December

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First Korean, St. Mark choirs join
to present Handel’s ‘Messiah’

(Dec. 29) The choirs of First Korean UMC in Wheeling (a Korean-American congregation) and St. Mark UMC in Chicago (an African-American congregation) joined for a powerful performance of G. F. Handel’s “Messiah” at the Wheeling church on Sunday, Dec. 3.

The joint concert was part of an ongoing outreach program to promote racial harmony that the Korean-American congregation has been conducting for almost three decades.

“We annually invite the Korean community to our choir concert,” said the Rev. Kwang-Tae Kim, pastor. “But this year we made the concert bigger and we wanted to promote unity of the two races.”

“We’d like to share God’s praises and show the world the true wisdom and power of peace by having this joint concert,” Kim said.

The Korean-American and African-American congregations first held a joint choir concert at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston in November 1990. The concert was an effort to ease racial tensions between Korean owners of businesses located in African-American neighborhoods and their black customers. A second concert was at the IIT auditorium in Chicago in November 1992.

As far back as March 1982, First Korean UMC, then located in Chicago, spearheaded a race relations program by exchanging worship leaders and choirs with Wesley UMC on the south side of Chicago.

“Many Koreans have small businesses in black neighborhoods,” Kim said. “We want to encourage the Korean people to consider, to learn, the wisdom of living together.”

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‘100 Days of Prayer’ focuses on family unity

(Dec. 29) Adalberto UMC in Chicago and La Familia Latina Unida (Campaign for Family Unity) have issued a call asking United Methodists in the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) to join in “100 Days of Prayer for the Undocumented.” The call for prayer, issued Dec. 12, asks persons to make a commitment to pray each morning and evening for family unity and the end of unjust immigration laws. The call asks for persons to gather once each week in local churches or in their homes in groups to pray and organize for family unity.

La Familia Latina Unida is an outreach ministry of the church that helps families separated or on the verge of being separated by U.S. immigration laws.

Members of the NIC voted in 2005 to support the Campaign for Family Unity to seek Presidential pardons for 11 undocumented workers who were deported and forced to leave their families in Illinois. In each case, the children of the families are U.S. citizens and the spouse is either a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident.

Elvira Arellano, lay leader of Adalberto UMC who has received national attention by seeking sanctuary in the church to avoid deportation, said her own seven-year-old son represents the struggle to keep families together. She has called for an immediate moratorium on deportations affecting families such as her own, families in which undocumented parents have U.S. citizen children or children enrolled in school.

Prayer and discussion meetings are being held at Adalberto UMC, 2716 W. Division St., at 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Prayer cards and organizing packets are available for persons to take back to their own churches and communities.

More information and resources for discussion are available on the campaign Web site, www.somosunpueblo.com, or by contacting (773) 523-8261 or psh@somosunpueblo.com.

It is suggested that families pray together whenever possible to emphasize the family unity situation affecting the estimated 11 million undocumented residents in the United States.

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Fleming to lead DeKalb, Rockford clergy retreat

(Dec. 29) The DeKalb and Rockford District Clergy Retreat will be Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 22 and 23. The retreat will be at Bishop Lane Retreat Center, 7708 E. McGregor Rd., Rockford.

Dr. James Fleming. director of Biblical Resources Study Center (BRSC) which has offices in Israel and the United States, will be the retreat leader. His theme will be “A Fresh New Look at Holy Week.” Attendees should bring their Bible.

Fleming established the Bible Archaeological Museum at LaGrange, Ga., which opened in June. He has lived and worked in Israel from 1974 to 2006. He has developed courses of study in historical geography and biblical history, uniquely tying the studies with biblical text and emphasizing the wedding of theological/faith relationships. He will be leading the study tour for the upcoming DeKalb District Study Trip to Israel in February.

The clergy retreat will run from 10 a.m. Monday through lunch on Tuesday. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $50 per person. Checks should be made payable to DeKalb/Rockford Regional Office UMC.

Checks should be sent to the Rev. Jim Crone, 623 Mason St., Ottawa, IL 61350. For more information, contact Crone at (815) 434-4416 or epworthumc@sbcglobal.net

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Richardson will help Aurora District
‘Shout to the Lord’ Jan. 20 at Lombard

(Dec. 29) Gavin Richardson, youth director of First UMC, Hendersonville, Tenn., will lead an emergent worship service and deliver the keynote address at a workshop on setting up contemporary worship sponsored by the Aurora District on Saturday, Jan. 20.

Richardson is the featured workshop leader at Aurora District’s annual leadership training event, which will focus on the theme of “Shout to the Lord” Saturday, Jan. 20. The training will be at First UMC, 155 S. Main St., Lombard.

Other afternoon workshops include:

The workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. registration to 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Cost is $10 per person or $50 per church for groups of five or more.

To register, contact the Aurora District, 21 E. Franklin St., Naperville, IL 60540, (630) 355-6445. or send a fax to (630) 355-9524. Registration deadline is Jan. 15.

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G-ETS inaugurates Amerson

(Dec. 22) The two-day inauguration of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (G-ETS) President Philip Amerson was celebrated first on Friday, Nov. 3, during morning and afternoon worship services, then extended the following morning with Eliza Garrett Day — adding service to celebration in Evanston and around the world.

Amerson chose to add Eliza Garrett Day, named for the seminary founder, to his inaugural weekend. As he committed himself to G-ETS, he wanted the seminary family to have an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to God’s call to service with others.

“As I consider the place of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in the preparation of Christian leaders, I am aware that service is imprinted on our institutional DNA and is the heart of our future mission,” Amerson said. “I do not want an inauguration that is pomp and ceremony but misses the primary focus on service with others. ‘Service’ is a dangerous concept. It can be misused to build dependency or to stratify relationships. However, it can also be the bridge to new human relationships and insights as people seek to serve with others. This will be the way we can best inaugurate the next chapter in the life of our great school”

Eliza Garrett Day participants still in Evanston on Saturday gathered at the seminary at 8 a.m., selected from several service projects and dispersed to sites in Evanston and Chicago. After completing projects, they returned to Hemenway UMC at 12:30 p.m. to share lunch and their service experiences.

Many others were engaged in service projects under the Eliza Garrett Day banner in their communities across the region, nation and world. Some of them shared their plans by turning in cards at the Friday luncheon and by e-mailing descriptions of their activities.

The Rev. Dr. Myron McCoy, president of Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, delivered a sermon, “Going a Little Farther,” during the Inaugural Eucharistic Service Friday morning in the campus Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful.

Walter Wangerin Jr., noted writer, Lutheran pastor and professor at Valparaiso University, delivered the keynote address, “Under a Solitary Broom Tree,” during the Inaugural Program Friday afternoon at First UMC, Evanston.

Transfer of Emblems of Office were presented by Ted Campbell, G-ETS president from 2001-05; Neal Fisher, G-ETS president 1980-2001; K. James Stein, G-ETS president 1972-74; and Wayne Clymer, G-ETS president 1967-72.

Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader (retired), trustee and bishop in residence at G-ETS, presented the Presidential Tippet.

Charges to the president were presented from the church by Bishop Donald Ott (retired), G-ETS trustee; from the Board of Higher Education and Ministry by Angella Current-Felder, executive director, Office of Loans and Scholarships; and from the academy at large by Robert Bottoms, president, DePauw University.

Also from faculty by James Newton Poling, chair, Committee of Faculty, and Professor of Pastoral Care, Counseling and Theology; from students by Christal Bell, student trustee, Level III M.Div. student; from alumni by the Rev. Thomas Babler, G-ETS trustee and pastor of Community UMC, Naperville; from administrators by Patrice Baker, administrator for Academic Affairs; and from staff by Shane Nichols, development assistant.

The seminary plans to make Eliza Garrett Day an annual event when Garrett-Evangelical alums, students, faculty and staff go out to serve in the name of the seminary.

