Hispanic Heritage Month in NIC celebrates vital ministries

The Hispanic/Latinx community is one of the largest demographic groups in the U.S., with a population of 62.1 million. In Northern Illinois, the Hispanic/Latinx population is 1.9 million and continues to grow rapidly. This makes Hispanic Heritage Month—Sept. 15 to Oct. 15—very important to The United Methodist Church as a whole and our conference in particular. It’s a time we set aside to celebrate and appreciate the contribution of the Hispanic/Latinx community in our country and our churches.

A Welcoming State

On August 31st, the first bus arrived in Chicago, and local organizations were there to receive them. Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors' volunteers witnessed families get off the bus in need of food, clothing, medical attention, and many other basic needs. We coordinated with our partners to help these families find shelters where they could eat, shower, and get some rest.

Hispanic/Latinx pastors finish Spanish taught licensing school

One of the first steps to becoming a License Local Pastor is to attend a United Methodist Licensing School, which requires having a minimum of 80 hours of instruction with students. They receive training and mentorship in areas such as Administration and Leadership, Pastoral Care, and United Methodist Theology.

Celebrating Hispanic/Latinx Ministries at Annual Conference

The Hispanic/Latinx Ministries of our Northern Illinois Conference has a tradition of offering a dinner during the sessions of our Annual Conference. This feast could not happen in the last years because of COVID restrictions. Like other groups, they were eager to get together, talk, laugh, eat and share about their ministries.

Sympathy Notice: Rev. Evaristo Loaiza

Rev. Evaristo Loaiza, retired clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away Sunday, February 13, 2022, at age 97. During his ministry, he served Chicago: El Divino Redentor and El Buen Samaritano.

Planting justice and harvesting hope for NIJFON

Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (NIJFON) has been blessed with a $25,000 gift from Berry Memorial UMC in Chicago through the sale of the church’s historic building. As Berry UMC seeks to plant the seeds of a new church home in Chicago, they also chose to plant seeds for justice through supporting the mission and vision of NIJFON.

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