Bishop’s Appeal: Education for the Central Conferences
This year, Northern Illinois United Methodists will be donating to one Bishop’s Appeal for two worthy recipients. The appeal for Education for the Central Conferences wi…
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Bible Study
Bible Study will be held on the mornings of Mon., June 15 and Tues., June 16. Sally Vonner, the General Secretary/CEO of United Women in Faith, will lead the Bible study. Sally Vonner has served in many areas of The United Methodist Church — leading women’s retreats, as a jurisdictional conference delegate or alternate for three quadrennia, and in immigration assistance and reform, community development, and dismantling racism initiatives at jurisdiction and conference levels.
Blueprint for Wellness
Blueprint for Wellness Health Screenings are planned for Tuesday, June 16 at the hotel. 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. Learn More.
Registration information will be posted soon.
Celebration of Ministry
The Celebration of Ministry will be held in the evening of Sun., June 14. This celebration includes the Ordination and Commissioning Service as well as recognition of Local Pastors, and any consecration of missionaries and deaconesses. The service conculdes with gluten-free communion. Guests are encouraged to register.
- Bishop Dan Schwerin will preach.
- Robing for the Service will occur at 6:30 p.m. in the one of the rooms of the Conference Center. Please bring your robes and red stoles; there will be racks for hanging robes.
- Do you have a gift for singing? This year, during the service, we are inviting churches to send 4-5 members from their church choirs to join in a large UMCNIC Mass Choir.
- 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.
- Call time/rehearsal will be at 5 p.m. in the Schaumburg Ballroom, the main worship/meeting area in Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, 1551 N Thoreau Dr, Schaumburg. Our rehearsal should conclude by 5:30 p.m. Please plan to be robed and ready by 6:30 p.m.
- The anthem selection will be sent out to those who sign up.
- Those interested in the Mass Choir should fill out the following form.
- For more information, please contact AC Worship Coordinator, Pastor Jacob Tipantasig-Wolverton.
- In keeping with the significance of the occasion, please refrain from the use of photography or videography, especially at the times of commissioning and ordination. Please do not approach the worship platform with phones, cameras or video recorders.
Photos will be available online at the UMCNIC Flicker page to download for free.
Celebrations
Annual Conference is a sacred time for worship, discernment, and connection, and it is also an opportunity to honor the important anniversaries and milestones that shape the life of The United Methodist Church.
This year we will have celebrations for the following anniversaries:
- 70th Anniversary of Women's Ordination (full clergy rights)
- 50th Anniversary of United Methodist Volunteers in Ministry
- 40th Anniversary of the NIC becoming a Reconciling Ministries Network Conference
More information to follow.
Clergy Session
Clergy Session will be Sun., June 14 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Convention Center. All clergy are required to attend the Clergy Session, please make the necessary arrangements at your local church to ensure you can attend on time.
*Note this is a change from the past few years: Clergy Session will once again be held during Annual Conference.
Sign up for Clergy Session occurs during registration.
*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 or by postal mail to Northern Illinois Conference, Attn: Marva Andrews, 303 E Wacker Dr, Suite 2020, Chicago, IL 60601.
Display Tables
Display Tables will be set up in the ballroom foyer and hallway. Table displays will be open on Sunday afternoon, Monday, and Tuesday morning.
Display Tables registration will open on Feb. 3 and close on May 4, or when the slots we have available are filled. Assignments will be made one week prior to AC.
View the guidelines here.
Send questions to Erica McIntosh or Craig McGregor
Laity Session
Laity Session will be Sun., June 14 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Convention Center. Laity Session includes speakers, discussion, important information and a short gluten-free communion service.
Sign-up for Laity Session occurs during registration.
Lunch-and-Learn
Back by popular demand, the Lunch-and-Learn sessions offer a chance to enjoy a meal while connecting with others around meaningful topics in mission and ministry.
On Monday, June 15 from noon to 1:30 p.m., all registered participants will receive a box lunch and choose a sessions highlighting a particular ministry area or emerging topic within the conference. (Box lunches are available for guests as well, but they will need to register.) More information about Lunch-and-Learn sessions will be posted here.
Memorial service
The Memorial Service will take place in the early afternoon of Mon., June 15. Rev. Dr. Brian Gilbert will preach at the memorial service. Family members of those being remembered are encouaged to attend and will have special seating during the service. Guests are encouraged to register.
Names of those remembered at the Memorial Service are gathered from clergy records; however, in the past sadly, some people were missed. We are strongly encouraging submissions via this form to help ensure no one is missed.
- Those eligible to be remembered in the service are clergy (active or retired), clergy spouses (including surviving spouses), clergy children under the age of 18, lay members to Annual Conference (active or former), laity of note, and conference staff (current or former).
- Names submitted should be for individuals who passed away between May 8, 2025, and May 9, 2026.
- Information needs to be submitted by May 14, 2026.
- Questions can be sent to Lisa Smith.
Retirement celebration
The Retirement Celebration will take place in the mid morning of Tues., June 16. Those in the retiring class of 2026 will be given 3 minutes to speak. The Retired Clergy Association hosts a meal for all retirees, details to be shared with those who are invited. Guests are encouraged to register.