Amerson, 60, came to G-ETS after six years as president of Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, Calif. Before his presidency at Claremont, he served as a pastor for 21 years

Amerson, who also has an appointment as professor of Sociology of Religion, has taught at several colleges and graduate schools, including Westmont College Urban Program in San Francisco, the Candler School of Theology at Emory, Butler University and Christian Theological Seminary. He also taught at the Instituto Pan Americano in Panama as part of a General Board of Global Ministries program.

Amerson received the doctor of philosophy degree from Emory University in 1976, master of divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1971 and bachelor of arts degree from Asbury College in 1967.

Amerson is author of numerous books, articles and papers, including Tell Me City Stories: A Journey for Urban Congregations and his most recent publication, “The Vocation of Peacebuilding,” with John Woell in Choosing Peace through Daily Practice.

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Feb. 1 is deadline for pre-conference mailing

(Dec. 22) Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Secretary Harriet McCabe has announced that she must receive all materials to be included in the 2007 pre-conference mailing by Thursday, Feb. 1.

The mailing will include all reports and proposed legislation to be considered during the 2007 session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference June 9-12 at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. Theme of this year’s conference is “Sharing God’s Gifts: The Heart of Global Mission.”

McCabe said the Feb. 1 deadline includes:

McCabe requested that all reports, petitions and proposed legislation be prepared in Microsoft Word and either e-mailed to her as a Word document attachment or sent to her on computer disk with a hard copy attached ready for duplication.

For petitions, a separate page should be used for each document, with a title for the resolution and the name, address and phone number of the person or group submitting it.

All reports should be mailed or delivered to Harriet McCabe, 9 W. Bailey Rd., Naperville, IL 60565, or sent by e-mail to harrietmccabe@earthlink.net.

For more information, contact McCabe at (630) 355-4617 or via e-mail.

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‘Wesley on Truly Holistic Salvation’ is Feb. 18-20

(Dec. 22) The 33rd annual meeting of the John Wesley Theological Institute will address the theme “The Whole Wesley on Truly Holistic Salvation.” The institute will be Sunday to Tuesday, Feb. 18 to 20 at Aylesford Carmelite Center, Cass Avenue at I-55, in Darien.

Purpose of the institute is to present John Wesley’s theology, suitably updated as he updated his sources as truly relevant for contemporary and ecumenical theology.

Dr. Randy Maddox, professor of Theology and Wesleyan Studies at Duke Divinity School, will lead the discussion.

Maddox is a recognized authority on both John Wesley’s theology and the theological developments in later Methodism. He was also a participant and subsequent Advisory Board member for the John Templeton Oxford Seminars on Science and Christianity, and was a Templeton Science and Religion course award recipient in 1997.

Respondent will be Dr. D. Steven Long, associate professor of Systematic Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

Long, who has his PhD from Duke University, was baptized by the Anabaptists, educated by the evangelicals, ordained and pastorally formed by the Methodists, and given his first position as professor of theology by the Jesuits. Long said he understands the theologian and pastor’s task to be an exercise in showing the difference being Christian makes in the world at large. His most recent publication is The Divine Economy: Theology and the Market.

Cost to attend the institute depends on whether commuter, student or resident status applies.

For more information or to register, contact the Rev. Fernando Siaba, (773) 342-0178. Registration deadline is Feb. 4.

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HIV/AIDS

By Susan Dal Porto
Director of the Conference Media Resource Center

(Dec. 22)

AIDS is now acknowledged as the worst plague humankind has ever faced. Years from now people will ask about AIDS, as with the holocaust, “How could they have known and failed to act?”
— Salih Booker, Africa Action, in the video “Coming to Say Goodbye” (#V2850)

It has been 25 years since the first case of HIV/AIDS was diagnosed. The disease has now spread to every corner of the world.

In the words of United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day: “AIDS has changed the world. It has killed 25 million people, and infected 40 million more. It has become the world’s leading cause of death among both women and men age 15 to 59. It has inflicted the single greatest reversal in the history of human development. In other words, it has become the greatest challenge of our generation.”

A U.N. conference on AIDS this past summer noted with alarm that the world is facing “an unprecedented human catastrophe; that a quarter of a century into the pandemic, AIDS has inflicted immense suffering on communities throughout the world.”

Other statistics can be added to this picture. Fifteen million children have been orphaned by AIDS. Ninety-five percent of the 40 million people with AIDS live in developing countries, primarily Africa.

According to Bread for the World, “The same factors that cause hunger — poverty, conflict and social inequality — are also at work in the spread of HIV/AIDS. The AIDS pandemic threatens to reverse the progress that has been made against hunger and poverty over the last three decades in the developing world.”

The AIDS crisis also exists in the United States. About one million people are infected in this country and approximately 40,000 new HIV infections occur in the United States each year. Of those newly affected, half are younger than 25 years of age.

Earlier this year, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society hosted a summit on HIV/AIDS. The Rev. Mpho Tutu, daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke at the conference and described AIDS as the “leprosy of our time.” “Our fear of the disease exacerbated this carnage and perpetuates the crisis,” she said.

Or, as a Bible study on HIV/AIDS available at the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) Web site says, “Neglecting this AIDS epidemic, or unable to speak of the issue involved, the church has often turned the other way, and people have perished needlessly. Why is this?”

The question in the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) for those of us leading healthy and comfortable lives might be, “Why do we care about HIV/AIDS or why have we turned away from this issue?”

Jim Winkler, GBCS general secretary, provides this compelling suggestion about what our response should be: “We are God’s people, called to be God’s instruments of transformation, healing, of hope. We can and must do all things through Christ who strengthens us. What will you do to make a difference?”

Later this month, many of us will be joining with our families, friends and coworkers to honor Christmas with great joy and celebration. But imagine this: What if your brothers and sisters, children, spouse, parents or friends could not be with you because they had died from a stigmatizing, incurable, but highly preventable, disease. This is the case for many people whose existence has been affected by AIDS. The world has lost so many people in the prime of their lives to this disease. As a church, we have already lost thousands of members to HIV/AIDS.

I invite you, as people of God to take a closer look at the crisis of HIV/AIDS. This is a topic worthy of education, exploration and action. The U.N. has stepped up to take action on AIDS. The United Methodist Church has also developed powerful initiatives for dealing with the AIDS pandemic as well. Learn more at the following Web sites and gain some ideas about how we can help both as congregations and individuals.

And, you can learn more by screening some of the informative and moving videos available from the NIC Media Resource Center, (847) 931-0710, ext. 17, or sdalport@umcnic.org.

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JustGoods Fair Trade Marketplace will
be open Dec. 24 until last customer leaves

(Dec. 22) JustGoods Fair Trade Marketplace in Rockford will be open Christmas Eve Sunday, Dec. 24, from noon until 6 p.m. or when the last customer leaves the store. “Fair Trade is more successful than we expected,” said Stanley Campbell, executive director of Rockford Urban Ministries (RUM). JustGoods, 201 Seventh St., is a RUM project that has completed its first three months of operation.

JustGoods extended its hours for the Christmas shopping season to Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m..

“The store is run by volunteers, and there was concern that no one would be available on Christmas Eve,” said Dori Kearney, volunteer store manager. “But Stan and I volunteered to spend Christmas Eve at the store with some hot cider and cookies, and we’ll hope that people will come in.”

The store will also be open on Tuesday, Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, to redeem gift certificates and share in the celebration of the season. It will revert to its usual hours of Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., starting Wednesday, Dec. 27.

The store offers unique gift items from around the world, produced by artisans who are guaranteed a fair living wage.

Fair trade, as opposed to free trade, focuses on bringing in a living wage for the producer of the item. Usually, these are artisans and workers in low-income areas of the world. The concept of fair trade started when Peace Corps workers, missionaries and others visited developing countries and found local arts and crafts to bring home. Soon, small businesses developed to trade directly with the producers in many of these poor countries.

