This year, Northern Illinois United Methodists will be donating to one Bishop’s Appeal for two worthy recipients. The appeal for Education for the Central Conferences will benefit the construction of a high school in Tanzania and the Endowment Fund for Theological Education in the Central Conferences (which comprise Africa, Europe, and the Philippines). Gifts will be distributed equally to these projects.
Read MoreRev. Donna Atkinson, a retired member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on January 24, 2026.
Read MoreThank you for your commitment to sharing your gifts for the good of our United Methodist Church and its ministries. In 2025, you gave $5,056,797—80 percent of our budgeted goal to support missions and ministries. This is the highest percentage we have achieved since 2016.
Read MoreThe Northern Illinois Annual Conference, with United Methodist Communications, is excited to launch the #BeUMC Awards! Celebrate laypeople, clergy, and congregations who love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously. Nominations are open for individuals and congregations who inspire through faithfulness, leadership, and service.
Read More"A Year of Practicing Hope" is a new devotional created for 2026 in the Northern Illinois–Wisconsin Area. Featuring Scripture, reflections, and prayer, the booklet invites individuals and communities to live hope as an active, daily practice of grace. Copies will be shared at conference and district gatherings, with additional options available for downloading or ordering.
Read MoreLeaders of fourteen church bodies in the Chicago area who came together on Jan. 24 for the World Day of Prayer put faith into practice by urging the federal government to stay in the Paris Agreement on climate change and pressing Illinois legislators to order the removal of lead drinking water pipes from the state.
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