On August 31st, the first bus arrived in Chicago, and local organizations were there to receive them. Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors' volunteers witnessed families get off the bus in need of food, clothing, medical attention, and many other basic needs. We coordinated with our partners to help these families find shelters where they could eat, shower, and get some rest.
Read MoreOne of the first steps to becoming a License Local Pastor is to attend a United Methodist Licensing School, which requires having a minimum of 80 hours of instruction with students. They receive training and mentorship in areas such as Administration and Leadership, Pastoral Care, and United Methodist Theology.
Read MoreThe Hispanic/Latinx Ministries of our Northern Illinois Conference has a tradition of offering a dinner during the sessions of our Annual Conference. This feast could not happen in the last years because of COVID restrictions. Like other groups, they were eager to get together, talk, laugh, eat and share about their ministries.
Read MoreRev. Evaristo Loaiza, retired clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away Sunday, February 13, 2022, at age 97. During his ministry, he served Chicago: El Divino Redentor and El Buen Samaritano.
Read MoreNorthern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (NIJFON) has been blessed with a $25,000 gift from Berry Memorial UMC in Chicago through the sale of the church’s historic building. As Berry UMC seeks to plant the seeds of a new church home in Chicago, they also chose to plant seeds for justice through supporting the mission and vision of NIJFON.
Read MoreSince the coronavirus has been declared a pandemic, we need to creatively plan the means by which we can effectively communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ through this public health crisis. I believe that the church is the hope of the world. Many years ago, I met with Lyle Schaller who has written more books about congregational development than anyone I know. I shared with him my outlines for “4 Essentials of Congregational Development.” He reviewed it and suggested one more area which is “Clearly Defined Constituency.” He explained to me that the vision identifies the targeted people geographically, demographically, culturally, and spiritually.
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