Included on the slate is the Rev. Gregory Dell, who was suspended from his pastoral duties, effective July 5, by a trial court who found him "disobedient to the order and discipline of the United Methodist Church" because he conducted a holy union service for two men who are members of Dell's congregation, Broadway UMC in Chicago. The Rev. Larry Pickens, pastor of Maple Park UMC in Chicago and who served as Dell's counsel for the trial, was also elected.
NIC members also approved a petition to be sent to General Conference calling for deletion of the sentence in the United Methodist Discipline that says: "Although we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching, we affirm that God's grace is available to all."
The petition calls for the deleted sentence to be replaced with: "Within our church, the practice of homosexuality is both celebrated and condemned. We affirm that God's grace is available to all. Therefore, we commit ourselves to prayer and conferencing across the church in which we can reflect on the issues of homosexuality and human sexuality, in general. We encourage the church's dialogue to be grounded in its understanding of Scripture, reason, tradition and experience."
A resolution encouraging members of the Northern Illinois Conference to offer pastoral ministry to homosexual persons was approved by a vote of 374 to 310. The resolution called for pastoral guidance of congregations in the spiritual and education discernment process regarding the care of all members of the church. It also called for ministry to homosexual persons regarding "their struggles for reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self." The resolution also called on members "to acknowledge the commitment of two homosexual persons to be in loving and mutually beneficial relationships with each other and with God."
When asked to rule on the legality of the resolution, Bishop C. Joseph Sprague ruled that the resolution is legal because it does not call for any ceremony, rite or blessing service for homosexual unions. His ruling was appealed by the Rev. Kent Svendsen, pastor of Reynolds UMC in Ashton. The appeal will go to the Judicial Council, the denomination's highest judicial body, for review.
The Annual Conference also voted to petition General Conference to restructure the Judicial Council. The petition calls for increasing the number of members from nine to 11, and requiring representation from all five jurisdictions and the Central Conferences as a group. The nine-member Council now has five members from the Southeast Jurisdiction, three from the South Central Juris-diction and one from the Northeast Jurisdiction.
The Judicial Council ruled last year that the sentence in the church's Discipline that prohibits pastors from conducting same-sex covenanting services was enforceable as church law despite its placement in the "Social Principles," a section of the Discipline that has historically been considered advisory.
The Annual Conference elected six clergy and six lay delegates to General Conference. It also elected six other clergy and six other lay delegates who will join the General Conference delegates at the North Central Jurisdictional Conference July 12-15, 2000, in Milwaukee to elect bishops. The first two Jurisdictional Conference delegates elected in each category also serve as alternate delegates to General Conference.
Dell, the sixth clergy delegate elected to General Conference, was eligible for election, according to a ruling by Bishop Sprague, because Dell's suspension has not yet begun. Until July 5, Dell is an active clergy member of the Conference.
Sprague pointed out that unless Dell's appeal, which will be heard in August, changes the suspension penalty or Dell signs a pledge not to conduct any more same-sex union services, he will not be eligible to be seated at General Conference which meets in Cleveland, May 1-12, 2000. In that case, an alternate will be seated in his place.
For the first time in history, Northern Illinois Conference members used voting machines to elect six clergy and six lay delegates to General Conference, six more clergy and six more lay delegates who will join the General Conference delegates to attend the North Central Jurisdictional Conference, and two alternate delegates to Jurisdictional Conference. It took 27 ballots to elect the entire slate.
Legislation referred to Nov. Special Session
(United Methodist Reporter, June 18) In legislative business, the Northern Illinois Annual Conference approved a resolution from the Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CCFA) requiring CCFA's review and prior approval of any legal expenses for lawsuits or other litigation in which the Conference might be involved.
The resolution from CCFA was submitted as a result of the NIC trial last March of the Rev. Greg Dell. More than $123,000 (approximately $107,000 of which was for attorney's fees) has been spent by the Conference in the prosecution of Dell to date. The total is expected to increase because of Dell's appeal of the trial verdict.
