The United Methodist Church
Northern Illinois Conference

e-News for August 20
Greetings!

Welcome to the NIC e-News. This newsletter is published every Thursday morning.

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In This Issue
PBotW
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Stewardship Conference Aug. 29 RSVP Now!

 Clif ChristopherMore than 300 have signed up so far - join us!

Not Your Parents' Offering Plate

Presented by Clif Christopher

Host Church: Barrington United Methodist Church

98 Algonquin Rd., Barrington

Time:  8:30 am- 3:30 pm

Safe Sanctuaries August 22 RSVP Now!

Safe Sanctuaries Training Event

Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church for Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults

Saturday, August 22, 2009
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM Grace United Methodist Church
300 E. Gartner Rd., Naperville, Illinois

Registration and more information on our website

 
Bishop's Summit September 12 RSVP Now!
Bishop's Summit on Lay Leadership

All lay people in the conference are invited to join Bishop Jung at this important and helpful session as we seek tangible guidance on make our churches healthier and more effective at reaching new people for Jesus Christ.

September 12, 2009
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Grace UMC, 300 E. Gartner Rd. Naperville, IL

Rev. Gilbert R. Rendle, Senior Consultant with The Institute for Clergy and Congregational Excellence of The Texas Methodist Foundation will be resourcing the day.
  • Identify important transitions in the 21st century cultures and the church's challenges to adapt its message to these trends
  • Learn effective models for disciple-making today
  • Commit to lay-clergy partnerships for transforming ministry
Registration details

 
Clergy Retreat September 13-15 RSVP Now!
NIC Fall Clergy Retreat is coming up soon! Don't miss out!

Featuring composer Rev. John Bell and worship leader Mark Bowman.

Testimony about Rev. Bell:

"After enjoying John Bell's music and liturgical writing from afar for years, I was lucky to spend a week of group retreat led by John on the Isle of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. We lived in the Psalms for the entire week--singing them, hearing them as if for the first time, being stretched into a fuller humanity and more faithful discipleship.

John's sharp wit, love of God and scripture, and brilliance in teaching the entire people of God to to sing together, helped make the entire week a "thin place"--- in Celtic theology a place where the veil between this world and the next is very, very porous. All this is to say: you should go to the Clergy Retreat this year. Take time to be holy..."
Rev. Trey Hall

"I've used Wild Goose resources for years. In hymns, liturgies or speech, John Bell's voice is always fresh and resonant.."
Rev. Kristen Larsen


Registration and more information
United Methodist Men Spiritual Congress - RSVP Now!

From Steve Nailor, Conference President UMM

Fellowship, Scripture, and Prayer will be the order of the upcoming United Methodist Men's Spiritual Congress September, 18-20, at Conference Point Center, Williams Bay, Wisconsin. Our theme this year will be "Walking into the Light".

For more information contact Jeff Miller, registrar, [email protected] or (630) 544-9780. You can also find a copy of the registration from on our new United Methodist Men's website, www.nicum.org.

Registration form and more info at UMCNIC.org

Len and Jason Workshop on Digital Culture Ministry

From Jim Galbreath, 1st UMC Princeton
 
Len Wilson and Jason Moore of Midnight Oil Productions will be conducting a workshop in Naperville later this month.  They are premiere practitioners of Digital Culture Ministry, leading workshops all over the United States on using media as a ministry tool.  They have written several extremely thoughtful and practical books on creating and resourcing media ministry, and continue to pioneer in this area.  Twice in past years the Communications Commission hosted their seminars.  They are inspiring workshop leaders who impart very useful general concepts, as well as specific techniques and skills.  Ideal for churches exploring use of media in worship, and also for tech teams wanting to sharpen skills in churches that actively use media.

Location and Time
Friday-Saturday, Aug 28-29, 2009
8:00am - 4:30pm each day
Knox Presbyterian Church
1105 Catalpa Ln
Naperville IL 60540

Host: Jonathan Sadler
Email: [email protected]
 
Mission Report Kingswood UMC





Rev. Sang Hun Han, Kingswood UMC

"People Caring for People"

This summer, our youth went to work for five days in Obion, Tenn. It took us almost 10 hours to drive there. Reelfoot Rural Ministries organized the work places and meals for us. The director, Chuck Richardson, was a very nice guide and showed us southern hospitality-and accent! Surprisingly and fortunately, the dorm we stayed in had air conditioning.
 
