Churches offer compassion by feeding bodies and souls
Throughout the conference, many churches are offering compassion. This story is a snippet of a small portion of churches that are working to feed others' bodies and souls.
Read MorePlarn projects weave communities and ministry
A new mission project from Midwest Mission is being woven across Northern Illinois. Church groups are turning clean plastic shopping bags into sleeping mats. The mats are distributed to organizations around the world that serve people who lack homes, who have been displaced by disaster, or who need temporary sleeping arrangements—anyone who needs a clean, dry barrier between them and the ground.
Read MoreConference UM Men feed neighbors through ‘potato drop’
United Methodist Men from Grace United Methodist Church (Rockford), the UMC of New Lenox, and the Prairie North District partnered with Society of St. Andrew this fall to give away fresh produce and other basics to their neighbors.
Read MoreNet Zero Emissions: Are we there yet? How will we know when we’ve arrived?
The familiar refrain of a child traveler, “Are we there yet?” is a good question for us to ask ourselves as we travel the road toward net zero emissions. To avoid critical climate tipping points, those who work actively to prevent climate change pursue the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. But how will we know if we are on the right road? How will we know if we are getting there? We must have a realistic road map, and we must have a way to accurately measure progress.
Read MoreApply for a Grant for Your Church’s Special Ministries
Looking for a bit of a financial boost to help get a ministry off the ground? Healthy churches look for ways to share God’s love with their neighbors in practical ways. The Northern Illinois Conference offers a number of grants that assist many kinds of ministries for your church’s context. Discover whether there is one here for your church.
Read MoreUnited Methodists, others denounce Middle East violence
Church leaders are calling for an end to violence in the Middle East that is causing death and injury to Palestinians and Israelis alike. The United Methodist Council of Bishops are “appalled and dismayed,” according to their Oct. 9 statement. The Methodist Liaison Office in Jerusalem states, “The situation is complicated, and we recognize the fear and sense of injustice that are felt, but we call on both sides not to resort to further violence and to engage in negotiation to establish a peaceful solution for all who live in the Holy Land."
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