conference, July 20-24, in Seoul, Korea, a district superintendent from Arkansas leaned across the bus aisle and asked me a cutting question: “Do you think what we have done here will filter down and make a difference in our jurisdictions, conferences, districts or local churches?”

I responded that it is the responsibility and duty of the 2,500-plus persons attending the conference to put into action the matters that we dealt with.

The theme of the conference, attended by persons from around the world whose churches are historically linked to John Wesley, was “God in Christ Reconciling.” The idea of reconciliation permeated all the worship, keynote addresses, Bible studies and seminars, our table conversations, as well as the bus rides.

In the forefront was the matter of unification of the two Koreas. I was among the 300 participants and several hundred local Korean Methodists who worshiped outside near the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) and marched for peace and reconciliation. The resolution for Reconciliation and Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula was shared. Among other items it calls for us to be mediators for peace and reconciliation and to advocate for the peaceful reunification of Korea; and to participate in the ecumenical efforts of the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches of Christ — USA to facilitate the reunion of separated Korean families.

I am hopeful that we in the Northern Illinois Conference will be about this as we enter into our sister relationship with the South Seoul Conference.

We are also called to pray for reconciliation to take place in the Middle East. I had been looking forward to hearing peace-activist Archbishop Elias Chacour of Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. With the war in his home country, however, he wrote: “Please pray for us here and forgive me if I fail you this time because of the precarious situation and duty to stand by with my people … I will be praying for all of you to have a great conference and to take courageous decisions to spread the word of God in our troubled world. Do not forget the Palestinians or the Lebanese and include in your prayers and friendship the Jewish people of Israel.”

Because I am a member of the Council’s Ecumenics and Dialogue Committee, the most exciting moment of the conference came on Sunday afternoon, July 23, when we had our Ecumenical Worship Service and signed an important document. Representatives of the Lutheran World Federation and the Vatican were present.

The Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church have been in dialogue with each other about the theological understanding of “Justification.” One of the reasons for the 16th century’s Reformation was a controversy about justification. On Oct. 31, 1999, the two religious bodies reached agreement. They have now welcomed the churches of the World Methodist Council to affirm this agreement: “Building on their shared affirmation of basic truths of the doctrine of justification, the three parties commit themselves to strive together for the deepening of their common understanding of justification in theological study, teaching and preaching. We are all in pursuit of full communion and common witness to the world which is the will of Christ for all Christians.”

Point five of the Methodist statement says: “As Methodists we are grateful that on the basis of such an agreement as this, Lutheran and Methodist Churches in some countries have recognized one another as belonging to the one Church of Jesus Christ and have declared full communion of pulpit and altar.” This and other points give us our “marching orders.”

The chairperson of our Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, the Rev. Catiana McKay, our Ecumenical/Interreligious Officer, the Rev. Edgar Hiestand, and his wife, Nancy, attended the signing.

Other NIC conference participants included Bishop Hee-Soo and Im-Hyon Jung, Roger and Mari Curless, Harriet McCabe, Irma Clark, the Rev. Harriette Cross, the Rev. Oscar and Joyce Carrasco, the Rev. Martin Lee, the Rev. Bill Owen, the Rev. Dan Swinson, Jim Sheldon, Chris Walters and translators: the Rev. Thomas Kim, the Rev. Sun Ja Lee Moon, the Rev. Anna Shin and the Rev. Keyoung Hee Lee.

All share in the responsibility talked about on the bus. Yes, the action taken at the 19th World Methodist Council and Conference can have an impact on the local church. Just ask one of these persons.

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Kimbrough to keynote weekend on
‘Strengthening the Black Church’

(August 18) St. Mark UMC, 8441 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, will present “Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century” on the weekend of Sept. 22-24. The three-day event will include workshops, worship and a keynote address by the Rev. Dr. Walter Kimbrough, recently retired pastor of Cascade UMC, Atlanta, whose ministry has been characterized by evangelism, pastoral care, teaching and community service. He has provided leadership at all levels of the United Methodist Church.

