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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.
Laity Convocation
PowerPoints
Thank you to everyone who came to the Laity Convocation at Sycamore UMC on Feb. 6. Materials from the workshops are now posted on our website.
Click here to access them.
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 Preparing for Lent
Keep checking UMC.org for resources, the latest stories and a new quiz for the 2016 Lenten season.
Directory mailed...
A new Northern Illinois Conference Church, Clergy & Laity directory has been mailed out and
if you placed an order through the 2015 Annual Conference registration, one should be arriving soon. 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.
This does not include website services. For affordable web hosting services for your church visit: umcchurches.org.
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Bishop Announces Staffing Changes
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In this week's Monday morning appointment listing, it was announced that Rev. Chris Pierson, presently our Director of Connectional Ministries, will be appointed to Wheaton: Gary United Methodist Church, and Rev. Michael Mann, presently Associate Director of Mission and Advocacy since 2010, will be appointed to Carol Stream: St. Andrew's UMC, both effective July 1, 2016. Both are excited about their new opportunity in ministry. Their ministry and work with the conference are greatly appreciated by many and we will have an opportunity to recognize both of them at annual conference in June.
I will not be appointing anyone to the full-time position of DCM or the Associate Director of Mission and Advocacy as of July 1. I will be combining the positions of Assistant to the Bishop (A2B) and the DCM. The combined position will be filled by Rev. Arlene Christopherson. Having one person as A2B and DCM is not uncommon in conferences our size.
As an annual conference, we are in the midst of determining what we need in order to structure, staff, program, and budget our resources in the future, so it's best to wait to make appointments to any staff position.
Does this mean that the outcome of Landscape is determined with this staffing change? No, quite the opposite. It means that the outcome of our adaptive work together is uncertain and unknown; therefore, it's uncertain and unknown what kind of staffing we will have when we have acquired greater and more widespread clarity following the Purpose Summit and the Listening Sessions.
If we're truly doing adaptive change, even the leader doesn't know what the outcome will be. We do it together and that's why it's so important that all voices are heard, hard work is done to understand what is being said, and to keep the purpose of the annual conference clearly before us:
"The purpose of the annual conference is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by equipping its local churches for ministry and by providing a connection for ministry beyond the local church; all to the glory of God." (BOD, par. 601)
~Bishop Sally Dyck
Please read the Bishop's entire announcement - Click here.
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Register for the Winter 2016 Landscape Survey Regional Conversations
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 In follow up to the Landscape Survey completed in 2015, clergy and laity are invited to a series of listening sessions to help make clear what the vision/purpose is for our annual conference.
You may choose any location or date that best suits your schedule.
Click here to read the Bishop's message and update on the process. Deadline to register is Feb. 15.
*Aurora/Elgin - Barrington UMC Sunday, February 28 (3:30 -6:00 PM)
- Tuesday, February 23 (10:00-3:00 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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24-Hour General Conference Prayer Vigil - Feb. 29
 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.
Bishop Sally Dyck encourages you to join her and the NIC delegation to 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," says Bishop Dyck. "Be part of this prayer wave across our annual conference on February 29 (leap day)!"
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Healing and Building Urban Summit
Saturday, Feb. 27
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Dr. Colleen Cicchetti
Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
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Everyone is directly or indirectly exposed to trauma. This includes those with whom we serve, our families and us. At this summit, discover the impact and implications of trauma on "caring communities" and learn effective community based intervention strategies.
Dr. Colleen Cicchetti withLurie Children's Hospital and her team will be leading the plenary session. Time: 9am-2:30pm at Maple Park United Methodist Church, 11705 S. Elizabeth St., Chicago. Click here for more information and to register today.
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Annual Conference - 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
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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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.
Bishop's Youth Bus Trip - Registration Open
Come, hop on the bus with Bishop Dyck and other youth from across the Northern Illinois Conference on Saturday, April 16. Each year, this trip is offered as a way for many youth, especially confirmation students, to gather for a cross-cultural and multi-religious experience. Highlights this year include the Illinois Holocaust Museum, hearing from families impacted by migration crises, and a visit to a Native American center. The trip begins and ends at Evanston First UMC and will be from 8:30am-5pm. Cost is $35, includes breakfast, lunch, transportation to site, and all entry fees. Click here to register.
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)
- 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.
- 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. Check out the latest Different Drummers segment promoting the event on YouTube.
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