Suggestions for a fair trade certification process developed into an international fair trade federation. Wholesalers, retailers and producers made a commitment to provide fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide. The fair trade federation links low-income producers with consumers directly.

“We are enjoying wide support for our new store on Seventh Street,” said Mike Kearney, president of the JustGoods board. “It’s been a long time in preparation, and we’re very thankful to the public for all the interest-free loans, donations and labor given to this effort.”

Items at JustGoods come from Africa, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Central and South America. Offering only fair trade-certified goods, the store has an eclectic collection of gift items, clothing and textiles, and coffee, tea and chocolate grown under environmentally friendly conditions.

JustGoods board members and volunteers come from local churches, schools and civic organizations; they hope to offer a new alternative for the consumer with a conscientious concern for the people who produce the goods they buy.

For more information, call JustGoods at (815) 965-8903.

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Dec. 31 is deadline to apply
for BOM continuing ed funds

(Dec. 22) Dec. 31 is the deadline to apply for Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Board of Ordained Ministry (BOM) Continuing Education funds.

BOM has funds available for continuing education for this quarter. NIC clergy members, diaconal ministers or persons certified for specialized ministries and serving within the NIC may qualify for up to $500 in continuing education funds.

Eligible persons may receive a maximum of $1,000 during each quadrennium. Persons may apply for a maximum of $500 in any two-year period.

Funding is limited. Actual grants may be less, depending on availability.

Applicants can request reimbursement of expenses for events that have already taken place as long as it is no more than 30 days after the event.

Grants are made four times a year. For Jan. 15 distribution, applications must be received by Dec. 31. The next application period will be Jan. 1 to March 31 for an April 15 distribution.

To find out more or to receive an application, contact Gretchen Henninger, g.henninger@comcast.net or (773) 252-9956.

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Church Builders Call: New building already
too small for First Korean congregation

(Dec. 15) A little over one year after moving into their new 24,000 sq. ft. building in Wheeling, members of First Korean UMC already think their facility is too small. So, despite a $2.5 million mortgage on their building, church members are gearing up to begin an estimated $1.5 million expansion.

First Korean UMC is the second 2006 Church Builder’s call.

The congregation has been growing steadily, according to the Rev. Kwang-Tae Kim, pastor. “When I came to this church in July 2004, adult attendance at worship was 145,” he said. “Now we are getting more than 264 in worship, 120 more adults in worship than when I first came.”

But the problem isn’t finding space for the adults. The church building at 665 E. Hintz Rd., completed in August 2005, has an 8,000 sq. ft. sanctuary that seats 500, a fellowship room, kitchen, chapel, pastor’s office, secretary’s office and education wing with classrooms. But there are only four classrooms for children.

“We need more classrooms for our children, and they need their own worship space,” Kim said. “I’d like to provide them a children’s worship place and a youth worship place.”

This past September, church members began a visioning conference to consider the future of the church in the next five years. The overwhelming consensus, Kim said, is that more space is needed for children and youths.

“We still get new visitors to come every week,” said Chong Hyo Yom, chair of the building committee. “We’re growing and growing. So we are now seriously discussing enlargement or expansion of the building, especially for children’s ministries. We need more classrooms and space for children.”

Hong Kim, chair of the church’s Administrative Board, said that young families often come to visit the church, but they don’t return because of the limited facilities for children and youths.

“If we have a facility for children’s ministries,” Yom said, “then adult members with children will come to our church. We need to enlarge the building.”

Many members would also like to enlarge the fellowship room. “It is necessary for us to extend the building,” Kim said. “We will probably build a second story. It is absolutely necessary.”

Kim said the Board of Trustees is beginning the planning process and will organize a building committee. “I expect that by the end of 2007 or early 2008 it could be completed,” he said.

Kim said he thinks the congregation can take on the additional debt because the plan is to not only get a larger building, but also to increase members.

In 2008, the congregation will celebrate its 85th anniversary. Kim said the congregation’s goal is to have at least 500 adults attending the two Sunday morning worship services by that time. “We have hope,” he said. “We are growing in numbers and in budget. It will be tight, but we can do it.”

Kim said Church Builders funding will be “wonderful.” “That will encourage our church members,” he said.

First Korean UMC, founded in Chicago in 1923, was the first Korean-American Protestant church in this area and is considered “the mother church” for Korean-American Christians in the Midwest.

The congregation’s journey from Chicago to Wheeling began Nov. 30, 1997, when members voted to sell their building at 4850 Bernard St. on the north side of Chicago and follow the movement of Korean-Americans to the northwest suburbs. In addition to putting the church in the middle of growing Korean-American communities, relocation also allowed the church to acquire a newer facility with more space and more parking.

On Dec. 9, 1998, the congregation purchased 7.5 acres of land near the intersection of Hintz and Milwaukee Ave. in Wheeling.

On Sept 10, 2002, the congregation sold the church building on Bernard St. and began meeting at Bethany UMC in Highland Park.

Construction on the new building began in October 2003, and the church was completed in two years. A temporary occupancy permit was issued Aug. 26, 2005, and the congregation moved in. After landscaping and other details were finished, the congregation received the final occupancy permit last month on Nov. 1.

Help Church Builders empower local ministry

Individuals throughout Northern lllinois pledge $25 or more per call — usually three each year.

Funds help purchase land and construct new buildings and parsonages.

Deteriorating buildings have been restored, and those damaged by natural disaster have been repaired or replaced.

Conference Board of Global Ministries pays administrative costs, enabling all donations plus interest to go to designated projects.

For more about Church Builders and how you may join: contact the Northern Illinois Conference, (312) 346-9766; the Rev. Scott McClellan, Church Builders chairperson, (815) 369-5291; or Nancy Duel, treasurer, (847) 259-3793.

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168th Annual Conference will ‘Share
God’s Gifts: Heart of Global Mission’

(Dec. 15) “Sharing God’s Gifts: The Heart of Global Mission” will be the theme for this year’s Northern Illinois Annual Conference, according to Mark Manzi, chair of the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Annual Conference Committee. The 168th session will be Saturday, June 9, through Tuesday, June 12, at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles.

Voting for lay and clergy delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences will be a major focus of the gathering. Participants will also debate and vote on legislation and take time to recognize many successful ministries found across the NIC.

Members of annual conference will celebrate 100 years of Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA), the work of Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), and the ministry of Deacons and Diaconal Ministers.

Ordination will be in the morning on Sunday, June 10.

The Rev. Grace Imathiu will lead Bible study and a dialogue session. Imathiu is an ordained elder in the Methodist Church of Kenya and has served congregations in Kenya, Washington, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin. She is currently pastor of Brown Deer UMC in Wisconsin north of Milwaukee. As a preacher and Bible study teacher she is in constant demand around the world.

Sunday, June 10, will be a day of Global Celebration. Bishop Gaspar Joao Domingos, leader of the West Angola Conference, will preach during the Global Celebration worship service. This will be preceded by a Global Celebration dinner during which new Small Group Ministers and Latino/Hispanic Academy graduates will be recognized.

Sunday will end with the Market Place where groups share their ministry with attendees at displays and information booths.

Manzi said in order to prepare laity and clergy to participate in annual conference and to provide more time to discuss issues, three regional dialogue sessions will be held in May. Aurora and Elgin Districts, Chicago Southern and Chicago Northwestern Districts, and DeKalb and Rockford Districts will partner at these sessions.

“These will be very different sessions from the previous pre-conference briefings,” Manzi said. ”While information about Annual Conference will be shared, that time will be short in comparison with the time we will have for dialoging together around hot topic legislative issues.”

Manzi said these briefings have been designed to allow Annual Conference members to hear about, discuss and be resourced about legislation that will be brought to the floor of this year’s conference. “We can’t encourage you enough to plan on attending your region’s session,” he stressed.

Those who have submitted legislation to be considered during Annual Conference are encouraged to send resource persons to each of the regional dialogue sessions to answer any questions that may be raised during discussion of proposed legislation.

