As many of you may have heard, President Trump has just declared the opening of all houses of worship throughout the country. He rightly recognizes that we need “more prayer, not less,” but doesn’t realize that people, including the people called United Methodist, have been praying and worshipping all along through these months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreIn response to the coronavirus pandemic and official restrictions regarding in-person gatherings, many NIC congregations and pastors have wholeheartedly continued their worship services, Bible studies, devotions, and/or prayer ministries in some form of online setting. While many are weighing the pros and cons of conducting an online confirmation service, some congregations have moved forward in creative “virtual” ways to honor this important rite of passage.
Read MoreI hope you’ve learned one thing about me after these almost eight years: I love to study the Scriptures. I’m always amazed at how different historic events, as well as personal experiences, bring new eyes, if you will, to understanding them. During the pandemic, and now as we begin to imagine what life will be like when we are no longer sheltering in place as individuals, families, and congregations, my attention turned to a particular book that has not been my favorite: Leviticus!
Read MoreAll of us in the State of Illinois have been under an official stay-at-home order since March 22. Even the weekend before, clergy and laity teams responsible for worship began to figure out how to continue to worship online.
Read MoreAs the first cases of COVID-19 were becoming widespread in Illinois, the need for protective masks became more urgent. With the new order requiring Illinoisans over age two to wear a face mask in public starting May 1, the need is even greater. Volunteers at many NIC churches are busy working to cover the need by firing up their sewing machines and making handmade masks.
Read MoreTo pass the time during the COVID-19 pandemic and to connect with her congregation, while providing some comic relief, the Rev. Mary Bohall, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Mendota, has been sharing videos twice daily on Facebook and YouTube including sharing her dog Tucker’s latest tricks. While there was an influx of views, Bohall says there was little engagement from the community. So, she and her husband Andrew came up with a hair raising idea.
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