Rev. Christian Coon, the NIC director of congregational development, once thought there might be some yet-to-be-discovered magic program or resource that is going to help the church turn its fortunes around. "I have to be reminded time and again, however, that we already have historical traditions that are sometimes underutilized or forgotten; practices hiding in plain sight," he says. Here are some suggestions.
Read More"Our sacraments are baptism and the Eucharist," Bishop Dan Schwerin says. "They are gifts for pilgrims, a bath and a meal. Surely walking alongside is another ancient embodiment of Jesus." Read about a form of spiritual companionship.
Read MoreThis October, the United Methodist Council of Bishops will host leaders from the episcopal areas around the world in Calgary, Canada, for "Emboldened by the Spirit: Imagining a Church Yet to Be,” a meeting to envision the denomination’s future. From the Northern Illinois-Wisconsin Area, Rev. Violet Johnicker, Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer, Eugene Williams, and Rev. Jeremiah Cottrell-Duebner will participate.
Read MoreThe 2027 apportioned budget for the Northern Illinois Conference will be $5,647,000, which is an increase of $539,000 over the 2026 approved budget. Apportionment receipts for 2025—the most recent numbers available—reached 80 percent of the amount apportioned, which is the highest percentage since 2016.
Read MoreAbout 150 Northern Illinois United Methodists marched to demonstrate their support of justice for immigrants on June 15, near the Schaumburg Renaissance Convention Center.
Read MoreHope is like a refuge, Bishop Dan Schwerin said in his episcopal address on June 15. He was not talking about escape but the biological idea of refugia, a pocket of safety that allow species or populations to survive hostile conditions on their way to their next phase.
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