News from Special Session 
Special Session follow up               November 9, 2015
Annual Conference Approves 2016 Budget

More than 450 members to the Northern Illinois Annual Conference gathered at Court Street UMC in Rockford, Ill., on Nov. 7, for a special session to approve a budget for next year.

Clergy and lay members approved the 2016 budget of $6,737,477, a $470,019 reduction from the previous year.

The Conference Committee on Finance and Administration (CCFA) presented the reduced budget following months of collaborative conversations across conference leadership, program areas and staff, acknowledging the financial challenges and realities facing the church in the 21st century.
 
"It's getting harder to be the church. We are working against the trends," said NIC treasurer Lonnie Chafin. "Average attendance and giving continue to drop and our aging buildings are costing us in maintenance. But I believe we can work together to figure out how we can use our talents, resources and gifts in the conference to help our churches be vital in the 21st century." Read the full story...

Click here for CCFA's budget power point slides with explanations.

CCFA is working on answering your questions presented at the special session about the budget. The Q&A's will be uploaded to the conference website at www.umcnic.org/AC2015SS in the next week. We will let you know when they are posted.
Landscape Survey

Nearly 400 clergy and laity completed the Landscape survey sent out in September to help gather data and information about the health, well-being and effectiveness of the work of the annual conference. The results show a desire for transformational change along with better resourcing to equip local churches and develop leaders. 

"The opportunity presents itself to take this feedback - some of it challenging and some of it affirming - and move into action for the sake of renewal and revitalization," said Bishop Sally Dyck. "According to the Landscape results, there's a readiness to change but change that will be strategic, not haphazard, knee-jerk, or even done prematurely before that the whole picture is before us. "

To help us move forward and discuss ways to make informed changes within the next 6-18 months, a Purpose Summit open to elected conference leadership will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2016. Regional Meetings for clergy and laity will be held in February and March.

Click here for the dates and details.

Click here to read the full executive summary.
 
Click here for the Landscape power point presentation. 
Rev. Deborah Tinsley Taylor elected as the new Northern Illinois Annual
Conference Secretary
Annual Conference Secretary Elected

The Northern Illinois Annual Conference unanimously elected the Rev. Deborah Tinsley Taylor as the new annual conference secretary. She succeeds Rev. Lora Zink who served as annual conference secretary for 7 years. We thank Rev. Zink for her years of faithful service and welcome Rev. Tinsley Taylor, who is the senior pastor at Fourth Street UMC in Aurora, to her new role.


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Episcopal Nominee Endorsed
Rev. Dr. Tracy Smith Malone is honored by the Annual Conference's endorsement as 
an episcopal nominee



The conference also unanimously approved the General/Jurisdictional delegation's recommendation for the Episcopacy - the Rev. Dr. Tracy Smith Malone who said she was truly honored by the endorsement.
Vote to Save Money on Journal Production

The annual conference voted to amend the standing rules regarding journal production to allow for "on demand" printing in 2016. The amendment will cut down on the bulk printing and mailing of the journal and instead make it available online with the option to print and send directly to your address for an affordable fee.

The Journal would still be available to download for free from the conference website. A slight amendment was made to clarify that the conference will still print some Journals for archives and Disciplinary requirements. Conference Treasurer Lonnie Chafin says the move could save the conference $15,000+ dollars each year.

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