October

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Dakota celebrates 150 years, dedicates building

(Oct. 27) Dakota UMC celebrated its 150th anniversary by dedicating its expanded facility at 120C Church St., welcoming seven new members and conducting four baptisms. The congregation declared itself a “Turnaround Church,” notably because during the renovation, its sanctuary was turned 180 degrees.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Lay Leader Roger Curless, Rockford District Superintendent, the Rev. Ouk-Yean Jueng, the Rev. Martin Lee, NIC director of Congregational Development and Redevelopment, and former pastors, who had served the church in each decade since the 1950s, participated in the day’s many activities.

The Rev. Kangse Lee, who has served the congregation since 1999, said the building renovation that more than quadrupled the size of the facility wasn’t done to help the congregation grow. “We viewed this as an opportunity to be of service to the community, to be a more important part of our community,” he said. “The growth will take care of itself.”

Kurt Koester, Dakota UMC lay leader, agreed with Lee, but added that there are a lot of unchurched families in the community. “One gentleman who joined this morning walked through our door the first Sunday in September,” he said.

Bishop Jung, who sat astride a horse and led worshipers in a symbolic walk around the block to commemorate the congregation’s ties to Methodist circuit riders, said, “Truly there are vital Christians in this community.”

During the building dedication, the bishop described the new facility as a place of hope and healing. “You are showing God’s love and abundance through this building and yourselves,” he said. “As we dedicate this building, let us rededicate ourselves to Christ’s love.”

Besides rotating the sanctuary and creating a seating arrangement that is wide rather than long and narrow, the church structure also became handicapped-accessible. A fellowship hall, rest rooms, large kitchen, full basement with rest rooms and five classrooms were added, and a shaft was installedfor a future elevator.

A significant amount of work was donated by local plumbers, electricians and carpenters. Koester said many building supplies were donated at cost. He estimated the congregation saved more than $100,000 in material and labor on the project.

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Nov. 19 banquet will celebrate India partnership

(Oct. 27) The Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) will hold a banquet to celebrate 150 years of Methodism in India, honor pastors from India who serve in the NIC, and raise funds to support India mission projects. The banquet will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, at Viceroy of India Restaurant, 19W555 Roosevelt Rd., Lombard.

The event will raise funds to support India mission projects that are part of the NIC 2006-2007 Rainbow Covenant.

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.

Among banquet participants will be members of the NIC delegation to the 150th anniversary celebration of Methodism in India and the 25th anniversary celebration of the autonomous Methodist Church of India Oct. 20-22 in Lucknow, India. The delegation, led by the Rev. Alka Lyall, pastor of First UMC, Freeport, also included the Rev. Ed Hiestand, NIC Ecumenical/Interreligious Officer; the Rev. Ernest Singh, pastor of Indo Pak and West Ridge UMCs in Chicago; the Rev. Timothy Rathod, pastor of Emmanuel UMC in Evanston; and the Rev. Man Singh Das, pastor of South Asian UMC, Winfield.

The dinner will provide an opportunity for congregations to thank present and former pastors from India, enjoy a cultural program of music, hear a report by the NIC delegation to Lucknow, and help support mission projects in India.

To make banquet reservations, contact Judy Siaba, NIC office, (312) 346-9766, ext. 121, or jsiaba@umcnic.org before Nov. 10. Cost is $50 per plate; of that amount, $30 is tax-deductible. For more information, contact the Rev. Robert Sathuri, (815) 946-3212, or e-mail rsathuri@hotmail.com.

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Cabinet limits display of Guadalupe Virgin

(Oct. 27) In a meeting with Hispanic pastors of the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC), Bishop Hee-Soo Jung and several District Superintendents announced that the NIC Cabinet has issued a statement restricting display of the Virgin of Guadalupe in NIC church sanctuaries or chapels, but understanding its use “as a sign of welcome” outside of worship in Hispanic communities.

Saying that they “understand the importance and cultural significance of the Virgin of Guadalupe as a point of welcome and hospitality for some Hispanic persons in our ministries,” Cabinet members said they do not want congregations to appear to worship the Virgin, which would be a violation of the United Methodist Book of Discipline.

The complete statement approved by the Cabinet Oct. 10 is:

First, we acknowledge that both pain and affirmation exist in relation to the issue of the Virgen of Guadalupe. Second, we pray for understanding and unity in our common calling in Jesus Christ among all of our Hispanic faith communities. As the Cabinet of Northern Illinois Annual Conference, we understand the importance and cultural significance of the Virgen of Guadalupe as a point of welcome and hospitality for some Hispanic persons in our ministries. We affirm Article 14 of the Articles of Religion of the United Methodist Church. Therefore we require congregations which choose to use the Virgen of Guadalupe as a sign of welcome to avoid displaying the image in a place that might imply or encourage adoration or worship. This would include public spaces such as sanctuaries or chapels.

Article 14 referred to in the statement calls worship and adoration of images and relics, and also invocation of saints “a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but repugnant to the Word of God.”

The Cabinet’s statement was made in response to a resolution from La Junta Hispana LatinoAmericana, the NIC Hispanic caucus, that denounced the use of “manifestations of popular culture” and “introduction of la virgen de Guadalupe or any other idol or image” in United Methodist churches.

The caucus resolution asked Bishop Jung and the extended cabinet to work with the caucus to define strategies for developing new congregations in Hispanic communities without “using the so called ‘manifestations of popular culture’ as the main strategy for development.”

“The Cabinet really wrestled with this decision,” said Bishop Jung. “Your bishop is bound to enforce the Book of Discipline, while at the same time freeing our people to serve the people who are out there.”

The Virgin of Guadalupe has become an unofficial national symbol of Mexico, based on the legend that in December 1531 the Virgin Mary appeared to an Aztec Indian named Juan Diego and told him to go to the bishop of Mexico City to ask that a chapel be built in her honor.

