Annual Conference 2024 Basic Details

 

 

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Register Now

Registration: 

• Before April 29: $115 
• Beginning May 1: $130 
• Registration deadline: May 29 
• NO on-site registration 

Special observances and sessions: 

• Clergy session: June 5 (location to be announced) 
• Laity session: Sunday afternoon, June 16
• Ordination and commissioning: Sunday evening, June 16 
• Retirement: Monday morning, June 17 
• Memorial: Tuesday morning, June 18 

Important Dates

• April 30: Registration cost increases to $130.
• May 9: Deadline for submission of names and photos of annual conference lay members who have passed since May 2023. Send to ACMedia@umcnic.org. 
• May 16: Proposed legislation and documents posted online. 
• June 12 (7 p.m.): Preconference briefing (online).
• June 13 (10 a.m.): Preconference briefing (online).

Download the Fact Sheet

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HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Booking info for the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel:

Rooms are available to be reserved Sat., June 15 - Mon., June 17 
Cost: $185 plus 11% tax per night
Central Reservations Phone Number: (888) 236-2427(Mention  Northern IL Conference UMC)
Online Reservation Booking Link
Reservation block closes May 25 (or if rooms are filled)

Note: The dates listed on the hotel's reservation page are those reserved for our block. You may choose to make overnight reservations for any of these nights: June 15, 16, and/or 17. Check-out deadline is 11 a.m. on June 18.

Click here for a list of near by hotels.

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BISHOP'S APPEAL

This year, the Bishop’s Appeal will support United Voices for Children (UVC).

For 45 years, United Voices for Children has advocated on behalf of children, youth, and families for its three affiliated child-serving agencies: Rosecrance, Kids Above All (formerly ChildServ), and MYSI (formerly Methodist Youth Services Inc).  Bishop Dan Schwerin has identified UVC as the 2024 recipient of the Bishop's Appeal, in recognition of their important ministries in Northern Illinois communities. Kids are at the heart of UVC! Join United Voices for Children in raising our voices for our child-serving agencies and the children they reach.

Encourage your church to take an offering for the Bishop's Appeal. Bring your congregation’s donation to Annual Conference for the Monday afternoon collection or donate online (choose Bishop's Appeal 2024 from the drop down).

Learn more about the Bishop's Appeal

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2024 Mission Challenge

The NIC Board of Global Ministries is coordinating with Midwest Mission to organize its annual conference collection drive for Midwest Mission’s Most Needed Items.

Donations will be accepted on Sunday afternoon, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Monday morning, June 17 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  in the east parking lot outside the Schaumburg Convention Center. 

Learn more about the Mission Challenge

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MORE INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND LINKS

