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May 17, 2012
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Please send emails for the e-news or the Reporter to Anne Marie Gerhardt, Dir. of Communications at communications@umcnic.org. All submissions for e-news must be received, in writing no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday each week.
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NATO Resources
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Weekly devotional written as a way to engage your family in prayer, study, reflection, and discussion around the events involving the NATO Summit to be held in Chicago on May 20-21, 2012. Click here
Theological reflection written by Dr. Timothy Eberhart that puts the economic injustice into a theological perspective. Could be used for small group study.
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Communicator's Corner
| Join the Twitterverse Conversation
United Methodist Communications counted more than 43,000 tweets with #gc2012!
The hashtag for the Northern Illinois Annual Conference will be #niac12.
If you'll be tweeting, please keep in mind our three simple rules: Do No Harm, Do good, Stay in Love with God.
Free Webinar:
Thursday, May 17, 6:30pm
Introducing "Extravagant Generosity" to Your Congregation
It's one of the key practices of fruitful congregations, and it is also an exciting stewardship program available for your congregation. Join us and see if "Extravagant Generosity: The Heart of Giving" is right for your church! Click here to register.
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Upcoming Events -Click on event for more details
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June Local Church Events
PAUMCS DeKalb District Spring Workshop - May 23 UMW Lobby Day - May 17 Stop the Violence Youth Conference - May 19 Know Your Status- Community Health Event Speaking Out on HIV/AIDS - May 19 Chicago Youth HIV/AIDS Campaign T-shirt Design Contest May 11-25 Southlawn UMC 2012 Women's Day Celebration Invitation - May 20 Bridges to Community: June 15-16 Understanding the Immigrant Experience in Chicago Bridges to Community: Understanding the Immigrant Experience in Chicago (Two day education/immersion experience) Co-sponsored by Chicago Theological Seminary and UCC Immigration Task Force. Registration Deadline - May 15. Click here for more info.
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Change the World
|  Join with United Methodists across the nation this weekend - May 19-20 - as we volunteer to change the world. Many Northern Illinois Conference Churches are planning a variety of projects from planting a giving garden to helping children read to cleaning up the environment. Find out where you can help under event details - Click here. |
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2012-2016 Nominations Form
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The Northern Illinois Conference Committee on Nominations is currently seeking to fill several positions to serve as chairs and members of committees in the next quadrennium. This is a great opportunity to utilize your spiritual gifts and abilities in a wide range of conference ministries. Questions? Please contact the new Nominations Committee Chair, Cerna Rand at nominations@umcnic.org.
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Annual Conference News
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Online Registration -Click HereThe cost is now $75. All online and mail-in registrations must be complete (to the office by May 28). Reserve your Rooms
Rooms are still available at Pheasant Run Resort under the NIC block - note the Tower is sold out. The cost is a special negotiated rate of $102 + 11% tax for a total of $113.22 per night. To get this rate by phone, call 630-584-6300 and tell the clerk that you are part of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.Display TablesHighlight your mission and ministries at Annual Conference. The registration period for display tables ends May 21. Click here for the form.
Mail/Fax/email to: Outdoor and Retreat Ministries, 200 Stam Street, Williams Bay, WI. 53191 phone: 262.245.6706 Fax: 262.245.1446. Contact Bruce Nelson by email for more information: bruce@niccamp.org
Legislation & Agenda Both legislation and the daily schedule are now available on our website www.umcnic.org/AC2012. Click on Legislation. The agenda is subject to change. Youth Session
Youth (Entering Grade 6 through High School) and Youth Leaders are invited to participate in the 2012 Youth Session of Annual Conference on Saturday, June 9 8:45am-1pm. Click here for more information. Collection DrivesChurch World Service is collecting Hygiene Kits, School Kits, Baby Care Kits or Emergency Clean-Up Buckets at Annual Conference. The challenge is for each congregation to make at least 30 Kits! Look for the truck at Pheasant Run Wednesday, June 6 and Thursday, June 7.