When the bishop demanded proof, the Virgin told Juan Diego to gather roses, which were out of season at that time, and take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego opened his cloak to deliver the roses, the bishop saw the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The cloak is now enshrined in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Many immigrants identify with her because, it is said, she appeared as a native Indian with brown skin, spoke in the native language and was dressed in Indian attire covered with Aztec symbols. The image has been used throughout Mexico, by Cesar Chavez in his campaign for justice for farm workers, and by many Hispanic/Latino immigrants in the United States.

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Community erects semi-permanent tent

( Oct. 27) Community UMC, 20 N. Center St., Naperville, has erected a 60- by 40-foot tent in the church parking lot on Benton Street, across from Central Park. The tent will be used to hold a contemporary worship service at 11 a.m. every Sunday morning. Traditional worship will be held at the same time every week in the church sanctuary.

“We feel called to a new ministry that requires alternative and innovative space,” said the Rev. Tom Babler, senior pastor. “The addition of this tent allows us to continue our traditional ministries in our traditional space while we begin new ministries in a new space. We are preserving the old and, at the same time, making way for the new.”

Babler said he is reminded of the verses in the Bible that warn against putting new wine into old wineskins. “We really see the tent as a fresh wineskin for some new wine,” he said.

The tent will be the temporary home of the church’s contemporary worship service, called OnCenter, while the congregation works to add a permanent addition to the church building, Babler said. The tent is heated, has electrical service, and is fully furnished to accommodate worship.

The Naperville City Council voted Sept. 5 to approve the temporary structure. The tent was raised on Sept. 25 on a wooden platform built by members of the congregation the previous week.

The first worship service in the tent was held Sunday, Oct. 1.

For more information, call the church at (630) 355-1483.

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Dec. 1 is deadline to apply for Board of
Ordained Ministry endowed scholarships

(Oct. 27) Northern Illinois Conference Board of Ordained Ministry seeks applications for its endowed scholarships.

These scholarships are targeted toward three types of students:

Requirements to qualify for this scholarship, which has a maximum value of $4,000 per candidate per year, include applicant must be at least a “Declared Candidate” in the process for ordination, as defined by the Board of Higher Education and Ministry, or an applicant must be able to offer written proof of active leadership and membership within a local church.

Anyone who applies for this scholarship must be willing to serve within the Northern Illinois Conference for at least three years.

Note that it is expected that a prime source of information for the selection process for these scholarship awards will be seminary faculty/staff and/or pastors and lay leaders within local churches.

Interested persons should request an application form from: The Rev. Thomas Petty, 2121 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, IL 60201 or send e-mail to Thomas.Petty@garrett.edu.

Deadline for application is Dec. 1.

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Winfield South Asian forms Fazilka pact

(Oct. 27) South Asian UMC in Winfield has adopted Fazilka City in Punjab, India, as a Shalom Community and established sister relationship with Fazilka Methodist Church.

Fazilka, a county seat in Ferozpore District, is near the Pakistan border. The city has a population of about 100,000 and its residents are mostly laborers, working on farms or brick manufacturing.

South Asian UMC and Fazilka Methodist Church plan to establish a community outreach program for the slums of Fazilka.

Fazilka Methodist Church in Delhi Regional Conference of the Methodist Church of India is about 100 years old. Its parsonage has deteriorated and walls have collapsed.

According to the Rev. Man Singh Das, pastor of South Asian UMC, his congregation will assist in building a new parsonage. “We will provide $5,000 for building materials,” he said, “and the labor will be supplied by the Fazilka Methodist Church.”

Das said other areas of partnership between the two congregations will include sharing of gifts and God’s blessings with one another, pulpit exchange, evangelism, youth camps, lay leadership development and the community outreach program for the slums of Fazilka.

For more information, contact Das at (630) 466-7544.

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Cerna Rand to lead delegation
to Young People’s Convocation

(Oct. 27) The Rev. Cerna Rand, associate pastor at First UMC at the Chicago Temple, has been selected as an adult delegate to lead the North Central Jurisdiction delegation to the Global Young People’s Convocation and Legislative Assembly in Johannesburg, South Africa, Dec. 28 to Jan. 1. The delegation will consist of five youths, five young adults and two adults.

The Global Young People’s Convocation and Legislative Assembly is a gathering of 500 United Methodist youths, young adults, and adult workers with young people from around the world. It will be a place to share, learn and connect. The event is sponsored by the Division on Ministry With Young People of the General Board of Discipleship, which is based in Nashville.

Rand was chosen for the delegation during the North Central Jurisdiction (NCJ) Young People and Young Adults Convocation held at Sioux City, Iowa, this summer. Four delegates represented Northern Illinois Conference at the convocation: the Rev. Dean Shapley from First UMC, Western Springs, Ferdinand Gonzales from the Chicago Temple, Samantha Vidal from Trinity UMC, Mt. Prospect and Rand.

Rand serves as an adult member of the NCJ Young People and Young Adults Ministries Steering Committee. Members of the steering committee are elected and serve for two years. This is Rand’s second year on the steering committee. She will step down next July.

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Dunn to consult on health-care volunteer teams

(Oct. 27) Jane Dunn, member of First UMC in Glen Ellyn and a veteran of more than 10 United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) experiences, has been named Health Care Consultant for North Central Jurisdiction (NCJ) medical teams and individual volunteers. Dunn, a masters-prepared registered nurse has worked for more than 30 years in medical and surgical settings as a health administrator, nursing professor and in psychiatric care.

Dunn and her husband, Richard, have led health-care teams to Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. They have also volunteered as individuals in Belize and served on construction teams in Chile and the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Early in her career she was employed for two years by Reynolds Metals Co. as co-manager of an employee hospital in a bush mining camp in Kwakwani, Guyana.

