The “100 Days of Prayer” campaign is being sponsored by Adalberto UMC in Chicago and the Campaign for Family Unity (La Familia Latina Unida), which is seeking Presidential pardons for 11 undocumented workers who were deported and forced to leave their families in Illinois.
“During these 100 days, Congress and the President will be considering various bills that could improve or make worse the terrible situation of fear, suspicion and the separation of families in which 11 million people now live,” said Walter Coleman, pastor of Adalberto UMC.
The call for 100 days of prayer asks United Methodists to make a commitment to pray each morning and evening and to form weekly prayer and action groups within their congregations.
Prayer groups are encouraged to meet weekly to pray for families who are separated by immigration laws and to educate themselves about pending legislation and participate in actions to bring about justice for the undocumented and their families.
The following are bulletin resources available in both English and Spanish in Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf) for use in local churches. (An Adobe Acrobat Reader is available for free at www.adobe.com.)
The case before the Judicial Council involved the sexual orientation of the person seeking membership. However, there are farther reaching ramifications if a pastor is able to fully exercise a power to deny church membership to an individual.
This is particularly painful because we know we do so much better when we work together. Jesus has commanded us to love one another, not just some but all. Jesus commissioned us to make disciples of the whole world, not just the ones we like or with whom we agree.
There will be some who will use this ruling as a way to exclude people from our church. I believe to do so is an affront to God, who loves and cares for all of us without condition.
There are some who will want to leave because it appears as though we are not an open, welcoming church.
These kinds of things come from human rules created to operate a human institution. However, we need to be less like our human institutions and more like the mode of Jesus: open, loving, caring and just to and for all people.
As your Northern Illinois Conference Lay Leader, I am asking all of us to do some things in light of the actions of the Judicial Council:
I believe God has given us an opportunity and may be calling us as Christian United Methodists to examine ourselves and our hearts around what it means to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
My prayer is for us to use our gifts of insight and discernment to work more closely as partners in ministry for the sake of all our churches and ultimately for Christ’s church in our world.
(Nov. 25) Section 301 of the Katrina Hurricane Relief Tax Package (H.R. 3768), recently signed into law by President Bush, temporarily suspends the income limits on new, individual cash charitable donations in 2005.
“This provision effectively permits unlimited IRA withdrawals and fully deductible gifts to charity during the rest of 2005,” explained Janet Boryk, planned giving associate at the Northern Illinois Conference United Methodist Foundation.
When a person over age 59½ withdraws funds from an IRA, the withdrawal will be reported as taxable income. Under the gifts option in this legislation, withdrawn funds donated to charity can be deducted 100% in the 2005 tax year. The IRA withdrawal under the option is unlimited, but qualifying cash gifts must be made between Aug. 28 and Dec. 31, 2005.
The gift may be directed to any public charity for its charitable mission, including a church.
The 100% gifts rule has several exceptions: no private foundation gifts, no supporting organization gifts, no donor advised fund gifts and no gifts of property, such as stock or land.
An example of use of the 100% gifts rule follows:
Mary, an IRA owner, has income of $100,000. She has a large IRA and wants to help her favorite charity with a gift. Mary withdraws $1 million from her IRA. Her income is now $1,100,000. She gives the $1 million to charity by Dec. 31 and deducts it. Her income for tax proposes is reduced to the original $100,000.
“This time-limited provision can be used by individuals who have made multiyear pledges to capital campaigns,” explained Boryk, “or it might be used to pre-pay a 2006 pledge to a church or charity’s annual campaign.”
Boryk urged anyone considering a gift to consult a financial planner or attorney before finalizing the donation.
For more information about planned giving, contact Boryk, (312) 346-9766, ext. 106, jboryk@umcnic.org, or the Rev. Harry Nicol, Foundation president, ext. 103, hnicol@umcnic.org.
Fourth Street live nativity will be bilingual yule gift
(Nov. 25) Fourth Street UMC, 551 S. Fourth St., Aurora, will present a bilingual English/Spanish live nativity as its yule gift on Sunday, Dec. 11. The pageant, including angels, wise men, Mary and Joseph and the baby, Jesus, will be on the church lawn at 6 p.m.
The pageant is free to the public. Refreshments will be served in the church dining hall.
The production will open with music by the church’s handbell choir. Three narrators will read the Christmas story in English and Spanish and lead the audience in singing carols.
A highlight of the production is when Mary, accompanied by Joseph, rides a donkey on the sidewalk to a manger set up near the church’s main entrance.
Visitors may pet sheep, goats and geese in a pen near the manger.
The 20-member cast and production crew for lighting, sound and costumes ranges in age from an infant to senior citizens, many who have participated in previous productions.
Attendance at past shows has averaged 200 people. Fourth Street from Seminary Avenue to Marion Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic during the program.
Laurel Gilbert of Aurora, pageant director, said the church has staged the performance every other year since 1981 as a yule gift to the community.
For more details, call Fourth Street UMC, (630) 897-5257.
Batavia UMC adopts vision to reproduce
1 church in multiple locations as outreach
(Nov. 25) Batavia UMC, 8 N. Batavia Ave., adopted a vision for its future at a Charge Conference this summer. Key to the vision was adoption of a plan to respond to the church’s “missionary call by reproducing one church in multiple locations to bring more people to God.”
