Building Faith and Friendships at JOY Camp
JOY Camp 2026 brought together 61 campers and 27 volunteer counselors for a week of faith, friendship, and outdoor fun at Camp Reynoldswood in Dixon, Ill., June 21-27. Centered on the…
Location: Online via Zoom and In-Person at Our Saviour’s UMC, 701 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg
Join together with clergy and laity across the Prairie Central district to read & discuss the book Building Beloved Community by the Council of Bishops.
4 Wednesdays: June 24, July 8, July 22, and Aug. 5
Two Options:
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2 p.m. In-person and via Zoom
Our Saviour’s UMC, 701 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg -
7 p.m. via Zoom
Classes are expected to be 90 minutes each.
For more information or to register for the class, please email Tim Alexander.
Tim Alexander, the Director of Discipleship at Our Saviour's UMC and the Co-Chairperson of the NIC Conference Commission on Religion & Race will lead the bi-weekly session.
You may order your book from the Cokesbury Store or your favorite bookseller.
Each class will focus on a section of the book and require advanced reading of about 5 short chapter – approximately 30 pages each class.
A detailed syllabus will be provided for those interested in the class by emailing Tim for information.
Description of the book from Cokesbury:
When fear and division threaten to take hold, faith communities face a pivotal choice: give in or rise to embody God's radical love and build inclusive, united communities.
Building Beloved Community, a call to action from the United Methodist Council of Bishops, equips readers with theological insight, practical strategies, and inspiring global stories to resist division and foster connection. Drawing on experiences from Ukraine, the Philippines, Guatemala, and beyond, it reveals common patterns of authoritarianism and offers faithful alternatives grounded in love over fear.