“Jane hopes to use the knowledge from her volunteer experiences to assist health teams and their leaders with preparation, and facilitate growth of UMVIM health teams within the jurisdiction,” said Lorna Jost, NCJ UMVIM administrator. “The position officially starts in 2007 and is unsalaried except for an allocation to cover office and travel expense. Jane is truly volunteering her time to enrich the lives of others.”

The Dunns live in Glen Ellyn. You may reach her at (630) 790-4387 or by sending an e-mail to richjane@ameritech.net.

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St. Mark weekend strengthens
black church for 21st century

(Oct. 20) St. Mark UMC, 8441 S. St. Lawrence in Chicago, recently hosted more than 100 visitors drawn from 12 states as part of the United Methodist Church’s Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century initiative. The visitors, drawn from all five of the denomination’s jurisdictions and representing more than 21 churches, came to Chicago to learn about the ministries of St. Mark UMC, which is one of 20 resource congregations for the initiative.

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century is a program to assist United Methodist churches with predominantly black congregations become effective in mission and ministry. It links congregational resource centers with those in search of new ideas and revitalization. Other notable resource congregations include Glide Memorial UMC in San Francisco, Windsor Village UMC in Houston and Cascade UMC in Atlanta. St. Mark UMC is one of two resource congregations in the North Central Jurisdiction.

St. Mark members presented 17 workshops based on the theme “A Traditional Church with Innovative Ministries.” The workshops ranged from music and dance to a camera club and martial arts for children and youths. Workshops also discussed outreach, health ministries, scouting, worship and evangelism

The Rev. Dr. Jon McCoy, St. Mark senior pastor suggested the congregation become a resource church. He said he first encountered the Strengthening the Black Church program when he was in Mississippi before joining the Northern Illinois Conference. “I proposed our congregation undertake this,” he said, but emphasized that its execution is a “ministry of our laity.”

Consuelo Williams, who coordinated the program, estimated that somewhere between 300 to 400 members of the congregation were involved on the Saturday when the seminars were presented. “The entire congregation was involved in one way or another,” she added, noting that this included providing transportation and cooking and offering other means of support during the weekend.

“The pastor knew we had people to make it happen,” said William Harris Jr., St. Mark UMC lay leader. “The pastor recognized gifts that people didn’t recognize themselves.”

Williams agreed, saying the event that also included a banquet at which the Rev. Dr. Walter Kimbrough, pastor emeritus of Cascade UMC in Atlanta, spoke and a pastors’ workshop on Friday, “brought out a well- spring of talent.”

McCoy said congregation members were excited to get a chance to share with the general church what has been done historically at St. Mark UMC.

Williams said educators Jacqueline Carothers and Betty Stell trained the seminar leaders in presentation techniques. Carothers said she “got goosebumps” when she saw them “do their things” on Saturday.

Rudy Smith, associate lay leader, said an attendee from Chattanooga, Tenn., asked questions about issues his church is confronting. Smith said St. Mark UMC had already gone through these issues.

“We had an opportunity to share with other people,” Smith said, “to step out in faith and interact with people. It was a lot of work, but as the weekend went along, we all began to see there are churches that need this kind of event, that they are suffering with people who want to stay in the past and don’t want to move forward.”

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G-ETS to inaugurate Amerson Nov. 3

(Oct. 20) Dr. Philip Amerson will be installed as president of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (G-ETS) on Friday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. The inauguration will be at First UMC, 516 Church St., Evanston.

The inauguration day will have several events:

Saturday, Nov. 4, a service day has been requested by Amerson for “students, faculty, staff, trustees, alums and friends around the world” as part of the inaugural ceremony. The event is designated “Eliza Garrett Day.” Amerson said he wants “what happens in the sanctuary to be carried into our communities.”

On Eliza Garrett Day, participants will gather at the seminary for brief remarks by Amerson before selecting from a variety of service projects, both indoors and outdoors. From 9 a.m. to noon, small teams will spread out across Evanston and in north Chicago. From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. the workers will reunite and share experiences during lunch at Hemenway UMC, 933 Chicago Ave., Evanston.

For more information or to reserve space at the inaugural luncheon, call (847) 866-3902.

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8 UMC congregations will take
part in Nov. 4 Sleep Out Saturday

(Oct. 20) Eight United Methodist churches will be among 75 groups taking part on Saturday, Nov. 4, in Bridge Communities’ third Sleep Out Saturday, an annual overnight fundraiser held at locations throughout DuPage County. The 75 participating groups will turn their lawns into temporary homeless shelters in which an expected 1,500 persons will sleep out in tents, cars or under the stars.

Sleep Out Saturday kicks off with a rally at Glenbard South High School at 7 p.m. Participants will engage in activities at their assigned sites before sleeping out.

The annual overnight has three main objectives: to increase awareness about homeless families in DuPage County; to raise funds for Bridge Communities and its program partners; and to provide a transformational opportunity for participants to experience the issue of homelessness by sleeping out.

United Methodist churches that will be among the Sleep Out Saturday locations are:

“In 2004, the overnight weather conditions left frost on faces. In 2005, a dramatic thunderstorm forced the rally and many sleepers indoors,” said Jennifer Jerzyk, Bridge Communities’ development director. “But homeless families don’t have that option. Finding shelter is an everyday struggle for them. We encourage anyone who’s interested in the issue of homelessness to come to the rally or sleep out.”

Almost 100 families in DuPage County are Bridge Communities clients. Each is paired with a partner church that provides a mentor team and a $10,000 annual commitment to sharing the cost of the family’s housing. Within two years, most families cross the bridge from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

Throughout DuPage County, Bridge Communities owns and operates transitional housing apartments. More than 40 churches and groups participate as partners to connect homeless families to a better future.

