Northern Illinois Conference
| Urgent Action Alert! |
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Be it resolved . . .
"Be it resolved that this Annual Conference request that every Northern Illinois Church prepare itself to be recognized as 'A Church for All God's Children' at next year's session using material from the Children and Poverty initiative and coordinated by the Task Force in Northern Illinois; and that the Bishop's Task Force in Northern Illinois adapt and amend the 'Church for All God's Children' materials for use by the Conference Boards, Committees and Organizations; and that all Boards, Committees, and Organizations of this conference use these adapted and amended materials so that we may ourselves become recognized as a 'Conference for All God's Children' that proclaims in word and deed the gospel of God's redeeming, reconciling and transforming grace in Jesus Christ to and with children and those oppressed by poverty." (Passed June 8, 1998)
Urgent Action Alert
Take Action Today for Young Children and Their Families!
The Illinois General Assembly is considering the FY03 budget for the state of Illinois. It is not a pretty picture! Current projections estimate a budget deficit of $1 billion — some say it will go as high as $1.4 billion; therefore, the proposed budget includes substantial cuts in several areas. Some of those cuts will be devastating for children and their families, particulary low-income families.
$57-60 million cut from the IDHS budget for subsidized child care for low-income, working families. this cut would be larger except that parents' co-payment levels will rise substantially for 93% of the families currently receiving child care services. In addition, administrative funds are being cut so that agencies like ChildServ and Marcy-Newberry will lose much of the funding that we use to operate the child-care programs we offer to low-income, working families.
The elimination of the Early Childhood Block Grant turns $184 million over to school districts across the state with no requirement that the dollars should continue to be used for Pre-K and Prevention initiative programming. It is likely that many school districts will eliminate their current Pre-K programs that serve 3- to 5-year-old children determined to be at-risk of academic failure and their Prevention Initiative for low-incomek at-risk families with childre 0 to 3. Many school districts will use the ECBG funds to increase the funding formula for K-12.
Here's what you can do:
- Contact your legislators by phone, mail or personal meeting. Ask your State Representative and State Senator to make the budget for early childhood care and education a priority within their Democratic or Republican Caucas. They must demand:
- No cuts to child care
- No cuts to Early Childhoold Block Grant
- Consider revenue alternatives proposed by Emergency Campaign for a Fair Budget
- Also contact our General Assembly Leaders (known as the "Four Tops") — They may well make the final decision on child care and early childhood funding!
- Rep. Michael Madigan, Speaker of the House, 300 State House, Springfield, IL 62706, (217) 782-5350, fax: (217) 524-1794
- Sen. James "Pate" Phillips, President of the Senate, 327 State House, Springfield, IL 62706, (217) 782-3940, fax: (217) 782-7818
- Rep. Lee Daniels (R), House Minority Leader, 316 State House, Springfield, IL 62706, (217) 782-4014, fax: (217) 782-7012
- Sen. Emil Jones, Jr. (D), Senate Minority Leader, 309A State House, Springfield, IL 62706, (217) 782-2728, fax: (217) 782-3242
- Pass this information on to family members, friends, neighbors and members of your congregation and cluster!
For more information, contact: Laura Dean Friedrich at ChildServ, (773) 693-0300, or Jannie Jamison at Marcy-Newberry, (312) 829-7555.
Resources
featured on ‘It Takes a Child’ videoconference
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Child to Child
Especially for children, mission education materials for helping children in North America reach out to children in Haiti. To request a free Child to Child packet, contact Raney Good, (630) 466-7166, or e-mail: goodrk@aol.com.
Physical and sexual abuse does occur in churches, no matter what the church's size or location. Safe Sanctuaries is the title of a book that assists church leaders in making their churches safer places for children.
This book was written in response to the "Bishop's Initiative for Children and Poverty," which calls us to become safe sanctuaries.
In conjunction with the publication of the book, a number of persons from the Northern Illinois Conference were trained to help local church leaders learn how to take these steps toward safety in their own churches. These people are Conference members and educators, diverse ethnically and geographically, and enthusiastic about our mission.
We are ready to come to your church or to a group of churches to help with the process. There is no cost to the local church for this. In fact, becoming a safe sanctuary may save the church huge amounts of money over time.
Call Jean Bush in the Conference office, (847) 931-0710, ext. 14, to ask questions or schedule a training session in your area.
The Bishops' Initiative Task Force urges local churches to comply with the resolution passed at the 1998 Annual Conference to prepare to be recognized as a "Church for All God's Children." The Rev. Robert Atkins and E. Maurlea Babb, members of the task force, sent a letter to all Conference pastors urging them to lead their congregations to accomplish two things: First, the local church's government body examine, address and pass a resolution to become a "church for all God's Children," and second, that a child advocate be named.
