2026 Will Be a Year of Hope
Bishop Schwerin looks ahead to 2026 by turning to scripture; specifically, Psalm 130:5: “I wait for the Lord; my soul waits, and in his word, I hope.” He ponders, What kind of spiritual focus is nee…
Location: Euclid Avenue, Oak Park, IL or Online via Zoom
Online Via Zoom and In Person
Hosted by NIC Eco-Sustainability Task Force
Co-Sponsored by Wespath and Global Ministries
Online Via Zoom and In Person
Euclid Avenue UMC, 405 S Euclid Ave, Oak Park, IL
Free event with lunch included
Learn about sustainable renewable energy practices for local churches, ways to reduce your carbon footprint and hear a report on the United Methodist Interagency Just and Equitable Net-Zero Commitment
- Presentations by Rev. Jenny Phillips, Senior Technical Advisor for Environmental Sustainability at Global Ministries, and Jake Barnett, Wespath Benefits and Investments
- Solar and Geothermal tours
- Resource Tables
- Lunch
For questions email:
Richard Alton richard.alton@gmail.com
Rev. Nancy Blade harvestlove2day@gmail.com
Northern Illinois Conference Co-Chairs, Eco-Sustainability T/F
Learn about our speakers
Rev. Jenny Phillips
Rev. Jenny Phillips is Senior Technical Advisor for Environmental Sustainability at Global Ministries. She works within the agency to identify sustainability strategies, and supports annual conferences and local churches in their creation care ministries. She launched Global Ministries’ renewable energy and energy efficiency programs and has directed the Global Ministries EarthKeepers program since 2017. Jenny is co-convener of the United Methodist Just and Equitable Net-Zero Coalition and is on the Georgia Interfaith Power and Light Advisory Council. She has a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Washington. Jenny is an elder from the Pacific Northwest Conference and lives in the greater Atlanta area.
Jake Barnett
Jake Barnett joined Wespath in January 2020. As the director of Sustainable Investment Stewardship (SIS) for Wespath and its subsidiaries’ investment programs, Jake leads Wespath’s shareholder advocacy and engagement efforts. Specifically, the SIS team focuses on engagement efforts that align with the values of The United Methodist Church and support the transition to a sustainable global economy. Previously, Jake was an institutional consultant at Morgan Stanley’s Graystone Consulting where he focused on engagement with faith-based and impact-oriented institutional investors. Jake co-chairs the Engagement Track of the UN-Convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, serves on the Board for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and serves on the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Stewardship Advisory Committee. Jake received his bachelor’s degree in Economics, International Studies and Political Science from Ohio Wesleyan University. He also holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation.
*** Apportionment dollars support the NIC Eco-Sustainability Task Force