May

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Mokena UMC issues call for support
on closing OTB near day-care center

(May 31) A United Methodist Church in the small village of Mokena is leading a fight to protect its children that may have legal ramifications across the entire state of Illinois.

For more than eight months, the members of Mokena United Methodist Church have been leading a coalition of churches and citizens opposing the establishment of an off-track betting (OTB) parlor in Mokena, a small suburb southeast of Joliet.

Their main objection to the OTB is that it will offer gambling and the sale of alcoholic beverages within 50 feet of the entrance to a private school and day-care center that provides pre-school, kindergarten and before- and/or after-school care for infants and children from six-weeks up to 12 years of age.

The Illinois State Liquor Control Act and the Village of Mokena’s Liquor Ordinance prohibit sale of liquor within 100 feet of a school. The Illinois Horse Racing Act prohibits OTB parlors within 500 feet of a school.

Despite those restrictions, this month the Village of Mokena and the Illinois Racing Board approved an OTB parlor operating license for Inter-Track Partners LLC, which has 14 betting parlors in Crestwood, Romeoville, Chicago, Joliet and Oak Brook, and a liquor license for its food and beverage concessionaire, the Arena Sports Bar.

Slid by the law

“They were able to slide by the law because they said a day-care center is not a school,” said the Rev. Anne Utterback, pastor of Mokena UMC.

Utterback and the other members of the Mokena Concerned Citizens Alliance filed petitions with the Illinois Racing Board and with Mokena Mayor Bob Chiszar asking that the licenses be suspended. But they haven’t been able to get a hearing. So, they’re taking their case to the Illinois Liquor Control Board and the state’s courts.

“These higher tribunals will review the substantial evidence the Alliance submitted today indicating that large numbers of children are on the property for purposes of instruction and, therefore, a school is present,” wrote Samuel W. Witwer Jr., Northern Illinois Conference chancellor who is representing the Mokena Concerned Citizens Alliance in this lawsuit. “On that basis, the reviewing tribunals have the authority to either reverse the actions taken in favor of off-track betting and liquor service at this location or to send the matter back down for proper hearings on these issues.”

In the meantime, the OTB opened for business on May 17 in the Hickory Creek Shopping Center in Mokena.

Laws to protect children

“It is our contention that the laws were put there to protect children,” Utterback said, “especially very young children. The Village of Mokena is worming out of this because they’ve said this is not a school. They’re playing with the law.”

Utterback said that one concern is that if the Village of Mokena is allowed to put gambling and liquor sales next door to a day-care center, it will set a precedent that could be copied across the state. “To our knowledge, no one has ever tried to put a gambling institution next to a day-care center,” she said. “They’re trying to establish a loophole, and they’re playing with the definition of a school.”

But Utterback is not just concerned with legal precedent. She’s also concerned about some cute, young children who live in her town.

“I don’t think children should be next to gambling and liquor,” she said. “My fear is that someone will drive in off the interstate, go into the off-track betting parlor and pop a few, then come out drunk, get in a car and go whizzing out of there and hit someone, maybe even a child.”

Utterback and the Mokena Concerned Citizens Alliance are asking for the help of other United Methodists in bringing this situation to the attention of state officials, legislators and state agencies designated to protect children. She said materials will be distributed at the Northern Illinois Annual Conference session next week in DeKalb, and members of local churches will be asked to gather signatures on letters to be mailed or faxed to the Governor and state legislators.

Utterback said 12 churches of all denominations are participating in the anti-gambling struggle and they are being supported with materials and resources from the Northern Illinois Conference Anti-Gambling Task Force.

For more information, contact Utterback at Mokena UMC, (708) 479-1110 or send e-mail to mokenaumc@aol.com.

For more information about the project or to make a donation, contact Marianyi at (630) 968-7020.

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158-voice choir festival supports
14 DuPage churches’ Habitat venture

(May 24)Fourteen United Methodist churches in DuPage County have joined together to help build four Habitat for Humanity homes now under construction in Westmont.

