|
|
News
|
|
Archived news stories are located here. Click on the title for the full story.
|
North Central Jurisdictional Conference
|
 July 16-19, 2008 – 276 delegates from ten annual conferences in the North Central Jurisdiction will meet in Grand Rapids, MI to elect one new bishop. Five new bishops will be elected in the U.S. conferences.
Click here to learn more: |
Larry Pickens Endorsed by Northern Illinois Conference for Bishop
|
|
 Someone who serves with “intelligence, integrity, humility and leadership” are words being used to describe the Northern Illinois Conference’s Episcopal Candidate, Rev. Larry Pickens.
Click here to visit his website: www.larrypickens.org |
|
 10 days. 1,600 resolutions. 988 delegates and 140 translators for 9 languages. Nearly 1,000,000 words written by reporters. You can read every word at www.gc2008.com. General Conference 2008 is now history.
Here are some General Conference highlights:
Nothing Buts Nets Challenge – Be a part of the $40,000 challenge from the Northern Illinois Conference delegation to all United Methodists in the NIC. Be a part of the effort to eradicate Malaria by making a donation before Annual Conference (June 5, 2005). Click here for details:
Read about the Challenge
Nothing But Nets Video
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung preaches at General Conference and encourages the church to use both “holiness” and “hospitality” to build the kingdom of God.
Read full text of Bishop’s Jung sermon, “Jesus, Remember Me”
Bishop Jung preaching video
|
 |
Three Simple
Rules: For more information, click
here.
Study Guide Excerpt:
Even as people of faith, we find our lives can be messy, filled with addiction, fretfulness, and fears.
John Wesley believed that living a holy and good life required help from a caring community,
commitment to the practice of spiritual discipline, and ongoing instruction. For him, the Great
Commandment superseded all others as “a guide to the highest form of faithfulness.” |
 |
Annual Conference 2008: June 5th - 7th, 2008,
Pheasant Run
“We as an Annual Conference are about the business of scattering seeds. We are scattering seeds in the hearts and minds of our clergy, with the prayer that we might be swept up in a faith that is rooted in the scriptures, a faith that is watered by our connectional community, a faith that cannot be contained but must be shared as a passion, a passion for God that multiplies a hundredfold.” --
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
|
|
|
Three Simple
Rules: For more information, click
here.
Study Guide Excerpt:
Even as people of faith, we find our lives can be messy, filled with addiction, fretfulness, and fears.
John Wesley believed that living a holy and good life required help from a caring community,
commitment to the practice of spiritual discipline, and ongoing instruction. For him, the Great
Commandment superseded all others as “a guide to the highest form of faithfulness.” |
 |
Our Conference Mourns
- Schools, businesses and media outlets across Illinois and the country are
posting this ribbon on their web sites in a show of unity and sympathy with
the Northern Illinois University community. Click
here to see the
response from the Northern Illinois Conference. |
 |
February 25-27 –
“Christian Peacemaking in the Holy Land and Korea” A world summit featuring church leaders, scholars, authors looking at issues involved in reconciliation and peacemaking in two divided areas of the world. How can we make peace, mend divisions, and heal brokenness? This conference will bring together prophetic and challenging voices for peacemaking in the Holy Land and Korea.
Click to download the event flyer
here and the registration form
here.
|
 |
March 1 –
“Planting Passion for God in the Lives We Touch”, Keynote speaker: the Rev. Arlene Christopherson, Assistant to the Bishop, Northern Illinois Conference. This event will also offer a day full of hands-on workshops on aged based ministries: Children, young adults and older adults.
Click to download the event flyer
here and the registration form
here.
|
 |
March 7-8 –
“Emergence” - NIC Urban Convocation, Keynote speaker: Rev. Rudy Rasmus. Seven years ago, Rev. Rudy Rasmus and his wife, Juanita arrived at an inner city UMC in downtown Houston. There were nine official members of the church. Today, the church has swelled to more than 3,600 members and become a social service center for the downtown homeless, and a center for HIV-positive children.
Click to download the event flyer
here and the registration form
here.
|
 |
April 12 –
“Go the to the Mountain, Go to the Masses”: a day of spiritual and congregational renewal with Rev. Barry Carpenter. This presentation took place last October with rave reviews. One participant said, “I want everyone in my church to hear Barry Carpenter.” If you weren’t able to make the first event, you have another chance. This will be an inspiring day you won’t want to miss. For anyone who wants to experience passionate spirituality and is interested in helping their church grow.
Click to download the event flyer and registration form
here.
|
|
|
New Aurora District Superintendent named...
On Thursday, January 31st Bishop Hee-Soo Jung announced the appointment of Rev. Diana Mason Facemyer as the incoming Aurora District Superintendent effective July 1st. Rev. Facemyer will succeed Rev. Danita Anderson who has served in the position of Aurora District Superintendent for seven years and will move on to a new ministry setting effective July 1st.
more… |
|
|
Rev. Dr. Larry Pickens endorsed for Episcopal Candidacy... Bringing a wealth of local church and global ministry experience, Rev. Pickens was endorsed by the NIC General and Jurisdictional Conference delegations after “prayerful and deliberation and discussion.” The delegations said that after considering “God’s call, candidate preparation and readiness to serve in the Episcopal role”, Rev. Pickens received their endorsement. Episcopal candidates will be considered at the North Central Jurisdictional Conference to be held in July, 2008.
more...
|
|
|
Walter Kimbrough preaching at Days on the District for Clergy & Laity…
The Reverend Walter L. Kimbrough’s ministry has been characterized by evangelism, pastoral care, teaching and community service. A noted workshop leader, Bible Study teacher, motivator, administrator and preacher, Reverend Kimbrough is also the recipient of many honors and awards, some of which include an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Morris Brown College, 1991 and the Denman Award for Excellence in Evangelism in 1988. Don’t miss an opportunity to hear Dr. Kimbrough in Northern Illinois, January 30-February 2 at a Day on the District event.
more… |
|
|
Catching the Vision of Harvest 2020 to Build Growing Congregations...
