DYK? You Need a Plan

Few of us really understood in March 2020 what it meant to live through a pandemic. Now we are entering our second year, still struggling with a steep learning curve. We have a better sense of the strength and spread of COVID-19 than we had 12 months ago. The medical community has more tools to combat the disease. We have hope as vaccines are rolling out. Yet the need to stay vigilant and patient is as important now as it was last spring. Many of us long for life to return to normal.

DYK: Different

Searching for some information on our conference website recently, I was struck by how many times the word “different” popped up on the screen. It made me laugh out loud. We are in a season defined by the “different”.

DYK? - Breathe

DYK - Connecting the dots

John Wesley’s ability to knit together groups of people through faith and call them into action remains a constant in our DNA as Methodists today. Today’s virtual church, forced upon us by the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed us back in time to claim the future. We are moving out of our pews and into the world, bringing our faith, our invitation to discipleship to the masses in a 21st century “virtual” way.

DYK - Your Vote Counts

In mid-March, at the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, I struggled with an important decision. Illinois was conducting a primary election, it was too late to cast a mail-in ballot, we were on the verge of the state’s Stay-at-Home Order, but I wanted to vote.

DYK? Pondering the Pivot

It’s been eight weeks since we published our last print version of the Northern Illinois Conference Reporter. Even before the April edition went to press, a pandemic was declared and residents in Illinois were asked to “Stay at Home.” It quickly became clear that a monthly print communication would be eclipsed by rapidly developing events and more spontaneous communication was needed. With that reality, the NIC staff did a sharp pivot.