"We hope this person will be a strong, vibrant change agent in your church to advocate the needs of children within the church, community and world," they explained.
First place team of walkers from Northbrook UMC raised $3,255. Second place team from First UMC of Chicago at the Chicago Temple raised $3,010. Third place team, from Community UMC in Naperville, raised $1,659.
Michele Golden, director of marketing for ChildServ, said this year's event raised more money than any walk-a-thon in the past and funds are still coming in.
"We had the worst weather we've ever had for the walk-a-thon," she said, "and we raised the most money we ever have."
ChildServ, a 105-year-old child well-being agency affiliated with the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church, will use funds raised in the walk-a-thon to provide support programs for more than 4,000 children and families in Cook, Lake and DuPage counties.
ChildServ's mission is to help children and families build better lives through a wide range of programs including foster care and adoption, after-school programs, tutoring, day care, counseling and parent support groups. For more information, click on CHILDSERV.
Plattville UMC, 13078 Church Rd., Yorkville, has chartered a new Cub Scout Pack #344 to support The Bishops’ Initiative on Children and Poverty and the Conference’s initiative to be "A Church for All God’s Children." The Rev. Noah Reyes Panlilio, pastor and charter representative, said the pack reflects the growing communities of Lisbon and Yorkville. Upcoming activities include pinewood derby, pancake breakfast fund raiser and summer camps.
For more information, call (815) 475-4128.
Safe Sanctuaries
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Declare Yourself a Church for All God's Children
to Become A Church for All God's Children
Churches should respond by submitting the child advocate's name to Phyllis Griffin at the Northern Illinois Conference Office, 77 W. Washington St., Suite 1820, Chicago, IL 60602; (312) 346-9766, ext. 322; or by fax (312) 214-9031.
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Other Web sites on Children & Poverty
(Columbia University)
(CUNY)
for Poverty ResearchTop of page / Return Home
Advocacy Information
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ChildServ walk-a-thon raises more than $33,000
(United Methodist Reporter, June 4) Three United Methodist churches led the way as individual walkers and teams raised more than $33,000 in ChildServ's seventh annual "Step Out for Kids" Walk-a-Thon on May 22 at Chicago's lakefront. This year's total beat last year's record of $27,000.Top of page / Return Home
Plattville charters Cub Scout Pack as response to ‘Initiative’
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United Voices for Children
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The four agencies of United Voices for Children described at a workshop how local churches can work with them. The workshop, "A Church for All God's Children," was sponsored by the Conference Task Force on the Bishops' Initiative for Children & Poverty. It was held at First UMC, Sycamore. From left to right at the table are: The Rev. Margaret Ann Williams, Marcy-Newberry Assn.; Diane Gillham, Methodist Youth Services; Lynne Vass, Rosecrance Health Network; and Helen Gibbons, ChildServ. About 220 persons attended the workshop, whose keynote speaker was Bishop Leontine Kelly (retired). For those pastors and congregations in the Northern Illinois Conference who need information about United Voices for Children and its 5th Sunday Appeal, or wish to order appeal envelopes, please contact:
Phyllis Griffin
Northern Illinois Conference Office
77 W. Washington St., Suite 1820, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 346-9766, ext. 322, Fax: (312) 346-9730, or visit its web site: umvoices4kids.org.
Members of United Voices for Children:
James C. Jones, Executive Director, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 450, Chicago, IL 60631, (773) 693-0300
Benjamin J. Kendrick, Director, 1073 W. Maxwell St., Chicago, IL 60608, (312) 829-7555
Dr. Michela Coffaro, Director, 4530 N. Beacon St., Chicago, IL 60640, (773) 728-1818
Philip W. Eaton, President/CEO, Lynne Vass, Church Relations, 3815 Harrison Ave., Rockford, IL 61108, (815) 391-0100 ext. 413
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Consultation Resources
Members of the Bishops' Initiative Task Force are available to consult with local churches.
The Rev. Randy Hayes, (815) 732-3157,
or Laura Dean Friedrich, (773) 693-0300.
Publications
- The Foundations Document of the Episcopal Initiative
on Children and Poverty (NIC office). - Putting Children and Their Families First:
A Planning Handbook for Congregations (Cokesbury) - Safe Sanctuaries: Reducing the Risk of Child Abuse
in the Church (Cokesbury) - Discussion Guidelines to Help Develop a Plan
to Become A Church for All God's Children - A Church For All God's Children Discussion Recording Form
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We are the village for all our children
by Mason E. Scholl
Vice President of Church Relations & Child Advocacy, ChildServ
“These are all our children. We will all profit by, or pay for, whatever they become.”