Lay leaders inspired to use the gospel to change our world culturally and
spiritually.
more... |
 |
Ecumenical Events Promote Christian Unity... Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25
more…
|
|
|
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung Reflects on his Renewal Leave... The Bishop of the Northern Illinois Conference was in Korea last fall for renewal leave, Read about his moments teaching at a university, reconnecting with family and strengthening his spiritual journey.
more…
|
 |
Storms Bring Damage and Church Responds... Poplar Grove UMC mobilizes to help local residents recover from violent storm damage.
more…
|
 |
HIV/AIDS raises the question: How can the church be silent when there are 40 million people suffering with this disease? During December, please take time to pause and consider how this disease has devastated families around the world and see how you can become a congregation that cares.
more... |
 |
NIC Conference Delegation Sets Schedule... The delegation for the General and Jurisdictional Conferences has announced the schedule of meeting dates. These meetings will enable groups or individuals wishing to meet with the delegation to schedule a time.
more... |
September 2007
Cambodian Missionary Visits Northern Illinois Churches ... Clara Mridula Biswas is one of nine missionaries/missionary families that are in a covenant relationship with the Northern Illinois Conference. She recently visited a number of churches in the conference to share stories from her work.
more...
A Meditation on September 11th ... Today is a day we shall never forget. This is a day in which we can pray, take action for peace.
more...
My Good Deed: Change the world one good deed at a time.
September is open house month in the United Methodist Church ... Radical Hospitality means to “intentionally recognize Christ in everyone -- and to remember that guests may look for Christ in us.”
more...
Ideas for becoming a welcoming congregation
Storms bring flooding to Northern Illinois Church
... It rained for days and days. Was this the Midwestern states in late
August 2007 or the Biblical story about Noah from Genesis chapters 6-9?
more...
The Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church responds to the Statement of the Pope Benedict
XVI regarding the Catholic Church
... On July 11, 2007, many of our parishioners may have seen the
Associated Press headlines "Vatican decree upsets some: Document reasserts
other denominations can't bring salvation."
more...
UMC Council of Bishop’s Statement
Pope Benedict XVI’s statement
|
August 2007
|
|
September is open house month in the United Methodist Church ... Radical Hospitality means to “intentionally recognize Christ in everyone -- and to remember that guests may look for Christ in us.”
more...
Ideas for becoming a welcoming congregation
Storms bring flooding to Northern Illinois Church
... It rained for days and days. Was this the Midwestern states in late
August 2007 or the Biblical story about Noah from Genesis chapters 6-9?
more...
The Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church responds to the Statement of the Pope Benedict
XVI regarding the Catholic Church
... On July 11, 2007, many of our parishioners may have seen the
Associated Press headlines "Vatican decree upsets some: Document reasserts
other denominations can't bring salvation."
more...
UMC Council of Bishop’s Statement
Pope Benedict XVI’s statement
Bishop Jung speaks out on the arrest and deportation of Elvira Arellano ... Statement in Response to the Arrest and Deportation of Elvira Arellano.
more...
Bishop Jung Statement on Immigration
… The Bishop invites all people of faith to be in prayer over the complex issue of immigration in the United States.
more...
Immigration Activist is Arrested After Leaving Refuge of Church
… Elvira Arellano who spent a year in sanctuary in the Adalberto United Methodist Church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago was arrested Sunday afternoon (August 19) in Los Angeles...
more...
Elvira Arellano Leaves Sanctuary to Speak Out on Immigration Reform ... On August 15, 2006, Elvira Arellano who is a member and lay leader of Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago, an immigration rights activist and a mother took sanctuary in her church rather than face deportation to her native Mexico.
more...
Faith Communities Push for Immigration Reform ... There
has been a great deal of public debate and several attempts within the U.S.
Congress to bring new solutions to immigration reform.
more...
Director, Media Resource Center position available (more) …
Pembroke Institute Focuses on Youth Leadership Development
... The Pembroke Institute is a leadership development and ministerial recruitment academy
which invites black youth (age 14 - 21) to Garrett Evangelical Seminar in
Evanston, IL for one week of intensive training each summer.
more...
Refreshing Worship Workshops ... Ready to start autumn at your church with a revitalized worship experience? Then come for an inspiring day or two of training!
more...
School of Christian Mission, “Sing Across Walls”
… The annual School of Christian Mission brought over 200 women, a handful
of men and half a dozen youth from all over the conference for classes in music and mission,
Globalization and Israel/Palestine.
more...
Nothing But Nets Interfaith Prayer Breakfast …“There is a meanness in the world that I
don’t understand. I don’t understand why in the 21st century, there is poverty and racism
and people dying from preventable diseases.” Bishop Thomas Bickerton to an
assembled group at the Chicago Temple UMC.
more...
DeKalb District Connects to West Angola
Conference … “I was so touched by all the goodness in the world:
people who choose unselfishness and community, rather than isolation and
materialism. Given all the bad stories that get re-hashed daily, it's
powerful to hear good stories of people who extend themselves in
mission--and who do so out of their United Methodist faith.”
more...
New Director of Communications Announced for Conference
… Susan Dal Porto has been selected as the new Northern Illinois Conference
(NIC) Director of Communications, following an extensive nationwide search
which attracted over sixty candidates
more...
|
|