Manzi said more information about the dialogue sessions, including exact dates, times and locations, will be announced soon.

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Whew! It was a very, very busy fall!

(Dec. 15) In one of the busiest fall seasons in recent memory, Northern Illinois Conference laity and clergy participated in more than 20 major Conference events dealing with Natural Church Development, Small Group Ministries, stewardship, immigration, worship, evangelism, mission, Christian education and more. Laity had a day-long retreat with Bishop Hee-Soo Jung learning about their religious leader and what it means to follow “the United Methodist way.”

BLAST (Building Leaders and Sunday School Teachers)

Christian educators and Sunday school teachers gathered at Roselle UMC on Sept. 16 for a training session on Building Leaders and Sunday School Teachers (BLAST). Keynote presentation was made by Carol Krau, director of teacher/leader development at the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville.

“Help children discover their gifts and live out their calls,” Krau said. “Children are called to be disciples now, not just when they grow up.”

Demonstrating the method to be used when teaching children, the BLAST session included short instructional segments interspersed with activities, songs and storytelling.

In one activity, participants made paper clip chains and connected them to demonstrate that we are united by our faith and it takes all of our churches together to accomplish our mission.

School of Evangelism

Dr. Kwasi Kena, (left) director of Evangelism Ministries of the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship, gave the keynote address for the first Northern Illinois Conference School of Evangelism Oct. 21 at El Mesias UMC in Elgin. Theme of the event was “Bridging Personal and Social Witness.”

The Rev. Felicia Howell-LaBoy led a workshop on “Hand Me Another Brick: Christian Community and Economic Development as Social Justice and Evangelism.” The Rev. John Welsey Lee led a workshop on “Taking the Fear out of Faith Sharing.” Linda Rhodes led Igniting Ministry workshops on “Being Invitational” and “Marketing and Advertising.” Isamary Velasquez, El Mesias UMC lay leader, reported on evangelism efforts of her congregation.

Immigration Dialogue

Calling it a “deep theological issue” Bishop Hee-Soo Jung opened “A Day of Prayer and Reflection in the Midst of the Immigration Crisis” on Oct. 3 at First UMC, Downers Grove.

“While, as faithful Christians, we may disagree over the best way to fix the nation’s broken immigration system,” Bishop Jung said, “it is clear that comprehensive immigration reform is needed and that our elected leaders have not adequately addressed the situation.”

Jung noted that, as a people of faith, “we are reminded that scripture directs us to care for the foreigners in our midst and reminds us that we are all sojourners.”

The bishop also pointed out that even though some in the United States call undocumented immigrants illegal, “God welcomes them as beloved children, and God calls us to bring the beloved community together. The beloved community will be built on love and the grace of God, and no one will be excluded from it.”

Bishop Jung said that central to the good news of Jesus Christ was his radical hospitality and inclusion.

The bishop said he has heard “angry voices” from across the country and “mixed emotions and frustration from our own people here” regarding Elvira Arellano, lay leader of Adalberto UMC in Chicago who has taken sanctuary in the church to avoid deportation. He said we must focus on “how we as a faithful community can fulfill our call in the midst of a crisis.”

“One of our people, one of our lay leaders, one of our children … is not safe,” Bishop Jung reminded his audience. “America is in deep trouble with this issue.”

Laity Retreat with the Bishop

About 160 lay persons from across the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) joined Bishop Hee-Soo Jung Oct. 7 for a “Laity Retreat with the Bishop.” After worship, Bishop Jung led participants in a study of “The United Methodist Way.”

Jung told his listeners that the United Methodist denomination has “gradually abandoned the central aspects of the Methodist way” that included personal piety and social holiness.

The bishop said believing in Christ is not enough. “We’ve got to be disciples of Christ and we’ve got to make a difference in this world,” he emphasized.

“Wesley was clear that because we are here, our neighborhood will be changed,” Jung said, “our community will be changed, the world will be changed. We are called to transform the world.”

And the bishop told the laity that “if you are dying and desolate, you never can transform others. If you are shrinking down and don’t have life-giving power, you can’t help others. That’s why we are very serious about our spiritual journeys.”

He urged the laity to take Disciple Bible Study, join a covenant group and participate in a small group. And he cautioned them not to skip going to worship.

“If you are not serious about worshiping God,” Jung said, “then God is not going to do serious work through you.”

In addition, the bishop said we must “surrender all to God” and urged attendees to renew their commitment to financial giving. “If you as a Christian are not serious about giving,” he said, “how are we, as the church, going to feed the hungry, visit those in prison and help fight AIDS in Africa?”

Bishop Jung urged the laity present not to talk about “doctrinal stuff,” but instead to care about each other. “If you argue about doctrine, put others down, criticize others and think you’re always right, then you’re in the wrong place,” he said. “Methodists always care about others.”

And the bishop said early Methodists believed that everyone was a pastor. “Laity, you are the pastors,” he said. “You are the ones who need to witness, lead and teach.”

Mission Festival

Beth Ferrell, General Board of Global Ministries missionary who served in Mozambique and Sierra Leone, was keynote speaker and staffed one of the displays at the Northern Illinois Conference Mission Festival Oct. 22 at Sycamore UMC. Three representatives of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a Florida farmworker organization, asked those attending to support their efforts to get McDonald’s to address inequities in working conditions in the Florida tomato industry. The United Methodist Church officially joined the CIW boycott of Taco Bell in 2004. That boycott forced Taco Bell to agree to work with the organization to address working conditions and wages for workers in the tomato industry.

Refreshing Worship 2.0

Refreshing Worship 2.0, sponsored Sept. 23 by the Northern Illinois Conference Communications Commission, offered hands-on training in using digital multimedia in worship. Held at Community UMC in Naperville, the event began with a short worship service that demonstrated some of the skills to be taught in workshops. A praise team from Community UMC led the music for worship.

Workshop topics included “Developing PowerPoint Presentations,” “Planning, Shooting and Editing Videos,” “Choosing and Purchasing Equipment and Software,” “Creating the Worship Environment,” “Biblical Storytelling,” “Use of Photoshop” and “Finding Good Video Clips and Copyright Laws.”

Safe Sanctuaries

More than 200 church members concerned about the safety of children participated in “Safe Sanctuaries – Making It Safe for All” on Oct. 21 at First UMC, Elgin. The event dealt with policies and procedures for establishing and maintaining local churches as safe sanctuaries, including background check requirements for child-care providers and Sunday school teachers.

Senegal Mission Consultation

“A Taste of Senegal,” including food, singing, dancing and reports on the United Methodist mission in the West African country, filled the evening for the fourth Senegal Consultation held Nov. 12 at First UMC in Evanston. Guest speaker was Dr. Aly Bashir, head of the Village Wellness Program of the Senegal United Methodist Church, based in Dakar.

More than $5,000 was raised in a free-will offering to support United Methodist mission and ministry in Senegal, including the Village Wellness Program, Women’s Skills Center, Prison Ministry and the Children’s Feeding Program.

Representatives of the General Board of Global Ministries included former missionaries to Senegal the Rev. Al and Mavis Streyffeler, who retired this summer, and the Revs. Kimberly and Richard Brown-Whale, who were commissioned as missionaries to Senegal in October.

Members of Volunteers-in-Mission teams told about their experiences.

Established in 1995 by four missionaries from the Northern Illinois Conference — the Streyffelers and the Rev. Harold (Bill) and Roberta Smith — the Senegal United Methodist Mission now has 15 churches in 12 communities in this predominately Muslim country. Congregations speak in Wolof, Serere, Creole, French and English.

Stewardship

Nearly 260 people gathered Sept. 30 at First UMC, Elgin, for a conference-wide stewardship seminar sponsored by the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) United Methodist Foundation and the NIC Committee on Stewardship.

The Rev. David Bell, director of the Stewardship Center of the General Board of Discipleship, led Track 1 on “Developing a Year-Round Culture of Financial Discipleship.”