"As an attorney, I'm speaking against my economic interests here," said Rod Osborne, lay member from Western Springs. "I personally think these fees are incredible. But I wasn't there. But somebody better be there next time."
Conference members also approved a resolution calling for the immediate closing of the U.S. Army School of the Americas in Fort Benning, GA. Another resolution called upon the governor and the Illinois legislature to immediately enact a moratorium on the death penalty.
After lengthy discussion, Annual Conference members voted to close Peace UMC in Chicago so it can be reopened as a new Hispanic congregation.
When time to consider legislation ran out, Annual Conference members approved a resolution to refer all remaining petitions and resolutions to the newly elected delegation to General Conference for their study "without prejudice." The delegation was also instructed to study the denomination's material, The Church Studies Homosexuality, and report back to the Special Session of Annual Conference that will meet at Court Street UMC in Rockford on Nov. 13.
Annual Conference voted that, in addition to time already allocated for discussion and review of the 2000 budget, at least two hours will be set aside during the Special Session for legislative sections to discuss resolutions not dealt with during last week's session.
"I have felt an increasing amount of pain," said the Rev. Paul Meyers, pastor of Cornerstone UMC in Plato Center, "because we have not sat down and talked about this issue [homosexuality], but instead we debate as we have today."
Annual Conference approved a motion from Meyers calling for all NIC caucus groups "to step out of their caucuses and come together to talk about the issue of homosexuality and the church with the intention of listening to each other in Christian love and finding a solution to our chasm of difference."
Sprague says God will lead us through the wilderness
(United Methodist Reporter, June 18) With jazz versions of familiar hymns encouraging toe tapping, hand clapping, singing, swaying and even out-of-the seat dancing around the auditorium, the opening worship service for the 160th Northern Illinois Annual Conference session gave participants a spirit-filled start to their four days in DeKalb.
In his opening sermon, Bishop C. Joseph Sprague directly addressed the fact that, while some members of Annual Conference had arrived in DeKalb "flying higher than a kite," others were fighting the "wilderness experience" of discouragement, disgruntlement and disengagement.
"God leads God's people in wilderness experiences," Sprague assured his listeners, "and does so by providing promised resources for the journey. In life, in death, in life beyond death and in every wilderness moment, God is with us leading, ever leading."
Sprague noted that discouragement and disgruntlement are "understandable" today.
"Some are disgruntled because Greg Dell received too much, others because he received too little," Sprague said. "Some are disgruntled that I was so outspoken, others that I did not say or do enough."
Sprague drew loud applause when he referred to the Conference's recent fight against expansion of gambling in Illinois. Disengagement is understandable, Sprague said, "in a political culture in which a Governor-to-be makes a promise to a bishop, a whole people and then seemingly reneges in a few short months because of head-turning and heart-cooling big money on the table. We know that the poor will be fleeced again at a gambling boat that cannot sail on two feet of Rosemont water."
Sprague recommended that those who feel discouraged should "look again into the eyes of the child for whom your congregation is safe sanctuary, examine anew the non-verbals of the homeless families who sleep safe and secure on pads in your building, hear again the sighs too deep for words of the forgiven sinners, and remember the beloved saints who have died, taking leave on the wings of your congregation's prayers."
"If you are disengaged, weary and worn, fearful, cynical and beat up," Sprague said, "rattle the bones of your saints and recall how long some of them kept on keeping on against all odds — when slavery was king, when the Central Jurisdiction was a sop to white privilege, when walls were high in Berlin and South Africa, when war ravaged the proud nation of Korea, when first generation immigrants came to a land and Conference which knew not either their language or ethnic traditions, when women were excluded from ordination and consecration, not to mention voice and vote, Japanese American war heroes went to interment camps to visit parents and grandparents and Puerto Ricans could not elect their own Methodist bishop."
