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Board of Church and Society

Mission

The Northern Illinois Conference Board of Church and Society, in cooperation with the General Board of Church and Society and the Conference Council on Ministries, develops and promotes programs within Northern Illinois that include prison ministry and reform concerns.
 

These ministries include a commitment to:

  • Advancing respective and mutual concerns in the areas of social education, service, witness and action.
  • Developing programs that provide education and action on issues confronting the Church consistent with the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church and the policies adopted by the General conference.
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    Mental Health Awareness

    The Conference Mental Health Ministries Task Group is encouraging focus on mental illness issues in your congregation. We ask you to distribute the "Mental Health Matters" Bulletin Insert on Mental Illness Awareness Sunday. We encourage you to provide a Call to Worship, Responsive Reading and Prayer that are supportive of those who have a mental illness or their family members.

    In seeking God's guidance we can recommit ourselves to replacing misinformation, blame, fear and prejudice with truth and love in order to offer hope to all who are touched by mental illness. Blessings!

    — The Northern Illinois Conference Mental Health Ministries Task Group

    Make your wishes known!

    Find and contact your Congressional representatives.

    Should I enlist?

    Military enlistment seemingly offers opportunity for some high school students thinking of post-graduation employment or payment of college tuition. However, growing numbers of young adults are reconsidering this as an option for building a life structure.

    The "No Child Left Behind" Act, ostensibly written to advance educational goals, also grants military recruiters access to a young person's personal identification. Some students and parents consider this to be an unwarranted intrusion.

    If this option fits your wishes and your personal views, you can opt out of making your name available for contact by recruiters. Just contact the following Web address, posted by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC):
    http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/default.htm

    The AFSC Web page has a link to download forms used for opting out of the recruitment process.

    Please know that the United Methodist Church contains persons on both sides of the war issue. Recently, however, the Council of Bishops went on record as urging President Bush to establish a timetable for returning American troops fro Iraq. You can check out the bishops’ statement at the following link:
    http://www.umc-gbcs.org/site/apps/nl/content.asp?c=fsJNK0PKJrH&b=1170861&content_id={850A4A02-30ED-47B5-B9ED-EC6455BBCEBB}¬oc=1&tr=y&auid=1226412

    Or you can go to the General Board of Church and Society site at http://www.umc-gbcs.org

    For an overview of one theological analysis of war, please refer to the following link:
    http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=75

    For feedback, suggestions — and, I hope, no hate mail — write: holytrouble@muchomail.com

    Find congressional reps

    The General Board of Church and Society offers a search engine to help you find and contact your Congressional representatives.

    From the 2004 United Methodist Book of Discipline we read: "Citizens of all countries should have access to all essential information regarding their government and its policies." (Paragraph 164)

    Let us continue to call for good government at all levels, holding officials to accountability to the American People.