Approved at the 1996 General Conference and approved for continuation at the 2000 and 2004 General Conferences, the Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century Initiative nurtures, teaches and empowers churches to be centers of ministry. The plan of action calls for implementation of a “Congregation to Congregation” Learning Teams methodology, which partners Congregation Resource Centers (host congregations) with Partner Churches desiring greater vitality in all aspects of ministry.

Workshops during Sept. 22-24 include the following: “Sharing the Vision/Building the Team,” “Changing Keys — Embracing Musical Diversity,” “If David Danced, Why Can’t We,” “Telling the Story to Everybody” and “Extending the Table,”

Also, “Sing the Old Songs,” “O Clap Your Hands,” “Ministry for the Body, Too,” “There’s Still Scouting,” “Members Only,” “If You Could See Me Now,” “Show Them that They are Welcomed,” “Coming Back After College,” “Can’t Teach Them What They Don’t Know,” “To Inherit the Kingdom,” “The Church of the Future, Right Now” and “If You’re On a Mission, Get Movin’.”

The weekend schedule will begin at Hyatt McCormick Hotel Friday, Sept. 22. A pastor’s workshop will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Check-in and registration will be from 3 to 6 p.m. A reception will be from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by Kimbrough’s speech at the opening gala at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 23, the program will move to St. Mark UMC. Morning devotions will be from 8:30 to 9 a.m. Workshop sessions will be at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be at noon and the third workshop at 1:15 p.m. A plenary session will be from 2:45 to 4 p.m. followed by a grand session at 4:15 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 24, will offer worship at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. at St. Mark UMC.

Registration is $100 for the whole weekend, including dinner on Sunday; Friday only is $50, and Saturday only $65. For more information, call (800) 928-0572 or send e-mail to stmarkumc@sbcglobal.net (enter SBC-21 on subject line).

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DeKalb, Chicago Northwestern District
churches cooperate on Bilingual VBS

(August 18) DeKalb, Chicago Northwestern District churches cooperate on Bilingual VBS

A church in the DeKalb District and one in the Chicago Northwestern District recently cooperated to conduct a Bilingual Vacation Bible School (VBS).

Zion UMC, 808 Jefferson St., in the DeKalb District and Bethany Riverview Park/Jesus, El Buen Pastor, 3900 N. Albany, Chicago, put on the four-day VBS at the Mendota church.

The Rev. Orlando Moller, pastor of the Chicago congregation, and nine of its members taught Mendota-area children Bible verses in both English and Spanish.

Twenty-three children participated, all of whom were first-time attendees in Zion UMC’s ministry, according to the Rev. Gale Brandner, pastor.

For more about the cooperative venture, call Brandner at (815) 538-2186 or Moller at (773) 837-0229.

A workshop to help equip local churches to start a Latino/Hispanic ministry will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at Zion UMC. For more information, contact Brandner at (815) 538-2186.

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Barrington annual rummage sale
began during Great Depression

(August 18) Barrington United Methodist Women (UMW) is busy preparing for its annual rummage sale, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 13 to 14. The Barrington UMW Rummage Sale is virtually an institution in the community. Now more than 70 years old, the sale began during the Great Depression, and even continued when the church was without a building due to the fire in 1998.

Originally, the sale was held in just a few rooms at the previous Hough St. site where a handful of women spent a few days organizing clothes and kitchen items. Now, the sale fills an entire wing of Barrington UMC’s new building and a large canopy tent.

Departments include electronics, furniture, lamps, sporting goods, men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, jewelry, antiques and collectibles, children’s toys, books, magazines, housewares, linens, holiday items, crafts and fabrics. An area not to be missed is the “French Room” filled with carefully selected high-quality treasures, including china, jewelry, clothes, antiques and collectibles.

Countless volunteers help sort, organize and price the array of donated items. “The sale is a great opportunity to find some unique treasures and bargains,” said Linda Osikowicz, publicity chair. “But more importantly, it provides funds for many worthy organizations and provides families a way to stretch their budget with a selection of needed items at a low price.”

