Practicing Hope Requires Leading Courageously
Eugene Williams, Northern Illinois Conference co-lay leader, says that to practice hope, we must take brave actions. "Giving up power and extending equity is hard to do; especial…
Posted: February 25 2026 at 09:30 AM
THANK YOU! Northern Illinois Conference collected 100 percent of our $754,348 responsibility!
The Boy Scouts of America settled a lawsuit related to accusations of sexual abuse of children. The United Methodist Church has chartered BSA troops or packs over the years and were assessed liability.
The denomination agreed to raise and contribute $30 million over a three-year period to a fund created by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to compensate survivors. The church also committed to supporting the healing of survivors and to continuing its work to end sexual abuse of young people. Of the $30 million committed by The United Methodist Church, the amount allocated to the Northern Illinois Conference was $754,348.
In the Northern Illinois Conference, the Repair the Harm to Children campaign was created by the Conference Committee on Finance and Administration and the Board of Trustees, in collaboration with Bishop Dan Schwerin, to address the needs of survivors in three ways: listening to and providing healing for survivors, contributing our fair share to the survivor fund, and strengthening safeguards to prevent harm in the future. Pledges and donations were requested from churches and individuals from Sept. 2023 through Dec. 31, 2025, to support restorative healing for survivors.
We are grateful that 108 churches and 212 individuals participated in this endeavor. This giving is above and beyond apportionment and mission link contributions. Because of the generosity of these churches and individuals, apportionment funds were not used to pay our portion to the Boy Scouts of America.
Thank you to the 108 churches:
- Albany
- Algonquin: Christ
- Alsip: Christ
- Antioch
- Arlington Heights: Church of the Incarnation
- Arlington Heights: First
- Aurora: Bethany
- of Fox Valley
- Aurora: Wesley
- Barrington
- Belvidere: First
- Bensenville: First
- Bolingbrook: Friendship
- Brookfield: Compassion
- Buffalo Grove: Kingswood
- Carol Stream: St. Andrew
- Cary
- Chicago: Berry Memorial (Clsd.)
- Chicago: Renewed Hope
- Chicago: Resurrection
- Chicago: South Lawn
- Chicago: South Shore
- Chicago: St. Mark
- Chicago: Temple
- Chicago: West Ridge
- Coleta
- Crystal Lake: First
- Des Plaines: First
- Dixon: First
- Downers Grove: First
- Durand
- Earlville
- Elgin: First
- Elgin: Journey of Hope
- Elmhurst: Christ
- Elmhurst: First
- Esmond
- Evanston: First
- Evergreen Park: First
- Forreston: First
- Freeport: Faith
- Freeport: Harmony
- Galena
- Geneva
- Glen Ellyn: First
- Glencoe: North Shore
- Glenview: Glenview
- Grayslake:
- United Protestant
- Hampshire: First
- Harvard: First
- Hebron
- Hinckley: First
- Hinsdale
- Homewood:
- St. Andrew (Clsd.)
- Joliet: Grace
- Joliet: Hope
- Joliet: Trinity
- LaGrange: First
- Lake Bluff: Grace
- Lansing: First
- Leaf River
- Libertyville
- Lombard: First
- Milledgeville
- Morrison
- Mount Morris: Disciples
- Mount Prospect: Trinity
- Naperville: Community
- Naperville: Grace
- Naperville: Wheatland Salem
- New Lenox
- Northbrook: Northbrook
- Oak Lawn: First
- Oak Park: Euclid Avenue
- Orangeville
- Oregon
- Orland Park: Faith
- Oswego: Good Shepherd
- Oswego: Wellspring
- Ottawa: Epworth
- Ottawa: First
- Palos
- Park Forest:
- Grace United Protestant
- Park Ridge: First
- Pecatonica
- Poplar Grove
- Reynolds
- River Forest
- Rockford: Beth Eden
- Rockford: Brooke Road
- Rockford: Court Street
- Rockford: Grace
- Rockton
- Roscoe
- Schaumburg: Our Saviour's
- Shannon: Bethel
- Sycamore
- Triumph
- Villa Park: Calvary (Merged)
- Waterman
- Wauconda:
- Federated Church
- West Chicago: First
- West Dundee: First
- Wheaton: Gary
- Wilmette: Trinity
- Winthrop Harbor:
- North Prairie
- Woodridge
- Zion: Memorial