With a Sleep Out goal of $100,000, the suggested goal for each participant is $100, the cost of four $25 shelter nights. Bridge Communities’ partner churches can share their congregation’s collective Sleep Out Saturday contributions. Many will keep half of the funds raised to help meet the housing costs of their own Bridge family.

To make a donation, register to sleep out or learn more about how homelessness affects children and youths in DuPage County, visit www.sleepoutsaturday.org or call (630) 545-0610, ext. 12.

For more information about Bridge Communities, visit www.bridgecommunities.org or call (630) 545-0610.

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Chicago Broadway dedicates Peace Pole

(Oct. 20) Broadway UMC, 3338 N. Broadway, Chicago dedicated a Peace Pole on Family Day, Sunday, Sept. 10. A litany of dedication was celebrated inside the church and then the Peace Pole was carried outside and planted in the rain. Attendees put a shovel of dirt in its hole and said prayers for peace.

Broadway’s pole has four sides with the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” expressed in Spanish, Swahili, Chinese and English.

Also planted alongside the pole was a time capsule containing messages of peace from children and others in the congregation plus the dedication litany and a history of Broadway UMC.

More than 200,000 Peace Poles have been erected in more than 180 countries. Their purpose is to spread the message of peace in many different languages.

Some of the most extraordinary locations of Peace Poles are the North Pole, Great Pyramids of Egypt, Robben Island, South Africa, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, Jordan River in Israel, and the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima. The Peace Pole Project was started in Japan in 1955 by the World Peace Prayer Society and is headquartered in New York at the United Nations. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter dedicated a Peace Pole as did Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama.

Broadway UMC has added its prayers to this vision of a world in which true peace with justice might become a reality. If your church is interested in planting a Peace Pole, you can get more information at www.peacepole.org.

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Latino/Hispanic Ministry Center created by NIC

(Oct. 13) Bishop Hee-Soo Jung announced that he has appointed the Rev. Oscar Carrasco, Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) director of Connectional Ministries, to also serve as interim director of a newly created NIC Latino/Hispanic Ministry Center (Centro Latino/Hispánico Del Ministerio De la Conferencia Norteña De Illinois).

The center will be housed in the former Creciendo Al Ritmo Del Pueblo church building at 2056 N. Tripp Ave. in Chicago, which has been vacant following the recent merger of the Creciendo congregation with Emanuel UMC at 4256 N. Ridgeway Ave. in Chicago.

The mission of the center will be to resource and equip laity and clergy to make disciples for Jesus Christ, and to seek and advocate for God’s justice within the Latino/Hispanic communities of the conference.

‘Enthusiasm, broader insights and experience’

Bishop Jung said he appointed Carrasco, who already coordinates many of the NIC’s Latino/Hispanic ministry programs, to the new position because of his “enthusiasm, broader insights and experience in working with Latino/Hispanic ministries.”

“We are working on a comprehensive conference strategy for Latino/Hispanic ministries,” the Bishop said, “that will have a specific plan and dream and vision for the future.” He added that the objective is to bring together the work of La Junta (the Hispanic caucus), the National Hispanic Plan and the NIC Office of Congregational Development and Redevelopment.

Jung said he wants all NIC churches to be involved in helping establish new faith communities for the Latino/Hispanic population.

“I hope we can do some major work together,” Jung said. “We need to more actively reach out to the Latino/Hispanic population. There are an estimated 1.5 million Latino/Hispanic persons in our conference. We are currently reaching only .01% of them. We need to more intentionally and aggressively reach out to this population and their community needs.”

Bring together stakeholders

Carrasco said his first task will be “to bring together the stakeholders of Latino/Hispanic ministry and, together with the office of Congregational Development, cooperate in planning and implementing our exciting future work.”

“I hope that together we are going to travel or sojourn deeper and appreciate the presence of God’s heart in this matter. I pray that we can love each other by listening and learning from each other,” Carrasco said. “I also hope we will discover the gifts and talents that God has already placed in each of us for us to become leaders in advancing the ministry and mission of our United Methodist Church, reflecting our ethos of social and personal holiness as we reach out to the Latino/Hispanic immigrant community, all for the glory of God.”

Carrasco said he will be working with the Cabinet to develop a Board of Directors, specific guidelines for the center, and a long-term funding plan.

Expected programs

Programs expected to be offered by the center will:

Carrasco, who noted that the new ministry was announced during Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month, asked for prayers to support the work ahead.

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Oct. 28 Energy Management Workshop
for Churches will be offered in LaGrange

(Oct. 13) An Energy Management Workshop for Churches will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 203 Kensington Ave. in LaGrange. This workshop will address electricity and natural gas issues, as well as methods to reduce energy costs.

Clergy, congregational treasurers, buildings and grounds personnel, and homeowners are encouraged to participate. At the conclusion of the workshop, there will be a walk-through survey of the host church’s heating and ventilating systems.

Andrew Rudin, executive director of the Interfaith Coalition on Energy in Philadelphia, will be workshop facilitator. He is a nationally recognized expert on energy conservation issues and has conducted similar workshops on the East Coast and in the Midwest for more than 20 years.

Rudin formerly worked as a consultant with Inspired Partnerships, and has conducted energy audits on numerous Chicago area churches.

A representative from CenterPoint Energy, which provides natural gas and electricity at considerable savings to a growing number of United Methodist congregations, will explain transportation and electricity programs for participants.

Registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. Workshop will commence at 9 a.m.

The event is sponsored by the Northern Illinois Conference Community Partners for the Common Good and the Energy Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.

Registration fee is $10. Make checks payable to Episcopal Diocese of Chicago and mail to: Energy Committee, Diocese of Chicago, 65 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611

For more information, call Fran Gamwell, executive director, Community Partners for the Common Good, (773) 252-9844, ext. 225.