Track 2, “Best Practices in Local Church Financial Management,” was led by Bob Poland, business/operations manager at Grace UMC, Naperville; Norris Smith, (in the photo above) controller, First UMC of Chicago (The Chicago Temple); and Cindy Kentner, director of Administrative Ministries, Christ UMC, Rockford.

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Christianity, Islam dialogue will be Jan. 25

(Dec. 15) An “Interfaith Dialogue about Christianity and Islam” will be Thursday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. The free event will be at Pfeiffer Hall, 310 E. Benton Ave. on the North Central College campus in Naperville.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Episcopal leader of the Northern Illinois Conference, will lead the dialogue in cooperation with Abdul Malik Mujahid of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago.

For more information, contact the Rev. Ed Hiestand, NIC ecumenical officer, (708) 660-9168.

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Jung to preach at 7th Ecumenical Prayer Service

(Dec. 15) The 7th Annual Chicagoland Ecumenical Prayer Service will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut in Chicago. The service is part of the 2007 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Episcopal leader of the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC), will preach at the service, which is sponsored by the Ecumenical Millennium Committee, which comprises 18 religious organizations including the NIC.

For more information, contact the Rev. Ed Hiestand, NIC ecumenical officer, (708) 660-9168.

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Be wary about showing ‘An Inconvenient Truth’

(Dec. 15) Former Vice President Al Gore’s film about global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth,” is now available on DVD. While this is an excellent film to be viewed and discussed in local churches, Susan Dal Porto, director of the Northern Illinois Conference Media Resource Center, cautioned that you may not legally show this in any church setting without a public performance (PPR) license.

The PPR license can be obtained from Swank Motion Pictures for $75, which will cover one day of screenings. You can reach Swank at (800) 876-5577 or visit on the Web: www.swank.com.

Dal Porto said the Media Resource Center does not carry this film at this time because of the copyright restrictions.

If you have questions on copyright, contact Dal Porto at (847) 931-0710, ext. 17.

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Reynoldswood added to youth ski retreats

(Dec. 15) Northern Illinois Conference Outdoor and Retreat Ministries has expanded its weekend junior and senior high youth ski retreats schedule. A Jan. 5 to 7 weekend at Reynoldswood Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Dixon has been added to the schedule. Skiing will be at Chestnut Mountain, which is near Galena.

Most weekends are offered at Wesley Woods Conference Center in Williams Bay, Wis., with skiing at Alpine Valley. Dates are Jan. 12 to 14, 19 to 21 for senior high youths only, Feb. 2 to 4, 9 to 11 and 16 to 18.

In addition to skiing, the weekends include worship and a Christian band concert each Saturday evening.

Retreat fees are $77 per person plus cost of lift ticket and rentals, and lunch at the slopes. The retreat fee includes two night of lodging, transportation to the ski areas and all meals and activities at the camp.

Groups should bring one leader for every five youths.

For more information or to register, call ORM, (800) 642-2267.

Registration and health forms can be downloaded at www.niccamp.org.

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Gary Memorial to conduct 4th Moravian Lovefeast

(Dec. 15) A Moravian Christmas Lovefeast and candlelight service will be held Sunday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. at Gary Memorial UMC, 225 N. Main St., Wheaton. The service of music, praise and sharing celebrates Christ as “Light of the World.”

Dating from 1456, members of the Protestant sect originally known as the “Unity of the Brethren” were followers of John Huss, a Czech religious reformer who lived prior to Martin Luther. They were primarily situated in an area of Czechoslovakia known as Moravia, from which modern-day followers now draw their name.

Moravians immigrated to the American colonies in the 1700s, establishing themselves in what is now the Bethlehem, Pa., area and North Carolina.

The Lovefeast is a community celebration at which warm cider or other beverages and special Moravian rolls are served. This informal service begins with prayer and is highlighted with continuous special music and singing of traditional carols. Lighted beeswax candles trimmed with red will be distributed to worshipers as hymns are sung. The candle service dates to 1747 in Germany where it was introduced as a service for children.

Gary Memorial UMC’s Advent service is adapted from the Moravian observance. In previous years, there have been Moravians present celebrating at the only-known observance of a Christmas Lovefeast in the Chicagoland area. The service lasts for about an hour and is appropriate for adults and children age six and older.

This will be Gary Memorial’s fourth Lovefeast. Members of the church have made special aprons and trays used during the service to serve the rolls. The beeswax candles have been handmade by a Moravian tinsmith from North Carolina. A Moravian star hanging in the sanctuary came from Bethlehem, Pa.

Special music will be provided by Judy Best, director of music ministries, and Bill Crosbie, church organist. Church member Helen Riggio will be featured soloist during the candlelighting.

For more information, call (630) 668-3100.

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Finees Flores, leader in Hispanic ministries, dies

(Dec. 15) The Rev. Finees Flores Jr., 78, former clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC), died Nov. 18 at his home in San Antonio after a long struggle with cancer. He was a former editor of el Intérprete magazine and an influential figure in the United Methodist Church’s Hispanic ministries.

Flores was editor of el Intérprete from 1973 to 1986, guiding the magazine from United Methodist Communications’ Evanston office. During his leadership, the magazine became one of the first Spanish resources to reach the United Methodist Spanish-speaking population in the United States and Puerto Rico.

“He was a dynamic and effective pastor/prophet here in our conference as well as in our Hispanic community,” said the Rev. Oscar Carrasco, NIC director of Connectional Ministries. “His commitment to reach new immigrants to the Chicago region in the 1980s and 1990s was passionate and exemplary. I am very grateful for his visionary leadership.”

“He was an advocate for Hispanic/Latino causes in the church,” said the Rev. Yolanda Pupo-Ortiz, a teacher at the Academy of Spiritual Formation and former staff executive at the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race. “He will be remembered for his passionate work in social justice issues as he worked incessantly for the poor and the disenfranchised. As a pastor, he never remained within the four walls of his church. He was out doing his work in the community and mentoring new pastors.”

Flores helped the United Methodist Church develop its Hispanic ministries. In 1979, he was one of the organizers of the first Consulta Nacional of MARCHA (Metodistas Asociados Representando la Causa Hispano/Latino Americana), the denomination’s Hispanic caucus.

Flores was co-founder of the Local Pastor School in Spanish — currently el Curso de Estudio (Course of Study) — at Garrett- Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston. The school began with Hispanic students from the North Central Jurisdiction and eventually incorporated students from Puerto Rico, the Northeastern Jurisdiction and Cuba.

At the time of his death, Flores was a member of Oxford UMC in San Antonio. He was an active hospital chaplain and the minister-in-charge of Monte Sinai UMC. Besides being an elder in the NIC, he was also appointed to serve in the Rio Grande Conference. During his ministry, he served the Christian Fellowship and Albany Park-El Redentor congregations in the NIC.

Flores received his bachelor of arts degree in religion and philosophy from Northern Baptist College, Chicago, and his master of divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He received a doctorate in ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

He served the church at the annual conference, jurisdictional and general church levels. He was a General Conference delegate in 1976, 1984 and 1988, and he served on the General Council of Finance and Administration from 1988 to 1992.

Messages of condolence may be went to Mrs. Elda Flores, 5823 Rue Royale, San Antonio, TX 78240.

Memorials in the Rev. Flores’ name may be sent to Oxford UMC, 9655 Huebner Rd., San Antonio, TX 78240, for “Building Fund.”

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Ground broken in Machesney Park
for Hilltop Ministry Center

(Dec. 8) Gathered under a small tent to protect them from a driving rain, a group of Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) United Methodists were joined by Machesney Park village officials, partners in the building project and local news media on Nov. 29 to break ground for a 25,000 square-foot building that will be phase one of Hilltop Ministry Center.

