Some 657 lay and clergy members of Northern Illinois Conference gathered to practice hope at their annual session, held June 14-16 at the Schaumburg (Ill.) Renaissance Convention Center.

“Practicing Hope,” the NIC’s theme of the year, was highlighted in the conference’s presentations and worship.

“In this dark time, we might be stronger if we practiced hope. I love the idea that we are not alone; we practice hope as a community of faith,” Bishop Dan Schwerin said when introducing the theme last year.

Hope is like a refuge, Bishop Schwerin said in his episcopal address on June 15. He was not, however, talking about escape but the biological idea of refugia, a pocket of safety that allows species or populations to survive hostile conditions on their way to their next phase. Drawing on Debra Rienstra’s book Refugia Faith, he envisioned for the Northern Illinois Conference a hope that cares for the marginalized and expects a future. God teaches the power of refugia through what seems small and inconsequential, he observed.

He called it an opportunity “for letting go of Christendom as domineering and dominating, with its colonialism, Christian nationalism, and coziness with toxic power, sucking up to empire—only to get ghosted by the oligarchs—that we may be healed by Jesus.”

In his laity address, NIC’s co-lay leader Eugene Williams spoke of adopting hope so we can move along in our efforts to advocate for justice for those who are marginalized. He reminded the conference that work for racial justice is still needed. “How do we respond when all the liberties and progress that we made has/is being dialed back? Will we curse God, or will we practice hope?  Friends, despite it all, we can’t break our United Methodist connection and our connection to the greater world.  We can’t squander our blessings and our heritage. We must practice hope, even if it means we sometimes find ourselves fighting the same battles again and again, just to overcome and reclaim ground that we had already won.”

2026 is a year of significant ministry anniversaries in The United Methodist Church, for full clergy rights for women (70 years), UM Volunteers in Mission (50 years), the Northern Illinois Conference's decision to become a Reconciling Conference (40 years), and the establishment of the order of deacons (30 years). Northern Illinois Conference celebrated these on June 15.

Legislation

Attracting the most debate of the conference’s legislation was a decision to authorize the Camp and Retreat Ministry Task Force to continue its work of discerning and recommending a sustainable, mission-aligned future for the outdoor and retreat ministry. It further affirmed an emerging strategic direction that would focus on disciple-making.

In recent years, the ministry has primarily contracted to host camps and retreats and not offered much of its own programming. According to the conference treasurer, Elaine Moy, the ministry has been operating on a significant deficit. Further, deferred maintenance has attracted some concern, including how it affects insurability.

In the process of developing and recommending a renewal plan, the conference agreed to honor existing contracts through the end of 2026 but accept no reservations past that until the conference can vote on a new plan for the ministry. This raised opposition from some who advocated for entering into new site-use contracts during the discernment period.

In other action, conference members resolved to “join our bishops, denominational boards and commissions in committing to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and encourage every local church to host a creation-care worship service on the Sunday before or after Earth Day (April 22) to remind us through word and deed that we are bound to each other cellularly and socially, holding and being held in the web of relations, mourning each species’ extinction as a tragic loss of God’s creation.”

 They also voted to raise minimum salaries for elders and local pastors by 7 percent and addressed administrative matters related to standing rules, nominations, and missions giving.

Two churches were discontinued: Christ UMC in Alsip, Ill., and Wheatland Salem UMC in Naperville, Ill.

The 2027 apportioned budget for the Northern Illinois Conference will be $5,647,000, which is an increase of $539,000 over the 2026 approved budget. For 2027, the Conference Council of Finance and Administration anticipates apportionment receipts to reach $5,174,000. The difference between apportionment receipts and expenses is expected to come from sources listed in the draft budget legislation, resulting in a balanced budget.

Apportionment receipts for 2025 reached 80 percent of the amount apportioned, which is the highest percentage since 2016. Twenty-four churches paid over 100 percent of their apportionment and 53 churches increased their giving. Fewer churches gave less than their apportioned amount.

In an optional activity, over 150 people marched in solidarity with immigrants, walking from the convention center to nearby Meacham Road. This reflected a priority among many Northern Illinois United Methodists to advocate for fair and compassionate treatment of all immigrants in a time of harsh activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

By the numbers

The Bishop's Appeal offering which benefits the construction of a high school in Tanzania and the Council of Bishops' Fund for Theological Education in the Central Conferences, totaled $30,960.52. Giving to the Ministerial Education Fund came to $2,561. Fifty-three churches from all five districts donated about 7,000 pounds of items for Midwest Mission, which provides goods for mission engagement around the world. 

Eleven conference members were under the age of 17, and fifteen were between the ages of 18 and 30.

The conference acknowledged four newly licensed local pastors, affirmed the commissioning of two deacons and six elders and the ordination of one elder. Seventeen clergy retired.

Membership stands at 56,158, down 2,452 from the previous year.  

Worship attendance stands at 15,205, down 91.  

Church school attendance stands at 2,828, down 31.  

Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2025 stand at 221, down 77. 

Adults and young adults in small groups for 2025 stand at 8,359, down 264.

Worshipers engaged in mission stand at 326, down 146.

View downloadable photos here.

Watch downloadable videos here.