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Nov. 18 ‘Pathways with Promises’
will focus on vital small churches

(Oct. 13) “Pathways with Promises — Emerging Leadership and Practices in Vital Small Churches” will be presented Saturday, Nov. 18, at First UMC, 105 S. Congress St., Polo. The program will be presented by Julia Kuhn Wallace, director of Small-Membership Ministries at the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship, Nashville.

Wallace has 27 years experience working with smaller churches and shared ministry settings. She has produced resources such as “Small Churches Can Make a Big Difference” (video), and “8 Vital Ministry Booklets for Small Church Leaders.”

Harvest of Joy is the annual celebration of rural ministry and training event sponsored by the Northern Illinois Conference Town and Rural Center.

The day will include worship, speaker and discussion, free lunch, award presentation for outstanding rural ministries, and a “Conversation with Julia” in the afternoon.

To reserve lunch, call (815) 453-2328. Child care will be provided. For more details, contact the Rev. Monica William, (815) 453-2328.

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Planting Seeds

By Roger Curless, Northern Illinois Conference Lay Leader

(Oct. 13) Laity Sunday is Oct. 15!

Otober is the traditional month for the United Methodist Church to set aside time to acknowledge and celebrate the ministry of the laity. As time has gone on I have become less excited about the labels of clergy and laity and believe if we would lift up the ministry of the “Laos” — the whole people of God — we might move forward a little easier.

In the past month I had the privilege of participating in the celebration of 150 years of ministry for our Dakota UMC in the Rockford District. What a joy to spend a day in worship, in the dedication of a new building and the celebration of 150 years of ministry to that community and around the world.

If you have been reading your United Methodist Reporter you know that others have celebrated or are preparing to celebrate similar milestones. Prophetstown UMC will celebrate 170 years shortly, for example. We have many congregations that that are now celebrating the fruits of the seeds planted in northern Illinois in the decades immediately following Illinois statehood (1818) and the Civil War.

Being in a faith community was a priority and the church was one of the places where the community gathered regularly, not just on Sunday morning. Worship and Bible study along with gatherings in small groups in one another’s homes were the norm. Before you say that people in those days didn’t have so many choices and competing activities, think about all the work it took for a family to survive on the Illinois prairie between 1830 and 1870. Yet, our forbearers understood the importance of having God at the center of their communal life.

These congregations also understood the call to ministry beyond themselves and their communities. Consider, for example, that the Dakota congregation had already been meeting as a Methodist community for 34 years when the first Christian Methodist missionary arrived in Korea. The Prophetstown congregation had been together for more than 20 years when the first Christian Methodist missionaries arrived in India. The support for that world outreach came from congregations like these.

For me, it is wonderful for us to consider our history and see how the power of the Holy Spirit has moved across time right here in our own communities. We can revisit the stories of how faithful men and women supported their fellowships and congregations as the pastors moved from place to place sometimes serving multiple charges miles apart. It sounds a little like what is happening today in Africa where the church is growing so rapidly.

While I would not advocate the return to prairie life of the 1830s, I do wonder why so many dismiss our early years of dynamic, growing congregations by suggesting that it was because people had few other alternatives. Jesus taught that we could have a world where everyone was loved and accepted: a world with no room for hate, bigotry or violence; a world of compassion and caring for one another; a world community based on our common humanity as children of God.

Wesley took the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put it at the center of his life. He simply built a system designed to enable people to share and care for one another in every part of their lives together.

From Jesus through Wesley through Prophetstown, Dakota and thousands of other communities faithful Christians have been about the business of planting seeds. Congregations across our conference and around the world are celebrating the fruit of the work of those who planted seeds so many years ago.

So it makes one ask what kinds of seeds are we planting today? Are our congregations the centers of our communities, reaching out and inviting all who would seek a relationship with God to come in, or have they become bastions, fortresses, where faithful believers band together for protection against the evil that is all around us? I sometimes wonder when I see churches building their own recreation centers, health clubs and movie theaters so that the “true believers” do not have to go out and be threatened by “non-believers.”

For centuries, the people of God, the Laos as it were, have not been afraid of the world but have boldly, with the power of the Holy Spirit, marched out into the world. It has always been risky following Jesus, but that’s part of discipleship.

My prayer during this time around Laity Sunday is that we will regain some of that spirit and take some of those risks so that we see ourselves in this day not only harvesting the fruits of those who have gone before us, but planting seeds — planting the seeds that will ensure that 50, 100, 150 years from now, others will continue to experience a life in Jesus Christ. And for a few moments out into the future, they will stop and reflect on the harvest of the seeds we are planting in the Northern Illinois Conference today.

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‘Building Bridges, Not Walls’
teaches children about bullying

(Oct. 13) Forty-eight children and 18 adults learned about bullying at the third Children’s Retreat held at Wesley Woods Conference Center in Williams Bay, Wis., last month. The Children’s Ministry Program Area in cooperation with the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Office of Leadership and Program Development sponsored retreat.

Discussions and activities included What is Bullying?; Who Gets Bullied?; Why Do Bullies Feel So Bad?; What Should You Do?; How Can I Help?; and Whom Can You Tell?

Children enjoyed singing led by Sherry Brown-Messacar from Oswego Prairie UMC. Linda Abbott, Our Savior’s UMC in Schaumburg, helped with craft projects, and Wendy Connell, Wesley UMC, Aurora, helped with games.

NIC United Methodist Foundation also provided additional funding so cost could be minimal, scholarships available for children who needed them, sleeping bags purchased for some children, and transportation provided.

Yellow t-shirts with purple writing “Building Bridges, Not Walls” with a 2006 date on them are available. If a church or group would like to have them, contact Margaret Harrison, (630) 355-1748.

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Jueng to lead blessing of RUM’s
JustGoods fair trade store Oct. 14

(Oct. 13) The Rev Ouk-Yean Kim Jueng, Rockford District superintendent, will bless JustGoods, Rockford Urban Ministries’ (RUM) new fair trade store, at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 14. The non-profit store, located at 201 Seventh St., is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is staffed entirely by volunteers.