Proceeds from the sale are distributed to local and Chicago-based organizations that work with women, children and youths. Funds are also sent to the UMW national organization.

“There is a much needed mission in our community,” said Carolyn Schneider, president of Barrington UMW, “so we are very hopeful that this sale is a great success, as it has been in the past.”

The sale will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 14, at Barrington UMC, 98 Algonquin Rd. at the southeast corner of Rte. 59. On Friday, there will be a half-price sale from 5 to 7 p.m. in selected departments. On Saturday shoppers can take advantage of the Bargain Bag Sale, with all of the “goodies” they can fit into a $5 bag from special departments.

Goods may be donated from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 9, and Tuesday, Oct. 10; and 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Tax donation receipts will be readily available. For more information about the sale or to volunteer, call (847) 836-5540.

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Outdoor Ministries puts on inner-city
camp with help of Foundation grant

(August 11) A week-long inner city summer camp conducted by Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Outdoor and Retreat Ministries (ORM) at Union Avenue UMC in Chicago last month demonstrated the power of the United Methodist connection.

The camp was enabled by a $2,400 Creative Ministries Grant from the NIC United Methodist Foundation. Attendees, who ranged daily from 30 to 45 youngsters in kindergarten through eighth grade, were drawn primarily from across the St. Jude Cluster of the Chicago Southern District.

Four of the cluster’s eight churches — Lincoln, Chicago Lawn, Union Avenue and West Englewood UMCs, along with Resurrection UMC and Neighborhood UMC in Maywood, both in the Chicago Northwestern District — provided lunch on a different day. And, members of the Aurora District’s Hinsdale UMC, which has a ministry partnership with Lincoln UMC, pitched in to help on the latter’s day to serve a picnic of hot dogs and hamburgers.

Vaughn Peterson, pastor of Union Avenue and Chicago Lawn UMCs, described the camp as a Godsend. “We’re very grateful,” he said. “ORM brought the capability to do things we couldn’t do ourselves. The cluster was considering perhaps undertaking a Vacation Bible School (VBS) in August, but it would have had to be in the evening.”

Instead, ORM provided a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. camping experience that involved worship each morning, and then a rotation of activities by age group among Bible study and exercises that support the week’s emphasis on peace, crafts, videos and lively songfests.

Eight ORM summer staff members and Claudia Moore, program director, packed up a trailer with their personal belongings and moved to Union Avenue UMC for the week. These eight, supplemented by volunteers from the St. Jude Cluster, conducted the inner city camp. ORM even helped with transportation of campers to Union Avenue UMC and provided snacks during the day.

“This was an awesome week,” Moore said. “We hope to do it again and need to look for more funding. We hope to do it in multiple weeks in different areas in the future.”

Bruce Nelson, ORM director who grilled burgers and hot dogs, said feelers about under-taking a similar camp have come in from the Chicago Northwestern District. “This camp has been wonderful by the ethnic diversity of the participants,” he said. “We have been in a process of looking for a location for an urban camping experience. We hoped that experience would familiarize participants with our facilities and programs, so that they will come to us.”

A result of the week turned out to be exactly that. Several of the Union Avenue day campers registered to attend ORM’s Urban Camp at Reynoldswood Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Dixon the following week. Moore said that as parents became comfortable with the ORM staff, the parents became increasingly less reluctant to send their children away for the week.

The Rev. Larry Dunlap-Berg, an ORM board member whose daughter, Kristen, was one of the summer staff members, was instrumental in convincing Peterson, a former parishioner, to take on the inner-city camp. “I am blown away by how the kids here are interacting with each other,” he said.

Joan McLaughlin, a member of Union Avenue UMC, said the valuable interaction went well beyond the youngsters. “It is wonderful because it brings us all together and gives us the chance to fellowship and know each other across churches,” she said. McLaughlin’s daughter, Sharlene Lira, worked at the camp every day helping with food preparation.