Ordination
(United Methodist Reporter, June 18) Eight elders, eight transitional deacons and one permanent deacon were ordained during a service of ordination and consecration on Sunday, June 6.
Orders of four elders from other denominations were recognized, three diaconal ministers were consecrated and one person was commissioned into probationary membership toward ordination as a permanent deacon.
Thirty clergy retired from active service.
10 new elders
Newly ordained elders in the Northern Illinois Conference are: David Aslesen, Travis Bonnette-Kim, Gale Brandner, Juancho Campañano (orders recognized from another denomination), Jacques Conway, Wendy Hardin, Soon Sun Park Lee, Carol Quinn, Timothy Rathod (orders recognized from another denomination) and Young Seon Kim.
8 transitional deacons
Eight candidates who were ordained transitional deacons are: Amy Louise Anderson, Bonnie Campbell, Mark Harkness, Joseph Johnson, Sherrie R. Lowly, Bill Mann, Colleen Norman and Yoshiya Takahashi.
2 probationary elders
Transfers into the Northern Illinois Conference as probationary elders were: Digna Campañano, from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, and Ernest C. Singh, from the Presbyterian Church in America.
Permanent deacon
Ordained as a permanent deacon was Adrienne Ann Ilseman.
Probationary permanent deacon
Commissioned into probationary membership toward ordination as a permanent deacon was Barbara Javore.
3 diaconals consecrated
Consecrated as diaconal ministers were Rose Arroyo, Jane Cheema and Kathye Harrington-Taber.
Churches send more than 3,000 lbs. of relief supplies for Balkans to Conference
(United Methodist Reporter, June 18) Churches in the Northern Illinois Conference brought more than 3,000 pounds of health, school and baby kits to this year's session of Annual Conference for disbursement to refugees and displaced families in Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and other areas of the Balkans.
"We were thrilled to death with the response," said Ted Byers, member of the Conference Mission Motivation Committee. "We had a load going out every day" during the four-day Annual Conference session held June 5-8 at the University of Northern Illinois in DeKalb.
Byers said three van loads and two truck loads of kits were sent to Church World Service. The truck was provided by B. J. and Dolly Lamb from Cortland UMC, Byers said. Janet Young of Church World Service hauled three van loads of kits from DeKalb to Church World Service offices in Elgin.
Byers said Grace UMC of Naperville, with the help of a school, provided 600 health kits. York-house UMC in Waukegan worked with a local school to assemble 258 health kits. First UMC in Crystal Lake also provided "quite a few," Byers said. "They don't know how many."
In addition, more than $1,300 was collected for Church World Service for supplies for Balkan area refugees, and more than $3,000 went to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Kosovo Appeal.
Some churches sent kits directly to UMCOR, Byers said. Wheatland-Salem UMC in Naperville sent over 700 kits to UMCOR. Wesley UMC in Aurora sent more than 200 kits to UMCOR.
"We'd like to do the same thing next year," Byers said, "but we'd like to have all of the kits collected at once. Maybe we could have the Bishop throw the last kit on the truck and say a blessing as the truck leaves for the UMCOR warehouse in Louisiana."
McCoy says ministry of saints proved how they looked forward to God's city
(United Methodist Reporter, June 18)Preaching at the Memorial Service honoring lay and clergy members of the Northern Illinois Conference who died since the last year's annual conference session, the Rev. Dr. Myron McCoy, pastor of St. Mark UMC in Chicago, told the audience that death is not far from any of us. He said that awareness can be an advantage if it motivates us to get our houses in order.
McCoy noted that the loved ones, colleagues, friends and neighbors being memorialized lived lives and did work and ministry that demonstrated "how they looked forward to the city that has foundations whose architect and builder is God."
McCoy said that as we face our future, we can take comfort in remembering that "all who seek to follow Christ in the way everlasting are heirs of a blessedness that can only be bestowed in the place of God's perfect habitation."
