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Lead 2007

A Leadership Training Event for the Local Church

The annual leadership training event for church leaders in our district is THIS Saturday, Jan. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Glenview United Methodist Church, 727 Harlem Ave, in Glenview. Parking is available and Metra Train service is only four blocks away.

Suggested cost for the event is $5 per person but not required.

Workshops offered are:

Register by calling Connie Williams at (312) 346-9766, ext. 132 or emailing to her at cwilliam@umcnic.org

Registration fees can be paid at the event. Childcare is available only upon request.

It is not too late to register!

District Youth Talent Show
is THIS Saturday Night!

The Chicago Northwestern Youth Talent Show is this Saturday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Edison Park United Methodist Church, 6740 N. Oliphant in Chicago. Everyone is invited to attend and support our performers. A free-will offering to support youth outreach work will be taken. Performance will follow a pasta supper.

Contact District Youth Coordinator, the Rev. Barbara Javore, for more information at (847) 835-1227 or by e-mail: rsjavore@comcast.net.

Nothing But Nets:
A New Mission Effort Against Malaria

Celebrate the new and wonderful mission partnership of the People of the United Methodist Church, Sports Illustrated magazine, the National Basketball Association, and the United Nations Foundation in a great new mission effort to stop malaria called "Nothing But Nets!"

The Nothing But Nets effort got started when Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly learned about the UN Foundation's efforts to provide bed nets across Africa and decided to get involved. In a column entitled "Nothing But Nets," he made an appeal for anyone who ever played or enjoyed any sport involving nets to donate $10, the approximate cost to purchase and distribute an insecticide-treated bed net. The United Methodist Church is partnering with this wonderful effort. See more information at www.nothingbutnets.org.

This is a wonderful project for youth groups, UM Women or Men, or anyone.

NCD Characteristic of the Week

Each week, we will feature one of the quality characteristics of the Natural Church Development evangelism ministry. Natural Church Development (NCD) is an comprehensive evangelism tool and ministry that helps congregations build on strengths and address and improve less effective areas of ministry.

We will also offer a suggestion for how to improve that quality for the sake of reaching person in grace and joy!

The sixth characteristic is "Loving Relationships." This characteristic is based on the need for persons in the church to honestly love one another and communicate in truth and care. Loving relationships are the heart of a healthy, growing church.

Jesus said people will know we are His disciples by our love. Practical demonstration of love builds authentic Christian community and brings others into God's kingdom. If persons are antagonistic toward one another and gossiping about each other, the church will not move forward iin growth and joy, and guests to the church will encounter a place in trouble. They will not be back.

Lay Academy is Set for March 3 and 10

The District Lay Academy for Leaders and Layspeakers will be Saturday, March 3, and Saturday, March 10, at First UMC, 9857 Schiller Blvd., Franklin Park. Both basic and advanced courses are being offered in Spanish and English.

For more information, contact Vivian Matthews, the Dean of the Academy, at (773) 626-6256.

Day on the District with Bishop Jung

All Chicago Northwestern District Clergy in local church appointment and extension ministry will meet with our bishop on Tuesday, March 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please keep this date open and make this event a priority as this time is very important for our life and ministry together.

The laity of our district are invited to join the bishop from 7 to 9 p.m. that evening.

Both gatherings will be at Cosmopolitan United Church, 1112 N. 9th Ave. in Melrose Park.

Mission-Minded Methodists

Our new district mission secretary, Monica Isaac, is seeking contact information for all persons in our district churches interested in mission information. Please send e-mail to her at isaac.monica@gmail.com to receive updates on mission resources and events.

United Methodist Men to Study NCD

The Chicago Northwestern District United Methodist Men (UMM) had a wonderful organizing meeting in December. They have committed to study Natural Church Development with Dr. Cecelia Harris, pastor at Saint Matthew UMC in Chicago. Please contact District UMMen President, Leon Deloney, for more information at (312) 961.3086 or ldeloney2@aol.com.

Bishop's Interfaith Bus Tour

The Bishop's Mission Bus Tour is set for March 2-,4 — that's Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. This is an Interfaith Bus Tour. Sites are being arranged, but the tour is expected to include Jewish, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, and Muslim, as well as Christian for Sunday morning worship.

The hotel will be the Holiday Inn Select, Naperville. Cost is $135 per person for double occupancy and $175 per person for single occupancy. Cost includes two nights in the hotel, 6 meals, bus and materials.

Register by contacting Harriet McCabe at (630) 355-4617 or e-mail harrietmccabe@earthlink.net.

Sacred Fire Event is Jan. 27

Dr. David Otto, professor at United Meethodist-related Centennary College will be guest preacher at this event sponsored by Reconciling United Methodists in Northern Illinois. Workshops will begin at 4 p.m. with dinner at 5:30 and worship at 7.

The event will be held at Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church, 405 S. Euclid Avenue in Oak Park. Parking is available.

For more informatin, contact the church at (708) 848-7360.

Study on Holy Word and Holy Work

Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) churches are urged to designate February as a month to focus on Christian social holiness and participate in a four-week study on the Bible's call to social justice ministry. The study, Holy Word and Holy Work: The Call to Prophetic Ministry, is a series of lessons that consider how the Christian faith described in scripture may be different from the current situation of our local congregations.

Churches need only call Natarsha Gardner at (847) 931-0710, ext. 16, to order additional copies. There is a minimal cost for shipping (on a descending scale for more copies). The most that anyone will have to pay is $1 a book.

You can also download the study free in English from www.umcnic.org. Korean and Spanish translations will be made available soon.

Events and Opportunities

Inviting Persons to Church

Did you know that the primary reason a guest comes to church is that they were invited by someone? Are you inviting persons to your church to experience the joy and peace of Christ? If you are not sure how to start, follow these easy steps:

1. Make a list of five persons who are not involved in church or are marginally involved. Think outside the box: Aunt Millie is a great person, but she has been at the Presbyterian Church for 40 years. Could it be your new next door neighbors? A person in your A.A. group? The woman at the bank that you have appreciated? The man at the cleaners? The children down the street? Your nephew who never goes to church? The persons in the upstairs flat?
2. Pray over those five names for two weeks. Lift them each by name and pray for God's wisdom and care in how you will ask them. Know that you will not ask them all at once: You will invite them one at a time, which will allow you to be personal and caring.
3. Call, or better yet, personally visit them and invite them to your church. Offer them a brochure, be clear about the worship time, and say how much you would love for them to come.
   Keep it personal! Let them know that you really do appreciate them and want them to join you one Sunday at worship. Be gracious and respect them if there is no interest.
   Remember you are representing Christ. never say, "I need you to come because we need some more people to support our church."
   We are about bringing God's grace and abundance to a person's life not increasing the budget!
4. If they agree, be clear that you will meet them outside the door at whatever time and you will sit with them. If you are a choir member, this may be the Sunday you take a break. Persons visiting for the first time are usually nervous and your presence is a gift of Christian hospitality.
5. You can enhance the possibility of them coming that Sunday even more if you offer to pick them up. That is a clear sign of radical hospitality. Also introduce them to at least three persons in the congregation so that they make connections for their next visit.

Stewardship Resources

Check out these resources:

Remember to check out the conference Calendar on the Web for more information and events.

Prayers for our District and Conference!

A team for intercessory prayer has formed for our district. Email conference or district prayer concerns to chicagonews@aol.com. Be in prayer about this wonderful opportunity to build up the ministry of Jesus Christ in our district.

Events and Opportunities