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Communicator's Corner

Join the Conversation

The General Commission on Religion and Race have launched a Vital Conversations Project. This month they're examining human (race) relations and how our Church can be instrumental in helping us tackle difficult conversations and move forward together. Each day there will be new resources, commentaries and stories. Click here to follow and join the conversation.


Free Webinar Series
  

The Committee on Accessibility Ministries is pleased to provide this information on an upcoming webinar conference series for 2015. This is an opportunity for you to participate and discover strategies for improving how we address the spiritual needs of those with physical and mental challenges. It's free but registration is required. Click here for more information.

 

Camp News
wesley woods  
Registration Opened Dec. 8 for Summer Camp 2015! 

Check out the Dec/Jan Reporter pages 5-8 for a special Camps insert with all the listings for Reynoldswood and Wesley Woods.
Or click here to check it out online.  

Sympathy Notices

For death notifications of current lay members to annual conference, please click here for the policy from the  
Board of Laity. 

     

  
  

 


  


eNews                                                                                       January 8, 2015                                                            
Join us for a viewing of Selma
Monday, Jan. 18, 2015 at 10am - 1pm
Location: Regal Cantera Stadium, 28250 Diehl Road, Warrenville, IL

The Golden Globe-nominated movie tells the story of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march and the efforts of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many others to secure the right to vote.

 

The NIC is taking part in the "Selma Hand-In-Hand" program to engage diverse congregations and organizations in screening and discussing the film. After the movie, stay for a brief, guided discussion.

 

Tickets will be available through Rev. Michael Mann (not the box office) for $7.50 (cash or check only). 

 

Please RSVP to Rev. Mann, [email protected] or 847-931-0710, ex. 20

 

Download the Flyer 

 

If your church would like to organize a group outing and discussion of the movie, click here to download the toolkit.   

 

The Fourth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is also organizing a screening on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 12pm at the AMC Theater, River East 21, 322 E. Illinois St., Chicago. Tickets at the door are $12. Seating for this event location is limited to the first 100 people who RSVP to 317-490-5142 by Friday Jan 5 - 12:00pm. Click here for details. 

Ferguson United Methodist Pastor to speak at MLK Day Celebration
Save the date: Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015 at 5pm.
Location: St. Mark United Methodist Church in Chicago

Rev. F. Willis Johnson
Rev. F. Willis Johnson, United Methodist Pastor for Wellspring Church in Ferguson, MO. will be our special guest speaker at our Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration.

Rev. Johnson, who is also a father of a teenage son, has been leading the way working to bring peace in the community following the shooting death of Michael Brown. He and other area UM pastors have led prayer vigils, helped with cleanup, met with community leaders and comforted protesters.

"The ultimate concern is this: under no pretense does someone deserve to lose their life, and in this case to have innocence stripped," said Johnson in a recent UMNS article. "Innocence is not defined by court law but by the fact all life is sacred. In our faith tradition, that is enough to stand on."

Winter Warming Jan. 17
Saturday, January 17, 2015
2:00 - 8:00 pm
First UMC Elmhurst 
232 S. York Rd.  Elmhurst, IL

Cost: $15 for Adult
          $10 for Youth

Schedule includes:
  • Ferguson Forum: Faith and Confronting Justice - led by Rev. Dr. Pamela R. Lightsey
  • Workshops 
  • Dinner 
  • Worship with Bishop Sally Dyck preaching
  • Click here to Register
Shirley Burkhart announces retirement

Shirley Burkhart will retire at the end of February after more than 27 years of service. Since joining the Northern Illinois Conference, Shirley has served staff, active and retired clergy and surviving spouses as the Benefits Administrator shepherding them through the ins and outs of medical and life insurance as well as the different facets of our pension programs.     

 

Having worked tirelessly as a true advocate for all our benefit needs, the decision to retire was not an easy one for Shirley to make, but she looks forward to spending her time with her husband Bob, retired clergy member, and their three grandchildren this summer. We celebrate her many years of service and wish her all the best in this next chapter of her life.  

 

"Shirley's vocation has been a ministry of care for the clergy families of the NIC. While we might find someone who can learn the intricacies of the plans and policies of the conference benefit programs, her deep love for the clergy families and retirees of the conference is irreplaceable. We will miss her generous spirit and friendly collegiality," said NIC Treasurer Lonnie Chafin.

 

While there never will be a replacement for Shirley, the search has begun to hire someone to assist with the administration of our benefit programs. Click here for information.  

 

New Receptionist/Database Coordinator
Kathy Barker has joined our Northern Illinois Conference as our new Receptionist/Database Coordinator filling the position vacated by retired Gar Hale. In this role, Kathy will become the champion of our conference-wide database, assist with matters pertaining to the Annual Conference and handle a wide array of important administrative tasks. Most recently, Kathy has been an active volunteer at First UMC at the Chicago Temple as was a lay delegate to the Memphis Annual Conference.
2014 Apportionment Giving Update
By: Merrie Bunt

As of December 31, a total of 343 congregations, including 3 New Faith Communities, have contributed $5,139,648 through Apportionments and another $739,150 in second-mile, designated giving. We are so grateful for every congregation's faithful generosity. Apportionment giving TRULY helps sustain the transformational ministries of the NIC and is a blessing to each and every community impacted by our work.

The postmark deadline for all 2014 contributions is January 10, 2015. To avoid delays in processing, we request checks be made payable to Northern Illinois Conference and mailed to P.O. Box 66883 Chicago, IL 60666-6883.

We celebrate with the 133 churches who have already contributed 100% of their Apportionments: Click here for the list.

Click here for information on the 2015 Apportionment Appeals Process from CCFA.

News & Events

Human Relations Day - Jan. 18 
One of six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church, Human Relations Day calls United Methodists to recognize the right of all God's children in realizing their potential as human beings in relationship with one another.Together, we extend a helping hand to those in crisis so they can overcome formidable obstacles. Click here to learn more about how your gifts make an impact. 
 
Order of Elders Gathering - Jan. 13, 2015 
Join the Order of Elders for Covenant Conversations with Bishop Sally Dyck. 9 am - 2:00 pm at Barrington UMC, 98 Algonquin Rd., Barrington, IL. RSVP at [email protected]. Continental breakfast and lunch provided Please note any dietary restrictions when responding. Questions may be directed to Dennis Langdon @ (312) 402-7577. We, among other things, as Elders are called... "to take a responsible place in the government of the Church" Together, with our Bishop, we can meet its challenges.
Download the flyer.

Acts of Repentance Next Listening Session - Jan. 10
Next Listening session at Midwest SOARRING Foundation, 1 Hickory Lane Westchester, IL. Time 11am.

United Methodist Foundation Grants Awarded  
The United Methodist Foundation Board of Directors approved grants for 19 ministries in the Northern Illinois Conference which include arts programs, youth mentoring, prison outreach, after-school tutoring and heaters for a homeless ministry. Click here to read more about the grantees. If you would like to hear inspiring stories of lives touched by God's grace and human hands, please consider attending the Grants Reception scheduled for January 14. Contact Janet Boryk at  [email protected] for details.

Clergy Tax Seminar - Jan. 29 

9:30am at Barrington UMC. Clergy need to understand the special tax issues that apply to them in order to structure compensation packages appropriately and pay the correct amount of taxes. Our presenter is Ellen Feliciano, a Tax Advisor with H&R Block with a particular interest in clergy taxes, investment income, healthcare expenses and retirement income. Ellen is a member of Urban Village Church and serves as Director of the Chicago Northwestern District Lay Academy.Click here for details

Mark Your Calendar
(click on title for more information)