But, McCoy said, although we are the beneficiaries of a God-sponsored, God-arranged destiny, we are also agents of a decided destiny, instruments of that destiny, co-laborers or workers with God.
"Though our gaze is upward and though it focuses lastly and finally on a land fairer than day, our work, our labor, our struggle is at the level of our human existence," McCoy said. "We work out our soul's salvation with grace being operative here on the earth, on the rough roads and in the rocky soil of the human condition, but we can't stay here forever.
"This house we live in will decay one day," McCoy said. "It's destined to die. I know our physicians may have declared us physically fit on Friday or the day before. But guess what? You and I have dates with dust. We're candidates for the cemetery, and our reservations have been made without the privilege of cancellation."
During the journey on earth, McCoy said, each of us makes choices that determine how our faith grows. But the journey, he said, is "the journey our friends and loved ones we memorialize this day took and the journey you and I must take one day."
100 years of Methodism in Puerto Rico celebrated
(United Methodist Reporter, June 18) Bishop Juan Antonio Vera-Mendez, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico, told members of the Northern Illinois Conference that Methodist missionaries were successful in converting Puerto Ricans to Methodism because they offered empowerment as well as conversion.
"Methodist missions were places of education in the communities," Vera-Mendez said, noting that the missionaries built churches, schools and orphanages everywhere they went.
The early Methodist missionaries "founded communities of believers and centers of community empowerment," Vera-Mendez said.
He said the modern day Methodist Church in Puerto Rico is thriving. He reported that 40 new churches have been established in Puerto Rico in the last 10 years.
160th Annual Conference, June 5-8,
to 'focus gifts for mission, ministry'
By the Rev. Margaret Ann Williams
Annual Conference Committee Chairperson
(United Methodist Reporter, April 16) The 160th Northern Illinois Annual Conference, June 5-8, promises to be an exciting session with the theme "Focusing our Gifts for Mission & Ministry." The meeting will be held at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Special celebrations of ministries include 100 years of Puerto Rican Methodism with Bishop Juan A. Vera Mendez, who will also preach at the ordination service, ministries for older adults across the Conference, and the 50th anniversary of the United Methodist Foundation (UMF).
Sandra Kelly Lackore, general secretary/treasurer from the General Council on Finance & Administration, will make a special presentation to the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) for its full payment of apportionments to the General Church. The NIC is one of 10 Conferences that paid 100% of its apportionments last year.
This year we will elect General and Jurisdictional delegates for year 2000. Six delegates of clergy and six laity will be elected to General and to Jurisdictional Conferences. Alternates for each will also be elected.
'A Church for All God's Children'
The Connectional Process Team created by the 1996 General Conference will make its Preliminary Report on ways for the Church to be in ministry into the future. A progress report on development of a new NIC structure will also be presented by a Conference task force.
The Episcopal Initiative Task Force, as per a resolution at last year's Annual Conference, will recognize local churches who are "A Church for All God's Children."
In celebrating its 50th anniversary, UMF will share its vision for the 21st century of service to NIC churches and members.
The youth and young adults participating in a mission trip to Israel this summer will be commissioned. United Methodist missionaries Al and Mavis Streyffeler, serving in Dakar, Senegal, will discuss their work.
Scouting
The NIC Committee on Scouting is spearheading a Civic Youth-Serving Agencies Day on the opening day to lift up the youth evangelism and ministry carried out by individuals and local churches. A lifetime Achievement Award will be presented by the Committee on Scouting.
The Hunger Relief Advocate (HRA) Program is one of three designees for a special offering. The other two are Hope for the Children of Africa and Puerto Rico.
Reports will include Laity, Cabinet, Program Staff, NIC Council on Finance & Administration, Shalom Zone and NIC Development Corporation, Anti-Gambling Task Force and Board of Ordained Ministry.