Located in a residential neighborhood at the corner of Naperville Rd. and Blackhawk, the homes are in two duplex buildings. Four single mothers with a combined total of 10 children, ages 4 to 20, will be the new homeowners.

In addition to providing volunteer labor, working alongside the prospective homeowners in constructing the houses, the United Methodist churches have also committed to raising $70,000 to fund construction of one of the housing units.

$2,000 to $10,000

The 14 churches each pledged from $2,000 up to $10,000 based on their own capabilities and other commitments, said Juan Marianyi, project coordinator and member of Woodridge UMC. “If every church paid their commitment in full, we would have approximately $55,000,” he said. “So we will need to raise at least $15,000 more.”

Approximately $4,000 was raised at a benefit concert presented by the churches’ choirs at Grace UMC in Naperville on May 11.

The Mother’s Day weekend concert began with a procession of construction volunteers from each church carrying a banner created for the event. Choirs from nine different churches each performed a musical selection, and a combined choir of 158 choristers from the various churches concluded the concert with a rendition of “Here I Am, Lord” under the direction of Muriel Phillips, Grace UMC director of music.

“One of the geniuses of United Methodism is that we are a connectional body,” Bishop C. Joseph Sprague told the concert audience. Noting that no one congregation could by itself do as much as the group of churches can, he thanked the participating churches for “making the connection come alive” by participating in “hands-on, risk-taking mission and ministry.”

“Ten children are being served in a very special way by your efforts and the support you are giving to their mothers,” Sprague said.

The project began with a ceremonial groundbreaking last Nov. 3, and the site was excavated on Nov. 6. The first official work day for volunteers was Nov. 24 when pre-fabricated walls were raised and put in place.

’Knew what John Wesley felt’

Bob Guenzler, volunteer from Community UMC in Naperville, said when he participated in the Nov. 3 groundbreaking he “knew what John Wesley felt” at Aldersgate because his “heart was strangely warmed” when he joined the prayer circle that formed around the entire property.

Calling his volunteer work exhilarating and challenging, Bob Litvan, volunteer from Woodridge UMC and organizer of the choir concert, said he had told his pastor (the Rev. Linda Misewicz-Perconte) that he wanted to do hands-on ministry.

“I found a hands-on ministry in Habitat for Humanity,” Litvan said, “and it has been a wonderful experience.”

Participating churches are Christ UMC, Elmhurst; Community UMC, Naperville; First UMC, Downers Grove; First UMC, Glen Ellyn; Hinsdale UMC; First UMC, Lombard; First UMC, West Chicago; First UMC, Westmont; Gary Memorial UMC, Wheaton; Grace UMC, Naperville; St. Andrew UMC, Carol Stream; Wheatland-Salem UMC, Naperville; Community UMC, Winfield; and Woodridge UMC.

For more information about the project or to make a donation, contact Marianyi at (630) 968-7020.

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More than $2 million pledged to Operation Commitment

(May 17) The wrap-up phase has begun for “Operation Commitment: Promises to Keep,” a fund-raising campaign to support new church starts in the Northern Illinois Conference. More than $2 million has been pledged to Operation Commitment, and $1,136,328, has been received. But 47% of pledges are still outstanding, according to Lonnie Chafin, Conference treasurer/director of Administrative Services.

Chafin said a concerted effort to bring in the remaining money - $997,896 - will begin with a letter from Bishop C. Joseph Sprague to those with unpaid commitments. Materials will also be included from the Rev. J. Martin Lee, Conference director of Congregational Development and Redevelopment, telling how Operation Commitment money is being spent.

Chafin acknowledged at the Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CCFA) meeting last month that pastoral changes have occurred at many churches since Operation Commitment began: The major fund-raising emphasis was in 1997-1998. He assured CCFA members, however, that no one would be pushed to fulfill a pledge if there wasn’t supporting documentation for that pledge.

Operation Commitment was approved originally by the 1995 session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference as a three-year endeav-or to raise at least $5 million: 70% for retired clergy benefits and 30% to start new churches within the Conference. Each church was asked to pledge an amount equal to 40% of its 1997 apportionment, to be paid within a three-year period.