The new Hilltop Ministry Center, 8309 Mitchell Rd. in Machesney Park, is northeast of Rockford in the middle of five housing subdivisions under construction. The newest NIC church start is one mile north of Rte. 173 and one mile south of Swanson Road. More than 25,000 residents are expected to live within a three-mile radius of the new church site, according to the Rev. J. Martin Lee, NIC director of Congregational Development and Redevelopment.

Construction is scheduled to begin this month, and the new church building is expected to be completed by August 2007.

“We are creating something different than a traditional church,” said the Rev. Jay Carr, pastor of Roscoe UMC, the shepherding congregation helping develop the new Hilltop Ministry Center. “We want this to be a place where members of this community come to find practical help for their lives, a place that will strengthen this community. This will be a place for spiritual, physical and emotional growth.”

Building plans for Hilltop are projected in three phases. Phase I includes a full-size gymnasium that will double as worship space, a coffee shop, and offices for two nonprofit ministry partners that will lease space, providing community services and funding for building construction.

Beloit Memorial Hospital will offer family counseling services, and Harlem Community Center will provide educational and recreational activities for community children and youths plus a 150-child day care/preschool. Athletic fields will surround the grounds and provide space for local groups to hold sporting events.

Bill and Joyce Russ, members of Centennial UMC in Rockford, deeded almost 30 acres of their 178-acre farm to the NIC to be used as the site for a new church. Approximately 20 acres will be used immediately to build a church. Ten additional acres are being purchased under a land contract from the Russes at significantly lower than market price.

“We are really trying to create a new center for the community,” Carr said. “When I say center, I mean a place that people’s lives will revolve around. Our whole philosophy has been that kids can be at Hilltop for soccer practice, their father can be sitting working on his laptop computer in the coffee shop drinking a cappuccino, and their mom could be taking a piano lesson.”

Carr said the philosophy guiding development of the new facility is that the church joins with other agencies to become, for many people, the center of the community.

“It’s a concept called ‘third place.’ It’s a sociological concept that people’s first place is home, second place is work, and everyone has a third place,” Car said. “For some people, the third place may be the corner bar; for some it’s the post office where everyone comes and catches up on the news. Hilltop is going to be the third place where people gather to connect to other people in the community.”

Carr said the TV show “Cheers” was set in a bar that was “the ultimate third place, where everybody knows your name and relationships are built.”

“In another era, for many people the church was their third place,” Carr said. “In some aspects it still is, but in the larger society the church as third place has diminished. We are intentionally trying to make Hilltop that kind of center of the community.”

Lee said the conference is “dreaming big” in planning for the new Hilltop Ministry Center. “We expect this multi-site new church development to result in a 3,000-member congregation on 30 acres of land,” he said.

“The Hilltop Ministry Center is currently this annual conference’s best opportunity for a new church start,” said Lee. The Rev. Jay Carr is an effective congregation growth leader, and he has willingly accepted the challenge of taking on the additional task of this multi-site ministry.”

Carr said that once the building is under construction, the focus will turn to building the congregation.

Area United Methodist churches will be asked to consider sending missionaries as of fall 2007 to be part of the core membership of the new church.

Currently, about 60 members of Roscoe UMC are committed to help start the new congregation. The 60 members are formed into spiritual growth-oriented small groups.

“They understand that their purpose is not only for their individual spiritual growth but also to be invitational and to double every six months,” Carr said. “We have some specific events planned to help the small groups grow so that this group of 60 will turn into 200 by next August.”

Carr said the events are called “Elbow Events, which means that they’re bringing friends on their elbow.”

In January, “It’s a Wonderful Life Party” at Roscoe UMC will show parts of the beloved movie, have skits and play trivia. At the end of the evening, discussion will center on how Christ can turn a life into a wonderful life. Guests will be invited to join one of the small groups.

“The 60 current small group members are not allowed to come unless they bring a guest,” Carr said. “Even if we only keep 10 of those 60 new people that show up, at the next event we’ll have 70 people inviting new people to attend. It just keeps growing in that fashion.”

In February, a Valentines Day dinner will be held at a local banquet hall. Activities will include the “Newlyweds Game” and discussion about relationships and how this relates to faith.

“Our expectation is that the small groups that we have now with these 60 folks will triple before we begin worshipping in September at the Hilltop Ministry Center,” Carr said. “We expect that we will have a core of 200 people when we open the doors for the first time in September.”

Cost of the phase one building is $2.75 million. Total costs for phase one, including parking lot, furnishings and equipment, is $3.4 million.

Because this is not strictly a religious-purpose building, on Dec. 5 the Illinois Finance Authority was scheduled to consider issuing tax-free bonds for the project. A local bank has agreed to buy the bonds and issue a mortgage at a significantly reduced rate.

Carr said the majority of the mortgage payments will be covered by rental fees from the day-care center and hospital. Additional costs are expected to be covered by the new congregation.

Phase two, to be built as the Hilltop congregation grows, will be a separate building with a more traditional sanctuary, additional administrative offices and classrooms. Phase three will include a larger sanctuary to accommodate expected growth.

“It is my great joy to be part of this new ministry opportunity,” Lee said. “There were many unexpected stumbling blocks, and we will experience some more again, but I have prayed many days and hours about this project and am convinced that this is consistent with God’s plan and our call to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Together we can make a difference for the Kingdom of God.”

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Jung, Martinez to spend Days on Districts

(Dec. 8) Bishop Hee-Soo Jung will spend a day with the clergy and laity of each district during the month of March. He will be joined by Bishop Joel Martinez, leader of the Southwest Texas and Rio Grande Annual Conferences, who will discuss the National Hispanic Plan.

“A Day Apart with the Bishop” will focus on “Preparing the Field, Planting New Faith Communities.”

The days will be Monday, March 26, at Baker Memorial UMC, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles, for the Aurora and Elgin Districts. The same session will be Tuesday, March 27, at Cosmopolitan United Church, 1112 N. 9th Ave., Melrose Park, for the Chicago Southern and Chicago Northwestern Districts. Clergy and laity from the Rockford and DeKalb Districts will meet with Bishop Jung on Wednesday, March 28, at Disciples UMC, Hitt St. and Maple Ave., Mt. Morris.

All clergy are required to attend the sessions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Clergy who cannot attend the session in their own districts are encouraged to attend one of the other days.

Bishop Jung will lead morning sessions on “Planting New Faith Communities.”

Bishop Martinez, who is also president of the General Board of Global Ministries, will be guest speaker and will lead afternoon sessions dealing with the National Hispanic Plan and establishing Latino/Hispanic congregations.

Bishop Jung will meet with laity from 7 to 9 p.m. each day.

For more information, contact your district office.

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Banquet celebrates connection
with Methodist Church in India

(Dec. 8) At a Nov. 19 gathering at the Viceroy of India Restaurant in Lombard, the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) recognized its connections to the Methodist Church in India and celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Methodist Church in India and 150 years of Methodism in India.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung recognized 11 pastors from India who have served in the NIC and thanked them for their hard work in facing difficulties to get an education, become ordained and travel to the United States. “It was not an easy journey, I know,” Jung said.

The bishop said the NIC is committed to maintaining its relationship with the India Methodist Church. “We will continue seeking that strong tie and mutual support and friendship between ourselves and the Methodist Church of India,” he said.

The Rev. Alka Lyall, pastor of First UMC in Freeport, reported on the India Methodist Church anniversary celebration held Oct. 19-22 at Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow, India. Lyall led a delegation from the NIC to the celebration.

In 2000, as part of the Millennial Challenge, the NIC began raising money to support “India Reconnect,” 20 mission projects — schools, hostels, hospitals, churches, clinics and community centers — in seven conferences in the Methodist Church in India.

In June 2003, the NIC voted to establish a covenant relationship with the Methodist Church in India. In 2004, as the conclusion of the Millennial Challenge neared, NIC members voted to continue support for unfunded India Reconnect projects through Conference Advance Specials in the Rainbow Covenant and to encourage local congregations and Volunteers in Mission to support the projects.