Worship services
The opening worship service, with Bishop C. Joseph Sprague preaching, will include special music by a jazz ensemble. The Memorial Service will be preached by the Rev. Myron McCoy and will feature a Korean women's choir. The Ordination Service will include a gospel soloist, classical music and diverse hymns. A special worship/celebration of the 100 years of Puerto Rican Methodism is being coordinated by the Rev. Luis Reyes.
Theme hymn for the Annual Conference is from the Covenant Hymnal and is to the tune of Joyful, Joyful. The second verse begins: "You have called us to be faithful in our life and ministry. We respond in grateful worship, joined in one community."
For information and arrangements
during Annual Conference:
- Meal Events: Sondra King, (815) 763-6341
- Exhibits: Sondra King, (815) 763-6341
- Recognitions: Tom Hardwick, (815) 248-2461
- Worship Ushers: Harriet McCabe, (630) 355-4617
- Plenary Ushers: Char Hoffman, (815) 946-3212
- Worship Service: Linda Foster Momsen, (847) 825-3144
- Registration/Housing: Jim Harvey, (773) 380-5060
- Credentials: Margaret Lundahl, (773) 734-0841
- Section Leaders: Martha Coursey, (708) 448-6682
- Daily Procedures: Rita Root, (815) 758-8176
- Conference Secretary: Dan Swinson (815) 734-4853
- General Inquiries: Margaret Ann Williams, (312) 829-7555
Annual Conference to collect refugee kits
(United Methodist Reporter, May 28) All churches in the Northern Illinois Conference are being asked to send "Gift of the Heart" health, school and baby kits to this year's session of annual conference for refugees and displaced families in Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and throughout the Balkans.
Information about the kits was included in pre-conference mailings to every member of annual conference earlier this month.
Ted Byers, member of the Conference Mission Motivation Committee and lay member to annual conference from First UMC in Waukegan, said the kits are urgently needed by Church World Service and other agencies assisting the refugees.
"We have seen pictures of the refugees in the news," Byers said, "coming off buses and walking down the roads with, essentially, only the clothes on their backs. By sending these kits, we can at least provide them with some small, simple things to help hold them over until their fate is decided."
Church World Service (CWS) has indicated that in April it sent more than 22,000 recovery kits to the Balkans. The April shipment depleted CWS' supplies of school kits. As a result, CWS has sent out an urgent appeal for more school kits and other sup-plies.
Each health kit should include: one hand towel, one wash cloth, one comb, one metal nail file, one bath-size bar of soap, one toothbrush, one 4- to 7- ounce tube of toothpaste and six adhesive bandages.
All items should be bundled into the towel and tied with ribbon or yarn.
Each school kit should include: one pair of blunt scissors, pads or note-books of ruled 8½" x 11" paper, one 12" ruler, one pencil sharpener, six new pencils with erasers, one large eraser, 12 sheets of colored construction pa- per, one box of 24 crayons, one 12" x 14" cloth bag with cloth handles. Items should be packed into the cloth bag with the top of the bag folded over and secured with two large rubber bands.
Each baby kit (layette) should include: four cloth diapers, two shirts, two washcloths, two gowns or sleepers, two diaper pins, one sweater or sweatshirt, and two receiving blankets. All items should be wrapped inside a receiving blanket and secured with diaper pins.
Byers said no specified time during annual conference activities has been set for kits to be presented. His committee will collect the kits throughout the four days of the session on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, June 5-8.
The kits will be taken to CWS' Elgin offices, which will process and ship them to the refugee areas. "We hope we'll have so many kits we'll have to rent a truck or something," Byers said.
Noting that these kits are needed whenever people suffer as the result of natural or human-caused disasters, Byers said he hopes that bringing such kits to annual conference will become a tradition.
"It always seems like there is some place in the world where there is a problem: tornadoes, hurricanes, something," Byers said. "Every time we go to annual conference, it's sad to say, some type of disaster has happened.
