Early in the morning of 18 April 2024, 22 members of the Northern Illinois Conference Anti-Racism Task Force, many of whom had participated in last year’s Civil Rights Pilgrimage, boarded a bus or piled into cars to descend on Springfield to speak to state legislators about issues of racial injustice that concern us—with a focus on environmental justice, the school to prison pipeline, and immigration.
Read MoreChicago and suburban church youth leaders gathered at Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora on April 13 to explore laying the groundwork for friendships and alliances to fight racism. "Becoming the Beloved Community: Disciplining Anti-Racist Youth," a morning workshop, was presented by the Anti-Racism Task Force of the Northern Illinois Conference. It was developed specifically for leaders of youth based on the Becoming Beloved Community Workshop that is offered to churches.
Read MoreAs we revel in and appreciate the mighty acts of Christ during Holy Week and on Resurrection Sunday, allow me to remind us all that Eastertide does not end until the book of Revelation. Though we celebrate the season of Lent anew each year as a reminder of the mighty acts of Christ, the fact is, Easter never ends. That is why we are called Easter People.
Read MoreWhen I was 22 years old, I was elected to be the President of the Youth and Young Adult Federation of the Methodist Church (for people 18 to 30 years old) in Chile. The Bible verse I used in most of my reports was 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (NRSVUE). The phrase that I also shared was “young people are the ‘today’ of the church.”
Read MoreIn a world often marked by division and uncertainty, even the smallest acts of kindness can bring light and hope. During this past Lenten season, Christ United Methodist Church of Rockford set out to touch their community with simple acts of love.
Read MoreIn a time of uncertainty about what the future of The United Methodist Church—and most denominations—will look like, Fresh Expressions brings some hopeful direction. You may have heard of “church” taking place in some unusual places in some unusual ways, such as dinner church and pub hymn-sings. These are examples of Fresh Expressions, an intentional, interdenominational creative movement of Christians who bring the gospel to those who would probably never come to a traditional church setting.
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