About 120 people gathered at First United Methodist Church in Franklin Park/Movement in the City on Sept. 19 to mourn the death of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, who was killed by an ICE agent on Sept. 12.
Read MoreAt the beginning of August, Hispanic/Latinx United Methodists from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico gathered in Arlington Heights for the Annual MARCHA meeting, hosted this year by the Northern Illinois Conference. Centered on the theme “Now, Yes! With Faith and Courage, We Respond to Our Call to Act,” the event blended worship, learning, advocacy, and community building. Highlights included Bishop Dan Schwerin’s call to live without fear and the presentation of a leadership award to Estefany Sanabria of Humboldt Park UMC, honoring her work in immigration justice and her commitment to the church.
Read MoreAbout 60 Hispanic/Latinx pastors and lay leaders from the North Central Jurisdiction gathered March 28-30 for the Escuela de Ministerios 2025 (School of Ministries), hosted by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary's Hispanic Center, in close collaboration with some of the NCJ directors of connectional ministries.
Read MoreBishop Dan Schwerin, Rev. Dr. Audrea Nanabray, and Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer listened to the concerns of Lincoln and Adalberto United Methodists when they visited these congregations on Feb. 2.
Read More"As I think about Hispanic Heritage Month, I thank God for our Hispanic/Latino clergy and churches, and also know that our connexion must be more supportive and connective to make Christ known more authentically," says Bishop Dan Schwerin.
Read MoreThe Hispanic/Latinx community is one of the largest demographic groups in the U.S., with a population of 62.1 million. In Northern Illinois, the Hispanic/Latinx population is 1.9 million and continues to grow rapidly. This makes Hispanic Heritage Month—Sept. 15 to Oct. 15—very important to The United Methodist Church as a whole and our conference in particular. It’s a time we set aside to celebrate and appreciate the contribution of the Hispanic/Latinx community in our country and our churches.
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