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…
Volunteers in St. Petersburg, Fla. pray during hurricane cleanup. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton left a trail of devastation across much of the southeastern U.S. this fall. Some people’s homes are still uninhabitable, and relief workers continue to need supplies.
People can help by donating funds, putting together relief kits, or by joining Northern Illinois Conference’s Disaster Response Team for a clean-up trip to the South Georgia Conference.
(DON'T travel to affected areas to try help. You will be in the way. At this stage, only trained, invited groups may enter.)
You may donate money through your church. We recommend one of these funds:
Make your donation to your church and note the fund it is supporting.
Midwest Mission collects items for kits that will assist those whose lives are directly affected by the hurricanes. To learn what they need most, visit midwestmission.org/helene.
Deliver donations to one of these permanent collection sites:
Another option: Order items online from the Midwest Mission list and have them delivered to Midwest Mission. Learn how here.
Resources
For information, contact Colin Monk, chair of NIC’s Disaster Response Committee, at (815) 603-9253
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…
This summer, churches across the conference brought vacation Bible school to life, each one putting its own unique spin on the beloved tradition. From creative scheduling and special…
Rev. Lora Zink, a retired member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025.
Mrs. Freda Whittle, surviving spouse of Rev. Paul Whittle Jr., a deceased member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on April 16, 2025.