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Communicator's Corner
.......................United Voices for Children Seeking Nominations for Annual Conference Awards
Each year the United Voice for Children Board of Directors selects individuals and a group or organization to receive the Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt Child Advocacy Award, the Katherine B. Greene Child Worker Award and the Rev. Margaret Ann Williams Service Award. These awards honor extraordinary volunteer service efforts on behalf of children, youth and /or families throughout the Northern Illinois Conference. Nominations will be accepted until May 22. Click here for more information and the forms.
#BringChange
Across the nation, United Methodists are gearing up to #BringChange to celebrate World Malaria Day on April 25 by hosting various events, such as pancake breakfasts, lemonade stands, 5K walks and fashion shows to raise funds and awareness for Imagine No Malaria.
Imagine No Malaria has created useful resources for churches to host and promote events, as well as create social media buzz to #BringChange. Click here for more information and to register your church's event.
Volunteer at the 2016 General Conference
Volunteers can now apply online to serve as marshals or pages during The United Methodist Church's 2016 General Conference. The denomination's top legislative assembly will meet in Portland, Oregon, May 10-20, 2016. Submit the online application by July 31.
New Church Website
Online Course
United Methodist Communications is offering a hands-on learning course to help churches build a website. Plus it has free web hosting perks! Click here for details.Golden Cross Sunday
Golden Cross Sunday is observed in the month of May in honor of older adults in your congregation. ORDER YOUR SPECIAL GCS OFFERING ENVELOPES NOW! Call or send an email to PONG JAVIER, OAM co-chair 708-268-7003 / abjavierjr@aol.com
Learning Spanish as Church Hospitality
Check it out! Who Is My Neighbor? Teacher Manual is now available to pre-order through Abingdon Press. The six-session resource was developed out of the NIC's Spanish as a Second Language program. It was written by Joyce Carrasco, Ruth Hoffman and Ngoc-Diep Nguyen.
The manual will be released on April 21, 2015.
sgieseler@umcnic.org.
Upcoming Missionary Intinteration Schedule
Opportunities exist this spring and summer to visit with missionaries supported by the Northern Illinois Conference. If you would like to have a missionary visit your church please contact the Conference Secretary of Global Ministries Rev. Shirley Pulgar-Hughes shirleymph@outlook.com. Click here to learn more.
Schedule: April 27- May 4, Genilma Bohler May 11-24, Karen Johnson Ujereh May 26-31, Jeremias Franca July 17-29 Clara Mridula Biswas Different Drummers: Puppet Ministry
The new Puppet Ministry at Good Shepherd UMC in Oswego was recently featured on Different Drummers. Check it out...by clicking here.
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Tornado Disaster Response Update
 In Rochelle: It seems the majority of homes are well insured. Fairdale: less well insured. There may be more opportunity for assistance in rebuilding there in the coming months.
NO MATERIAL DONATIONS PLEASE.
The Kirkland Fire Department is accepting donations of gift cards.
An official Go Fund Me account has been established at Alpine Bank in Kirkland for anyone looking to make monetary donations. Volunteers need to check in at Operation Blessing (Rochelle) and AmeriCorps (Fairdale). DO NOT SHOW UP AT A HOME OR IN THE IMPACTED AREA WITHOUT REGISTERING AT THE COORDINATION CENTER. There are no long term recovery plans started yet. Click here for more information.
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Volunteers at Rochelle UMC have packed and delivered hundreds of meals to responders and victims of last Thursday's tornadoes.
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CHURCHES: Please notify your local United Way with the name of any family to whom you have provided assistance, and what specific assistance has been provided. This will minimize duplication of services and provide a more complete report of the event.
"THANK YOU for your prayers, your presence, your monetary donations, and your heart in being the hands, feet and face of Christ," NIC Disaster Response Coordinator Rev. Christina Vosteen.
Visit the NIC Disaster Response Facebook page for the latest information and updates.
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Northern Illinois Tornado Relief
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DeKalb District Superintendent Rev. Young-Mee Park toured the impacted areas on Wednesday. Watch the video of Rochelle UMC's efforts since the storm hit.
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School of Evangelism - April 18
The 2015 School of Evangelism will be held at First UMC Elgin on April 18 with best selling author Leonard Sweet as the keynote speaker.
Time: 8am-3pm
Location: First UMC Elgin, 216 Highland Ave., Elgin, IL
Theme: Bridging Personal and Social Witness
Registration fee: $15
Walk ins are welcome but caterer will not be able to provide lunch.
Click here for event flyer and more information.
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Hispanic/Latino Ministry Listening Session - This Sunday, April 19
 Bishop Sally Dyck invites representatives from all churches in our conference that wish to be in ministry with their neighbors in the Hispanic/Latino community to come together with leadership from the National Hispanic/LatinoPlan to talk about how we can better train and resource all our congregations in this important work.