The Northern Illinois Conference as well as RUM members have devoted many volunteer hours to rehab this former liquor store into a fair trade store selling mission items from around the world. Churches sent donations, made loans and sent work crews to fix up the building, according to Stanley Campbell, RUM executive director. Work crews came from Poplar Grove UMC, First UMC of Belvidere, and Grace and Aldersgate UMCs of Rockford. The Rev. Jim Bell of Libertyville led two adult work crews.

“There were many other donations of time and money, and we give thanks for them all,” Campbell said.

Store items are received from at least seven fair trade cooperatives and groups from around the world including SERRV and Ten Thousand Villages, mission outreaches of the Mennonite and Brethren Churches, UMC missionaries and A Brighter Hope. Another supplier is JamTown, which provides musical instruments. The store also offers handmade soap from women’s shelters in Chicago and Colorado.

Store merchandise includes fair trade pottery, wood products, baskets, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, housewares, clothing and toys. JustGoods also has a large selection of fair trade organic and shade grown coffees, teas and chocolate.

Fair trade means a sustainable living wage is paid to the producer, usually an individual artisan in a developing nation.

For more information, call JustGoods, (815) 965-8903, or the RUM office, (815) 964-7111.

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Humboldt Park Social Services, Marcy-Newberry
will benefit from Chicago CROP Walk on Oct. 15

(Oct. 13) Marcy-Newberry Association and Humboldt Park Social Services, both related to the United Methodist Church, are among the agencies that will benefit from the Chicago CROP Walk that will step off from the Student Center East on University of Illinois Chicago campus, 750 S. Halsted St. on Sunday, Oct. 15. The Chicago CROP Walk is one of 2,000 held each year in communities throughout the United States.

Registration begins at 1 p.m. and step off at 2:15 p.m. for the 10 kilometer walk that will take walkers on a route through Millennium Park.

The Rev. Phil Blackwell, senior pastor at First UMC at the Chicago Temple, and the Rev. John Buchanan from Fourth Presbyterian Church will serve as Honorary Chairmen.

“The annual Crop Walk continues to be a signal to people of faith that hunger knows no seasons and no boundaries,” said Blackwell. “While we often are jolted into responding when there are natural disasters, Church World Service reminds us that there is a quiet disaster going on daily that never seems to subside. Hunger is a problem of the soul more than of the soil. There is enough food produced in the world to feed every man, woman and child, but while more and more people in our corner of the world are decreed as ‘clinically obese’ there are those who starve, not only far away but also close to home. Alleviating hunger around the world is a matter of conscience and faith.”

Twenty five percent of the money raised will be used by local agencies to combat hunger in Chicago. Besides Marcy-Newberry and Humboldt Park Social Services, these agencies include Catholic Peace & Justice Office, Chicago Presbyterian Hunger Fund, Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation, Uptown Ministries, Interfaith Council for the Homeless, Episcopal Hunger Commission and Mercy Hospital.

Seventy five percent of the funds will be used to fight global hunger, including work in the United States, through Church World Service, Lutheran World Relief, UNICEF, CARE, and many other international aid agencies.

Individuals, teams of friends and groups from churches, synagogues, schools and businesses are invited to walk. Wheelchairs and strollers are welcome. Walkers are urged to get friends, family and co-workers to give donations to sponsor their efforts. There will be transportation back to the start for people who don’t go the entire 10K.

Call and request a pledge sheet, volunteer to work or make a donation. If you would like to be an organizer for your club, organization, business, school or church and help recruit others to walk, call (888) 297-2767 or send e-mail to Church World Service at jyoung@churchworldservice.org.

Crystal Lake CROP Walk will
help First UMC Soup Kitchen

Small groups, youth groups and families will get together in Crystal Lake Sunday, Oct. 15, to walk a one-mile or four-mile course to raise money for hunger needs. This year, 25% of the money raised will stay in Crystal Lake with 20% going to the food pantry and 5% to First UMC Crystal Lake’s Soup Kitchen.

The walk will start at 1 p.m. and end at First UMC, 236 W. Crystal Lake Ave. If interested in walking, contact Cheryll Triefenbach, (815) 459-3692. For information about the Crystal Lake Crop Walk, talk to Sharon Karch, (224) 569-6401.

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Workshop on ‘Artful Worship Space’ will be
in Chicago Oct. 28, Western Springs Oct. 29

(Oct. 13) Catherine Kapikian will present the first of the 2006-2007 Worship Alive! workshops, ”Vital Encounter: Artful Worship Space,” on Saturday, Oct. 28, in Western Springs and on Sunday, Oct. 29, in Chicago.

Kapikian directs the Henry Luce III Center for Arts and Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. An acclaimed artist, her work, including paraments, vestments, banners, tapestries and fiber with wood installations, can be seen in a variety of worship spaces.

This workshop will offer suggestions for enlivened adaptation, design and development of worship space and environment. Reflection on the nature and theology of worship as well as the contemporary art scene will provide theory and guidelines for “artful” worship space.

The workshop will be offered 2:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Presbyterian Church of Western Springs, 5250 Wolf Rd. It will be repeated 2:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W. Morse Ave., Chicago.

Registration is $35 in advance; $45 at the door. Groups of three or more from a congregation can take a 20% discount. Information on this workshop, as well as the full Worship Alive! series, is available at www.uc rogerspark.org/worshipalive.

For more information, contact Mark Bowman, (773) 728-8274.

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Safe Sanctuaries training to update
procedures, ‘Make it Safe for All!’

(Oct. 6) A workshop, “Safe Sanctuaries — Making It Safe for All!,” will be Saturday, Oct. 21, at First UMC, 216 E. Highland Ave., Elgin. The workshop will instruct on new policies and procedures for establishing and maintaining local churches as safe sanctuaries.

