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COMMUNICATOR'S
CORNERUMC Giving New Website
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.
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.
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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.
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175th Annual Conference
June 8-10
Opening Worship 2:30pm
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For important updates and information on the 175th Annual Conference visit www.umcnic.org/AC2014. Check back during the conference for news and updates. Clergy Session info:
Please download these documents or read them on your device. There will be no printed copies at the session.
Click here for important updated lay delegate election information.
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Imagine No Malaria at Annual Conference
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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.
Culver's FundraiserSimply go to Culver's (across the street from Pheasant Run Resort) ANYTIME June 9th, order whatever you like, hand them this coupon and that's it!
Imagine No Malaria will receive 10% of all sales with the coupon.
So go to Culver's to enjoy a lunch, dinner or a snack and your purchase will support Imagine No Malaria. Better yet share the coupon with someone you meet in the Culver's parking lot to increase our donations.
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Kit Challenge Update - We're almost there
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 Chicago Northwestern and DeKalb have made it! Rockford and Chicago Southern are almost there (with more reports coming in daily). And Elgin & Aurora will surprise us this Sunday.
Bring your layette kit items for the Midwest Distribution Center to Annual Conference this Sunday, June 8. Look for the sign for your district in front of the Mega Center. The mission truck will be parked at 1pm on Sunday, June 8 through Monday afternoon.
Our symbolic award will be presented at the Mission Luncheon on Monday for the highest district. Click here to see your District's challenge.
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Capturing our History
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 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 keckmowry@me.com. Thank you and happy 175th anniversary!
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Celebrating Xperience Church's Journey
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 Two and a half years ago, Pastor Dwayne Grant and a team of committed supporters set out to plant a socially relevant, mission oriented church in the Hillside/Bellwood community. Xperience Church reached out the unchurched, dechurched and young adults. They delivered many meals, clothes and encouragement to those in need including the homeless and women living in shelters.
After prayerful consideration, a consensus began to emerge that the ministry of Xperience, as it is currently configured, could not meet "important benchmarks necessary for long term sustainability beyond this annual conference year". Unfortunately, Xperience will be discontinued June 30, 2014. "Pastor Dwayne Grant showed the courage and risk-taking attitude in starting the new faith community, Xperience Church," said Rev. Lee, Dir. of Congregational Development and Redevelopment. "As a conference, we are so proud of the immense work Dwayne devoted to this church. He is an example of faithfulness and determination." Read the full story.
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Flowing Grace chartered as new church
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 The congregation at Flowing Grace had many reasons to give high fives on Sunday, June 1, 2014. Flowing Grace officially became a United Methodist Church in the Northern Illinois Conference following a charter service led by Aurora District Superintendent Rev. Dick Wisdom.
Seven years ago, Batavia United Methodist Church decided to start and sponsor a second site which became Flowing Grace.
Rev. Jeffry Bross says it's been a long road to become a church. "To see this finally come to fruition is so exciting. So many people worked so hard to get to this point," said Bross. Click here to read the full story.
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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.
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.
Called to Be, Called to BElieve, Called to BE Leaders Conference
A Vocational Discernment Conference for Young Adults, July 18-20, 2014.
The "Called to BE" leadership conference at North Central College will help high school and college students to consider their vocational calling to serve God and to prepare for the future. Participants will meet young adults living into their vocations in their churches and communities. Click here for more information and click here for the registration form.
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(click on title for more information)
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