Complete contents and instructions (please follow exactly) are at www.churchworldservice.org/kits. Please contact the Church World Service Illinois office with questions. (630) 200-4572 or il@churchworldservice.org
Bring a Backpack
Bring new, sturdy, gender neutral backpacks to the Seeds to Succeed display table at Annual Conference. We will distribute the donated backpacks at the Conference-wide Back to School event on August 11, 2012. (see below)
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Seeds to Succeed - August 11, 2012
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Get involved in this one day conference wide back to school event on August 11, 2012.
If your church would like to organize a service project to benefit a school in your community, fill out a registration form by clicking here and send it to Anne Marie Gerhardt at communications@umcnic.org. Some ideas include; painting or other repairs at a school, gardening, fixing up a playground, cleaning up the park, donating books etc. *First 25 churches to sign up will receive a free media kit which includes a yard sign and five t-shirts. Media kits can be picked up at the Seeds to Succeed display table at Annual Conference.
We will soon post projects on the event website at www.seedstosucceed.org and volunteers will be able to sign up for a project of their choice. Questions contact Anne Marie Gerhardt at 847-931-0710 ext. 14 or communications@umcnic.org. |
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Early Response Team Training
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June 1 from 8:30-5:00pm at First UMC Glen Ellyn, 424 Forrest, Glen Ellyn or June 2 at Cornerstone UMC, 41W170 Russell Rd., Elgin
Classes are taught by "authorized" UMCOR trainers, and team members are given ID badges as evidence of training. UMCOR Staff will teach us the why, when and how of responding to disasters in our local communities as well as elsewhere in the US and globally.
SPACE IS LIMITED TO 20. Click here for the registration form COST: $35.00 includes: notebook, lunch, t-shirt, and Safe Sanctuary background check. Contact Bruce Nelson at bruce@niccamp.org or 1-800-642-2267 for more information.
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Peace with Justice Sunday - June 3
|  Congratulations to United Voices For Children (UVC) for receiving a 2012 Peace with Justice grant for their Child Advocacy Network. Read about it here and begin planning your Peace with Justice Sunday Special Offering.
Peace with Justice Sunday is June 3. Click here for more resources to begin planning your special Sunday offering. The annual conference keeps 50% of the receipts for Peace with Justice ministries in the conference. ( click here to see which NIC churches and organizations received grants this year.)The remaining 50% is used for Peace with Justice ministries related to the General Board of Church & Society. |
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Summer Camp Staff Needed
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Summer camp counselors are still needed at Reynoldswood Christian Camp and Wesley Woods Conference Center. Potential summer staff members should have at least one year of college, be mature, love working with children, and be willing to share their love of God.
Please contact Craig Watters, Program Director at the Outdoor & Retreat Ministries office at 1-800-642-2267 or email craig@niccamp.org for an application and complete job description.
Register for Summer Camp
Don't forget to check out the website at www.niccamp.org for descriptions of all the summer camp possibilities for youth and families from your congregation. From Astronomy to Woodland, we have a camp for you. Help us make the church leaders of the future by sending your youth to camp this summer! |
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Protect victims of domestic violence
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 Today the U.S. House could take up consideration of renewing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Your help is needed to see that VAWA is renewed with the same provisions of the last two re-authorizations of the act. H.R. 4970, the current U.S. House of Representatives version of VAWA, puts thousands of immigrant women and children at risk. It is a giant step backwards. It's not the VAWA we know, or the VAWA we will accept. Call your U.S. congressional representative or
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Stand with the Hungry Petition
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Rev. Dave Buerstetta dedicates letters written during an Offering of Letters on April 22, 2012, at Woodridge United Methodist Church
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Woodridge UMC recently sent 100 letters to Senator Mark Kirk and Senator Dick Durbin letting them know that cutting vital feeding programs like SNAP (formerly food stamps) will be devastating for the poorest and most vulnerable people in our country.
Bread for the World is circulating a national petition with the goal of 5,000 pastors' signatures by the end of the month. (That's 5,000 nationally.) While the petition is open to everyone, organizers especially want pastors to sign because if these cuts are passed the burden of increased human need would fall on churches and other nonprofits. Sign the petition by clicking here.
Read Rev. Dave Buerstetta's recent blog on the issue click here. Find more information at www.bread.org
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