Anna James, member of West Englewood UMC, also attended every day. “The week has really been worthwhile,” she said. “It’s the first time our kids have had the opportunity to go to a free day camp.”

Kila Goodwin, age 8, from Chicago Lawn UMC, was among those who signed up for the Reynoldswood camp. Kila said she enjoyed the arts and crafts at the inner city camp. “We played different types of games,” she said, “met new friends and learned about Jesus.”

Kila was anticipating the week at Reynoldswood because it will be something different. “I’ve been to an indoor camp before,” she said, “but we had to pay for that camp.”

“This was an opportunity to be in ministry with and service to local inner city churches,” Moore said. “This was a pilot program, though. The desire is here on both parties to return, if we can find the funding to put a team together. Too many kids don’t have the opportunity to experience Christian camping outdoors.”

Ray Carey, coordinator of Union Avenue UMC’s Young Life Ministries program, said the inner-city camp proved to be a good partnership. “I can’t want for them to come back,” he said.

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School of Christian Mission harvests peace

(August 11) More than 220 persons attended the United Methodist Women’s School of Christian Mission last month in Lisle. Theme of this year’s school was “Harvesting Peace.” The school offered three studies: “Shalom, Salaam, Peace”; “Globalization — Its Impact in our Lives”; and “India/Pakistan.”

The Rev. Lana Sutton led the study on “Shalom.” She said it was the third time over about 25 years that she has taught at the school. “The classes are filled with brilliant people,” she said. “They bring wonderful, creative ideas, and are willing to share things that have worked in their communities.”

Sutton said that as an instructor, she views herself as a resource person. “I’m teaching them to be teachers,” she said. “I’m trying to give them something to take back to their own congregations.”

The students also teach the teacher, according to Sutton. “I’m a co-learner,” she said. “Many of their suggestions, with tweaking, can be used in many other churches. We can cross some boundaries that we hadn’t, maybe, thought about in our own communities.”

More than 80 persons, including 5 youths, registered to attend the full school. Another 107 participants drove in for the one-day version. There were seven Spanish-language attendees, and 35 Korean-language study participants, as well.

The school also offered several Saturday afternoon special interest study groups. Judy Siaba and Kara Newhouse discussed the Ubuntu eXplorers program that offers United Methodist Women opportunities to visit mission partners in various areas of the world to learn firsthand the issues they face and contexts in which they live and work. Karen Hewitson discussed the concept of UMW Green Teams that work as environmental advocates with the goal of realizing environmental justice of fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, income or education level in environmental decision-making. Nurse Joan Uebele reported on HIV/AIDS in Kenya, based on her two-month Volunteer in Mission stint there this year, and the Rev. Bonnie Davies discussed the 50-year anniversary of women’s ordination that is being celebrated this year.

Marlene Stratton, school dean, said she has been attending the School of Christian Mission for 19 years. This was the first year, however, that she had been involved in its planning.

“The school is designed to have a retreat atmosphere,” Stratton explained, “for those in full attendance. Besides learning about ministries to the least and lost in many cultures, especially concerning women, children and youths, the school is a bonding experience.”

Stratton said that bonding experience would suffer if it were held in a location unlike the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle. She said there are some concerns about the cost of such a facility, because Northern Illinois includes such a wide range of income among prospective attendees.

Stratton pointed out that it has been years since the school was held on a college campus. “Most of the educational facilities we have considered don’t have air conditioning and frequently include dorms with no elevators,” she said. “Furthermore, you have to walk a sizable distance to get meals. At conference facilities like this one, everything is under one roof and facilitates sharing free time.”

The planning team is willing to modify the school where possible to encourage broader attendance, according to Stratton. She said this year’s drive-in day was moved to Saturday from Thursdays in the past to be more appealing to persons who work. She pointed out that the school is not limited to women. She said it is open to anyone interested in learning and “exploring extended ideas of our mission.”

The 2007 Winter School of Christian Mission will be held at Reynoldswood Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Dixon during the weekend of Jan. 20.

