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Communicator's
Corner:
One Great Hour of Sharing - Mar. 6
United Methodist Communications is providing new resources for pastors and lay leaders to use in promoting One Great Hour of Sharing, which will be Sunday, March 6, this year. Offerings on this Special Sunday support the administrative costs of the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Click here for a bulletin inserts, articles and more.
In the News
Compassion UMC in Brookfield, IL ventures into the art business and finds a permanent place for worship after several years of bouncing around temporary locations including the forest preserve and coffee shops. Read the full article here.
Donate online for Flint water crisis
Donations to help with the Flint water crisis now can be made online. Michigan Area Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey appealed last week to all United Methodists in the state to respond to the crisis, asking for prayer, donations and hands-on assistance. Click here for more information.
February is Black History Month
United Methodist Discipleship Ministries offers
New Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary announced the founding of a new Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church Experience. The center's mission is to provide training in the sacred music of the black church and beyond to musicians and worship leaders for the enrichment of congregational worship in diverse contexts. Read more. Preparing for Lent
Ash Wednesday is Feb. 10. Keep checking UMC.org for resources, the latest stories and a new quiz for the 2016 Lenten season.
Directory Coming Soon...
A new Northern Illinois Conference Church, Clergy & Laity directory is printed and
if you placed an order through the 2015 Annual Conference registration, one will be mailed to you. An updated pdf is now available on our website www.umcnic.org/directory.
Questions: please contact Susan Gieseler at sgieseler@umcnic.org.
It's not too early to start thinking about next summer and camps at Wesley Woods or Reynoldswood.
Click here for a listing of the 2016 camps, dates and prices. Also look for and share this special insert in the February Reporter.
District Lay Academies
Click on District for more info: Sundays from Feb. 14-Mar. 13
Apr. 16 & 23
Mar. 5 & 12
Elgin -
Looking for VIM Opportunities in the
new year?
The North Central Jurisdiction Volunteers in Mission continually update project lists around the country including disaster recovery sites.
Click here for the most recent and find ways your church can serve this year.
Local Church IT Support
Is your church interested in help with Managed Information Technology Services? The Northern Illinois Conference is looking to assist local churches with reducing their IT support costs by providing this service for a low monthly cost compared to what other vendors can offer you or for what you are currently paying. Please feel free to reach out to Mo Darwish at 312-334-0729 or email him at mdarwish@umcnic.org for further questions/discussions.
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Register for the Winter 2016 Landscape Regional Conversations
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Deadline to register for the Listening Session is Feb. 15. You may choose any location or date that best suits your schedule.
Laity Listening Sessions:
*Aurora/Elgin - Barrington UMC Sunday, February 28 (3:30 -6:00 PM)
*Aurora/Elgin - New Lenox UMC - Wednesday, February 24 (10:00-3:00 PM)
Location: Naperville: Grace UMC from 9am-3pm. This event is for elected conference leadership and those serving on a conference committee. Participants should have received a personal email invitation with a registration link. Clergy and laity attending the Purpose Summit are also encouraged to attend one of the above listening sessions.
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Laity Convocation - This Saturday Feb. 6
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Please join your Conference Board of Laity on Saturday, February 6, 2016 for INSIDE OUT! (Inner Strength for Greater Outreach) with special keynote speaker Ray Buckley.
Online registration is closed but walk-ins are welcome.
Location: Sycamore UMC, 160 Johnson St., Sycamore, IL
Registration: 8:00 am
Program starts at 9:00 am
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24-Hour General Conference Prayer Vigil
 The United Methodist Church will hold its quadrennial General Conference in Portland, Oregon from May 10-20, 2016.
As we all prepare for this important time of conferencing, the Council of Bishops has invited each Annual Conference to host a 24-hour prayer vigil and our day is February 29.
I am asking you to join me and fill the day with prayer as we all pray across the church for this important gathering. Our prayers will be like a wave across the NIC as well as the whole church around the world! Resources are being provided for you and I encourage you to be a part of this "prayer wave" across our annual conference on February 29 (leap day!). ~Bishop Sally Dyck
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Annual Conference News - June 5-7
 "Walk By Faith"
The 2016 Annual Conference will be held June 5-7, 2016 at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Ill. Online registration will be available on April 8.
Volunteers Needed The Annual Conference Worship Team is currently looking for persons throughout the Annual Conference who are willing to serve as greeters, ushers, or general volunteers for worship at Annual Conference this June. For more information, or to sign up, please contact Will Ed Green at
The Annual Conference Worship Team is excited to share that this year's worship leadership will be provided by Mark Miller. Mark serves as Assistant Professor of Church Music at Drew Theological School and is a Lecturer in the Practice of Sacred Music at Yale University. Read more...
