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                                                                                         November 27, 2013
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2013 Directory *updated*

2013 Charge Conference Forms

Forms needed for your 2013 Church or Charge Conference are now available to download from the conference website. Click here.
Communicator's Corner

Advent Prayers

Pray these prayers from Alive Now on your own or with your faith community beginning the first Sunday of Advent, December 1. Click here.

Join the Reclaim Campaign - Fight mandatory sentences

Join others in calling on members of the Illinois General Assembly to oppose SB1342 and any legislation that expands mandatory minimums.

SB1342 imposes mandatory sentences for possessing an unloaded gun without a valid FOID (Firearms Owner Identification) card.
Click here for information on how you can take action.

Read NIC Dir. of Connectional Ministries Chris Pierson's blog on why mandatory sentences don't work. Click here


Website Hosting


Visit www.umcchurches.org to find out about new website hosting services from UMCOM or call 888-346-3862.


Job Opening: 
Applications are being accepted for the position of Senior Director of Advocacy and Sexual Ethics at the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women. 

The Senior Director will oversee sexual harassment/sexual misconduct prevention and intervention in The United Methodist Church.  A detailed job description is available
by clicking here.
Application deadline is Friday, January 3, 2014. 


EYA Summer Internships

Deadlines to apply for a 2014 Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship in social justice placements in the U.S. capital are Jan. 11 for applicants outside the U.S. and Feb. 1 for applicants within the U.S.

The EYA program is for persons, ages 18-22 from United Methodist racial/ethnic minority caucuses and Central Conferences, who have an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change.

Sponsored by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) and the denomination's Inter-Ethnic Strategy Development Group, the summer internship is from May 29-Aug. 2.
Click here for more info.


GBCS Grants for racial/ethnic ministries
 
Applications for grants up to $10,000 to help local United Methodist churches build ministries that strengthen and support racial and ethnic church concerns are due on Jan. 15. Click here for info.

Young clergy initiative grants open

Applications for Young Clergy Initiative grants to develop innovative projects of all sizes that could attract young people to ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church are now open through Feb. 1, 2014. Click here for info.

           
Giving Tuesday - Dec. 3

United Methodists are invited to participate in #GivingTuesday, when every gift made online through the The Advance will be matched dollar for dollar up to $500,000 total and $50,000 for any one project. Visit umcmission.org/give

Consider donating to one of these three programs that provides health care to people around the world.

1) Pan-African Rural Health & Social Services (PRHESS)
Advance # 3021290
 
2) Zimbabwe HIV-AIDS Advance #3021529

3) Imagine No Malaria - NIC- Advance Number #3021190 (To credit your United Methodist church, select your state and then select your church in the drop down menu on the donate page.)
Gifts to the mission work of Deb and Jeff in Bolivia will also be matched:

Shop Cyber Monday for
Imagine No Malaria


imagine no malaria Visit UMCmarket.org to register for an account and choose "Imagine No Malaria Northern Illinois" as your organization to support.

The store will donate a percentage of your purchase after you check out! Shop over 1,000 of your favorite stores including Amazon.com, Macy's, Barnes & Noble and many, many more!

For more info contact: [email protected] and follow INM events at www.facebook.com/inmnic.  
Global AIDS Funds
World AIDS Day -
Sunday, Dec. 1

 

The United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Committee asks local congregations to observe the 15th anniversary of World AIDS Day committing to Just Save One child from contracting the disease.  

 

The committee developed downloadable resources in cooperation with the United Methodist boards of Church and Society and Global Ministries. The UM Global AIDS Fund. To donate click here

 

courtesy: Peoria Journal Star
Illinois Tornado Relief

Recovery efforts continue in the hardest hit communities from the Nov. 17 tornadoes. Material donations are no longer being accepted at Coal City UMC. Financial gifts are still the best option to help all those affected by the devastating storms.

Governor Quinn announced yesterday Federal Approval of Tornado Relief for 15 Counties including Grundy and Will. Read more.

Four ways we can help now:

*The Illinois Great Rivers Conference has a disaster advance fund in place for donations. You can send money to: IGRC Disaster Response Fund Advance #6800 - United Methodist Center P.O. Box 19207 Springfield, IL 62794-9207 or  donate online by visiting IGRC.org.