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Sept. 30 event offers 2 tracks with financial emphasis

(August 11) A conference-wide stewardship event will be held at First UMC, 216 E. Highland Ave., Elgin, on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event will offer two different tracks: one on financial stewardship and a second on financial management.

The workshop on financial stewardship will focus on developing a 12-month stewardship emphasis in your local church and will be led by the Rev. David Bell, director of the Stewardship Center of the General Board of Discipleship. Bell’s workshop is “Developing a Year-Round Culture of Financial Discipleship.”

The seminar will present a theological understanding of Christian stewardship, introduce best practices for effective year-round stewardship, and explain how to build on assets of individual congregations to build a positive attitude of generous giving.

The workshop on financial management, “Best Practices in Local Church Financial Management,” will be led by Bob Poland, business/operations manager, Grace UMC, Naperville; Norris Smith, controller, First UMC at the Chicago Temple; and Cindy Kentner, director of Administrative Ministries, Christ UMC, Rockford.

The financial management track will help participants develop policies in their local churches that will enhance transparency and trust in how the congregation manages its finances. Topics covered will include: How is money counted, deposited, recorded and reported?; What process is used to develop the budget?; How are budgets presented?; How are expenses periodically reported back to the congregation?; Who does the audit and why?; How to develop policies that minimize the opportunity for fraud in the local congregation; Who has access to church family giving records?; and Is your church ready for electronic funds transfer?

A workbook will be provided to each participant with handouts covering workshop topics.

The event is sponsored by the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Committee on Stewardship and the NIC United Methodist Foundation.

Lunch will be provided, and child care is available. It is recommended that a team of three to five local church leaders attend together.

Cost is $20 per person prior to Sept. 8 and $30 after. Scholarships are available and may be requested through Carolyn Cook, executive assistant, United Methodist Foundation, (312) 346-9766, ext. 104.

Registration can be mailed using the registration form on the Foundation’s Web site, www.nicumf.org. The completed form can also be faxed to the Foundation at (312) 346-9730 or mailed to the Foundation, 77 W. Washington St., Suite 1820, Chicago IL 60602.

For more information, contact the Rev. Daniel Diss, chair of the NIC Committee on Stewardship, (815) 784-5143, or the Rev. Harry Nicol, president of the Foundation, (312) 346-9766, ext. 103.

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SoSA ‘Partner Churches’ feeding hungry

(August 11) Six United Methodist congregations in the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) partnered with the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) to feed the hungry during the first half of 2006. Their donations were combined with those of 199 other United Methodist “Partner Churches” across the connection for a total of $224,178.

This amount provided nearly 4 million pounds of fresh food that would have gone to waste but was, instead, salvaged from growers and donated to food banks and service agencies throughout the nation. This is about 30% of the food SoSA has saved and distributed to the hungry this year from January through June.

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) is an Advance Special of the United Methodist Church (#801600) and a national nonprofit hunger-relief ministry. Its major programs for gleaning America’s fields and feeding America’s hungry are the Gleaning Network, the Potato Project, Harvest of Hope, and the Hunger Relief Advocate Initiative. With the help of as many as 40,000 volunteers each year, SoSA is able to glean 30-40 million pounds of fresh produce that otherwise would have rotted in fields or landfills. All the food is donated, but SoSA must pay for bagging and transportation to get it to agencies that feed the hungry.

Partner Churches support SoSA’s ministry by providing the financial means to help glean even more food to feed the poor, educate people about the causes and effects of hunger in the nation and world, and enable SoSA to reach out to a world that is hungry for food and for the gospel.

Churches are recognized as “Partners” for donations of $500 and more to the hunger-relief ministry of Society of St. Andrew. Partner Church categories and their levels of giving include: St. Andrew Partner ($500), One Mile Partner ($850), Change the World Partner ($1,000) and Extra Mile Partner ($1,700).