Listed Alphabetically

• An Accessibility Coordinator will be present to help with any needs (vision, movement, hearing, etc.), within our ability. Please indicate your requests in the registration process. Large print programs will be available at the accessibility table near the hall entrance.
• Bible Study will be held twice. Rev. Dr. AHyun Lee, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care, and Psychotherapy at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, will lead the Bible study. Read more about Rev. Dr. Lee here.
• The Bishop's Appeal for 2024 collection will support United Voices for Children (UVC) Learn more. 
• Blueprint for Wellness Health Screenings are planned for Mon., June 17, and Tues., June 18  in the First Aid room near Adventure Hall. The screenings are available for those who participate in the conference health insurance plan. Testing involves one blood draw and a few measurements. The results provide valuable information about several common health risks. 
  • Registration occurs two ways via Phone or Online via Virgin Pulse.
    • Phone: 855-623-9355 Employer group: HealthFlex or United Methodist Church
    • Online: Log in to your WesPath/Benefits Access account. Click on the "Wellbeing" Tab and find the "Go to Quest Diagnostics" button. When there is an option to schedule a wellness screening choose "at an event" then choose "Northern Illinois Conference UMC".
• Charging Stations will not be offered this year. Please come with devices charged.
• Childcare 
  • The Annual Conference Childcare team spent time considering options and parent feedback. Based on responses, in 2024, we will continue offering grants for childcare. 
    • The grant request form is available here. Requests must be submitted by May 15.
    • We will also try to assist in facilitating connecting families who need childcare.
  • For 2025, we will be exploring more options involving partnering with the local churches and colleges to provide a form of childcare/educational program or contracting with an outside firm. 
• Clergy Session will take place on June 5. More information is coming soon.  Sign up for Clergy Session occurs during registration.
• Display Tables will be set up in the Nirvana Threshold all three days.
  • Applications are due May 1. The application is available here.
  • View the guidelines here.
  • The cost is $50 per eight-foot table, and electricity is not available.
  • Space is limited and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Assignments will be made after May 25. 
  • Send questions to George Groves
• Group Meals 
  • Conference-related organizations and groups are encouraged to hold their group meals at the hotel. Plated meals, buffet, and reception style food station options are available.
  • Registration for meals will be included in regular registration.
  • For more information, please contact Bri Wadlington, conference events planner, at events@umcnic.org.
  • More information regarding meals will be posted here.
• Hotel Registrations are available at Renaissance Schaumburg. The rate is $185 plus 11% tax per night and the registration link is here.
• Laity Session will take place on Sunday afternoon, June 16. Sign-up for Laity Session occurs during registration.
• The number of Lay Members to Annual Conference per church was adjusted in 2021. The number of Lay Members per church can be found in this document.
  • If a church's Lay Member is going to be different from those currently listed in the portal, s/he must contact the Conference office to be included. 
• Leadership and Speakers: Learn more about our Annual Conference speakers and leaders here.
• Legislation & Historical Documents were due April 15. All legislation and historical documents will be posted online May 16. 
  • Visit the Legislation and Document page for more information.
  • Questions about the form or submissions can be emailed to Joanne Ray at ACdocuments@umcnic.org.
  • Late documents must be submitted at conference to the chair BEFORE the opening of the annual conference session both electronically and with two printed copies.
  • The majority of legislation will be addressed during Legislative Sections on Monday, June 17.
• A Livestream of the Conference for guests will be available on the NIC YouTube channel.
• Media and Videos to be projected on the screens during AC will need to be submitted and preapproved.
  • Final decisions regarding scheduling are made by the Daily Proceedings Coordinator in conjunction with the Annual Conference Committee.
  • We will do our best to schedule presentations as time and agenda permit.  Most presentations will be shared as pre-recorded video via the NIC website and/or possibly during breaks at the annual conference.
  • The Presentation request form is closed. Requests were due April 15.
  • Videos are due to Lisa Smith at ACMedia@umcnic.org in video file by May 8.
  • Please do not use YouTube links - only original videos. Videos WILL NOT be accepted on site.
• The Memorial Service will take place on Tuesday morning, June 18. Bishop Dan Schwerin will preach at the memorial service.
  • Submission of names and photos of AC lay members who have passed since May 2023 are due May 9. Please send to ACMedia@umcnic.org.
• For the Mission Challenge, we will be collecting items for the Midwest Mission Distribution Center.  Learn more. 
• New Member Orientation will be available online, details are still being coordinated.
• The Ordination and Commissioning Service will take place on Sunday evening, June 16.
  • Bishop Sally Dyck will preach and assist in the ordinationand commissioning service. Read more about Bishop Dyck here.
  • Do you have a gift for singing? This year, during the Ordination and Commissioning Service on Sunday, June 16, we are inviting churches to send 4-5 members from their church choirs to join in a large UMCNIC Mass Choir.
    • Those interested can fill out the form here.
    • Members are invited to bring a choir robe from their church so that we can flood the platform with an array of colors. If your church does not have robes, please let us know so that we can make arrangements for a robe.
    • Rehearsal will take place 2 hours prior to the start of the service at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center (1551 N. Thoreau Dr., Schaumburg), room TBD.
    • Anthem: He Never Failed Me Yet by Robert Ray [SATB arrangement] The anthem can be purchased through JW Pepper in both paper & electronic formats
    • For more information, please contact Mass Choir Director Pastor Jacob Tipantasig-Wolverton, at jacob@onecumc.net.
• Pre-Conference Briefings will be virtual this year. There are two options: Wed., June 12 at 7 p.m. and Thurs., June 13 a.m. Sign up for a Pre-Conference Briefing during registration.
• Packets of information for the Conference will be available for pickup on the morning of Sunday, June 16.  There will be no onsite registration, only packet pick-up.
• Distribution of Print materials will be limited as we continue to be good stewards of the environment.
  • The Annual Conference Secretary, Randy Hayes, must preapprove any material to be distributed on the AC floor. Submissions can be sent to Randy Hayes at ra50h1y9s@comcast.net.
  • Only ushers may distribute materials.
  • Groups may provide handouts at their display tables. Other handouts may be housed at the lobby table.
  • Announcements during AC will be projected on the screen after approval. Submissions can be sent to Randy Hayes at ra50h1y9s@comcast.net.
• Registration opens April 3.
  • Registration includes Clergy Session or Laity Session, Pre-conference briefings and some meal options. Registration link is available here.
  • April 3 - April 29 - Early bird registration $115
  • April 30 - May 29 - $130
  • No on-site registration
  • If a church's Lay Member is going to be different from those currently listed in the portal, s/he must contact the Conference office to be included. 
  • Active clergy who are not attending Annual Conference need to send their reason for absence in writing to Episcopal Administrative Assistant Marva Andrews either by e-mail at mandrews@umcnic.org or by postal mail to Northern Illinois Conference, Attn: Marva Andrews, 303 E. Wacker Dr, Suite 2020, Chicago, IL 60602 
• The Retirement Service will take place on Monday morning, June 17.
• Volunteer Opportunities. We need ushers, plenary pages, legislative section leaders,  greeters, secretarial pool members and more to help Annual Conference run smoothly and efficiently. We need volunteers for the whole time, a day or even part of a day. No previous experience is necessary. Fill out the form here to note your interest. Please contact Bri Wadlington, Events Administrator, at events@umcnic.org if you have questions. 

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Theme information

Bishop Dan Schwerin chose the theme from John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer, which includes the promise that “I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.” Many Methodist and Wesleyan Christians renew this covenant at the beginning of the new year. (See more in the “From the Bishop” article from the Jan/Feb Reporter here.) 

“As we gather for the 185th Northern Illinois Conference Session, we come ready to yield to God’s will as we offer our whole selves to the service of Christ through the work of the church,” says Bishop Schwerin.  

“For the new church that is emerging, more than ‘a zipper merge’ is needed; we all need to yield to God’s newness,” he says, alluding to the yielding needed in traffic. 

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