Elements of the plan include establishing a worshiping community in a leased facility in the North Aurora area and buying a building at the corner of Batavia Ave. and Houston St.
The Rev. Michael Stoner, pastor, said the next step is to develop a capital fund drive that will make it possible to purchase the building currently leased to Sofa Solutions and other businesses. He said the acquisition would also include adjoining parking lots.
“The acquisition of this building will provide needed space to expand our youth ministry, Parents Day Out program, activity/fellowship ministry and create a contemporary worship site,” Stoner said. “Generous and sacrificial giving will make this purchase possible and ensure the continued growth of our downtown Batavia campus.”
Stoner said God has placed before Batavia UMC a vision for its future and is providing opportunities to grow its facility and ministry “that we never thought would be possible.”
For more details, call (630) 879-7060.
RUM receives city permit to begin work
(Nov. 25) After a four-month wait, Rockford Urban Ministries (RUM) has city permission to build at 201 Seventh St. The Total Health Awareness Team (THAT), which was also expected to move in as a RUM neighbor, cannot move in, and RUM asks supporters to contact the mayor’s office to get approval for that move as well.
“We ask for your extraordinary support because of these extraordinary circumstances,” said Stanley Campbell, RUM executive director. “Our friend and board member, Lee Schreiner, and his lovely wife, Charmaine, are financially stretched with their purchase of the building at 201-03 Seventh St., the old Aden’s Liquor Store and before that Hedrick Electric.”
RUM has opened a fair trade store. “We’d planned to move in and establish a beautiful storefront, but because of opposition from the Mid-Town District, RUM was unable to move in as expected,” Campbell said. “It will still take two months of hard work to complete the storefront and office. With your help RUM will be moved by January.”
Campbell urged people to shop in the interim at 623 Seventh St. at the Fair Trade Store “in Exile.” One and a half tons of fair-trade arts and crafts have been delivered by 10,000 Villages. Volunteers are still putting the items on the shelves. “We need help clerking the store,” he said. “Church groups, other stores and even individuals are taking items on consignment and selling them for Fair Trade Rockford.”
Campbell said the mayor should be called at (815) 987-5590. “Tell him you would not be afraid to shop at the new Fair Trade store even if Total Health Awareness Team occupied the same building,” he said. “Contact your alderman if you live in the city. They are keeping track of the pros and the cons, and even after they make their decision, it would be good to show support.”
Campbell also requested donations to Rockford Urban Ministries’ Building Fund. These will help with construction of two accessible restrooms, new walls, stairs to the basement, and initial move in.
Donation should be made out to Rockford Urban Ministries, marked “Building Fund”; send it to RUM, 623 Seventh St., Rockford, IL 61104.
For more information about items needed or other ways to help, contact Campbell at (815) 964-7111 or rockfordurbanmin@aol.com. Also visit RUM’s Web site.
Deadline for pre-conference mailing is Feb. 1
(Nov. 18) Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Secretary Harriet McCabe has announced that she must receive all materials to be included in the 2006 pre-conference mailing by Feb. 1.
The mailing will include all reports and proposed legislation to be considered during the 2006 session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference June 11-14 at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles.
McCabe said the Feb. 1 deadline includes:
All historical reports, including Conference task force reports, to be published in the 2006 Journal.
Note: According to NIC Standing Rules, “no Conference agency receiving funds from the Conference shall be budgeted for funds for the next Conference year if historical/financial reports are not included in the Preliminary Reports.”
All petitions (resolutions) to be considered by the June annual conference session. All submitted petitions will be reviewed for conformity by the Committee on Petitions.
Nominating Committee report
Proposed conference budget for 2007
Advance Specials
All promotional items, such as fliers for dinners and advertisements for coming events that sponsors want included in the pre-conference mailing. All submissions of promotional items for the pre-conference mailing should include 1,900 copies of each promotional item, ready for collating into the packet materials.
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 contact her via e-mail.
Nominations Committee has urgent
need to fill Personnel Committee slots
(Nov. 18) The Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Committee on Nominations met Nov. 5 and received word that two resignations on the Conference Committee on Personnel have created an urgent need.
Included in the responsibilities of the Personnel Committee are the supervision and evaluation of employees of the Northern Illinois Conference. The committee is also charged with developing personnel policies, maintaining a conference personnel policy manual and serving as a resource to local churches.
Persons with skills in these areas are urged to contact Betsy Houghton, Nominations Committee chair, (847) 395-5463, for a nominations form.
In other action, the Rev. Rex Piercy was appointed to serve as chair of the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry. Two new members, the Rev. Paul Gerardy and Shirley Dare, were appointed to serve on the board.
The Council on Finance and Administration (CCFA) has elected Fred Wayland to serve as its chair; Julie Bunt is CCFA secretary. James McCue was appointed to serve on CCFA.
There is a need for one more lay man to serve. The Nominations Committee has pledged to find an ethnic minority person to fill that position, according to Houghton.
Finally, Oscar Hernandez and Walter Coleman were appointed to serve on the Committee to Implement the National Hispanic/Latino Plan.
The Nominations Committee is continuing its efforts to meet the guidelines for membership described in the NIC’s Standing Rules. There is a need for another Hispanic clergy person and four non-Hispanic persons, according to Houghton.
The Committee on Communications is in need of persons with skills in technology: audiovisual, computers, etc. “Techies” are encouraged to offer to serve by contacting Communications Committee Chair the Rev. James Galbreath, or Houghton, for nomination forms.