The Society of St. Andrew has issued certificates of recognition and gratitude to the following NIC churches for their Partner Church level support during the first half of 2006:

St. Andrew Partners: Cherry Valley UMC; First UMC, La Grange; First UMC, Elgin; and Our Redeemers UMC, Schaumburg.

Change the World Partners: Calvary UMC, Villa Park; and Grace UMC, Rockford.

For more information about SoSA and its Partner Churches program, contact the national office at (800) 333-4597, e-mail church@endhunger.org, online at www.endhunger.org, or by mail to 3383 Sweet Hollow Rd., Big Island, VA 24526.

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Claremont Academy drum line to
perform at Glen Ellyn First Aug. 13

(August 11) The 55-student drum line at Claremont Academy in Chicago will step out to perform at First UMC, 424 Forest, Glen Ellyn, at 11:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 13. First UMC will collect donations of used instruments and financial contributions to help build Claremont Academy’s budding music program.

The drum line will be fresh from marching in the Bud Billiken parade with Grand Marshall Sen. Barack Obama on Chicago’s south side the day before. The group of 55 young students from Englewood, one of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, will perform on a peaceful side street in downtown here, in the heart of affluent DuPage County. The performance, free and open to the public, will begin at 11:45 a.m. on Forest Avenue, north of Duane just east of Glen Ellyn’s Civic Center.

In honor of the Claremont Academy’s drum line appearance, the Village of Glen Ellyn gave First UMC, permission to close the street for the event.

Donations of financial contributions for uniforms may be sent to First UMC, 424 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. The church is also accepting donations of school supplies and gently used musical instruments.

Denise King, wife of First UMC’s associate pastor, the Rev. Claude King, teaches Head Start classes at Claremont Academy. “For many of our kids, school is the only safe place in their lives,” she said. “Activities we take for granted like sitting outside, going to the park or making a trip to the grocery store can be dangerous and life-threatening for our Englewood kids. We want to show them that life can be better and safer by having them go on field trips like this one.”

Karen Thompson, chair of First UMC’s outreach program “impACT,” sees the event as an opportunity to extend support to an economically disadvantaged community.

“Every month we offer a way for our congregation to make an impact by reaching out to others,” Thompson said. “When you consider the polar economic contrasts, 97.2% of Claremont Academy students come from low-income families versus Glen Ellyn School District 41’s 4.8%. This is our chance to go and to make a difference.”

Thompson said the church has conducted a back-to-school supply drive for a school in Chicago since 2000. “This year we’re focusing our fund-raising efforts on Claremont Academy’s music programs,” she said.

King pointed out that the drum line is one of many after-school activities at Claremont. “If we can give kids hope and let them know that they’re part of something bigger and wider than their neighborhood, we’re shining rays of promise for the future,” she said. “If all they see is what’s around them, and it’s scary and unsafe, they’ll never know what could be.

“Every kid in every one of these programs earns his or her way in with good grades and good behavior,” King said. “We hope everybody will come out to watch them perform.”

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Food for Sharing dedicates ‘Ed’

(August 4) A new Food for Sharing truck was dedicated on July 23 at Leon UMC in Prophetstown. The truck, nicknamed “Ed,” was donated by Clay E. “Ed” Mann and will be used to transport food and clothing from farm communities in western Illinois to food pantries and soup kitchens in Chicago.

The Rev. Larry Hilkemann, DeKalb District superintendent, and members of Food for Sharing joined the Leon UMC congregation for the dedication service.

“I believe that Jesus is delighted that we have a truck,” Hilkemann said, “and we are dedicating it to the glory of God.”

As children piled into the cab of the truck and began blowing its horn, adults gathered around the vehicle and laid their hands on it.

“Bless this truck for all of her errands of mercy and love,” Hilkemann said.

Jeff Steele had detailed the truck with the United Methodist cross and flame logo and the name “Ed” on the hood. “Missions in Motion” is lettered on the side. The door of the truck says “United Methodist Church, Northern Illinois Conference.”

