From our Bishop: Love Each Other Like Members of Your Family
Bishop Schwerin calls on United Methodists to reclaim the deep Christian call to love our neighbors—especially those who are suffering. Reflecting on lessons of emp…
The ReTurn Team’s Plan for returning to our ministries in a safe and healthy way is now available.
As the situation surrounding the pandemic has been somewhat fluid, we expect to adjust the Plan periodically as new information surfaces and new developments occur. Today, we are releasing Version 1. (updated 6/16/20)
The recommendations of the ReTurn Team are organized according to the phases to restore Illinois. Even if those phases are overturned, the plan is a sensible, practical resource for returning safely to our ministries and planning for subsequent phases as health officials monitor cases, casualties, and containment.
The ReTurn Team Plan raises lots of questions for churches to consider depending on congregation size, the size of your building or campus, your community, and more. But the most critical aspect of the plan is that you need to develop a health team. If you haven’t already, you need to pull together some people who know your building, work in your various ministries, and include (if you can) someone who has some health science background. Maybe you’re already using your church council in this way, but you need to begin to prepare.
Members of the Return Team invite you the attend a Zoom training session on Thursday, May 28 at 1 pm to walk through the plan and answer some of your questions. Click here to register.
For more information and to read the document along with other resources, click here.
Bishop Schwerin calls on United Methodists to reclaim the deep Christian call to love our neighbors—especially those who are suffering. Reflecting on lessons of emp…
United Voices for Children (UVC) is inviting nominations for its three annual awards. These UVC Awards honor extraordinary volunteer service or advocacy efforts on beh…
To support efforts to relieve damage caused by catastrophic flooding in the Texas Hill Country over the Independence Day weekend, individuals may donate through their church to UMCOR U.S. D…
Mrs. Erma Bryan, the surviving spouse of deceased member Rev. Bill Bryan of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.