Communications Commission affirms
‘Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.’
(Nov. 18) The General Commission on Communications is committed to lead in the struggle to embrace what we believe is God’s call to be a people with open hearts, open minds, and open doors.
From its inception, the Methodist movement has followed the axiom, “Preach faith until you have it.” It is an aspiration. We believe a recent Judicial Council interpretation of church law allowing a pastor to deny membership to a man because of his sexual orientation is contrary to the spirit of the teachings of the church, our history, and most importantly, the teachings of Jesus, who rejected no one. We join our bishops in their unanimous statement that United Methodist congregations are open to all.
Since this decision, some persons have asked us to withdraw our denominational promise, “Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors: The People of The United Methodist Church.”
While we understand those concerns, we believe that it would be a tragic mistake to walk away from a promise grounded in Christ’s love and his commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. We believe it would be a tragic mistake to walk away from the thousands of congregations who have made the promise of “Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors: The People of The United Methodist Church” a living reality. We believe it would be a tragic mistake to turn away from congregations who affirm it makes no difference where you come from, how much money you earn, what the color of your skin is, and even, whether you are gay or straight.
This church is about the people who live out what we say as reinforced in our Constitution and Social Principles. We call on the people of The United Methodist Church to keep before the world the fundamental principle that our hearts, our minds, and our doors are open to anyone seeking a new life in Jesus Christ. Christ rejected no one. Neither can we.
General Commission on Communications
Bishop Thomas Bickerton, President
Larry Hollon, General Secretary, United Methodist Communications
— Nov. 10, 2005
Freeport Trinity youths helps assemble
health kits for Hurricane Katrina victims
By Carol Heuser
(Nov. 18) When Hurricane Katrina plummeted the South, Jamie Hasken, 15, and her classmates from Freeport High School wanted to do something to help. Hasken, president of the Key club, joined forces with other members of the Key club and members of the National Honor Society, Student Leadership, and Student Council to come up with a plan to help.
At first, they thought about sending backpacks to the children who had lost all their school supplies, but shipping became a problem. So the Freeport youths went home to think up other ways that they could help.
That is when Jamie went to Trinity UMC and heard that the congregation was gathering donations of items for Health Kits for the victims of Katrina. She realized this was something the students could do.
With about 20 volunteers from the different clubs, the youths set about raising funds to purchase items for the kits. They went to football games to collect donations and advertised on TV, radio, and in the newspaper. They raised over $700.
Then they went shopping. Each kit contained a wash cloth, hand towel, bar of soap, nail file and clippers, comb, toothbrush and a large tube of toothpaste.
Certain volunteers were assigned to purchase certain items. They had to shop at about five different stores to get all the supplies they needed. They were able to purchase enough items to complete 130 health kits.
Other volunteers helped assemble the kits and deliver them to the church.
Barrington donates seed,
‘plantables’ to fight hunger
(Nov. 18) Barrington UMC (BUMC) donated $11,000 of seed and “plantables” to raise corn and soybeans for developing countries, such as Malawi in Africa, and Ottawa farmers donated their land to raise the crops. The partnership was celebrated at the Food Resource Bank’s Harvest Festival in October.
Pete Wesley of BUMC’s Missions Work Area spearheaded the project, which is in its second year.
Under the direction of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), profits from the crops, matched by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will be used to help farmers produce more food in Malawi.
Despite the recent drought, many of the Ottawa farmers at the festival were optimistic about their fund-raising crop, stating that the yield would be greater than anticipated. For more information or to donate to the project, call (847) 836-5540.
Rockford Beth Eden will present
27th Bethlehem Market Place Dec. 4
(Nov. 18) Beth Eden UMC, 3201 Huffman Blvd., Rockford, will celebrate its 27th presentation of the Bethlehem Market Place on Sunday, Dec. 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. This non-denominational tradition is Beth Eden’s annual Christmas gift to its friends of every faith. All are welcome to attend this walk-through drama, a memorable Advent experience for the whole family.
The event is handicapped-accessible and depicts the first Christmas. As visitors visit the city they will be enrolled by a tax collector. They will encounter Judean trade merchants hawking their wares of fruit, fish, spices and cloth. Visitors are encouraged to talk to carpenters, potters, weavers and bakers as they tend to business. Visitors may be approached by beggars and will be surrounded by watchful Roman soldiers.
Visitors will be able to touch live animals, and hear hushed, exited rumors whispered throughout the village about a baby who has been born.
Visitors will end their visit in a humble stable and find a live baby Jesus lying in a manger with Mary and Joseph keeping watch.
Admission is free, but visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to be distributed to area pantries.
In the past 26 years, approximately 10,400 people have signed in with “Caesar’s Census” at the start of the drama. Approximately 9,100 pounds of food have been collected for area pantries.
People who have acted in the walk-through drama number 1,950. It takes one week to put all the scenery up and approximately 40 hours for taking down and storing it. Cumulatively, that adds up to about half a year has been spent creating booths and the town during the past 26 years.
For more information, call (815) 877-9237.
