Quick Links
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5 Day Academy for Spiritual Formation
Only 5 spots remain for the 5 day Academy for Spiritual Formation -
July 29-Aug. 3. Join the many who have already registered including several International participants.
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Heifer International Online Resources
Heifer International, a global nonprofit leader of sustainable agricultural development for smallholder farmers, is strengthening its connection with United Methodist congregations by rolling out new online resources available at www.heifer.org/umc.
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Different Drummers: First UMC Elgin Building a House in the Church Basement
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Noted author to speak at collegiate ministers' event
United Methodist collegiate ministers will join with colleagues from at least five mainline denominations at a gathering in Chicago this summer to explore how they can work together in the increasingly diverse and pluralistic atmosphere of the college campus. The event, Shared Space, will begin with a lecture and time of interaction with Diana Butler Bass, author of the best-selling "Christianity After Religion." Bass will be our Bible Study Leaders at the 2014 Annual Conference. Bishop Dyck is encouraging all church's to join in a "one book" study of Bass' A People's History of Christianity. The collegiate minsters' event will be held June 26-29 at Loyola University. Click here to register.
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FEMA Assistance
Illinois residents who had damage from the severe storms and flooding between April 16 and May 5 have only a couple weeks left to register for FEMA disaster assistance.
Federal disaster assistance for homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.
FEMA provides several ways for residents of the 33 counties included in the major disaster declaration to register by the deadline of Tuesday, July 9.
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Tornado Relief
"tornadoes 2013" in the drop down menu.
*To make an immediate $10 donation to UMCOR, text the word RESPONSE to 80888.
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Bishop Recommends Church Resource - PILLAR
During Bishop Dyck's state of the church address, she offered a vision for community engagement that calls us out of the four walls of our buildings and into the neighborhood around us - learning about those who are our neighbors and finding ways to engage them through acts of mercy and social justice.
To learn more about your community, Bishop Dyck urged the use of a resource created by the Rev. Jeffry Bross, pastor of Flowing Grace in Batavia. To learn more click here. . . .
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Annual Conference passes legislation in support of Immigration issues
In her state of the church address, Bishop Sally Dyck set a goal for 100 churches to become Immigrant Welcoming Congregations in the next year. The Annual Conference passed two pieces of legislation that may provide some helpful direction for your congregation to begin the conversation on immigration. The resolutions address "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" and an immigration ministry known as Justice For Our Neighbors Northern Illinois Conference (JFON). Click here for more details.
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Conference Photo Directory Update:
Thank you for saying "CHEESE!"
Lifetouch representatives photographed 519 participants (laity & clergy) at the June session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference. This is a BIG increase from the last time a photo directory was produced by the conference.
If you were unable to have your photograph taken at annual conference, you have two options. Click here for details...
The first and preferred option is to schedule a photo shoot at a location near you. You can do this online by going to appt.lifetouch.com. You will then need to 1) select the state, 1) select a city or town near to you (the locations listed will be those in which a Lifetouch photo shoot as been scheduled), and 3) select organization (church, etc.). It will take you to the scheduling screen with selection of dates and times available.
Please schedule no later than July 20. You will need to fill out paperwork indicating you are a lay member or clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference.
The second option is to email a high resolution digital photograph (jpeg) to [email protected] by July 20. This option costs the conference $10 per photo. Along with your digital photograph, please include your name and indicate clergy or laity.
We hope to have the directories available and/or distributed by early September.
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Summer Mission U
July 18- One day Event for Adults, Youth and ChildrenThe weekend will offer fun, fellowship, interest groups and worship and will conclude with lunch on Sunday, July 21 Children ages 7-11 will learn about Janar from Baghdad and Deronda from Detroit. Leaving home; finding home teaches lessons on migration. Study leader is Catherine Inserra Petersen, Trinity UMC Wilmette.
CEU credit is available for Pastors Scholarships are available. Contact your District President. Click here for registration and details.
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Recruiting Class of 2015
The office of Congregational Development and Redevelopment is recruiting for the new Institute for Congregational Development (ICD) class of 2015. Are you a high capacity clergy or lay person who has a passion for planting new churches or are willing to try new things in the existing church settings in order to reach out to the nonreligious, "nones"? We are looking for you to make a difference in the Kingdom movement for God.
The deadline to apply is July 1. Please go to the www.umcnic.org/ICD to access the application form and more information.
Are you interested in doing the same kind of ministry in a Hispanic/Latino setting? Join the Academy for Faith Community Development 2015 class. For more information and registration forms go to www.umcnic.org/academy. For more information contact Judy Siaba at 312-346-9766 ext. 724 or [email protected].
Don't wait! Pray and act soon.
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Still Time to Register for Summer Camp
The Outdoor & Retreat Ministries team is excited about the 2013 camping season. Campers arrived at Reynoldswood and Wesley Woods on Sunday June 16 for the first of our camps. We have a great summer staff in place for a wonderful camp season. There is still time to register for many camps from now through our last retreat August 9-11. Come for a full week or check out the partial week camps. Limited financial assistance is still available. Register today.
Enjoy God's creation with our summer program "All Things New". Visit www.niccamp.org for camp information and to register online.
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Called to Be
'Called to BE" is a Vocational Discernment Conference for High School and College Students. The event will held on July 18-21, 2013 at North Central College, Naperville, Illinois. The "Called to Be" Conference will help high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and college students consider their vocational calling to serve God and to prepare for their future. Pre-register through the North Central College Summer Academic Camps website. Please register by 9 p.m., July 10, 2013 For more information, contact: Rev. Dr. Lynn Pries, North Central College, 30 N. Brainard St. , Naperville, IL 60540, E-mail [email protected] or Phone: 630-637-5104. Click here for more info.
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United Voices for Children Launches Child Advocacy Survey
United Voices for Children invites all clergy and laity throughout the Northern Illinois Conference to participate during June in a brief survey on child advocacy in the NIC.
To thank you for your thoughts, UVC will award one $50 Cokesbury gift card based on a drawing of respondents' email addresses.
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Logo Contest
The World Methodist Council is accepting submissions for the official logo the 21st World Methodist Conference which will be held in September 2016 in Houston, Texas. The winning entry will receive $500.
The Conference theme is "One" and all entries must be received by July 22, 2013.
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