Lawyers and insurance agents will be available to discuss background check requirements, new state requirements for mandatory reporting, how to update current policies and procedures, and ways to make buildings safer.

All persons attending this event who have current background check information or are willing to have a background check will be issued an ID card stating that they have been approved by the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) to be a Safe Sanctuaries child-care provider or worker for conference and district events. All information obtained will be kept confidential.

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. followed by worship at 9 a.m.

Lois Travillion and the Rev. Francine Taylor-Thirus will discuss the “Theological Background and General Conference Mandate on Safe Sanctuaries.”

Margaret Harrison and Linda Lowery will address “Building Safety and Basic Procedures.”

Bruce Nelson will teach “First Aid and CPR”; the Rev. Daniel Diss will explain how to update current policies and procedures; Natarsha Gardner will describe background check requirements.

Registration cost of $10 per person includes lunch. To register, contact Natarsha Gardner, NIC Program Office, 217 Division St., Elgin, IL 60120.

Next year, each NIC district will host a Safe Sanctuaries event. The schedule is: Feb. 24, DeKalb District, Rochelle UMC; April 28, Elgin District, Cornerstone UMC, Elgin (includes training in Korean.); June 23, Aurora/Chicago Southern Districts, St. Mark UMC, Chicago; Aug. 25, Rockford District, Trinity UMC, Freeport; and Oct. 27, Chicago Northwestern District, location to be determined. (This event will include training in Spanish.)

Child care will be available at First UMC.

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Prayer is important part of Spiritual Congress

(Oct. 6) Gathering on the shores of Lake Geneva, about 100 men from Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) churches worshiped, prayed, sang, studied the Bible and listened to powerful preaching as part of this year’s United Methodist Men’s (UMM) Spiritual Congress.

Featured speaker was Dr. Lloyd Saatjian, a first-generation American of Armenian descent who specializes in Middle East insight and understanding of the Bible.

Men attending the Congress Sept. 15-17 in Williams Bay, Wis., also enjoyed boat rides, played golf and had fun.

“This is not just a social gathering,” said Wardell Boyd, member of Community UMC in Hazel Crest. “This is a spiritual experience.”

Boyd said one of the most meaningful parts of the Congress for him was the Sunday morning sunrise service. “We’re there in the dark, sitting by the lake,” he said. After opening songs and prayers, the men were invited to take turns speaking.

“We’re there talking as the haze comes up over the lake. You’d be surprised at what you hear. It’s amazing to watch them step up, one at a time. Sometimes some of the first-timers are reluctant, but we encourage them.”

Some of those attending the Spiritual Congress also said they had a meaningful experience staffing the Upper Room Prayer Line.

As in previous years, the Upper Room Living Prayer Center opened a satellite phone line at the Spiritual Congress. Boyd, Prayer Advocate for NIC UMM, recruited men to answer phones in 30-minute, two-man shifts. After praying with those who called, volunteers answering phones completed forms about each call and sent then to the Upper Room in Nashville which sent them to prayer groups around the world.

“It’s an experience that I’d never had before,” said George Groves, member of Community UMC in Naperville. “It’s a little bit scary the first time. And it’s a little bit scary the second time. But you walk out of this room a different person than when you walked in.”

“People call in with any problem you can think of,” said Dick Swanson, member of New Lenox UMC. “They want prayer because they’re getting a divorce, their mother is sick or they have no money to pay the bills. Some ask for prayers for healing or because they’re going into surgery.”

Swanson said he once was the beneficiary of the prayer chain. “Ten years ago or more, my son was in a bad motorcycle accident,” he said. “My wife and I asked the Upper Room Prayer Line to pray for him.”

Swanson said a few days later, a friend of his who attended a Baptist church said they were praying for Swanson’s son. “It doesn’t just stay among Methodists,” Swanson pointed out.

Swanson, whose son is “fine now,” said he believes his experience is a “witness to what prayer will do for you.”

Those answering the phones say they benefit as much as those requesting prayers. “Once you answer that phone and you get talking to these people and hear about what their problems are,” Boyd said, “you realize that you don’t really have any problems.”

Groves said the experience changed him. He prayed with a woman who asked for prayer for her nephew who was having knee surgery. Then he prayed a prayer of thanksgiving with the same woman when she called back to say her nephew was doing better.

“I wasn’t crying when I went in,” Groves said. “But I’m a little bit misty-eyed now.”

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‘So that ...’

By the Rev. Arlene Christopherson, Elgin District Superintendent

(Oct. 6) “So that. . .” Hold these words on the tip of your tongue for a few paragraphs and take a journey with me through the fall conference calendar.

If you read the United Methodist Reporter, visit the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Web site (www.umcnic.org), read the district newsletter or are on a conference e-mail or fax blast list, you are aware that this fall is jam-packed with great opportunities to develop your skills, equip leadership and learn from gifted facilitators in a full spectrum of areas.

From “B.L.A.S.T.” to the Small Group Institute, “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Developing a Year-Round Financial Discipleship Culture,” Natural Church Development training, “Refreshing Worship 2.0,” Children’s retreat, Safe Sanctuaries training, Bishop’s Laity Retreat, Men’s Spiritual Congress, NIC Mission Festival, School of Evangelism, and the Annual United Methodist Women meeting — forgive me if I’ve missed your event — we are a busy annual conference.

The aforementioned litany is only focused on conference-wide events and does not begin to include all the district, ethnic and regional offerings that are also on our calendars.