UMA urges local churches to help with seniors ministry addressing prescription drug education
(Nov. 18) Mearle Griffith, president/CEO of United Methodist
Association and CARxE (Coalition to Advocate for Prescription Drug Education), has identified “an important ministry opportunity” for local congregations to serve this country’ seniors. Senior citizens will be confronted with the opportunity to enroll in a Medicare/Medicaid Part D Pharmacy program between Nov. 15, 2005, and May 15, 2006.
The United Methodist Association (UMA) of Health and Welfare Ministries has been selected to partner with Medicare/Medicaid to help seniors choose the most appropriate option, based on their disease conditions, prescription utilization, location and their choice of pharmacy. Most seniors will have to choose from among more than a dozen different programs and it promises to be very confusing.
UMA has been granted permission to use an Internet gateway that will automatically compare all programs and help seniors choose which is best for them.
“We are one of two national organizations that has received permission to use this gateway designed specifically for the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services,” Griffith said. “Only a computer program like this will be able to cut through the maze of options to give our seniors a clear and logical choice.”
Griffith described this as “a remarkable opportunity” for UMA to partner with your congregations in making this tool available free of any charges. “We believe seniors will benefit greatly as family and friends become aware of this Internet site and assist them in making their proper choice,” he said. “Congregations can find volunteers who will assist seniors in the church and community as an outreach with this Internet tool available to them.”
UMA has created a Web site at www.carxe.org that provides training and details for a person to volunteer to offer assistance to seniors through family, friends, neighbors or members of their local congregation and community. The site includes details about the Part D Pharmacy program, the gateway to compare the programs and an electronic enrollment form.
UMA invites congregational leaders to go to www.carxe.org and sign-up as a volunteer so their seniors can benefit from this program. UMA is available to answer any questions or provide additional details.
“Most of America’s seniors will need assistance in making the proper choice about Medicare Part D Prescription coverage,” Griffith said. “Many will not be comfortable using a computer to help choose the best option. But if we help your congregations know about the www.carxe.org Web site, you can provide the assistance needed through trusted family and congregational volunteers.”
For more information, call Griffith toll-free at (866) 394-7700.
United Methodist Student Day is Nov. 27:
59 NIC students receive financial assistance
(Nov. 11) Fifty-nine students from Northern Illinois have received loans or scholarships through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) for the 2005-2006 school term. Collectively, they have received $98,440.50.
Financial aid through the board’s Office of Loans and Scholarships (OL&S) comes from several sources, including United Methodist Student Day, one of the denomination’s Special Sundays which is Nov. 27 this year. World Communion Sunday, another of the Special Sundays, also contributes to the financial aid, as did designated gifts, such as wills and annuities.
OL&S had awarded approximately $3,406,642 to 2,543 undergraduate and graduate students. This included $705,500 in wills, annuities and endowed funds administered by the Untied Methodist Higher Education Foundation (UMHEF), $610,000 of which was designated for its “Double Your Dollar for Scholars” Program.
An additional, $1.2 million — $548,000 from UMHEF and $651,000 from GBHEM — has been allocated to United Methodist colleges, universities and seminaries for United Methodist students, said Angella Current-Felder, OL&S
executive director.
By end of this year
“By the end of this year, our office should have awarded a total of $4,605,642 in scholarships to more than 3,500 students of which approximately 550 are seminarians enrolled at UM and non-UM theological schools and seminaries,” Current-Felder added.
Primary qualifications for either loans or scholarships are that the student be an active full member of the United Methodist Church for at least one year prior to applying, be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, be enrolled in an accredited college or university, and maintain a C+ or better average.
Any full-time United Methodist student is eligible to apply for a loan of $2,500 per calendar year. Students taking at least half the required number of hours for full-time status may apply for half the annual maximum.
Scholarship program
Under the United Methodist Scholarship Program, students attending United Methodist-related colleges and universities may apply for scholarship assistance.
United Methodist Student Day provides scholarships to undergraduates attending United Methodist-related schools. Undergraduate and graduate students can benefit from student loans. Each year, $50,000 of the offering is returned to annual conferences for merit scholarship awards to students of their choosing.
In 2004, Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) churches raised $10,141 on Student Day and $19,370 on World Communion Sunday, for a total of $29,511. In 2003, the totals were $18,405 and $31,709, respectively, for a total of $50,114.
Of the 59 students related to the NIC receiving financial aid, 26 are recipients of United Methodist Scholarships, totaling $46,040.50. Fifteen have received UMHEF/GBHEM support through wills, annuities, etc. totaling $21,500. Seven students received HANA (Hispanic, Asian, Native American/Alaska Native or Pacific Islander parentage) support of $14,900 in total. Six students received ethnic minority scholarships for $4,500 in total. Five students have loans collectively amounting to $12,500.
Student Loan Fund
The United Methodist Student Loan Fund is one of the oldest such programs in the world. Since 1868, Methodists have provided financial assistance to their members.
Current-Felder said that at the end of June the board’s scholarship committees had reviewed and distributed all available scholarship dollars for 2005-06 academic year, but 331 applicants were turned away. “Seventy-five of these applicants were seminarians, many first career ministerial students pursuing their Masters of Divinity degree,” she said.
GBHEM addressed this “urgent need” by reallocating resources on a short-term basis, reprioritizing agency funds and allocating $150,000 for a Special Seminarian Scholarship Fund for this year.