The campaign emphasis became new church starts and congregational redevelopment when higher than expected returns on investments enabled the Conference to meet its retirement benefit obligations. Goal for Operation Commitment became $2.5 million.

As of March, Operation Commitment has reached 85% of its goal. Pledges from individuals total $360,692, and from churches $1,773,531.

Chafin reported that individuals have paid 79% of their pledges, or $284,529. Churches, however, have paid only 48% on their pledges, or $851,793.

Two hundred five individuals pledged to Operation Commitment, but only 101 have paid their pledge in full. Chafin pointed out, however, that the outstanding balances among individuals are relatively small, $500 or less. Only 9% of outstanding individual pledges exceed $1,500.

Two hundred fifty-nine local churches pledged to Operation Commitment, but only 99 or 38% have paid their pledges in full. The outstanding balances are notable: 107 churches have a balance of $5,000 or less and 15 churches have a balance of $15,000 or more. Sixty-one churches have paid nothing on their pledge, versus only two individuals.

Chafin said the 15 churches that have paid “nominally” on pledges of more than $10,000 have an aggregate outstanding balance of $341,182. The total owed by all churches that have paid little or nothing on the pledge is $575,015.

Of the Operation Commitment contributions received thus far, almost $600,000 has been spent, Chafin said, leaving a balance in the fund of $538,140.

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262 youths, 91 adults attend Super Rally

(May 17) Two hundred sixty-two senior high students and 91 adult chaperons from across the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) attended “Godstock: 3 Days of Peace, Love, and Praise,” this year’s Super Rally, held at Aurora University’s George Williams College in Williams Bay, Wis., April 19-21.

“We played off the 1960s theme this year to have some fun and help us see what God had to say to us about peace, love, and praise,” said this year’s event director, the Rev. Doc Newcomb. The youths and adults focused on peace, love, and praise in the small breakout groups and also in the large gatherings.

Three NIC preachers delivered messages throughout the weekend. The Rev. Sandra Bonnette-Kim preached about peace and told the group “peace is hard,” but that’s where the Bible calls us.

The Rev. Harlene Harden preached about love and said “don’t grow up too fast,” and to strive for the agape love Jesus called us to have. And the Rev. Tim Casey preached about praise, utilizing the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 2 Kings, he told the group they “control the butter,” because of the power of praise.

Leading the music times was Christian recording duo “Lost and Found,” whose energetic and quirky music brought rousing responses from the crowd. “Lost and Found had a powerful impact on our young people in helping them to praise and celebrate,” Newcomb said.

As always, the group raised money for the Youth Service Fund through a penny competition among the six NIC districts. Amount raised this year was $2,440.83, more than the last two years’ totals combined. The Chicago Southern District trounced all the others, unseating the Elgin District, which had won for several years in a row.

Several youths demonstrated their diverse and considerable gifts through the crowd-pleasing talent show on Saturday evening.

A staff of 14 volunteers guided the event that was planned by the Super Rally Planning Team, a group of youths and adults from across the Conference. The event is sponsored by the NIC Council of Youth Ministry.

For more information on Super Rally or the Super Rally Planning Team, contact Newcomb at (847) 381-1725.

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Youths fast, deliver 23 tons of potatoes

(May 17) Fifteen youths, ages 12-18, spent 30 hours fasting at Grace UMC, 1718 Avalon Ave., Joliet, to raise money to fight world hunger and then spent several more hours distributing 23 tons of potatoes to several hunger-relief agencies. The youths, most of whom were from Grace UMC, raised $2,500 for World Vision, an organization dedicated to fighting world hunger.

Assistant Pastor Jim Bell and Director of Youth Ministries Tammy Biltgen recruited the youths to help sort and distribute potatoes delivered to the church’s parking lot by United Methodist Men’s Society of St. Andrew’s Gleaning Network. The network gathers food that would otherwise be discarded and recruits volunteers to help distribute it to the hungry.

