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2015 Annual Conference

Communicator's 
Corner
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Upcoming Missionary Itineration  Schedule

 If you would like to have a missionary visit your church please contact  the Conference Secretary of Global Ministries Rev. Shirley Pulgar-Hughes  [email protected]. Click here to learn more.

Schedule:
July 21-26 Devorah Umipig-Julian and Ronald Julian (for available dates and locations contact: Rev. Eunbae Doh at [email protected].)
July 17-29 Clara Mridula Biswas



Artwork for Sale
 
If you missed the sale of postcards and notecards of the beautiful "water" images painted by Rev. Kristine Marshall which incorporated our worship theme of "Replenish", you can still buy them online. 


eNews                                                                                                 June 18, 2015                                                            
"Senseless Shooting" during Bible study at AME Church
We are praying for the victims, families and congregation following the unthinkable shooting at Emanuel A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina last night. 9 people were killed including their pastor, Rev. Clementa Pinckney. Authorities are calling this a hate crime. A suspect is in custody.
 
"Keep our brothers and sisters in the historic Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in your prayers," said Bishop Sally Dyck.  "While this is the crime of one man, we still live in a climate that breeds hate in many forms throughout our communities. Keep the whole A.M.E. Church in your prayers as our pan-Methodist brothers and sisters suffer together from this attack."
 
The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is reaching out to their colleague bishops in the African Methodist Episcopal Church with a message of prayer and healing. Click here to read.

"Our hearts are broken for our Methodist sisters and brothers in Charleston. We deplore the epidemic of gun violence that continues unabated in the United States. This tragic occurrence of firearms-related killing is further exacerbated by the unrelenting evil of racism: All the victims were black." - Statement from General Board of Church and Society, The Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe. Click here to read more. 
 
The World Methodist Council also issued a statement, "Along with all other good-thinking people, we are horrified  and deeply saddened to hear of the dreadful act of violence at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine persons have died." Read the full statement. 

Please take a moment today to be in prayer for those hurting and grieving following this tragedy.

Annual Conference Highlights

 

We hope everyone came away from Annual Conference "Replenished"! There were many highlights from our 2 1/2 days together including: Acts of Repentance, Celebration of Latino/Hispanic Ministries and the commissioning of 17 lay missioners, Reaching our Imagine No Malaria $1 million dollar goal, Retirement and Memorial Services, Ordination of 6 Elders and 2 Deacons, Commissioning of 7 for the work of an Elder and one for the work of a Deacon, as well much fellowship and reconnecting with friends. 

 

June 14-16, 2015
  • Photos from the Ordination & Commissioning Service are available to download on our Shutterfly page. Click here 
    to access them. (photos from all three days can be found on the Conference Facebook Page.)
  • Evaluation Form: If you registered for Annual Conference, you should have received an email with the online evaluation form. Click here for the link. Please fill this out if you attended Annual Conference. Your feedback helps us plan for next year. 
  • Legislation:  A resolution on Fossil Fuel Divestment (900.26) and about 20 other (900) resolutions will be sent on to General Conference. 700.04, 900.01, 900.02 were defeated during the vote on the consent calendar. 702.01 and 900.06 did not carry on individual votes. A special session will be held Nov. 7 at Court Street UMC in Rockford to discuss and vote on the budget. Save the date.
  • Bishop's Appeal: Over 250 churches participated raising 
    $42,450 for Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors. The
    traveling trophy goes to the Aurora District. 
     
  • Bishop's Recommended Reading: A list of Bishop Dyck's recommended books is available at Cokesbury.com
Aurora DS Rev. Dick Wisdom and Rev. Deborah Tinsley Taylor proudly hold the coveted Bishop's Appeal trophy.

 

Many more highlights will be included in the July/August Reporter 

and on our website 

 visit:  www.umcnic.org/AC2015.  

A Flood of Flood Buckets!

Churches across the conference stepped up to the challenge and delivered 700 emergency cleanup buckets for Church World Service to this year's Annual Conference. That represents at least $35,000 dollars in giving!

As a part of our friendly competition, we have a winner. The church with the highest total is LaGrange: First with 31. The district with the highest total per average attendee is.....DeKalb with 154 buckets (it was very close....by a difference of about 9 buckets per attendee).

Other totals:
Chicago Southern: 133
Aurora: 115
Elgin: 113
Chicago Northwestern: 94
Rockford: 90

Thank you to everyone who donated, assembled and delivered these buckets which will make a huge difference to those who are dealing with difficulties and great challenges in times of a disaster.
Annual Conference - Awards

We have many dedicated laity and clergy in the Northern Illinois Conference. Each person is deserving of being acknowledged and thanks for their service.

Several individuals, churches and agencies were recognized during Annual Conference this year. Please help us congratulate everyone. 

 

 

Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey and Bishop Sally Dyck

The Bishop's 2015 Ecumenical and Interrreligious Award was given to Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey.

Click here for more award winners including those from the United Voices for Children breakfast. 
Letter to Gov. Rauner

 

Diana Davis, Nancy Grim Hunter, Bishop Sally Dyck and Rita L. Simpkins-Smith
Thank you to everyone who signed the Bishop's Letter to the Governor on behalf of the Children's Table at Annual Conference. 

The signboard letters will be presented to the Governor's Office to share your voice with respect to the impact of proposed budget cuts on children and families in our communities. 

Thank you, United Voices for Children for your groundswell of support to resource this initiative. 

 

Are you interested in becoming a Children's Champion for your church? Click here for more information and the Children's Table initiative.
News & Events

UMW National Seminar - July 31 and Aug. 1
United Methodist Women from across the country will gather at the University of Illinois-Chicago in late July for a National Seminar, an in-depth experience of worship, Bible Study, education and action for social justice. National Seminar is a leadership development experience for United Methodist Women members to draw on faith and biblical tradition to discern and respond to justice priorities through service and advocacy. Bishop Sally Dyck will be presenting on July 31 at a town hall meeting on mass incarceration from 7-9pm. Click here for the event details.


Seminar program offers `In Focus' introductory events
Deadlines are approaching for "In Focus" introductory events for youth groups and young-adult leaders of ethnic minority local churches and campus ministries on the United Methodist Seminars on National and International Affairs. The deadline  for the July 7-9 "In Focus" is June 26.  
Mark Your Calendar
(click on title for more information)