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COMMUNICATOR'S 
CORNER

UMC GIving 
 New Website 
Check out the new site for resources and worship planning. The next Special Sunday offering is Peace with Justice Sunday -
 
 
 

If you are a young clergy aged 25-39, consider attending the second annual

revitup!  For a Lifetime in Ministry - sponsored by the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits 

and being held in Atlanta, Georgia on  

September 15 - 17, 2014

 

Click here for registration and more info about this event.

 

 

New Hispanic.UMC.org goes live

 The United Methodist Church has a new website highlighting Hispanic ministries and resources. Hispanic.UMC.org went live this week as the portal for Spanish-language resources and content in the church. Designed by United Methodist Communications, it will aggregate resources from around the denomination and also provide original content.

  

Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month
May 1 - May 31, 2014
Click here for resources


Leadership Institute
Registration for the 2014 Leadership Institute at the Church of the Resurrection from Sept. 24-26 is now open.Click here for information.


    

Golden Cross Sunday
is observed in the month of May in honor of older adults in your congregations. Click here for more information on how to order special offering envelopes.

Click here for new resources for Older Adult Recognition Day, from the General Board of Discipleship.
 

       

Outdoor Retreat Ministries News


Summer Camp Discounts & Scholarships

If you missed the Early Bird Discount, but still want to minimize your expenses-no problem there are group discounts, sibling discounts, and scholarships to help. 

Click here for more information.
May 29, 2014
eNews

175th Annual Conference
June 8-10
Opening Worship 2:30pm  

  • Online registration is closed. On-site registration is available in the Mega Center Lobby on June 8. You can purchase buffet meals, but no sponsored meals.
  • Legislative documents and proposed budget now available online.   
  • The Annual Conference will be live streamed. Click here for the link.  
  • WiFi will be available in the Mega Center. Twitter hashtag is #niac14.
  • Candidate information and electronic voting procedures/instructions are available on the website www.umcnic.org/AC2014 under elections and will be shared at AC.     
Youth Session

Youth and Youth Leaders are invited to attend the 5th Youth Session of Annual Conference on Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2014 beginning at 1pm at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. Please register by May 30. Make your reservation by responding to Rev. Dr. Barbara Javore at 847.835.1227 or [email protected].

Please include your congregation's name and the names of all who are coming along with t-shirt sizes. The suggested donation is $10 per person but any amount that you can afford will be appreciated. Submit check made out to Northern Illinois Conference to Rev. Javore, 740 Greenwood Ave., Glencoe, IL 60022. Click here for more info.

Young Adult Gathering

Sunday evening, June 8, Young adults at conference are invited to gather at
9 pm at "On the Border", a local restaurant at 305 E. Main St. St. Charles, IL. Click here for the flyer. 

Ordination Participation

Please indicate your intent to participate in the Ordination Service by e-mailing the completed form to [email protected] or fax it (without cover letter) to 847-729-1019 or you may simply send an e-mail to Rev. Hwa-Young Chong at [email protected]. Please send your notification by June 5, 2014.

 

Other Important Dates and Times 

    • Laity Candidate meet & greet June 8 - 1pm in the Jade Room.
    • Registration and Check-in June 8 - 12-2pm
    • Mission Truck in place June 8 - 1pm 
    • Opening Worship June 8 - 2:30pm.
    • Keynote Presentation - Diana Butler Bass June 9 10:45am & 1:30pm 
    • Memorial Service - June 9 -  9:45am
    • Retirement Service - June 10- 10:45am 
    • Ordination June 10 - 7pm.  
For other important updates and information on the 175th Annual Conference - June 8-10 visit www.umcnic.org/AC2014. The site will continually be updated as information becomes available.
Pre-Annual Conference Briefings   -
2nd Webinar TONIGHT at 7pm 

Annual Conference members are invited to join a pre-Conference briefing via Go To Meeting to hear details about the pilot health insurance proposal (680.01), changes to the standing rules (702.01) and modifications to the apportionment formula. There will be time for Q & A.

 

Dates: 

Thursday May 29 - 7 pm 

Saturday May 31-  9 am  

(Allotted time is 90 min.)  