“We awarded [the seminarians] approximately $1,500 to $2,000 each,” Current-Felder said. “There is a need for a significant increase in congregational participation and giving to World Communion Sunday and United Methodist Student Day if we are to continue assisting ministerial and undergraduate students with the educational expenses they are incurring to meet the requirements for ordination and other degree programs.”
For more information, contact the Office of Loans and Scholarships, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, P.O. Box 340007, Nashville, TN 37203-0007. The scholarship office phone is (615) 347-7344; loan office, (615) 340-7346. The board’s Web site is www.gbhem.org.
2006-2007 Rainbow Covenant books available
(Nov. 11) The 2006-2007 Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Rainbow Covenant book is available. The Rainbow Covenant is the NIC’s designation recognizing congregations that have paid their apportionment at 100% — the first mile of mission giving — and gone a second mile by supporting mission projects in each of eight color bands of the rainbow.
The cover of the newest book features a dreamcatcher created by Katie Medema, age 10, of Prophetstown. Her artwork is called “Catching the Hopes and Dreams of the World Today.”
Katie’s brother, Kaleb, then age 9, created the cover art for the 2004-2005 book. They attend Leon UMC in Prophetstown.
The cover art was selected by a vote of attendees at the Rainbow Covenant luncheon during the Northern Illinois Annual Conference in St. Charles this past June. The 48-page book also includes several of the other cover entries within its pages.
Bishop Jung’s invitation
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung issues an invitation in the book to local churches to strive to become Rainbow Covenant congregations. His invitation is
in three languages: English, Korean and Hispanic.
“The Northern Illinois Conference is a beautiful conference,” the bishop writes. “The people of this conference have a love for mission here in Illinois, across the United States and around the world. One of the ways they show that love is through participation in the conference’s Rainbow Covenant program.”
The bishop writes that the Rainbow Covenant offers a “perfect opportunity” to be part of transforming the world as a disciple of Jesus Christ and to “make a real difference in the world.”
The book lists the 164 NIC congregations that earned Rainbow Covenant status in 2004.
Rainbow Covenant recognition
To earn Rainbow Covenant recognition, a local church must first commit to paying its apportionment at 100%. Then it can select Advance Special projects to support financially in each of eight categories spanning local to international mission. These are grouped by bands of the rainbow:
Burgundy (International), Red (United States), Orange (United Methodist Committee on Relief — UMCOR), Yellow (The Children’s Fund), Green (NIC), Blue (Districts), Indigo (Mission Personnel) and Purple (Local Benevolences and Special Sundays).
Advance Special projects in the book were selected by the Conference and District secretaries of global ministries, and approved by vote of the June Annual Conference members.
In addition to listing Advance Specials, the book contains comprehensive information and resources related to the United Methodist Church and its mission activities.
A description of the NIC budget is followed by an explanation of apportioned churchwide benevolences. The denomination’s second-mile designated giving program, the Advance for Christ and His Church, which has been in existence since 1948, is explained.
Mission interpreters
Two pages list mission interpreters that local churches and other organizations can contact for help. A page of resources explains how to obtain mission-related materials. Sources include the General Board of Global Ministries, UMCOR, General Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Communications and Cokesbury. The NIC Media Resource Center is an excellent source for audiovisual materials to rent.
There is also information about how to contact the General Boards, Councils and Commissions of the United Methodist Church.
Several pages focus on how to enter a Covenant Relationship with a missionary.
The books have been shipped to the six District offices and the Elgin and Chicago Program offices. Local churches can contact your District office to obtain copies or Natarsha Gardner, (847) 931-0710, ext. 16, in Elgin or Judy Siaba, (312) 346-9766, ext. 108, in Chicago.
For the first time, the Rainbow Covenant book is available on the Web on the Web at Rainbow. The book is in Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf). A free Acrobat Reader is available from Adobe.
E-mail news system debuts
(Nov. 11) The Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) has begun an electronic news
(e-news) service. The service provides news, calendar of events and commentaries by Bishop Hee-Soo Jung. The brief news items are linked to more in-depth information on the conference’s Web site, www.umcnic.org. The calendar of events lists activities for the following two weeks. The calendar links to more comprehensive descriptions and contact information on the NIC Web site.
E-news is available by subscription only. To subscribe, visit the NIC Web site and follow instructions on the lower left-hand portion of the home page.
Martinson named interim president of G-ETS
(Nov. 11) The Board of Trustees of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (G-ETS), Evanston, has selected Dr. Jacob Martinson to serve as interim president from Jan. 1 through May 31, 2006. Newly elected president, Dr. Philip A. Amerson, currently president of Claremont School of Theology, takes up the leadership role June 1, 2006.
An experienced leader and educator, Martinson was president of High Point University, a United Methodist-related institution in High Point, N. C., from 1985 to 2005. Upon his retirement, he was honored by being named the university’s first chancellor, an honorary position.
During his years at High Point, the university more than doubled in size and a number of degree programs was added. He has also been active in community affairs and in higher education associations.
Previously Martinson was president of two other United Methodist-related colleges: Brevard, Brevard, N.C. (1976 to 1985); and Andrews, Cuthbert, Ga. (1972 to 1976).
An ordained clergyman in the United Methodist Church, Martinson served congregations in Pompano Beach and Winter Park, Fla.
Originally from Wisconsin, Martinson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Huntingdon College in Alabama and the Master of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School. He pursued postgraduate studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and completed doctoral studies in theology at Vanderbilt University. Martinson also completed studies at the Harvard University Institute for Educational Management.