We should just make bringing a health kit or school kit or baby kit a regular part of coming to conference. We should just make people aware of missions as a part of coming to conference."
Byers said he is hoping for participation from everyone "whether they bring one kit or bring a box full of kits."
For more information about the project, call Byers at his home, (847) 336-9241, or at his office, (847) 816-0063.
June 5: Coppock to speak at youth-serving agencies luncheon
Sky Room, Holmes Student Center, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
Larry Coppock, Director of the Office of Civic Youth-Serving Agencies of The United Methodist Church, will be featured speaker at a luncheon at 12:30 p.m. June 5 at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb. He will speak at a luncheon focused on scouting and other youth-serving agencies. It is being sponsored by the Conference Committee on Scouting. The lunch is $12. 
Dan Henry, 227 Charlotte Ln., Bolingbrook, IL 60440, (630) 739-0506
June 5: Clergy Mates: 'Cast a Vision to the Future'
Presidential Suite, Holmes Center, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
Northern Illinois Clergy Mates will on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. The meeting's program at 2 p.m. will "Cast a Vision to the Future." Child care will be provided.
- Margaret Rhoads, (815) 885-3738.
June 6: Higher Education dinner
Wesley Foundation/United Campus Ministry, 633 W. Locust St., DeKalb
The Conference Board of Higher Education and Ministry will host a dinner at 5:15 p.m. Sunday. The dinner is in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Annual Conference, being held here on the campus of Northern Illinois University. Tickets for the dinner are $15.
- (815) 758-8176.
June 7: United Voices for Children Annual Conference Breakfast
Regency Room, Holmes Center, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
The United Voices for Children Annual Conference Breakfast will be held on Monday at 6:30 a.m. The Bishop Jesse DeWitt Child Advocacy Award winners will be announced during the program that will focus on children's issues. Tickets are $10.
- To reserve space, contact Mrs. Avery Williams, 2231 E. 67th St., Chicago, IL 60649, (773) 684-7347.
For a nomination form, contact Phyllis Steward, United Voices for Children coordinator, 77 W. Washington St., Suite 1830, Chicago, IL 60602, (312) 346-9766, ext. 322.
June 7: UMW Annual Conference dinner: 'Make Plain the Vision/Mission Today'
Regency Room, Holmes Center, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
The Rev. Judith Giese will be the featured speaker at the United Methodist Women's dinner on Monday during the Northern Illinois Annual Conference's 160th session in DeKalb. Giese will address "Make Plain the Vision/Mission Today." The dinner will be at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are $15. Reservations are due by May 28.
- Alice Haben, P.O. Box 143, Oswego, IL 60543.
'Nights on the Districts' to be 3-pronged
(United Methodist Reporter, May 7) This month, the Bishop's "Nights on the Districts" will be three-pronged, including a pre-conference briefing. Bishop C. Joseph Sprague will discuss the state of the Conference; Program Officer the Rev. Phil Blackwell will preview the report of the Conference Priority Task Force; and a briefing on the Annual Conference agenda, elections and petition process will be presented.
All clergy must attend a briefing. Lay Members and alternates to Annual Conference are encouraged to attend.
Resolution 700-24 adopted at the November 1998 special session of Annual Conference mandated a task force recommend to the June session, which will be held June 5-8 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, a set of priorities for the Conference and a process to review them.
The task force was appointed by Bishop Sprague and is led by Helen Fannings Ammons, assisted by Blackwell.
The task force will recommend that the stated purpose of the Conference be revised as follows (change in italics):
"The purpose of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference is to make disciples for Jesus Christ — disciples who will make a difference in the world — by equipping its local faith communities for a ministry of witness, justice, hope, and love, and by providing a connection for mission beyond the congregation; all to the glory of God."
The task force will recommend adoption of four Conference priorities to which NIC allocates "first fruits" of resources:
1) Develop leaders for the Church — Further develop systems to identify, recruit, train, support and evaluate leaders, with particular attention to youth and young adults. Recruitment of clergy, especially among racial/ethnic minorities, also is considered essential and must be emphasized.