“Ed” replaces the former Food for Sharing truck, “Louis,” that was named in honor of Louis Owens, who died last October. Shortly after Owens died, so did the truck that he had driven for so many years.

“It died last year,” said Roger Kallenbach of Morrison UMC, “but we’re going to resurrect it.”

In December 2005, after the truck had broken down and there was no money to replace it, Food for Sharing leaders met with Hilkemann to try to decide what to do.

“We said we didn’t have it, so let’s ask for it from the people of faith,” Hilkemann said. “At the district’s lay leadership meeting in January 2006, we announced that we had a need. Three weeks later, we got a truck.”

Chad Abell, member of Leon UMC, was instrumental in getting the new truck.

Abell, a certified Lay Speaker, attended Lay Speaker training in 2004, and his instructor asked him if he knew Ed Mann. “He told me to go visit Ed and invite him to church,” Abell said.

Despite his best intentions, Abell let the year slip away without ever visiting Mann. When Abell went to Lay Speaker training in 2005, his instructor asked him again about Mann. So Abell decided to visit.

“I just stopped by to say, ‘Hi.’ I saw the truck, so I asked about it,” Abell said. “Ed said he would consider giving it to us, so I put Roger in touch with Ed.”

“I said why don’t you just take the truck and have a good day,” Mann said. “I was using the truck to store hay, but I have a barn to do that. We figured it would be better used there than what we were going to do with it.” He also donated a spare gas tank and other spare parts.

“I think in 2004 God was planning all this,” Abell said. “I think God had plans for that truck long before we even needed one. The Holy Spirit was working through all of us.”

Donation of the new truck “means everything to us,” said Mary Lynn McArtor, member of Malta UMC and president of Food for Sharing. “We lost our other truck and our driver last fall. We had no way to deliver goods.”

Kallenbach, who was a Food for Sharing truck driver for many years, said that after the truck “Louis” broke down, it was used as a pickup point for donated goods. Once it is repaired, Kallenbach said, it will be painted with the same detailing that “Ed” sports and will be used again to deliver supplies. “We hope also to obtain a semi-tractor trailer and a van to take on mission trips,” he added.

Started in the mid 1980s by Orville Cunningham, member of Malta UMC who died in 1998, and Louis Owens, member of Woodlawn UMC in Chicago who died in 2005, Food for Sharing was originally a partnership between Malta UMC and Woodlawn UMC. The program enabled United Methodist farmers in the Malta area to provide food for Woodlawn UMC’s food pantry and soup kitchen.

Over the years, the partnership between the two congregations grew into a part-nership between DeKalb District and Chicago Southern District churches. Four times a year, food, clothing, furniture and household items are transported from DeKalb District churches to Chicago. Once a year, inner city children are bused out to farms for a “day in the country.”

Phyllis Cunningham, widow of Orville Cunningham, and Betty Owens, widow of Louis Owens and coordinator of the Woodlawn UMC food pantry, attended the truck dedication and reminisced about the early days of the program.

Cunningham and Owens met at a session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference. “Orville wanted to contribute farm produce, and Louis had a van,” Betty said. “They hit it off right away.”

The two worked together for years to build up the Food for Sharing program.

“Tears come to my eyes when I think about it,” Phyllis said. “I know that Orville is looking down on us right now and would enjoy seeing all this.”

“I think Orville and Louis are looking down on us together,” Betty said. “They would be pleased at how the program has grown.”

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Mandell members protest high gas prices

(August 4) Members of Mandell UMC, 5000 W. Congress Pkwy., Chicago, braved sun and scorching heat on .July 15 to join a protest against high gasoline prices.

“You have families on fixed incomes and single parents trying to raise children,” said Rita Hudson, Mandell UMC outreach and youth coordinator. “The price of gas is now ridiculous. This is one of the problems we face in our community.

“Many of our families are just trying to survive. The cost of trying to get to work is difficult in this day and age. And you no longer get a cost-of-living raise. Something definitely has to be done.”

