Bishop’s Appeal: Education for the Central Conferences
This year, Northern Illinois United Methodists will be donating to one Bishop’s Appeal for two worthy recipients. The appeal for Education for the Central Conferences wi…
Wesley Door is the Bishop Jesse R. DeWitt Child Advocacy Award recipient.
United Voices for Children presented their three awards for outstanding advocacy and service for children and youth in Northern Illinois to four recipients at their annual breakfast at the 2018 Northern Illinois Annual Conference.
The Bishop Jesse R. Dewitt Award was given to Deacon Wes Dorr of United Church of Rogers Park (Chicago) for his dedicated advocacy for and ministry with urban children and youth.
Karen Klaus, First UMC Crystal Lake received the Katherine B. Greene Child Worker Award.
The Katherine B. Greene Child Worker Award went to two recipients: Karen Klaus of First UMC Crystal Lake for instituting the Nathaniel’s Hope Buddy Break program for special needs children and their families; and to Chana UMC for its recreational, education and social service ministries with rural children and youth in its community.
The Rev. Margaret Ann Williams Service Award was given to Licia Knight of St. Mark UMC (Chicago) for her lifelong service of establishing a Children’s Church and directing a dance ministry, among other ministries with children and youth.
Chana UMC is the Katherine B. Greene Child Worker Award recipient.
Any United Methodist member or congregation in Northern Illinois can nominate someone to receive one of these awards. Nominations are received in the winter and early spring and the awards are given at the Northern Illinois Annual Conference in June.
Licia Knight, St. Mark UMC Chicago received the Rev. Margaret Ann Williams Service Award
United Voices for Children is a coalition of congregations and individuals in Northern Illinois dedicated to speak and act on behalf of needy children, youth and their families as well as to support ministries in the Conference serving these children and youth. For more information visit unitedvoicesforchildren.org/programs/awards.
This year, Northern Illinois United Methodists will be donating to one Bishop’s Appeal for two worthy recipients. The appeal for Education for the Central Conferences wi…
Rev. Donna Atkinson, a retired member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on January 24, 2026.
Thank you for your commitment to sharing your gifts for the good of our United Methodist Church and its ministries. In 2025, you gave $5,056,797—80 percent of our budgeted…
The Northern Illinois Annual Conference, with United Methodist Communications, is excited to launch the #BeUMC Awards! Celebrate laypeople, clergy, and congregations who love boldly, serve joyfully…