The Society’s Potato Project involves donations of tractor-trailer loads of produce for free distribution to food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other agencies devoted to helping feed the hungry.

About 45,000 pounds of potatoes were delivered to Grace UMC. Agencies from Elgin to LaSalle County came to the church’s parking lot to collect the potatoes.

After the fast and distributing 50-pound bags of potatoes, the youths were treated to a feast of potato soup, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato bread and a cake. The feast was prepared by a group of women led by Sharon Stukel, whose 18-year-old daughter Katie was among the teens who participated in the feast and loading.

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Igniting Ministry training rescheduled to Sept. 7

(May 17) In consultation with United Methodist Communications, Northern Illinois Conference has decided to postpone the Igniting Ministry Regional Training event planned for Saturday, May 18, and reschedule it for Saturday, Sept. 7, at Cornerstone UMC, Plato Center.

“Apparently, many people thought this was a repeat of last year’s training events and assumed that if they went last year, they shouldn’t register a team for this year’s event,” said Linda Rhodes, Conference director of Communications. “Actually, the 2002 Igniting Ministry training has new materials, offers new resources and is the next stage of our continuing efforts to become truly welcoming and inviting congregations.”

Rhodes said she hopes that rescheduling this event will give more Northern Illinois churches an opportunity to register and participate in the second phase of Igniting Ministry training.

“We’ll provide more details and opportunities to register during Annual Conference,” Rhodes said.

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NIC says: ‘Les Invitamos A Orar’

Calendario de Oración/Prayer Calendar for Hispanic ministry

(May 10) Members of the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Committee to Implement the National Hispanic Plan are calling on United Methodists to pray for Hispanic ministries in Northern Illinois for seven weeks, beginning on Pentecost Sunday, May 19. The committee’s goal is to enlist at least 50 NIC churches in the prayer campaign. Les Invitamos A Orar (We invite you to pray).

“There are more than 1.4 million Hispanic persons within the boundaries of our Conference,” said the Rev. Kirk Reed, chairperson of the NIC Hispanic Plan Committee. “This is our moment of opportunity to reach out with ministries of hospitality, evangelism, service and social justice, undergirding all of our efforts with prayer.”

Churches are asked to sign a “Vamos A Orar” (We will pray) commitment card promising to include weekly prayer concerns from the Calendario de Oración (Prayer Calendar) in the church’s newsletter and/or worship bulletin for the seven weeks. The signed card should be mailed to the National Hispanic Plan Committee, c/o Trinity UMC, 605 W. Golf Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056 or faxed to (847) 439-9915.

“Our Hispanic ministries will be greatly strengthened,” Reed said, “as we pray for them in English, Korean, Spanish - in all of our languages in this Conference.”

The United Methodist National Hispanic Plan was originally approved by General Conference in 1992 and was strongly reaffirmed by General Conferences in 1996 and 2000.

There are 11 established Hispanic congregations in the NIC, two new Hispanic churches under development (one on Chicago’s southwest side and one in Waukegan), four Hispanic missionaries and two Hispanic lay missioners.

Centro de Ministerios Hispanos, located in the NIC, serves the North Cental Jurisdiction by preparing clergy and laity to serve, train and empower the Hispanic community.

The Calendario de Oración (Prayer Calendar) lists the following ministries to be prayed for during the seven weeks:

Week of May 19

Week of May 26

Week of June 2

Week of June 9

Week of June 16

Week of June 23

Week of June 30

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163rd Annual Conference session will be ‘Called to Witness’ June 6-9

(May 3) 163rd session of Northern Illinois Annual Conference will be held on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb Thursday, June 6, through Sunday, June 9. Theme is “Called to Witness.”

Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Holmes Student Center on Thursday, June 6, “A Day of Gathering.” The Opening Plenary session will be at 1 p.m. in the Ballroom. The Clergy Executive Session and the Laity Session will run concurrently beginning at 2:30 p.m.

A banquet for Annual Conference members, alternate members, spouses and friends will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Ballroom. Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased in advance from the Annual Conference Registrar, Bruce Nelson, 200 Stam St., Williams Bay, WI 53191. Only 1,000 tickets will be sold. Cost of the banquet is being underwritten by the NIC United Methodist Foundation.

