May Day, May 1, is internationally recognized as a day to lift up voices in the struggle for labor rights. Born with John Wesley’s care for coal miners and oppressed workers, United Methodists fought against child labor in the early 1900s and for fair wages in the civil rights movement in the 1950s.
Read MoreUnited Methodists from across Illinois will gather for a four-day Illinois Pilgrimage focused on faith, history, and justice, offering opportunities for learning, reflection, and community-building. The journey will include visits to significant historical and cultural sites across the state, concluding with worship and a visit to Cahokia Mounds. Open to participants of all ages, the pilgrimage invites deeper understanding and connection through shared experience.
Read MoreA Creation-Care Summit on May 2, 9 a.m. to noon, will teach how to engage one's community, build green teams, reduce energy bills, and plant native plants.
Read MoreUnited Methodists and Muslims broke bread and barriers at the Muslim-Methodist Iftar (breaking the Ramadan fast), March 3 at the Islamic Center of Wheaton. The Northern Illinois Conference and the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago offer these dinners annually to build relationships and affirm common values.
Read MoreFor nearly a century, housing has been part of Humboldt Park United Methodist Church’s ministry. Now, through a partnership with LUCHA, the church’s 98-year-old building is being transformed into affordable housing known as La Herencia, ensuring residents can remain in their neighborhood amid growing gentrification. The congregation continues to worship and live out its commitment to inclusive, liberative ministry as it searches for a new space.
Read MoreWith strong conference support of the Emergency Solidarity Fund, $60,000 was distributed in three rounds of assistance to 20 Hispanic/Latinx churches and ministries, helping meet urgent needs such as rent, food, transportation, and legal expenses. This generous response reflects the Northern Illinois Conference’s commitment to stand with immigrant siblings in Christ, embodying hope through compassionate action.
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