— James Baldwin
(United Methodist Reporter, Sept. 4, 1998) Early in the school year, it was evident that Sandy was having severe difficulties with her reading. Concerned, her second grade classroom teacher assigned her to a ChildServ tutor who volunteers time in Armstrong School located in Chicago’s Rogers Park. Sandy and her tutor would meet weekly for 45 minutes of help with her reading.
The match was great. Not only did Sandy improve her reading ability, but both Sandy and her tutor had a great time being together. Sandy’s tutor asked Sandy at one point why she so enjoyed coming to the tutoring session each week. Sandy instantly replied: “I am the youngest of 10 children. This is the only time I have a grown-up to myself.”
Guidance, nurture needed
Certainly, children need loving parents and extended family members to nurture and guide them. Just as important are other loving adults who are available as friends and mentors, willing to commit their time, energy, and wisdom to helping children in their growth and development. The Episcopal Initiative on Children and Poverty challenges us as United Methodists to do all that we can individually and as congregations to address the needs of children and their families in our neighborhoods. John Wesley provided a mandate to all Methodist preachers to spend time with children.
When there were 10 children in a society, Wesley expected preachers to establish a group and meet with them weekly. When preachers hesitated or resisted, Wesley firmly responded: “You are to do it, else you are not called to be a Methodist preacher.”
Ways we can respond
The ways we can respond are as varied as there are children. Being a “big brother or big sister” to a child is a wonderful way to give a child individual nurture. Serving as a tutor or recreation leader in a church or community program provides us with other great opportunities to constructively guide and direct young people.
Churches need to find ways they can provide new ministries and strengthen existing programs for children and their families. Starting a child care center to care for young children of working parents, developing an after-school program for school-age children, providing support programs for stressed families, and establishing food and clothing pantries for low-income families are ways congregations can begin to address the needs of families with children.
Needs are so great
In some neighborhoods, the needs are so great, the task may seem overwhelming. But we must start somewhere. I am especially excited over the possibility of more than 20 congregations in metro Chicago working together to establish after-school programs in their neighborhoods. Some programs will focus on tutoring and homework help; others will provide child and youth care, keeping children safe from gangs and drugs. (See "After School Network.")
If you have ideas on how children can be better served by our individual and collective ministries, feel free to contact me by phone, (773) 693-0300, or fax, (773) 693-0326. I will be glad to share your ideas with others.
As our Lord Jesus so eloquently states: “When you do it to one of the least of these . . . , you do it to me.” May each of us dedicate ourselves to the nurture and enrichment of our most valuable resource, our children.
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Marcy-Newberry program, book by Friedrich
featured on ‘It Takes a Child’ videoconference
(United Methodist Reporter, May 22, 1998) Marcy-Newberry Association, a 115-year-old agency that provides support services to children, youth and families on Chicago’s westside, was featured this month in a nationwide satellite videoconference on “The Bishops’ Initiative on Children & Poverty.” In addition, among resources touted during the program was Putting Children and Families First: A Planning Handbook for Congregations by Laura Dean Friedrich, director of Church/Community Consultation Services at ChildServ, another Chicago-based multiservice child welfare agency. Both agencies are affiliated with the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) of the United Methodist Church.
The Marcy-Newberry segment focused on its Greenfield-Robinson Transitional Living Center where young mothers learn to become self-sufficient by acquiring skills to be effective parents and productive citizens.
Twenty-five persons gathered at the NIC office building in Chicago to view the 90-minute broadcast “It Takes a Child,” produced by United Methodist Teleconference Connection, a service of United Methodist Communications. The teleconference was beamed to 85 downlink sites in 33 states and was carried on cable in West Virginia and Hawaii. There was also an audio broadcast via the Internet.
In addition to the downlink site at 8765 W. Higgins Rd., a second Chicago area site became evident when a Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary student phoned in a question to the videoconference panelists. The student said his class on Children and Faith was watching at the Evanston seminary.
In attendance at Higgins Rd. were members of the Conference Task Force on the Bishops’ Initiative, including co-chairs Friedrich, a member of Community United Methodist Church in South Elgin, and the Rev. Randy Hayes, pastor of the Brookville and Elkhorn United Methodist churches in Polo.
After the videoconference, Hayes pointed out that the panelists repeatedly used the “R word” in calling for “reshaping” the church’s priorities. Panelists were Bishops Marshall Meadors Jr. (Mississippi Area) and Kenneth Carder (Nashville), and Peggy Halsey, executive secretary for Women, Children and Family Ministries, General Board of Global Ministries.
Friedrich described the church as in a theological crisis. “The heart of the work we have to do is reclaim who we are as Christians and as United Methodists,” she said, “not because we have the time or money, but because it’s the heart of the Gospel.”