G-ETS is one of 13 United Methodist-related seminaries and is located on the campus of Northwestern University.
Beth Eden youth scavenger
hunt helps outreach center
(Nov. 11) The youth group at Beth Eden UMC, 3201 Huffman Blvd., Rockford, held a scavenger hunt to help visitors at The Carpenter’s Place, a day-room outreach center for the homeless, addicted, mentally ill or otherwise severely distressed street populations of Rockford.
The youth group primarily visited members of “Upon This Rock Cooperative Ministry,” which consists of Evans and Harlem UMCs in addition to Beth Eden UMC. The three congregations had been alerted that the youths would be collecting on Oct. 16 and were ready with donations for them.
Items collected included toilet paper, paper towels, plastic tableware, laundry soap, napkins, food, toiletries, jeans, towels and wash cloths, back packs and tissues, among a seemingly endless list.
The Carpenter’s Place personnel were amazed at the large collection, describing it as “probably the largest donation received in recent months.”
The Carpenter’s Place is located at 1149 Railroad Ave. Donations are always welcomed.
For more information about the scavenger hunt or cooperative, call (815) 877-9237.
Amerson named president of G-ETS
(Nov. 4) The Board of Trustees of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (G-ETS) announced that it has elected Dr. Philip A. Amerson as president of the seminary, effective June 1, 2006.
Amerson will also hold the title of Professor of the Sociology of Religion.
Amerson is currently president of Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology, a position he has held since 2000. At Claremont, he initiated improved facilities and increased enrollment and giving. He also led a strategic planning process and accreditation review, supported the faculty in the development of new curriculum, and put in place a strong administrative staff.
G-ETS Board Chair Donald Boyce said, “We are very pleased that Dr. Amerson has been chosen to lead Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He brings more than 35 years of leadership experience in many capacities, including pastoral ministry, scholarship, teaching and administration in higher education.”
Boyce added that the board expressed its sincere appreciation to the seminary’s current president, Dr. Ted A. Campbell, for leading the seminary since 2001. Earlier this year, Campbell announced his decision to step down as president in order to pursue academic scholarship and teaching.
Prior to moving to Claremont, Amerson served congregations in the South Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, was a consultant on Urban Congregational Life for the Lilly Endowment, and served as visiting professor, adjunct professor or faculty member at a number of colleges and seminaries.
An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, he was a delegate to General Conference in 1992, 1996 and 2000 from the South Indiana Conference and in 2004 from the California-Pacific Conference.
Amerson is a member of the Bishops Task Force on Theological Education, the Commission on Theological Education and the United Methodist University Senate. He is also a director of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church.
Amerson is the author of numerous books, articles, papers and manuscripts 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 Practices.
Amerson received the doctor of philosophy degree from Emory University in 1976, the master of divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1971, and the bachelor of arts degree from Asbury College in 1967.
His wife, Dr. Elaine Amerson, is director of Leadership for the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The Amersons have two children: Lydia Murray, who is deputy chief of staff for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, and Andrew, an attorney in the Chicago office of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood law firm.
G-ETS, 2121 Sheridan Rd. in Evanston, is one of 13 United Methodist-related seminaries and is located on the campus of Northwestern University. This graduate school of theology offers master of divinity, master of arts, master of theological studies, doctor of philosophy and doctor of ministry degrees.
For more information, call (847) 866-3900.
Wiley College A Cappella Choir to perform in NIC
(Nov. 4) The Wiley College A Cappella Choir will sing in five Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) churches and perform for the Bishop’s Mission Bus Tour during the choir’s fall tour through the Midwest Nov. 11-21.
Wiley College, located in Marshall, Tex., is one of 11 historically black colleges established and supported by the United Methodist Church. Wiley is assigned to the NIC for support and fundraising assistance. The 10-day choir tour not only displays the talents of choir members, but also serves as a fundraising and recruitment opportunity for Wiley College.
The choir will kick off the tour by singing Sunday, Nov. 13, at three worship services — 8, 10:15 and 11:30 a.m. — at Community UMC, 20 N. Center St., Naperville. The choir will perform in concert at First UMC, 1032 Maple Ave., Downers Grove, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13.
On Monday, Nov. 14, the choir will join the Bishop’s Mission Bus Tour at North Central College in Naperville where they will sing and tell bus tour participants about the college.
On Wednesday, Nov. 16, the choir will sing during the noonday worship service from 12:10 to 12:30 p.m. at First UMC (The Chicago Temple), 77 W. Washington St., Chicago.
On Sunday, Nov. 20, the choir will sing at 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services at Cary UMC, 500 N. First St. At 3 p.m. the choir will perform a concert at St. Mark UMC, 8441 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Chicago.
The tour will also include appearances in South Bend and Gary, Ind.; Peoria; and West Memphis, Ark. Choir members will also visit Abraham Lincoln’s tomb in Oak Lawn Cemetery in Springfield.
Prof. Stephen L. Hayes directs the choir. Babette Reid is accompanist.
The touring choir consists of 15 students from various backgrounds, academic majors and regions of the U.S. Participation in the choir requires a rigorous schedule of rehearsals and performances on campus and throughout the region at churches and special events.
Students must exhibit a high level of talent and must meet stringent requirements with regard to their grade point average. Members are selected only after an audition process.
