General Conference 2020 (2024) Updates
The UMC General Conference (postponed from 2020) came to order on the morning of April 23. Follow daily reports focusing on topics of interest to Northern Illinois Conference readers.
That’s a wrap... see you back at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center for Annual Conference 2020 from June 7-9! Look for news and a full wrap-up in the eNews, on this page and in the July/August Reporter.
180th Northern Illinois Annual Conference
Dates: June 2-4, 2019
New Location: Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Dr., Schaumburg, IL 60173
Most of the Conference will be located in the Adventure Hall.
Delegation Elections *Update*
Lay Delegation for General Conference
- Lonnie Chafin (Ballot #1)
- Nadia R. Kanhai (Ballot #4 )
- Adrian Hill - Vice Chair (Ballot #7)
Clergy Delegation for General Conference
- Rev. Alka Lyall - Chair (Ballot #6)
- Rev. Luis Reyes (Ballot #9)
- Rev. Gregory Gross (Ballot #15)
Lay Delegation to Jurisdictional Conference
- Rita L. Smith (Ballot #8)
- Jessie Cunningham (Ballot #8)
- Ronnie Lyall (Ballot #11)
Alternates: Nancy Pendergrass and Mark Manzi
Clergy Delegation to Jurisdictional
- Rev. Hwa-Young Chong (Ballot #16)
- Rev. Jacques A. Conway (Ballot #16)
- Rev. Brian Gilbert (Ballot #18)
Alternates: Britt Cox and Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger
Legislation Passed
- Consent Calendar
- 700.16 - Strategic Goals for the NIC from the Annual Conference Shepherding Team
- 700.01 - A task force to explore a new Methodist expression
- 700.12 - Do no Harm: Limiting Complaints and Trials
- 700.15 - Restructure the UMC
- 700.17 - Non-binding Straw Poll (Results 441 for option 1 and 79 for option 2)
Theme: The theme for the 2019 session of the Annual Conference is “Back to the Future.” No, we won’t be time warping in a DeLorean like Marty McFly in the 1980s classic sci-fi flick who needs to make sure the past doesn’t change so he will still exist, but we will be recalling, reimagining, and reclaiming our history for a hopeful future.
Celebrations: We will celebrate our 180th year as a conference together along with Global Ministries, which is celebrating its bicentennial in 2019 and United Methodist Women, which is observing its 150th anniversary.
Agenda/Worship Services:
Sunday, June 2
Registration Table opens - 1 pm
New Member Orientation – 2 pm
Ordination Service - 4 pm
Monday, June 3
Retirement Service - 1:30 pm
Tuesday, June 4
Memorial Service - 10:30 am
Please remember to submit names and photos of Lay Members to AC who have passed away since June 2018 to communications@umcnic.org.
Livestream: Watch the worship services and plenaries from the floor of Annual Conference via our Livestream channel on YouTube. Click here for the link.
Worship Leader: Gary Rand will once again be our worship leader for a second year working with our worship team to develop our three main services. The Many Band will again bring us the music.
All-Conference Choir: The Annual Conference Choir is back! Please sing with us. Everyone is invited. We will be singing “Total Praise," the powerful anthem by Richard Smallwood, in the Retirement Service on Monday at 1:30 pm. Just show up to the Sunday rehearsal following the end of the Ordination Service. We will join with The Many for the 20 minute rehearsal below the stage next to the musicians.
Bible Study Leader: This year’s Bible Study Leader is UMW General Secretary Harriett Olson who has served as chief executive officer of the United Methodist Women’s national administrative and policymaking arm since 2007.
Delegate Elections: This year we will be voting on Clergy and Lay Delegates for the 2020 General and Jurisdictional Conferences. We will elect three lay and three clergy General Conference delegates and three lay and three clergy Jurisdictional Conference delegates, as well as two clergy and lay alternates. Starting this year, the lay delegate nomination form will only be available online. Also this year, potential delegates will be asked to include a picture to make it easier to recognize candidates at Annual Conference. All active clergy are eligible candidates and do not need to fill out a form. To find the lay delegate election information form click here.
Laity Reception: There will be no Laity Session at Annual Conference, but you're invited to a Laity Reception following the Ordination Service from 8 - 10 pm to meet all the Lay Delegate nominees for General and Jurisdictional Delegations. Read the call letter from the Conference Co-Lay Leaders.
Reminders:
- ALL historical documents and proposed legislation are available for download or printing here. Questions, please contact Rev. Katie Voigt, ACdocuments@umcnic.org. *At-conference documents must be submitted to her BEFORE the start of the annual conference. The author must submit both a printed version and on a flash drive or similar USB storage device (the device may or may not be returned), and the author must bring 1000 copies to the annual conference session for distribution.
- Volunteers needed: If you are interested in being an usher, plenary page, greeter, part of the secretarial pool, or volunteer in other areas, click here to fill out our volunteer form. Questions about volunteering can be directed to Alka Lyall at NILAC2019@gmail.com.
- On-site Childcare registration is closed.
- We will be offering the “New Member Orientation” on Sunday, June 2 at the Convention Center.
- Accessibility Coordinators will be available on site to help with any needs (vision, movement, hearing, etc.), within our ability. Please visit the coordinators at Annual Conference with any special requests.
- Blueprint for Wellness Screenings will be held at Annual Conference on Monday and Tuesday (June 3 and 4) from 7 a.m. - 10 a.m. in the First Aid room near Adventure Hall. Pre-registration is closed.
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A New Photo Directory will be put together this year. Clergy and Lay Members may get their pictures taken at Annual Conference on Sunday and Monday (Tuesday if needed). No need to sign up. Just walk up - photo ready! Directories will be available to purchase. Click here to pre-order a directory.