 

You can join the meeting shortly before the scheduled time by going to: https://global.gotomeeting.com/meeting/join/118763045 

 

It's not necessary to have access to a computer for this meeting. If you would like to phone in you can join the conference call by dialing: 

 

(312) 878-3078

Access Code: 

118-763-045
(**you will still need to call in on your phone to hear audio if accessing webinar online**) 

 

For more information and if you would like to post a question or comment to be addressed beforehand, visit the NIC website at www.umcnic.org/webinar.  
Capturing our History 

 

In recognition of our 175th Annual Conference, the Committee on Archives and History is launching a wiki site that will be dedicated to collecting the basic information and history of our churches, past and present.

Our initial steps are simple. However, over time we wish to expand this information to include persons and significant events in the life of the Northern Illinois Conference.

We need your help with this initial step. Please provide us with some basic information and history on your congregation by filling out the requested information online by clicking here. If you cannot answer all the questions or do not have a photograph, simply provide us with what you have. For more information contact Keck Mowry at [email protected]. Thank you and happy 175th anniversary!
  
Imagine No Malaria at Annual Conference

Bishop's Appeal and Pledges

This year all funds from the Bishop's Appeal will go to help push our conference toward the last mile of giving for Imagine No Malaria. We are moving closer every day to the $1 million dollar goal from individual donations, multi-year pledges and fundraising goals set by churches, but we are NOT yet there. The Bishop's appeal offering is a chance for more churches to donate who have not set a pledge, or to do extra mile giving beyond a church pledge.

With this in mind all money for the Bishop's appeal will not be counted toward individual church pledges, but will go directly toward our conference-wide pledge of $1 million dollars.  

The conference will continue to receive multi-year pledges at Annual Conference please turn them in at the Imagine No Malaria display in the convention center.

Used Book Sale

Imagine No malaria is having a used book sale at Annual Conference. Come buy books June 9 from 9am- 8pm and June 10 9am- 4pm in Preservation room A in New Orleans area.  All funds will go toward the conference Imagine No Malaria fundraising goal.

Check out our great selection of theology books, novels, and more all for lowest prices around. You can pay with cash or credit card. We will accept book donations on June 8 near registration. 
 
 
News & Events

Deadline to Apply for Ethnic Local Church Grants

Aug. 10 is the deadline to apply for an Ethnic Local Church Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). The grants are to strengthen ethnic minority local churches through education, advocacy or leadership development as they engage in social justice. Click here for info. Grant applications requiring the signatures of cabinet, staff and officers of the Northern Illinois conference must be submitted to those persons no less than seven calendar days prior to the application deadline.

 

 

11th Annual Stewardship Conference Registration Open

 

 
Bounty: 10 Ways to Increase Giving in Your Local Church with Kristine Miller and Scott McKenzie at Barrington United Methodist Church, Barrington, IL, Saturday, August 23 9 am - 2:30 pm. Registration and Light Breakfast beginning 8 am.  
Click here to download the flyer. Click here to register.


Calling All Singers for AC Choir

  

The 2014 Annual Conference Worship Team invites you to participate in an ALL-Conference Mass Choir during this year's Annual Conference Service of Ordination, June 10 at the Pheasant Run Conference Center. The choir will be singing the Spiritual Medley for Pentecost arranged by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Wilson (Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary). It can be found in the worship resource Zion Still Sings (p. 108). Click here for rehearsal times and details. 

  

Annual Conference Kit Challenge

This year's collection will benefit the Midwest Mission Distribution Center in their efforts to assemble "layette" kits which are provided to parents to welcome a new child into this world. This witness testifies to the sacred worth of every child. Click here to see your District's challenge. The Mission truck will be parked in front of the Mega Center entrance by 1pm Sunday.

Food Aid Reform 

Tell senators that the faith community strongly opposes any legislation that increases transportation costs and decreases the effectiveness of U.S. international food-aid programs. Click here to read more. Bread for the World encourages clergy to sign and email back the attached letter.   
 
Mark Your Calendar
(click on title for more information)