The Rev. Ed Heistand, NIC Ecumenical/Interreligious Officer, urged local churches to raise the $100,000 still needed to meet the original India Reconnect goal.

Clergy honored during the dinner were the Rev. Man Singh Das, the Rev. George David, the Rev. David Jamir, the Rev. Suryakumar Victor Kant, Lyall, the Rev. Peter Pereira, the Rev. John Rathod, the Rev. Timothy Rathod, the Rev. Robert Sathuri, the Rev. Ernest Singh and the Rev. Tony Thangaraj.

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Stybergs make second $5 million
challenge gift to Garrett-Evangelical

(Dec. 8) Ernest and Bernice Styberg, who originally set the pace for Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary’s 150th anniversary campaign with a $5 million gift, have stepped forward with an additional $5 million challenge gift. The Stybergs’ new commitment prompted seminary trustees to extend the campaign and raise its goal from $35 million, the initial goal when the campaign was publicly launched in October 2003, to $60 million.

Jerre Stead, campaign co-chair, urged fellow trustees to “seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand this seminary’s vision of the future and move to the next level of excellence.” Stead received the trustees’ unanimous support during a special vote in August.

The Stybergs stipulated that $3 million be used as a matching gift to the unrestricted endowment. For every unrestricted dollar given by others to the endowment, the Stybergs will make a matching $1 gift until their $3 million commitment is fully matched.

The remaining $2 million will establish several Styberg Leadership Scholarships that will provide full tuition plus a stipend each year to highly qualified and committed students.

“We are proud to be a part of the Garrett-Evangelical family and pleased to see its continued progress,” Ernest Styberg said. “We are hopeful that our support will encourage gifts from others, so that the church will have great leaders well into the future.”

The Stybergs’ earlier $5 million gift endowed chairs in worship and preaching and also established a preaching institute.

“We are blessed to have people like Ernest and Bernice Styberg as our partners,” said Philip Amerson, Garrett-Evangelical’s new president. “They will go down in history as a couple who helped this seminary with transformative gifts.”

Amerson said the unrestricted gift will enable the seminary to use income from the endowment each year where it is needed most, and the leadership scholarships will significantly enhance the seminary’s efforts to attract students with the greatest potential for effective ministry.

The campaign total stands at $37 million, according to David Heetland, vice president for development. While the total exceeds the original goal, not all campaign components are fully funded.

“The need is particularly great for unrestricted endowment support,” Heetland said. “The Stybergs’ willingness to double their original campaign commitment should both inspire us and challenge us to reconsider what more each one of us can do.”

For more information about how to help meet the Styberg challenge for unrestricted gifts or to contribute specifically to any of the campaign components (scholarship support, faculty support, program support or facility renovation), contact Heetland in the development office, (847) 866-3970 or (800) 736-4627.

Garrett-Evangelical is a graduate school of theology of the United Methodist Church founded in 1853. Located on the campus of Northwestern University, the seminary serves more than 400 students from a number of denominations and various cultural backgrounds, fostering an atmosphere of ecumenical interaction. Garrett-Evangelical offers master of divinity, master of arts, master of theological studies, doctor of philosophy and doctor of ministry degrees.

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Rosecrance celebrates 90 years of service

(Dec. 8) Rosecrance Health Network in Rockford is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

“We have a rich heritage to celebrate,” said Philip Eaton, president/CEO. “Rosecrance has touched the lives of thousands of families since our humble beginnings back in 1916. And we will work hard to continue this legacy by offering compassionate treatment and care and hope for the future to those who walk through our doors each day.”

Rosecrance Memorial Home for Children was founded in 1916 as an orphanage for boys. Dr. James and Fannie Rosecrance left provisions in their wills to establish the orphanage in their homestead in New Milford. The home, most recently Manzulo’s Restaurant, still stands today.

In 1953 Rosecrance purchased land and built a new orphanage on Alpine Road in northeast Rockford. As foster care began to evolve, the program changed its focus to provide residential services for adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Often these youths had substance abuse issues that needed to be addressed. In 1982, Rosecrance established the first residential substance abuse treatment center for adolescents in northern Illinois. By the late 1980s, adolescent services expanded to include prevention and early intervention programs.

In 1992, the Rosecrance mission expanded to include adults and their families with the acquisition of Alcare (renamed Evergreen Recovery Center) in downtown Rockford. The Rosecrance Harrison Campus, a contemporary 76-bed adult treatment center nestled on10 acres of land on Harrison Avenue, opened in late 1995 to replace Evergreen Recovery Center.

Programs and services continued to expand. HomeBase Recovery Home opened its doors to provide transitional housing and services for 10 homeless women and their children. Two Monarch Recovery Homes for adolescent females were established to provide ongoing support for 28 girls in recovery. RoseTech Industries evolved to provide job training and transitional employment for recovering adults.

In 2004, the 78-bed Rosecrance Griffin Williamson Campus was built to replace the adolescent program on Alpine Road. This state-of-the-art treatment center, situated on 50 acres and surrounded by woods, includes a five-acre serenity garden and offers a healing environment for youths and their families.

Today, Rosecrance offers prevention and intervention services, detoxification, outpatient and inpatient programs, continuing care, recovery homes for female adolescents and for women, job-readiness training and alumni clubs to more than 5,000 individuals each year.

For more information, contact Lynne Vass, (815) 387-2413 or

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Harkness scholarships available for women 35+

(Dec. 8) The Georgia Harkness Scholarship Program is available for women over 35 years of age who have received a bachelor of arts or equivalent degree, are enrolled full time in a University Senate accredited school of theology in the master of divinity program, and who are currently certified as candidates for ordained ministry as an elder in the United Methodist Church.

This program offers 10 scholarships at $5,000 each to be awarded each year by the first of June. Deadline for the applications is March 1.

Applications and more information about the program can be found at General Board of Higher Education and Ministry clergywomen’s Web site at www.gbhem.org/clergywomen.

Scholarship application can be downloaded and printed from www.gbhem.org/ResourceLibrary/HARKNESSAppform.pdf. The reference form can be downloaded and four copies printed at www.gbhem.org/ResourceLibrary/ResourceLetter.pdf.

For more information, contact Rita Stephens, coordinator of Continuing Formation for Ministry, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Division of Ordained Ministry, at (615) 340-7409 or rstephens@ gbhem.org.

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Harvest of Joy focuses on building assets for ministry

(Dec. 1) Nearly 80 members of Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) local churches gathered Saturday, Nov. 18, at First UMC in Polo for a “Harvest of Joy” celebration sponsored by the NIC Town and Rural Center.

The Rev. Martin Homan, an intentional interim pastor with the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church and member of the Board of Directors of Inter-Ministry Network based in Baltimore, Md., led participants in a morning workshop of asset mapping. The activities were based on the book The Power of Asset Mapping: How Your Congregation Can Act on Its Gifts by Luther Snow.

“Do we take our liabilities and make them something negative or do we take our liabilities and assets and make them something positive?” Homan asked the attendees. “It’s our choice.”

Through a series of exercises, Homan had participants identify a variety of assets of themselves as individuals and of their congregations. He urged them to think of talents and abilities, relationships, finances and evidences of God’s grace, among others.

Homan then had participants group similar assets and begin to think about ministries or actions that could result from using those assets. “We need to ask what kinds of ministries can we do with these assets. Out of these things you can develop visioning for your region or your church,” he said, “or you can prioritize, deciding to focus on utilizing these assets for ministry for this coming year.”

As an example, Homan said that if a congregation identified lots of baby-sitting or child-care talents, the church could offer a Mother’s Day Out program. If lots of financial ability exists, the church could offer financial counseling services.

“You all have lots of assets,” Homan said. “You need to ask, ‘Where is God calling us to use these assets in our region, in our communities and in our churches?’”

