Delegates from 10 annual conferences across the Midwest will gather in FortWayne, Ind., Nov. 2-5 for a regular session of the North Central Jurisdictional Conference, where up to three new bishops will be elected.
Read MoreI received the baton of spiritual leadership in the Northern Illinois Conference from Bishop Dyck, who received it from Bishop Jung, who received it from Bishop Sprague, who received it from Bishop Duecker, who received it from Bishop Dewitt. Now it is time that I pass the baton to another bishop.
Read MoreThis fall, the United Methodist Church will elect new bishops. In the past, bishops were elected following a General Conference and assigned to their Episcopal Areas on September 1 of that same year. Due to the delay in holding a General Conference, special attention was required to care for this vital component of our UM structure. Over the past two years, bishops have retired or gone on medical leave. Sixteen active bishops and four retired bishops are now filling in the gap, serving multiple conferences or returning from retirement, as is the case for Northern Illinois with Bishop John L. Hopkins.
Read MoreIn 1996 I was only in my sixth year in the South Indiana Conference and pastor of The Methodist Temple in Evansville when the delegation selected me as a candidate for bishop. The Rev. Susan Ruach led the delegation through a discernment process to see if anyone should be recommended from South Indiana, where Leroy Hodapp and David Lawson had been elected as bishops by previous jurisdictional conferences. I did not offer myself; they prayed and asked me!
Read MoreYesterday, on July 4th, our holiday gatherings were shaken by the sobering news of a mass shooting when a young man opened fire on those attending an Independence Day Parade in Highland Park, Illinois. What should have been a memorable outing for families became a nightmare. I invite you to join me in praying for the six victims, ranging in age from 8 to 85, who died and more than 30 spectators who were wounded and injured in the attack. Let us lift up in prayer the named victims, Nicolas Toledo and Jacki Sundheim, and the four others as we learn their names.
Read MoreAfter two years of meeting virtually, nearly 700 clergy, lay members and guests came back together in person for the 183rd Northern Illinois Annual Conference held June 8 - 10 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center.
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