By Nancy Duel

OPERATION LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE - VIDEO POKER BANS INCREASING

Cook County, DuPage County, and Lake County have all passed bans on video poker. Although these bans apply only to unincorporated areas of the counties, they send a strong message to State Legislators.  We hope they will reconsider their hasty action last spring and vote to repeal this predatory product as a source of state and local revenue.

Well over 200 municipalities in Illinois have voted to ban video poker in their communities. Many of these are within Northern Illinois Conference.  The most recent local community to ban video gambling machines is Wheaton, with a unanimous vote!

Please consider working in your village, town, or city to have video poker banned.  For resources or to schedule an information meeting, contact me at nduel@aol.com, 847-259-3793.

Last week's question: What is the most effective thing your church has done to attract visitors?

We received responses from churches who get anywhere from 1 to more than 15 visitors per week. Here's what you had to say:

• Members invite their neighbors or co-workers
• Neighborhood block party'
  
• Open the building for community groups to use our facilities
• Special programs for specific age groups (i.e. children, retired individuals
• Word of mouth and special events
  
• Website
• Be involved in the community and offer people a space to experience God's grace and love and peace.  When people see that you are authentically "there" for them, they want to learn more about where they can fit in.
• Weekly notices of upcoming events on church sandwich board outside.
• Hand out flyers about cooking classes at farmers market.
• Advertise on email notice boards.
• Excellent music and worship program gets return visitors.
• Have public performances by children-they draw the parents who then like what they see and return. We've had many parents join because their kids evangelized them.
• A new electronic sign out in front has been a big help.  Lots of media coverage is also good. Word of mouth is still a powerful tool. Special services, events and concerts have helped make this the area's "church to attend". Having a meaningful worship service and lots of program keeps them coming back.

One thing any church can do to increase its reach is to update its profile on the Find-a-Church page at umc.org. If you can type an email, you can update your profile.

United Methodist Communications also offers many free resources, including online workshops and sample action plans that your welcome team can use to make your church more effective at welcoming visitors. Go for it!

Check back for more questions and answers in an upcoming eNews.

Applicant Qualifications

• applicants must be currently serving or preparing to serve youth/young adult ministries in a United Methodist local church, district or annual conference
• preference for applicants between ages 18 to 30
• applicants are ready to discover, evaluate or affirm aptitudes or skills to lead youth/young adult team mission experiences in domestic or international settings

To apply, please contact Lorna Jost

UMVIM-NCJ Coordinator

928 4th St. #4

Brookings, SD 57006

605-692-3390

website: http://www.umvimncj.org

By Michael Adams, Director of Advocacy & Church Relations, ChildServ

Join with ChildServ this November 11th, from 6-8:30PM, as we return home to Lake Bluff, IL to celebrate our founding, to honor all those who have touched and have been touched by this ministry in the past 115 years, and to focus on the future of mission and social justice at ChildServ.

We'll meet at The Vliet Museum, which has an extraordinary collection of photos and artifacts that illustrate the importance of faith, community and service in the successful growth and development of the ministries that would become ChildServ.  We'll hear stories of children, who were rescued from abuse, neglect and homelessness; and who were nurtured and given new starts.  We'll give special honor to the people and to the congregations of The Elgin District of the Northern Illinois Conference for their abundant and steadfast prayers, presence, gifts and service.  We'll look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead.  And we will give thanks.          

Join us in Lake Bluff for a great time! This event is open to the public, but ChildServ would like to extend a special note of invitation to all who have helped shape this ministry or who have benefited from this ministry over the years, including: adoptive and foster parents, adopted and foster children, volunteers, donors, staff, Board members, service partners, sponsors and more. 

Date/Time: November 11th, 2009, 6PM-8:30PM
Place:    The Vliet Museum, 127 Scranton, Lake Bluff, IL
Tickets:    $50 per person, Contact Susan Abbott at (773) 867-7361 or sabbott@childserv.org