“Wiley College is blessed to have an extraordinary number of gifted and talented performers,” said Hayes. “These individuals who make up the A Cappella Choir represent the best of the best.”
UMCom films Rogers Park use of hymnal
(Nov. 4) A film crew from United Methodist Communications videotaped the Oct. 23 worship service at United Church of Rogers Park (UCRP) in Chicago to be used in a video promoting The Faith We Sing book of hymns.
The promotional piece will also feature St. Luke’s UMC in Memphis and Hamilton UMC in Antioch, Tenn. The video will demonstrate how these three congregations use the songs in The Faith We Sing to enhance their worship.
“We really appreciate the diversity of musical styles in The Faith We Sing,” said Mark Bowman, UCRP minister of music. “There is something for everyone in there: global music, praise music and new hymns written by great composers like Brian Wren. It really fits what we are trying to do here. This is a diverse congregation, so it is important that our worship reflect who we are and the diversity of the world around us.”
Bowman said he also appreciates the common vernacular and language used in The Faith We Sing. “I grew up in the church, so I love the old hymns,” he said, “but for lots of people who didn’t grow up in the church, some of the archaic and traditional language in old hymns just doesn’t appeal to them. The music in The Faith We Sing relates to people’s lives today. That’s a real gift.”
Bob MacKendree, director of Business and Marketing of Music Resources at United Methodist Publishing House, said United Church of Rogers Park was selected as one of the congregations to film because it offered diversity as far as size, worship style and congregational make up.
“I think they chose [United Church of Rogers Park] partly because they know of Mark Bowman and his use of this material and the work he does,” said Harry Leake, director of the film crew.
The video on CD-Rom will be sent to about 20,000 United Methodist churches across the U.S. in mid-January. Eventually, it will be available on Cokesbury.com.
Batavia mission team delivers 22 tons
of hurricane relief supplies to Louisiana
(Nov. 4) A team of seven, including Hurricane Relief Coordinator Ruthann Birr and Pastors Michael Stoner and Jeffry Bross, from Batavia UMC traveled to Marksville (Louisiana) UMC to deliver 22 tons of supplies that filled a semitrailer donated by a local trucking firm. The trailer had served as a community collection point for the two weeks it took to fill it. Supplies included chainsaws, generators, tools, 150 mattresses, food, school supplies, toiletries, new baby clothes, over-the counter medications and a wide variety of household items.
Pastor Frank Pennington of Marksville UMC was on hand to meet the truck and, with more than 40 volunteers, unloaded it and began dispersing supplies to needy families throughout the community of 6,000 people 100 miles northwest of New Orleans. The parish was flooded with nearly 7,000 evacuees. One parishioner alone welcomed 31 people into his home.
Batavia UMC, 8 N. Batavia Ave., is collecting supplies for a second delivery scheduled for this month.
The second phase of Batavia UMC’s relief efforts is to help with rebuilding. A roofing team from the church will return to Marksville Dec. 26 and do roof repairs through New Year’s Day. Batavia UMC’s team hopes to concentrate its efforts in one of the small towns in southwestern Louisiana that was devastated by the hurricane. Pennington is working to identify five to seven homes that the group can reroof during its stay.
Roofer and Batavia UMC (BUMC) member and youth sponsor Brian Michalowski will lead the group. “Pastor Frank gives us a ‘face to the place,’ which allows BUMC the opportunity to build the personal contacts necessary to sustain relief efforts that will continue for years,” Michalowski said.
The third phase of Batavia UMC’s rebuilding efforts will include youths, college-age and adult work teams that will return to Louisiana in June to spend a week participating in a variety of rebuilding efforts.
For more information, call Batavia UMC, (630) 879-7060.
Confirmand at Joliet Grace delivers relief
By Arloa Scott, Youth Director, Grace UMC, Joliet
(Nov. 4) Sam Scott, a seventh-grade Confirmation student from Grace UMC, Joliet, headed to Walker, La., 10 miles east of Baton Rouge, on Sept. 10 to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Sam went with his father, Tony, and two other members of Grace UMC, Clay Deeter and Jim Clausen.
They traveled in a conversion van filled with supplies, towing a 5-ft. by 8-ft. by 5-ft. trailer also packed full of supplies for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The group spent a week in Walker preparing and serving food at Son Light Ministries, a local church that is housing evacuees.
The congregation of Grace UMC was able to fill the trailer and van with the supplies, including a much needed ice maker, in just 36 hours. The congregation also contributed more than $5,000 that the men used to buy food and supplies while in Walker.
Sam has worked on many mission projects in the past few years, including the Northern Illinois Conference’s Youth Outreach, and a weekend retreat to Rockford Urban Ministries. He has served dinner at Daybreak Shelter in Joliet, raised money and walked for the March of Dimes, collected and delivered supplies for a refugee family with Exodus World Service.
Sam also collects pop tabs for Ronald McDonald house; cleans a highway in Joliet four times a year for his youth group’s Adopt a Highway program; and has baked cookies for Daybreak Shelter.
Sam said he felt like he needed to go on the trip to Louisiana. He has grown up seeing the mission work of Grace UMC in Joliet, and said he “wouldn’t miss this trip for the world!”
