Bishop Schwerin's Reflections on General Conference 2024
Bishop Dan Schwerin offers some reflections after listening to how news of The United Methodist General Conference is being received in Northern Illinois.
Posted: November 14 2022 at 02:29 PM
Author: Amania Drane, NIC Project Manager/Implementation Consultant – Strategic Initiatives
The choir from Journey of Hope in Elgin sung "The Church is an Ark"
What a joy it is to be in the house of the Lord to hear the Word and sing songs of praise to God.
The choir from Korean UMC in Flossmoor sung "Amazing Grace" and "We Are One in Korean"
For the second year, the NIC Discipleship Task Force held a Fall conference-wide worship service. This year’s service was held at Journey of Hope UMC in Elgin. The service was also available via livestream. Rev. P. Devon Brown of St. Mark UMC (Chicago) and Rev. Heewon Kim of Evans UMC & Harlem UMCs (Rockford) and New Life UMC (Machesney Park) led the worship service planning. Choirs from Journey of Hope UMC in Elgin, Korean UMC in Flossmoor and St. Mark UMC (St. Mark Gospirational Choir) in Chicago provided moving musical selections.
The St. Mark Gospirational Choir from St. Mark's UMC in Chicago sung "I will sing Hallelujah" and "lord i will lift my eyes to the hills"
View a recording of the service
Rev. Dr. Mai-Anh Le Tran delivered an inspiring call-to-action message
learn more about the Conference-wide Worship Service
Rev. Dr. Mai-Anh Le Tran, VP for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Religious Education and Practical Theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, was the preacher. She delivered an inspiring call-to-action message on what the church should be as a “redemptive community that is unafraid of the life-changing challenges and life-giving possibilities of skin-to-skin contact with those who are profoundly other to us.” Her message was clear that for the church to thrive, it must have an “unshakable vision that the suffering and brokenness of this world is reparable, redeemable, and changeable.” There was a reception following the worship service and conversation about ways in which the NIC and Garrett-Evangelical can continue to work together in ministry and mission, theological training and advocacy work.
Rev. Dr. Mai-Anh Le Tran, Discipleship Task Force members, and other church and conference leaders.
The Discipleship Task Force work includes Intentional Discipleship System coaching, an NIC Prayer Team, an NIC Book Club (currently reading the late Rev. Junius Dotson’s book, Soul Reset), Youth Leader Support, and other discipleship-supporting events and resources. If you are interested in growing and/or working in any of these areas, we invite you to contact us at discipleshiptf@umcnic.org.