Wow! That’s my first impression when thinking about the 183rd session of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference. The gathering was a mix of revival, homecoming, worship, business, celebration, and inspiration. I have not been to all 183 annual conferences, but I’ve not missed one in 40 years since I became a United Methodist, and this one was amazing.
Read More"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." I have great memories of sitting in those tiny green chairs at a small table in the kindergarten room at my home church. We would all shout "NO" when we came to the phrase "hide it under a bushel, NO, I'm going to let it shine."
Read MoreI have never been more proud to be a United Methodist than I am in this season. Over the past few weeks, we have watched with increasing dismay as the people of Ukraine have come under attack. They have been driven from their homes into underground shelters and subway stations. Refugees are crammed into trains heading out of the country while dodging bombs and tanks, leaving villages and cities in ruins. Millions of children have been displaced.
Read MoreOur work of providing “Safe Sanctuaries” has become part of the landscape, perhaps moving too far into the background. We have entered a decade of renewed awareness. Over the next few years, there will be an increasing emphasis on this work as we experience the deep scars of those now telling their stories.
Read MoreWe are in an in-between time. In-between fall and winter. In-between Advent and Christmas. In-between the current year and the New Year. In-between a sense that we are on the other side of COVID-19 but also facing another variant circling the globe; its impact is yet to be determined.
Read MorePerhaps this year is the right year to observe "Clergy Appreciation Month."Who doesn't appreciate a word of encouragement, an acknowledgment that life has been hard, or a congregational "hip-hip hurray."
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