*Give to UMCOR through the Advance Special #901670, Disaster Response, United States and then designate it for "Tornadoes 2013." Visit umcor.org and click on donate. 100% of these donations go directly to help those in need. Administrative costs are covered by One Great Hour of Sharing.

*The Midwest Mission Distribution Center has already distributed 1,695 Personal Dignity Kits, 97 Student Kits, and 216 Flood Buckets in Griffith, near Champaign. Their needs, in order of priority, would be money, items for kits, and assembled kits.  Visit www.midwestmissiondc.org and click on donate for information on what's needed.

*The Northern Illinois Food Bank continues to send in food to the storm-affected areas. Donations can be made by visiting www.SolveHungerToday.org/HelpNow or by texting FOOD to 52000.

Follow the latest on the Disaster Relief on our new Facebook page: www.facebook.com/nicdisaster

Click here for more information and a "How we can help" pdf.
Philippines Relief

Clergy Housing Allowance in Court - No Changes for the Immediate Future

The portion of IRS Section 107 tax code related to clergy housing allowances, for those owning their own home or receiving funds for rental, has been the focus of a recent lawsuit in the Western District of Wisconsin.

On Nov. 22, a federal judge ruled in favor of the plaintive, the Wisconsin based-Freedom from Religion Foundation, striking down the law that gives clergy tax-free housing allowances.

What has not been widely reported is that the judge also stayed her ruling until appeals are exhausted, in addition any decision will not be retroactive. The ruling also does not address clergy who live in parsonages. Read full story>>
Read statement from GCFA.
Click here for judge's ruling.
Grant Applications Due Dec. 30

The NIC Board of Church and Society is currently accepting grant applications for 2014 in two different categories: Emerging Ministries and Peace with Justice.

Use the same application, entitled Universal Grant, to apply in either of these two categories. Please specify which category your program falls under. The form can be downloaded by clicking here.

All applications are to be submitted to by Dec. 30, 2013:
Rev. Wendy A. Witt
1st UMC/Chicago Temple
77 W. Washington St., FL 2
Chicago, IL 60602
Email: [email protected]

Host a Spanish as a Second Language Class

 

Applications are currently being accepted for those congregations that wish to host a class for the next 6-week term of introductory Spanish classes. 

The dates of the term are between February 2 and April 11, allowing a congregation to choose any 6 weeks in this time frame that would best fit their schedule.  Would your church like to host a class?

Deadline to apply is Jan. 8. Email: [email protected]
 
Harvest 2.0 Update

A big thank you to everyone who has completed his or her Harvest 2.0 (former Harvest 2020 campaign) pledge!  30% of the pledges have been paid in full as of this date. 

Your financial support has been very important to the new faith communities. And thank you to everyone who is in the midst of making payments on his or her pledges. We appreciate your faithful ongoing financial support.  

It is not too late to make a gift to Harvest 2.0 for 2013 - choose the general fund or designate a gift to a specific new faith community. Set up a recurring donation or make a one-time gift.  Support at any level is welcome!  Visit the Donate page to give a gift now

If you would like more information about Harvest 2.0 or would like a planter to come speak at your church, please contact Anne Coon, [email protected], (312) 346-9766 x.707.
Rainbow Covenant Applications Now Open for
New Applicants

 

The Rainbow Covenant is a giving program of the Northern Illinois Conference where a local church or individual may choose to give to a specific ministry or program.   

 

Many ministries cover the entire Conference, whereas others cover a specific district. For ministries wishing to be added to the list of Rainbow Covenant Advances, please use this application. The deadline is Jan. 31, 2014. For those already in the Rainbow Covenant, you do not need to re-apply. 

 

Questions?  Contact Rev. Shirley Pulgar Hughes, the Conference Mission Secretary at [email protected]  or Rev. Michael Mann, Conference staff, at [email protected]

 

Note:  Being a Rainbow Covenant Advance will also allow a ministry to have a display table at the Annual Conference.

 

Please send emails for the eNews or the Reporter to Anne Marie Gerhardt,  
Dir. of Communications at 
Deadline for Jan. Reporter is Dec. 11.
 
All submissions for eNews must be received in writing no later than 4pm on Tuesday each week.   
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