At 7:30 p.m. Bishop C. Joseph Sprague will deliver the “State of the Church” address. Evening worship will begin at 8 p.m. in Sandburg Hall with Roger Curless, Conference Lay Leader, preaching. The evening will end with a Board of Higher Education Reception in the Sky Room.

Dr. Osvalda Vena, professor at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, will lead opening sessions of Annual Conference at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 7, Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9.

Friday, June 7, will be a “Day of Decision” and will include Legislative Sections to discuss proposed resolutions, plenary sessions, a Commissioning Service with the Rev. Cecelia Swafford Harris preaching, and a 9 p.m. “Fireside Chat” with Bishop Sprague.

Saturday, June 8, will be a “Day of Remembering” and will include a Retirement Service for retiring clergy and a Memorial Service with the Rev. Sandra F. Hoke preaching.

Sunday, June 9, will be “A Day of Witness” and will include plenary sessions and a 3 p.m. Service of Ordination, Holy Communion and Fixing of Appointments with Bishop Sprague preaching.

Special meals during Annual Conference will include:

Friday, June 7

Saturday, June 8

Sunday, June 9

Assistant secretaries needed during plenary sessions

Persons willing to be assistant secretaries are needed to help during the Northern Illinois Conference session on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, June 6-9.

Assistant secretaries can be any members of Conference, lay or clergy, any status. Job is to help keep track of actions on the floor during plenary sessions.

“We have people to type minutes into computers,” said the Rev. David Kaller. “What is needed is people to provide backup, to ‘run’ after amendments from the floor, to count votes, etc.”

Kaller said the team rotates, so no one is on duty all the time. For more information or to volunteer, contact Kaller at (847) 662-8383.

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200 attend Order of Elders Elgin retreat

(May 3) Nearly 200 Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) Elders participated in a day-long retreat sponsored by the NIC Order of Elders Task Force on April 22 at First UMC in Elgin.

The day was designed to address the increasing needs and concerns of the ordained Elder in today’s United Methodist Church, according to the Rev. Tracy Smith Malone, chairperson of the NIC Order of Elders.

Activities included opening worship with a sermon by Dr. Ted Campbell, president of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary; presentations by Bishop C. Joseph Sprague, presiding bishop of the Northern Illinois Conference, and Dr. John Harnish, pastor of First UMC in Ann Arbor, Mich., and former Associate General Secretary of the United Methodist Division of Ordained Ministry; and small group discussions about the role of Elders in the NIC.

“A Methodist elder is a priest in the one holy catholic and apostolic church,” Campbell told the Elders during opening worship. “This should be our primary identity: as a priest in Christ’s church.”

Campbell said the role of Elder is “not a Methodist thing,” but is an “ecumenical office,” and he noted, “Our identity as Christians is more important than our identity as Methodists.”

The Elders were warned by Campbell against listening to naysayers who say the pastors are “custodians of a dying church.”

While admitting that we no longer live in a time when members of middle class America believe it is necessary to be a member of a Christian denomination in order to be acceptable, Campbell pointed out that worship attendance in the United Methodist Church increased from 1989 to 1999 and is continuing to do so into the 21st century.

“Our church is grounded in apostolic faith,” Campbell said. “We’ve got enormous resources. The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord. Be of good courage and let’s be faithful to our calling.”

Harnish, who helped write the definition of the Order of Elders in the 2000 United Methodist Book of Discipline, told the Elders that “there are times when all of us struggle with this calling,” but added that, on the whole, “ministry is fun.”

Harnish said that in seminary, clergy are taught to go out and change the world, but no one taught seminarians what to do if the world changed.

“The world has changed,” Harnish said, “and we struggle with the meaning of our calling.”

Harnish said the Order of Elders was formed “to address the spiritual hunger among clergy” and offers an invitation for Elders to reclaim “a fulfilling sense of vocation.”

