More than 18 United Methodist churches across the Northern Illinois Conference turned faith into action on Sept. 13, gathering for prayer, vigils, rallies, marches and other public witnesses in support of immigrants. Though each community’s witness looked different, together they demonstrated the connectional church’s commitment to the dignity, worth and rights of immigrants.
Read MoreThe Northern Illinois Conference is hosting a nine-month Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural Clergy Cohort in partnership with the General Commission on Religion and Race. Fifteen clergy are participating in the cohort, which provides a supportive space for theological reflection, cultural awareness, healing and adaptive leadership development.
Read MoreIn his reflection for Hispanic Heritage Month, Bishop Daniel Schwerin calls United Methodists to celebrate the faith, resilience and leadership of Hispanic/Latinx congregations while confronting the realities of racism and the challenges facing immigrant communities. He encourages churches to pray, build relationships across differences, support immigrant neighbors and respond with genuine love.
Read MoreIntercultural competency—the ability to interact effectively and appropriately with people from different cultural backgrounds—requires understanding, respect, and adapting to cultural differences. Because Northern Illinois is a diverse conference, the Annual Conference Shepherding Team took intercultural competency training on July 25 at Our Saviour’s United Methodist Church in Schaumburg, led by Rev. Dr. Grace Pak.
Read MoreFrom June 25 to 28, members from the Northern Illinois, Illinois Great Rivers, and Wisconsin Conferences embarked on a spiritual pilgrimage organized by the NIC Committee on Religion and Race to historical places in Illinois and learn about our state's history through the lenses of its diverse peoples.
Read MoreEugene Williams, Northern Illinois Conference co-lay leader, says that to practice hope, we must take brave actions. "Giving up power and extending equity is hard to do; especially when are afraid or hesitant to lead courageously," he says. "We've settled at times just to move parts of our overall agenda forward."
Read More