2) Develop and redevelop the Church — Continue to provide direction and resources for new church development and redevelopment of existing congregations. Affirm our commitment to General Church priorities of the National Plan for Hispanic Ministries and Strengthening the Black Church.
3) Reconnect the connection — Strive to repair disunities and strengthen theconnection within our cultural, ethnic and theological diversity. Provide opportunities for dialogue around our Wesleyan heritage and explicitly claim and clearly communicate our identity as the "people called Methodists." To aid in doing so, we will use emerging technology, multi-language publications and media and public relations strategies.
4) Claim Christ on the margins — Reassert our commitment to serve the neediest in our midst. Reaffirm support of Shalom Zones, community development efforts, the Bishops' Initiative on Children and Poverty and other emerging ministrieswith the poor.
Schedule for the Nights on the District and pre-conference briefings for each District is as follows:
- Rockford: Monday, May 10, 7-9 p.m. at Faith UMC, 1440 S. Walnut St., Freeport
- Chicago Southern: Tuesday, May 11, 7-9 p.m. at Hazel Crest UMC, 17050 S. California Ave.
- Elgin: Wednesday, May 12, 7-9 p.m. at First UMC, 123 N. Plum Grove, Palatine
- DeKalb: Thursday, May 13, 7-9 p.m. at Rochelle UMC, 709 4th Ave.
- Chicago Northwestern: Tuesday, May 18, 7-9 p.m. at First UMC, 1630 Hinman Ave., Evanston
- Aurora: Wednesday, May 19, 7-9 p.m. at Wesley UMC, 14 N. May St., Aurora
Clergy Session to be May 20 at UMC of Geneva
(United Methodist Reporter, May 7) The Clergy Session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference will be held on Thursday, May 20, at UMC of Geneva, 211 Hamilton St. The meeting is convening in a suburban locale this year after previously meeting in urban and rural settings in Chicago and Freeport, respectively.
This year's session will feature a presentation on Disciples of Christ in Community. This program of spiritual formation has reportedly proven to be a vital source of congregational renewal. Its proponents claim that it develops an experience of vital community and deepened stewardship and discipleship. The pres-entation will run from 1:30-5:30 p.m.
Last year, clergy focused on town and country ministries in the Conference's Rockford District in the northwestern part of the state. The two-day event was aimed at raising awareness among the Conference's clergy to the unique issues involved in rural ministry. Attention was also given to urban ministries in cities other than Chicago.
In 1997, the clergy met in May to focus on helping children in urban settings. They gathered in Chicago and then spread out over the city in teams to help in child-care agencies, such as community centers and schools.
This year's one-day executive session of the clergy will begin with gathering and registration at 8 a.m. Worship will be held at 9 a.m. A business session, including reports and actions presented by the Board of Ordained Ministry, will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
All clergy members of the Northern Illinois Conference are expected to attend the session, which is part of the business conducted in conjunction with the 160th Northern Illinois Annual Conference which will be held at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, June 5-8.
In a related development, the Judicial Council
affirmed on April 26 that Bishop C. Joseph Sprague properly convened the special clergy session in May 1998, even though the regular session was scheduled less than three weeks later.
Focusing our Gifts 
Sandra Kelly Lackore, (second from right) General Secretary of the General Council on Finance and Administration, awarded the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) a certificate of appreciation for its payment of 100% of its 1998 apportionments to the general church. Noting that the North Central Jurisdiction, in which the NIC is located, ranked second in total payment of apportionments among the five jurisdictions in the United States, Lackore said: "You folks made the difference." Receiving the award is Ken Jeppsen, chair of the NIC Council on Finance and Administration. At left is Bishop C. Joseph Sprague; at right is Judy Moore, Conference Treasurer/Director of Administrative Services.