As many of you may have heard, President Trump has just declared the opening of all houses of worship throughout the country. He rightly recognizes that we need “more prayer, not less,” but doesn’t realize that people, including the people called United Methodist, have been praying and worshipping all along through these months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreI have been receiving notices from my weather app of flooding around northern Illinois because of all the rain we’ve had. That seems ironic given this week’s biblical tale from the pandemic is the story of Noah. I hadn’t been thinking about Noah until I read the introduction to the ReTurn Team’s comprehensive work on how we can—when we can—return to our ministries in a safe and healthy way.
Read MoreRev. Susan M. Wessels, a retired member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away at age 76 on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. During her ministry in the Northern Illinois Conference, she served Chicago: Westridge and Yorkville: Trinity/Millbrook.
Read MoreIt was hard to provide leadership—clergy or laity—in the church before the coronavirus pandemic. It’s really hard now! The first lesson of leadership for these times is to know we aren’t in this alone—God is with us!
Read MoreIn response to the coronavirus pandemic and official restrictions regarding in-person gatherings, many NIC congregations and pastors have wholeheartedly continued their worship services, Bible studies, devotions, and/or prayer ministries in some form of online setting. While many are weighing the pros and cons of conducting an online confirmation service, some congregations have moved forward in creative “virtual” ways to honor this important rite of passage.
Read MoreI hope you’ve learned one thing about me after these almost eight years: I love to study the Scriptures. I’m always amazed at how different historic events, as well as personal experiences, bring new eyes, if you will, to understanding them. During the pandemic, and now as we begin to imagine what life will be like when we are no longer sheltering in place as individuals, families, and congregations, my attention turned to a particular book that has not been my favorite: Leviticus!
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