This year we all worked at one site. It was better than last year when we went to West Virginia, where we worked at three different sites. Since we were all at one site, we could see each other while working on roofing, painting, plumbing, and flooring. On the first work day right after lunch, it was so hot working on the roof. But an hour later, the weather was cloudy. For this reason, I enjoyed roofing work with other youth and Harry Brubeck who was our work director. It took three days to complete all the tasks that we needed to finish I was told that Chuck expected us to take a week to finish our work. Our team's efforts and labors were way beyond Chuck's anticipation, so he gave us other projects.
 
Reelfoot Rural Ministries provided us with great meals for breakfast and dinner. After work, we came together in the dining hall and had devotions along with many games. I asked our mission team to think about the distance between them and Jesus. So many times, we may forget how close God is to us-that God is always with us. The problem is that we are not aware of the presence of God due to many distractions and settling on wrong priorities in our life.
 
We need to come back to God who loves us, who shows us the greatest love. Like God, we show our love to those in need through our feet and hands, not just our tongue. That is why we are serving people. In this time of serving people whom God loves, we are getting close to God who surrounds and graciously watches over us. I pray that our youth continue to willingly follow Jesus at a short distance through their spiritual journey.

GBOD, Worship and the Economy Survey

From Rev. Taylor Burton-Edwards, Director of Worship Resources, General Board of Discipleship


Greetings in the name of Christ.

The General Board of Discipleship is conducting a research survey to discover how the current global economic crisis is affecting practices of worship across the United Methodist Church. In particular, we are trying to learn how this affects staffing, programming, and the purchase and use of resources by local congregations, annual conferences, campus ministries, and other faith communities within our denomination that gather for worship. The findings of this survey will be published and used by the Center for Worship Resourcing in the coming year as we plan how best to serve our churches in and through this difficult time.

We are seeking your assistance to get the word out about our survey project to the pastors and leaders where you serve.

The survey may be found online at:

www.surveygizmo.com/s/164615/4gv6b

or by clicking on the link to the survey on the GBOD worship website at:

www.gbod.org/worship.

Thanks for helping us learn about and improve our service to our church.

Peace in Christ

UMVIM Leadership Training

From Emmy Lou John, Global Ministries Secretary

Volunteers in Mission will be having leadership training September 26, 2009. all are welcome; registration is required. The session runs from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Glen Ellyn 1st UMC.

Contact Jane Dunn at [email protected] or 630-790-4387 to RSVP.
 
Passings
 
Kenneth Crooks, retired clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference, died on Saturday, August 15, 2009.  He was 61 years old. During his ministry in NIC he served the following churches: Mt. Prospect: Trinity, Chicago: North Austin, Manhattan/ Green Garden, St. Charles: Baker Memorial, Oswego: Good Shepherd, Dixon: First and Oak Park.
 
Messages of condolence may be sent to his spouse, Mrs. Diane Crooks, N 1031 Vinne- Ha-Ha, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538

May the peace of Christ be with you.
Pancake Breakfast of the Week


Jordan UMC

The third annual Farm Heritage Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 5 at  East Jordan UMC north of Sterling. 

Antique farm machinery, horses and horse-drawn equipment will be on display, as well as exhibits about household and farm life.
Scheduled for this year's event include wagon rides,  active farm equipment demonstrations, interactive children events as well as an animal petting zoo. 

There will be inside and outside displays, photos of the church, East Jordan community and rural life in general.  While there is no charge for admission, concessions include a breakfast from 7-9 a.m. and a lunch stand over the noon time.  Come start your Labor Day Weekend with fun at the East Jordan Farm Heritage Festival!

East Jordan Church is located at the corner of Polo Road and Freeport Road, 6 miles north of Sterling. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Steve Venhuizen at (815) 946-2513.  


Franklin Grove UMC

Free Pancake Breakfast!  Franklin Grove UMC at 9:00 am on Sunday, Aug. 23rd.  Hosted by the Men's Sunday School Class. 223 W. Middle St., Franklin Grove, IL 61031, (815) 456-2456


This is my last week flipping pancakes at PBotW, and then I'm back to Illinois Wesleyan University, but thank you for all your tasty treats, and enjoy the rest of your summer!!!

 -Allison Whitley, Barrington UMC