2026 is a year of significant ministry anniversaries in The United Methodist Church, for full clergy rights for women (70 years), UM Volunteers in Mission (50 years), the Northern Illinois Conference's decision to become a Reconciling Conference (40 years), and the establishment of the order of deacons (30 years). Northern Illinois Conference celebrated these on June 15.
Read MoreAbout 80 people attended Ignite, North Central Jurisdiction's March 13-15 event to help those hearing a call to ministry discover opportunities and consider where God is leading them.
Read MoreRecalling the words of the hymn “God of Grace and God of Glory,” Bishop Dan Schwerin admonished in his sermon at the Celebration of Ministry on June 6 that imagination takes courage, and wisdom should precede courage. “We who are in Christ, have cause for hope,” Bishop Schwerin preached. “But let's be clear: it takes courage to imagine.”
Read MoreWhen I think of being called into ministry, I think of my father. Oh, he wasn’t a pastor. He was a mechanic who quit school in the eighth grade and was mostly a “home” Baptist. That means he did not go to church very much. He was “spiritual” but not “religious” long before those were sociological categories.
Read MorePerhaps this year is the right year to observe "Clergy Appreciation Month."Who doesn't appreciate a word of encouragement, an acknowledgment that life has been hard, or a congregational "hip-hip hurray."
Read MoreIt was a joyous celebration filled with thanksgiving at the 2021 Ordination and Commissioning service held the evening of October 1 in the sanctuary at Barrington United Methodist Church.
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