The Rev. Gregory Livingston, Mandell UMC pastor, said the protest was organized by Rainbow Push Coalition, Village Citizen Alliance, South Austin Coalition and Mandell UMC. “We can’t do this by ourselves,” he said. “In light of the Enron scandal and things of that nature, we have to speak up.”

Livingston said the demonstrators want to talk to the petroleum companies about what raising gas prices is doing to poor people. “We feel that the gas companies could reduce their profit margins,” he said. “We already have a crumbling socioeconomic infrastructure in this country. This is just making it worse.”

The protest is about raising awareness, Livingston said. “This is about galvanizing the people to let them know that we can do some-thing. Justice comes from the bottom up. We need to let the people know that they have the power to make a difference, to make a change.”

Livingston said people can’t afford these prices. “We don’t think BP will hurt if they reduce their profit margins,” he said.

Protesters marched around the BP gas station at the corner of Laramie and Jackson Streets in Chicago for two hours, carrying signs that read “Honk if you think gas prices are too high.” And they got responses from those driving past. Drivers of cars, city buses, commercial semitrailer trucks, and even U.S. Postal Service vans, honked. It seemed that everyone thought gas prices are too high.

“Gas prices are entirely too high,” said Shirley Walker, member of Mandell UMC. “Gas prices seem to fluctuate during the week. But on Fridays they always go back up. I travel 25 miles back and forth to work every day. It cuts my income to pay these prices for gas. I’m paying $80 every two weeks. That’s a huge chunk out of my paycheck.”

Karla Readus, member of Mandell UMC who has young children, said she drives from Justice to Westchester every day to work.

Buying gas for that trip “takes food off the table just to compensate for the higher gas prices,” Readus said.

Some church members said high gas prices also cause health problems.

“This is very stressful,” said Maya Harvey, United Methodist Women secretary for Mandell UMC. “This is causing high blood pressure, stress headaches, and is affecting a lot of people’s health.”

Harvey said it also affects church attendance because some people can’t afford the gas to come to church.

Chicago Ward 28 Ald. Ed Smith joined the protest and said high gas prices are “a wrong that is being committed by these gas companies.”

“People out here are advocating because they know a wrong is being committed,” Smith said.

Smith said other churches should be doing what Mandell UMC is doing. “This is one thing that the churches should be involved in,” he said. “This is something that is adversely affecting our community. People are concerned but they don’t know how to get involved. If the churches ever decided to get involved and wake up, everybody would be bowing on their knees to these communities.”

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Wilmington First work trip to
Iowa City helps Habitat get ahead

By Ally Cherveny and Brian Coleman

(August 4) This year marks the 10th anniversary of First UMC of Wilmington’s first Habitat for Humanity work trip. This summer youths from First UMC traveled to Iowa City, Iowa, to help in restoration of the area’s soon-to-be new ReStore and construct the foundation for a new home.

The ReStore is one of many ways Habitat for Humanity raises funds to build its homes. The store sells donated used items at a discounted price.

When the youth group, consisting of 15 youths and 11 adults, arrived at Hope UMC in Iowa City, members of our temporary residence welcomed us. Monday we got our first glimpse of the old maintenance garage used as an office. Our team began scrubbing down some walls, tearing down others, putting up new walls, priming and painting.

This work continued until Wednesday when some of us were moved to another location to begin constructing walls on a new home. Thursday and Friday, the team was split up to work at both locations again. Friday, though, work was halted around noon and we headed out for some great food at the Amana Colonies, a settlement of seven villages in eastern Iowa that is a National Historic Landmark consisting of 475 historical sites and buildings. Some other volunteers our team had worked with during the week accompanied us to the Amanas.

The 26-member team was the largest ever from First UMC. As a group we truly believe that God sent us to Iowa Valley Habitat. They had such a work load and didn’t know how they were going to get it done. With the help of our group, they were able to get their building up to a working order by the time we left.

It wasn’t finished, but they could work out of it. Habitat was a week behind when we got there, and a week ahead when we left on Friday!

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