As one of its first acts in its 187th session, the Northern Illinois Conference ordained an elder, commissioned two people for deacon's ministry and six for elder's ministry, and recognized five new local pastors.

On June 14, NIC held its celebration of ministry service, which observes the entry of people into orders and roles of ministry, both lay and clergy.

Ordained was Abby Savannah Holcombe, for elder's orders.

Commissioned were Sarah Champlin Boutell and Allison N. Kojak, for deacon's ministry. For elder's ministry, Jonah Briggs Boutell, Nadan Cho, Hwankyu Kim, Alex Sangwon Lee, Kelly McKune, and Chanje (CJ) Woo were commissioned.

The newly licensed local pastors are Rachel Gover, Joy Hayag, Shawn Saldano, and Sam Stanes Stephen Raj.

Bishop Dan Schwerin preached on John 21:5-7, in which Jesus, shortly after his resurrection, appears (unknown to them) to  seven disciples while they are fishing. Their nets come back empty until they follow Jesus's instruction to cast their nets to the right side of the boat, after which their nets were too full to haul into the boat. When the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter that the man was the Lord, Peter jumped into the sea.  

The bishop spoke of emptiness and that Scripture talks of the work of God in the world that is not yet evident. 

Vocation is always relentless solidarity with the marginalized, he said. This requires people of faith to take risks to be anti-racist, anti-Christian nationalist, and good news people. This does not come without suffering, but according to the conference's theme scripture passage,  Romans 5:3-5, suffering leads to endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

"If you are in emptiness, dive into your baptism until you get back to Jesus," Bishop Schwerin said.

Watch a recording of the Celebration of Ministry