Now back to the phrase on the tip of your tongue. “So that . . .” This was a phrase the Extended Cabinet learned a few weeks ago while participating in a planning retreat. The Extended Cabinet consists of the Bishop, District superintendents, Program directors, director of Connectional Ministries, director of Congregational Development and Redevelopment, president of the United Methodist Foundation and the treasurer/director of Administrative Services. We were led in our retreat by Bishop Sharon Rader, Bishop-in-Residence at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

After visioning about all that we could “do” as leadership for equipping local churches in our conference, Bishop Rader challenged us with the phrase “So that . . .”.

The questions became: “Why are we doing what we do?” “Why would we want to plan the things we were dreaming about?” “What outcome is desired?” “What difference will the work make?” “What will we, the conference and God’s kingdom gain from our efforts?”

We will offer a conference-wide event on (fill in the blank) “so that . . .”

Bishop Rader wanted us to identify outcomes before we went too far in formulating our plans. This is a very good process as we make selections on training for leadership of our local churches as well.

As you are choosing where you will invest your time this fall, ask “so that . . .”. Attending a training event is an admirable use of time, but what we do with what we’ve learned is the real goal. What is it you can bring back to your local church; how will your insights be helpful?

“So that . . .” is also a good question to ask while planning at the local church level. We United Methodists are sometimes very good at being busy for the sake of being busy. We plan our church calendar, implement programs, host potlucks, design choir cantatas, sponsor youth trips, rally days, stewardship events and more simply because “that’s what we do.”

There should be a more faith-based measure of our church’s activities: one that helps us stay focused and weed out the “business” from the “substantive.”

It is an exciting time as more and more clergy and laity see the value of growing our skills and understandings of effective ministry. May God continue to bless us with a willingness to grow, “so that . . .”

May this be a blessed season of learning for us all.

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Siaba to keynote UMW annual meeting Oct. 28

(Oct. 6) Judith Siaba, vice president and director of the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, will be featured speaker at the 33rd Annual Celebration of Northern Illinois Conference United Methodist Women (UMW) Saturday, Oct. 28. The meeting will be at Christ UMC, 4509 Highcrest Rd., Rockford. Her subject will be “Harvesting.”

Karen Hewitson, Northern Illinois UMW representative to the Women’s Division Green Team, will discuss environmental justice issues.

The meeting will also feature a Women’s Division missionary, Holy Communion and the annual business meeting.

Anne Genther has been nominated to a second term as president of the conference UMW. Others on the slate include Maurlea Babb, vice president; Norma Jung-Stein, secretary; and Betty Erickson, treasurer.

Others nominated are Linda Priest, Education and Interpretation; Janice Gintzler, Membership, Nurture and Outreach; Madalyn Johnson, Spiritual Growth; Rita Smith, Social Action; June Neumann, Program Resources; Marcone Klecker, Communications; and Sheila Burris, Nominations chair.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and dismissal will be at 2:30 p.m. Registration fee is $16.

Register through Marilyn Steenwyk, 9347 S. Harding Ave., Evergreen Park, IL 60805.

For more information, contact Maurlea Babb at (630) 690-6495.

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Wallis to keynote Glenview seminar for pastors
Oct. 25 about ‘Strengthening Prophetic Ministry’

(Oct. 6) The Rev. Jim Wallis will be the keynote speaker at Ministry Mentors’ first regional event, “Strengthening Prophetic Ministry.” The event will be Wednesday, Oct. 25, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Glen Club in Glenview.

Wallis is editor-in-chief of Sojourners magazine, chief executive officer of Sojourners/Call to Renewal, and author of God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It.

Seating is limited to 150 people. Cost is $25. Register by printing and mailing the registration form found on the Web site at www.ministrymentors.org.

Ministry Mentors is a spiritually based, non-denominational organization that arranges and supports one-on-one mentoring/coaching relationships among clergy. Its goal is to sustain pastoral excellence, enhance the ministries of local congregations, and provide a much-needed energizing resource for those in danger of burnout or isolation. Ministry Mentors does not charge a fee for mentoring/coaching services. Funding for these services is provided by individuals, congregations, religious organizations and foundations.

For additional information about Wallis or Ministry Mentors, visit www.ministrymentors.org or contact the Rev. Kirk Reed..

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Rockford mayor to cut ribbon at
opening of JustGoods on Oct. 10

(Oct. 6) JustGoods, the first Fair Trade store in the Rockford area, will have its grand opening ceremony at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 10. The non-profit store at 201 Seventh St. is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., staffed entirely by volunteers.

Mayor Larry Morrissey will cut the ribbon and welcome the public to the store. The Rev. Ray Rhoads, president of the Rockford Urban Ministries (RUM) Council, which sponsors the fair trade store, will say a short blessing. Ald. Jeff Holt (D-11th Ward) will also speak.

Store items are from fair trade cooperatives and groups around the world including SERRV and Ten Thousand Villages, mission outreaches of the Mennonite and Brethren Churches, Bright Hope. The store building once housed a liquor store.

“We strive to pay producers a fair and decent wage,” said Dori Kearney, volunteer organizer. “Fair trade is consumerism with a conscience, the wave of the future, especially for people concerned about working conditions, the environment and social justice.”

Fair trade means a sustainable living wage is paid to the producer, usually an individual artisan in a developing nation. Fair-traded items for sale include pottery, wood products, baskets, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, housewares, clothing and toys.

JustGoods also has a large selection of fair-traded organic and shade-grown coffees as well as teas and chocolate.

JustGoods is a project of Rockford Urban Ministries with a “whole lot of community help,” said Stanley Campbell, RUM executive director. For more information, call JustGoods, (815) 965-8903.

JustGoods to train volunteers

JustGoods, Rockford Urban Ministries’ fair trade goods venture, will hold volunteer training Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the store, 201 Seventh St. There are still times available for volunteer sales associates as well as other opportunities including off-site sales, education and store upkeep. Additional volunteers will be needed to staff the store for extended hours through the holiday season.

To volunteer, come to the store or call Sarah Rosa at (815) 965-8903.

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