If you have been in ministry with your Hispanic/Latino/a neighbors or want to be, we are asking you to come and share information and resources on Sunday, April 19 at Wesley UMC in Naperville from 3-5pm. This follows a weekend of listening sessions with Hispanic/Latino clergy and lay leadership.
Click here for more information and to register for this event. (no cost).
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Native American Ministries Sunday - April 19
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A Moment in Mission: Native American Ministries Sunday
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The offering received on Native American Ministries Sunday goes toward many partnerships and programs in the Native American community. Funds also go toward college scholarships for Native American students, support of tribal language classes, powwows, and other community programs such as Family Camp for Native families. "This year's Native American Special Sunday offering is all the more important as we continue our work on Acts of Repentance in the future. 50% remains here in our annual conference and that amount will help us continue to take steps in the Acts of Repentance and reconciliation," said Bishop Sally Dyck. Go to www.umcgiving.org/nams for a pastor's toolkit and other resources.
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176th Annual Conference Early Registration Opens Friday
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- Registration: Remember registration for Annual Conference begins Friday, April 17. You can find the link in the registration tab of the Annual Conference 2015 page: www.umcnic.org/AC2015. Register now at the early bird rate of $75 The price increases to $90 on May 16. Credit cards accepted for online registration are Visa and MasterCard only.
- Hotel Rooms: If you are planning to stay at Pheasant Run, NOW is the time to reserve a room. Our reserved block of rooms at the rate of $112 + 11% for Courtyard rooms and $132 + 11% for the Tower, is only available until May 12.
- Display Tables: Cost is $25 per table and $45 for a table with electricity. Tables will be on display for one-day only on Monday, June 15. The area for displays has changed from the MegaCenter to the St. Charles Ballroom. Applications and payment are due no later than May 22. To request a display table online click here.
- Meals: All reservations for group meals must be ordered by May 29. Buffet meals may still be ordered on the first day of Annual Conference. For more details go to www.umcnic.org/AC2015 and click on the "meals" tab.
- Mission Kit Challenge: You've heard about the Ice Bucket Challenge, but we have something better: the Cleaning Bucket Challenge. This year, each church is challenged to assemble at least one Cleaning Bucket and to BRING IT to Annual Conference. Visit www.umcnic.org/AC2015 and click on "Mission" for details.
- The Annual Conference Mass Choir Rehearsal April 25- for performance during the Ordination Service on Tuesday, June 16. Rehearsals will be held from 10am-Noon at First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights (1903 East Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights) on April 25, as well June 14 - 4:30 - 6:00pm at Pheasant Run. The choir will be under the direction of Rev. Dr. Cynthia Wilson - cynthia.wilson@garrett.edu.
- Bishop's Appeal: This year's special offering will go toward the Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (NIJFON). Click to learn more.
For the latest Annual Conference information visit www.umcnic.org/AC2015.
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Holocaust Memorial Day (Yom HaShoah)
United Methodists are urged this day to observe Holocaust Memorial Day ( Yom HaShoah). In a time of increasing religious bigotry, hatred, and violence, as well as xenophobia, we join in support of action taken at the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church calling The United Methodist Church to repentance and contrition. The General Conference resolution reads, in part:
"In recent years, Jewish communities have honored the custom of remembering the Holocaust (Shoah) on 27 Nisan of the Jewish calendar. This observance has become a powerful means of educating people about this heinous crime against humanity and sensitizing them to present and potential violence rooted in racial hatred...the General Conference calls The United Methodist Church to contrition and repentance of its complicity in 'the long history of persecution of the Jewish people'... The General Conference urges the observance of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day each spring...in United Methodist churches...We continue to pray for God's grace to speak in Jesus' name against bigotry, hatred, genocide, or other crimes against humanity whenever and wherever they are perpetrated." - The 2012 Book of Resolutions, 267-268. *Youth and Youth Leaders in the Northern Illinois Conference are invited to a tour of the Illinois Holocaust Museum on April 25. Click here for more information.
Africana Hymnal Project Preserves Rich Musical History
The Africana Hymnal Project, a multi-year effort to provide music and worship resources from African-American traditions and to identify and preserve the rich history of music forms born out of slavery, is now available for future generations of musicians and worship leaders. The project, a joint effort of Discipleship Ministries and the United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH) consists of a USB drive with 150 songs, an award winning documentary film chronicling the history of traditional music forms that are quickly disappearing from existence and a small group study guide for exploring these music forms. To learn more or more information about the project, including a brief trailer of the DVD and a complete list of the songs included on the USB flash drive, go to www.abingdonpress.com/africanahymnal.
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