Everything you need to know:
a. Registration
If you haven't completed registration yet, it's time! Please click "
Annual Conference 2009" at the top of any page on our website,
http://www.umcnic.org. If you cannot register online, you can get a mail-in form from the Mary O'Connor Inc. office, at (630) 443-7025.
b. Volunteers
Will you volunteer to be an usher or greeter at Annual Conference? We could use 20-30 folks to help If you are interested in ushering during the Plenary Sessions or greeting when the conference opens on Sunday morning, please contact Char Hoffmann at
char-rfumc@sbcglobal.net or Jean Bush at
jbush@umcnic.org. Thank you!
c. Constitutional Amendments
The 2008 General Conference approved 32 amendments to the United Methodist Church Constitution. Constitutional amendments must be voted on directly; the Annual Conferences may not amend them. To become law, the amendments must be ratified by two-thirds of the members of the Annual Conferences.
24 of the amendments relate to the worldwide nature of the church and the differences of church organization between the United States and other countries. Our conference will consider these amendments in June; please see our website or
http://www.worldwidechurch.org for more information about these amendments.
d. Materials and Agenda
Please download the Proposed Legislation and Historical Reports. If you have trouble,
1) Check with your church to see if they can download and print them for you,
2) Attend a Legislative Listening Session where you should be able to obtain a copy, or
3) Contact Rev. Lora Zink at 815-734-6952; she can print a copy and mail it to you.
e. Celebration of Ministry and Retiree Recognition
Everyone is welcome to attend the lunch on Monday, June 8, when we will recognize retirees. Retirees and their spouses will be our special guests. In order for retirees to receive their free tickets for this lunch, please call the Mary O'Connor office at: (630) 443-7025. All others should select this as their Monday lunch choice at the time of registration.
f. Memorial Service
We will remember our lay members and clergy who have died since our last Annual Conference at the Sunday, June 7 worship service at 8:30 in the Mega Center. If you would like to contribute to the tribute to these departed, please send photos, names and date of death of any Lay Members who have died since June of 2008 to Natarsha Gardner, 217 Division Street, Elgin, IL. 60120.
g. Pictorial Directory
All clergy, conference staff, and laity in conference leadership roles are invited to have their picture taken for a new pictorial directory. Cameras will be ready for several hours each day of the conference.
h. Legislative Listening Sessions
Please bring your downloaded proposed legislation to the Legislative Listening Sessions! These are pre-conference meetings that give all members a chance to hear what's new for Annual Conference 2009 and to discuss legislation, annual conference petitions and constitutional amendments.
We hope that all delegates will attend one of the sessions-especially first-timers, who are invited to come to the sessions one hour prior to the scheduled time for special orientation. Come to the session that is most convenient for you. Put one on your calendar now!
May 14 7:00 p.m., Embury UMC, 515 S. Galena Ave., Freeport
May 16 10:00 a.m., St. Mark's UMC, 8441 S. St. Lawrence Ave, Chicago
May 18 7:00 p.m., Good Shepherd UMC, 751 W. Army Trail Rd., Bartlett
May 19 7:00 p.m., 1st UMC Park Ridge, 418 Touhy Ave., Park Ridge
May 21 7:00 p.m., Grace UMC, 921 E. Chamberlin, Dixon