According to Harnish, the Order of Elders is designed to help Elders find a deeper relationship with God, support from peers in stressful times of change and a sense of identity and vocation.

“We need each other, whether we admit it or not,” Harnish said. “It is regrettable, but true, that in a system in which we are meant to be in connection, so many of us are so lonely.”

Harnish said the Order of Elders “might make a difference in our lives and in the life of our church.”

Bishop Sprague told the Elders that “we have a penchant to browbeat one another.” He urged them, instead, to see “the good things” about the Church and the NIC.

“This annual conference led the Jurisdiction and was near the top of the whole connection in worship attendance increases,” Sprague said. “Some say we’re too progressive, that we take too many risks in the world to allow the church to grow, and I ask them what statistics they are looking at.”

Sprague urged the pastors to use the Order of Elders to provide support for each other and hold each other accountable, noting that every time he’s had to deal with pastors with ethical problems, “their ministry has been characterized by ‘lone ranger’ tendencies.”

“Trust is the basic commodity in which we deal,” Sprague said, “and when any one of us breaks the sacred trust, all of us ... have hell to pay.”

Sprague said the Order of Elders is about community. “It is about who it is that we trust enough to lay open our very souls,” he said.

The Order of Elders is “not a panacea,” Sprague pointed out. “But it is a vehicle to get at some very necessary but wonderful stuff,” he said.

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United Methodists nab most of CROP Walk prizes

(May 3) It was nearly a clean sweep by United Methodists for top honors when Church World Service (CWS) of Northern Illinois decided to recognize some special CROP Walk achievements. CROP Walks, sponsored by CWS, are pledge walks that raise funds for local and global hunger needs.

A total of 64 CROP Walks in Northern Illinois raised more than $1 million in 2001. Nationwide, some 2000 CROP Walks raised more than $16 million. Funds will be used for disaster relief, refugee needs and self-help development projects.

On hand for the awards ceremony and also as the keynote speaker at a global conference co-sponsored by Church World Service and Northern Illinois Conference’s Board of Global Ministries was the Rev. John McCullough, executive director of CWS and a United Methodist clergyman. The conference, held at Grace UMC in Naperville and entitled “Health of Our Global Village,” attracted about 150 participants of all denominations from around the area.

Given an award for “Outstanding Leadership and Dedication” was the Rev. George Franke of First UMC, Waukegan. Franke has coordinated the Northern Lake County CROP Walk since 1990 when he succeeded his wife, Barbara. At that time the walk was raising about $30,000 each year. Franke concentrated his efforts on building a strong, year-around organization with good team leaders. In 2001 the Northern Lake County CROP Walk raised $120,389 and had 1,008 walkers. It was the first CROP Walk in Illinois to go over $100,000.

Receiving “Special Achievement Awards” for raising top dollar amounts were Jack Ryder of First UMC, LaGrange, who raised $3,851 in the LaGrange/Western Springs CROP Walk and Miles Bardell of Faith UMC, Freeport, who raised $3,624 in the Freeport Area walk.

Ryder did a presentation at the conference on “How to be a $1,000 Walker” featuring special tips and methods he has developed that help him bring in sponsors.

Bardell, age 16, has been CROP walking for several years. Among his inspirations for caring for the needy was his grandfather, the Rev. Ensign Leininger, a Presbyterian pastor and missionary to the Philippines, who was present when Miles received his award.

Bardell raises his dollars each year by sheer grit, going from house to house, knocking on doors, asking for sponsorship. “I get a lot of turn downs,” he said, “but I just keep asking because I know other people need the help.”

Because of his concern for others Bardell also received the top honor for the 2001 Stephenson County Quality of Life Awards.

Kent Hay, member of West Ridge UMC, Chicago, also received recognition. A veterinarian, he challenges his clients to pledge to the walk and then matches their gifts dollar for dollar. In 2001 Hay raised $4,660 in the Chicago CROP Walk.

For more on CROP Walks in Northern Illinois and how to get your church involved, call the CWS Regional Office at (888) 297-2767. The United Methodist Church is a Constituent Member of CWS.

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