Prayer Team
The Annual Conference Worship Planning Committee is looking for folks, laity and clergy, who would be interested in praying for our Northern Illinois Annual Conference. This prayer team is forming now and has begun praying. You will be invited to intentionally pray daily before the conference begins, as well as, gather in prayer while at the conference. If you would like to be a part of this prayer team please contact David Jungnickel at pastordave03@gmail.com.
Important Worship Times - Mark your calendars
Ordination - Sunday, June 5 at 7pm
Memorial Service - Monday, June 6 at 3pm
Retirement Service - Tuesday, June 7 at 2pm
Visit www.umcnic.org/AC2016 for latest updates and more information.
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UMW Vigil - Intercept Human Trafficking
 Pastor Luther C. Mason (right) of Greenstone UMC and friends join the umbrella defense campaign to intercept human trafficking leading up to this Sunday's Super Bowl. Like any big sporting event, a game like this intensifies the space where human trafficking can occur.
That's why United Methodist Women are asking members to join the Intercept the Traffickers photo campaign and open your umbrellas to raise awareness of human trafficking. For more information go to: www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/intercept.
The UMW is holding a vigil tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 5 at Noon at Daley Plaza in Chicago. They will first gather at First UMC at the Chicago Temple at 77 W. Washington St., Chicago. Don't forget to bring an umbrella.
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NIC UMM Election of Officers
The NIC United Methodist Men will hold an election for a new President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer for the Executive Committee.The election will be March 12, 2016 at Grace UMC, 3555 McFarland Road, Rockford, IL.
The day begins with a breakfast at 8am at a cost of $9. Tickets for the breakfast need to be ordered in advance at the address of the church so preparation for food can be planned. Bishop Dyck will lead the nomination and election process. She will also speak at a service following the business meeting. The nominees are: 1. President...George Groves, 2. VP...Craig McGregor, 3. Secretary...Dave Holland and 4. Treasurer...Neil Schilling.
Rainbow Covenant Application Available
The Rainbow Covenant Advance Application for 2016-2020 is now available. Rainbow Covenant is a way for an organization or ministry connected to the NIC to be supported by local United Methodist congregations. Every organization wishing to be included as a Rainbow Covenant Advance must submit this application. This includes all current Advances as well. The deadline is February 15, 2016. Click here for more details and the application.
Healing and Building Summit - Feb. 27
Registration is open for Urban Strategy's Healing and Building Summit at Maple Park UMC in Chicago. Our plenary speaker will be Dr. Colleen Cicchetti from Robert & Ann Lurie Children's Hospital to focus on healing. Click here for more information and to register today.
United Voices for Children Seeking Award Nominees
Each year the Board of Directors of United Voices for Children selects individuals or groups 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 or advocacy efforts on behalf of children, youth and/or families throughout the Northern Illinois Conference. Please look around and nominate an individual or a group who deserves this recognition. Click here for the nomination form and details. Nominations will be accepted until April 8, 2016.
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(click on title for more information)
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- Spanish as a Second Language Training - (Feb. 13) 12:30pm at Camp Reynoldswood.
- African Heritage Seminars - (Sundays Feb. 7- May 29) Free community seminars at Hartzell Memorial UMC. All are welcome.
- Ecclesial Leadership in the Black Church Panel - (Feb. 9) 5:30-7:30pm at Garrett in celebration of Black History Month. Chicago Southern District Rev. Dr. Tracy Smith Malone is serving as one of the panelists. The event is free and open to the public.
- Love Your Refugee Neighbor Event - (Feb. 14) Sponsored by 7 UMC churches to explore the Syrian refugee crisis through reflection, prayer, music, and conversation. Youth activities start at 4:45pm at Kingswood UMC in Buffalo Grove, IL. Cost is $10. Then, all ages are welcome from 7pm-9pm for a concert featuring Bassel & The Supernaturals, a Syrian-American band recently featured on NPR.
- EUB Heritage Symposium - (Mar. 16-18) at North Central College in Naperville. Co-sponsored by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and North Central College. The registration fee is $100 and includes five meals. To register and learn more, go to www.Garrett.edu/EUBHeritage. Registrations are due February 24.
- NIC School of Evangelism - (Apr. 2) at Elgin Epworth UMC featuring Debi Nixon of Church of the Resurrection.
- Bishop's Youth Bus Tour - (Apr. 16) Save the date! This year's trip will focus on interreligious work in local communities that youth are doing across Northern Illinois. Please e-mail mmann@umcnic.org for more information.
- Cross+Generational workshop with Rich Melheim - (Apr. 16) at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (1834 Illinois 2, Oregon, IL. Cost $15.
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