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PACKs deliver ‘Christian kindness’

( Dec. 1) Recipients of Northern Illinois Conference Town and Rural Center PACK grants reported on their activities during the Harvest of Joy this month at First UMC in Polo. Intended to fund Public Acts of Christian Kindness (PACK), grants of $200 are given to churches on a first-come, first-served basis, said the Rev. David Davies, Town and Rural Center board member. This year, 29 PACK grants were given.

For more information about PACK grants or to apply for one, contact Brian William, pastor of Burlington UMC, (847) 683-3535.

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Excellence in Rural Ministry Award
recipients apply funds to ministries

(Dec. 1) During the Harvest of Joy luncheon at First UMC, Polo, this month, recipients of the Northern Illinois Conference Town and Rural Center’s 2006 Excellence in Rural Ministry Awards reported on how they had used award money.

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Communications Commission
buys conference projectors

(Dec. 1) The Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) now has two additional 2,500 lumen multimedia LCD projectors that will be available for churches to borrow through the NIC Media Resource Center. The projectors were purchased by the Conference Communications Commission with proceeds from the Refreshing Worship training event sponsored by the Commission last April.

To ensure the projectors are convenient to churches in the western part of the conference, one of the new projectors will be housed in the Rockford-DeKalb Regional Office in Rochelle and the other will be kept at Faith UMC in Freeport.

“This is part of the Conference Communications Commission’s efforts to resource local churches and help them use communications tools to tell the story of the Gospel,” said the Rev. Jim Galbreath, Communications Commission chair.

To schedule use of any conference projector, contact Susan Dal Porto, Media Resource Center director, (847) 931-0710, ext. 17.

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‘Living into Shalom’ will be in Schaumburg

( Dec. 1) “Living into Shalom — Theology of Shalom/Communities of Shalom” will be presented Tuesday to Thursday, Jan. 9-11, in Schaumburg. Dr. Robert Linthicum, president of Partners in Urban Transformation, will be keynote speaker at the event sponsored by the North Central Jurisdiction Town and Country/Urban Network and the General Board of Global Ministries Communities of Shalom.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of Northern Illinois and Bishop John Schol of Baltimore-Washington conferences will preach at opening and closing worship services, respectively.

Linthicum was pastor of Presbyterian churches in Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles during 29 years. Under his pastorates, these churches created four local community organizations, multiracial youth programming, a housing corporation and two economic development corporations.

From 1985-1995, he was director of urban ministry for World Vision International. He is author of 13 books, including Building a People of Power.

Registration deadline is Dec. 20. Limited scholarships are available. To register, contact Patsy Coffman, 206 S. Swegles St., St. Johns, MI 48879, or (989) 224-7692.

For more information, visit on the Web: www.connectingwithgod.org..

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Sycamore youth group celebrates
10 years of mission service

(Dec. 1) The Sycamore United Methodist Youth Group traveled to Cumberland Mountain in Tennessee for a five-day mission trip this past July. The 20 youths and 8 adults marked the 10th year that a group of youths from Sycamore UMC has gone to this area of the United States.

During the week, the youths had the opportunity to perform small home repairs such as building a porch or a porch roof, painting and yard work.

The Mountain TOP Mission team emphasizes the importance of a partnership with the families who are being served. The families were selected for a service or mission project based on a financial, spiritual, emotional or social need.

The youths were encouraged to spend part of their time during the week visiting with the families they were serving. Sometimes this was in the form of conversation and other times it was in fun like water fights with the children of the families.

In addition to service, the youths experienced worship every evening in a variety of settings. The youths also developed leadership skills by leading a service.

The youths shared their experiences during worship services at Sycamore UMC on their return. The focus of the youth-planned and led service in August was “Stepping out of our comfort zones to follow Jesus.”

Mountain TOP serves the people of the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee. This area covers 13 of the poorest counties in the nation. Because of its location between Knoxville and Nashville, and only 40 minutes from Chattanooga, the plateau is often not viewed as a low- income area in the traditional sense. Few major roads travel through the poorer sections, so not a lot of the poverty is visible.

More information about Mountain TOP is available on its Web site at www.mountaintop.org.

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Sutton will help Aurora District ‘Shout to the Lord’

( Dec. 1) Aurora District’s annual Leadership Training Event will focus on the theme of “Shout to the Lord” Saturday, Jan. 20. The training at First UMC, 155 S. Main St., Lombard, will have a keynote presentation on inspiring worship by Brian Sutton, associate director of Connectional Ministries of Kansas West Conference.

Sutton will focus on media and its use in the church, worship software, finding the tools, MediaShout and PowerPoint. His presentation, “Come Sunday,” will be appropriate for any churches and a variety of audio/visual capabilities. An afternoon workshop will include hands- on and how-tos in a small group setting.

Other afternoon workshops include “If I Had a Hammer,” addressing church buildings and property, including selling, remodeling and new construction. Jack Ryder and Rod Osbourne will lead the workshop.

Linda Rhodes, Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) director of Communications, will lead “Take Christ to the World.” She will address public relations, media and evangelism programming.

NIC Director of Leadership and Program Development Jean Bush will discuss “Many Gifts, One Spirit,” how to empower congregations on community versus committee work and team building.

Natarsha Gardner, a member of the NIC Safe Sanctuaries board, will focus on requirements to meet Safe Sanctuaries standards in “Jesus Loves the Little Children.”

The Rev. Diana Facemyer, pastor of St. Thomas UMC, Glen Ellyn, and Aurora District Superintendent the Rev. Danita Anderson will address Staff/Parish Relations (SPR) issues in “Jesu, Jesu.” This will be a must for SPR committees that have a pastor of a cultural/ethnic/racial background that differs from the congregation’s majority.

The workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. registration to 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Cost is $10 per person or $50 per church for groups of five or more.

To register, contact the Aurora District, 21 E. Franklin St., Naperville, IL 60540, (630) 355-6445, or send a fax to (630) 355-9524. Registration deadline is Jan. 15.

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3 Guys and a Truck hunger program
has persons running in circles

(Dec. 1) Food frequently becomes the conversation on long training runs. A conversation five years ago among three guys from West Deerfield led to a communitywide, ecumenical program that helped keep a local food pantry stocked during summer months.

While being thankful to the Lord that their own pantries were full, the trio began wondering out loud about persons in the area who struggle with having enough food every day. The runners also wondered how they could use their running to help feed the hungry in their township.

“Three Guys and a Truck was the result of the creative energy expended on that day,” said Doug Bruss, member of Christ UMC. “We would park a donated truck next to the Deerfield High School track and proceed to circle it continuously until the truck was full of donated food.”

The three guys, Bruss, Carl Berg and Paul Zavagno, presented their idea to West Deerfield Township Supervisor Julie Morrison, who enthusiastically got on board. The food pantry in the area is located in Morrison’s building.

“We got the support and go ahead from Deerfield High School and had no difficulty recruiting a small steering committee that has been the backbone of this effort for the past five years,” Bruss said. “The response we have gotten from the Deerfield community and surrounding area in donated food every year has been extremely heartwarming.”

Three Guys and a Truck occurs the first weekend in June. Bruss said the timing is significant because school groups, religious groups and other local organizations tend to suspend their food drive efforts during the summer. The event more than fills the pantry over the summer, according to him.

“The three of us are on the track for 12 hours,” Bruss said, “and are always amazed at the steady stream of giving spirit that lights up the track all day long.”

This past June, Three Guys and a Truck invited local organizations, businesses and religious groups to sponsor an hour on the track. “Folks from each group would show up at the appointed hour, drop off their bag of food at the truck, proceed to the track, and walk as many laps as possible,” Bruss said.

Each lap completed by each person earned a dollar for the pantry. “We easily had more than 100 people on the track at various times during the day,” Bruss said. “This was definitely an amazing day orchestrated by the loving hands of a higher authority.”

Bruss pointed out that Berg attends Congregation B’nai Tikvah, Zavagno attends First Presbyterian and Morrison attends Holy Cross Catholic Church. “We are truly an ecumenical event whose only concern is to help those who hunger,” Bruss said.

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