In Sympathy: Gwen Janet Oliver
Mrs. Gwen Janet Oliver, spouse of Rev. Richard E. Oliver, retired member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on Fri., Oct. 2, 2026.
Cost: $20
Box Lunch Provided
Churches come in all forms of health: some are healthy and growing, others are maintaining the status quo, and some are declining. But they all have one thing in common – they want to be fruitful and healthy. One way this can happen is through partnerships or mergers. Attend this workshop and explore new ways your church might become healthier through a merger.
Dirk Elliott
Speaker Bio: Dirk Elliott is Director of Congregational Vibrancy and Leadership Development for the Michigan Conference. Dirk has been a congregational developer for 21 years after serving 18 years in pastoral ministry. He serves on the Path 1 Strategy Team, the New Church Start division of the United Methodist Church. Dirk authored "Vital Merger: A New Church Approach that Joins Church Families Together to Change Lives and Communities."
Sponsored by the Office of Congregational Development and Redevelopment
Mrs. Gwen Janet Oliver, spouse of Rev. Richard E. Oliver, retired member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on Fri., Oct. 2, 2026.
October is Pastor Appreciation Month, an opportunity to recognize the pastors and clergy who serve congregations and communities throughout the year. From writing a personal…
In an effort to be more transparent, the Finance and Administration office is going to be consistently sharing where we are as a conference are in regards to the giving versus what is needed fo…
More than 250 clergy from Wisconsin and Northern Illinois gathered at Green Lake for three days of leadership development, connection and innovation, exploring new ways…