As we enter the Season of Advent and think of about the gift of the Christ child’s birth we are blessed by God’s grace. We replicate that grace in our traditions of gift giving and celebration. But for United Methodists, sharing our resources, our gifts, isn’t just a seasonal activity, it is a way of life.
Read MoreWebsites and church Facebook pages are an easy way to keep members up-to-date but they are a great way to inform the world of the congregation’s mission and ministry. They help us reach out beyond those in the know to those seeking to know. Websites can be like the file drawer at home or in your office where you keep adding those important bits and pieces of information you are sure you will need someday. With each addition the information becomes cluttered and pretty soon a search for those important documents turns into a nightmare. Eliminating "old" information when adding new, grouping content by purpose or topic will help make a website user-friendly and navigable.
Read MoreEvery summer, newly appointed and assigned pastors in the Northern Illinois Conference receive Boundary and Ethics training. Every four years all those under appointment or assigned are required to take a “refresher course” in professional ethics and boundaries. This fall, all our appointed and assigned clergy will participate in mandatory boundary and ethics training.
Read MoreThe 2016-2017 Annual Conference year was a time of innovation. This June, the annual conference approved implementation of a new model for coordination at the conference and district levels continuing the trajectory of innovation.
Read MoreIn 2015 the Northern Illinois Conference went through a major organizational review including the use of a judicatory tool called “Landscape.” The Landscape assessment told us that a key desire of pastors and laity is to be (1) equipped to reach new members using new strategies, (2) equipped to help members grow as disciples and to (3) equipped for more effective community outreach. This focus has become part of our conference priorities.
Read MoreThe United Methodist Church does not have a central headquarters or a single executive leader. Duties are divided among bodies that include the General Conference, the Council of Bishops and the Judicial Council. Each of these entities plays a significant role in the life of the church and are required by our Constitution, a foundational document, to be part of our structure.
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