Sycamore crisis team collects
relief supplies, helps displaced
(Nov. 4) On Sept. 16, a truck left Sycamore UMC filled with Hurricane Katrina relief aid. Spearheaded by a crisis team put together by the Sycamore church and coordinated by Jim Shear, people from the church and community spent the two previous weeks gathering hundreds of Health Kits, blankets, flashlights and batteries as well as cases of paper products.
Sycamore’s Ideal Industries donated 996 new buckets as well as the truck, gas and driver. All the goods were driven to Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Chatham, which forwarded the supplies to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La., 75 miles northwest of New Orleans.
Sager Brown is the United Methodist Church’s collection and distribution center for disasters around the world. Its location has been critical for UMCOR’s quick response to the recent hurricanes.
On Oct. 4, volunteers gathered at Sycamore UMC to prepare another shipment. This time the emphasis was on School Kits, which include supplies students need to be able to attend classes. The team completed 310 kits valued at more than $3,000.
On Oct. 12, a team from Sycamore UMC transported these kits to Chatham.
Sycamore UMC is still gathering Health Kits, like-new blankets, flood buckets, cash and other items for hurricane relief.
“We are in this for the long haul and will continue to gather goods and transport them to the Gulf Coast as we receive them,” said the Rev. Bill Landis, pastor. “Another trip to take more relief items is already being planned.”
In addition, the church’s Hurricane
Disaster Task Force, coordinated by Shear, is helping in DeKalb County with resettlement of more than 40 hurricane evacuees.
For more information, call the Sycamore UMC office at (815) 895-9113. The church is located at 160 Johnson Ave.
Bolingbrook Friendship to honor veterans
with ‘Strength for Service’ event
(Nov. 4) Friendship UMC, 305 East Boughton Rd., Bolingbrook, will host a worship experience on Veterans’ Day, Friday, Nov. 11, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The event, “Honoring Our Veterans, Supporting Our Troops,” will recognize veterans in attendance and lift up and promote the United Methodist Church’s project that seeks to send copies of Strength for Service to God and Country, Daily Devotional Messages for Those in the Service of Others to the 1 million U. S. military personnel plus policemen, firemen and emergency workers.
The original Strength for Service to God and Country was published soon after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Well over 1 million copies were distributed to armed services personnel during World War II and the Korean conflict. In 1999 for his Eagle service project, a Boy Scout named Evan Hunsberger decided to introduce the book to a new generation of U.S. military personnel and public servants in honor of his grandfather, a Navy corpsman who carried the book in World War II and the Korean conflict. Hunsberger updated the language of the 365 original devotions and gathered 40 new meditations from contemporary spiritual leaders.
Featured speaker at the Friendship UMC event will be Larry Coppock, the driving force behind the “Strength for Service” project. Because Abingdon Press, now a part of the United Methodist Church, had published the original Strength for Service, Hunsberger approached Coppock, United Methodist Church staff person in Nashville who oversees work with Scouting.
Coppock will be speaking on his father’s experience in World War II and on the impact that Strength for Service is having on current U. S. military personnel.
In the fall of 2001 the Office of Chief of Chaplains in the Pentagon requested 1 million books for the U. S. military, but provided no funds (about $3 per book) to distribute the books. To date about 260,000 books are in distribution, primarily to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 101st Airborne, the 82nd Airborne, the 10th Mountain Division, and many National Guard and Reserve units, but also to policemen, firemen and, lately, emergency workers with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A total of $510,200 has been raised for the project from more than 2,500 donors.
It has been largely grass-roots fundraising: Most gifts are in the $10 to $100 range. The largest gifts have been two $25,000 matching grants from the John Templeton Foundation. Book sales have been $340,000, so there is $850,000 in combined sales and donations. Books are priced so that, when one is sold, an additional book is sent to a U.S. military person.
There will be opportunity during the Nov. 11 event to purchase copies of Strength for Service or to contribute to distributing it. Those who would want prayer at the event for persons serving in the military or in other service professions or who want to have a copy of Strength for Service sent can contact Friendship UMC at (630) 972-1011.
Jones named UMC’s top communicator of 2005
(Nov. 4) Dana Jones, United Methodist deaconess and editor of Response, the official magazine of United Methodist Women, is the church’s 2005 Communicator of the Year. She received the award from the United Methodist Association of Communicators during the group’s annual awards banquet last month in San Antonio.
Jones has been editor of Response for the past 13 years. She is also part of the Women’s Division team that trains conference coordinators of communication.
Before joining the Women’s Division at the Board of Global Ministries, she served as director of Communications for the Northern Illinois Conference and editor of the Northern Illinois Conference United Methodist Reporter.
Jones has extensive experience in communications, including work in the church, community-college public relations, and secular newspaper editing and reporting.
Jones’ work involves giving voice to women, youth and children, she said, and being recognized for that work “means their voices are being heard.”
Jones is a graduate of the University of Illinois and a member of Memorial UMC in White Plains, N.Y., where her husband, the Rev. Joe Agne, is pastor.
(Nov. 25) During this holiday season families gather for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations, sharing meals, memories and gift exchanges. But for some United Methodist families in the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) the holidays will not bring family gatherings. Instead, they will only highlight the pain of separation because U.S. law prevents the families from being together.
“Before that it was very hard because we were in the process,” Sathuri said. “The process is now getting more delayed for those who have applied for permanent residency. It is going to take much longer. I think the time period has doubled or even more.”
By Roger Curless, Northern Illinois Conference Lay Leader