From Your Bishop: By your Spirit make us one …

This line has stayed with me for some months. It hits me with a force now that I have been consecrated as a bishop. It is worth noting that in the Great Thanksgiving the paragraph that begins, “Pour out your Holy Spirit” is followed in the next paragraph with the implications. “By your Spirit, make us one…” It is only by God’s Spirit that we find the power of a unity in Christ that can confront the world’s prejudices, racism, and fear-based division. My soul has lingered long on this for the past month. I am praying, “Make us one.”

Annual Conference Shepherding Team hears hard truths as it determines its purpose

Clarifying its role in strengthening Northern Illinois Conference shared ministries is priority one for the Annual Conference Shepherding Team and was its focus at its July 29 meeting at Friendship United Methodist Church in Bolingbrook.

Leading the Laity: Take time to restore your soul: find your own quiet center

We hear the phrase “self-care” a lot these days. The concept dates back millennia. Maybe now is a good time to revisit wise words from the Holy book. Open up to Psalm 23 and offer a reviving drink to your thirsting heart and soul.

DYK? It’s School Time

While we prepare our children for their classes, teachers, administrators, and a vast array of staff prepare buildings, classrooms, and lesson plans. They review the safety and security of the school buildings and playgrounds. Today is a good day to stop and think about all that goes into providing our children with a safe and welcoming environment for learning. Today is a good day to thank those who do this work.

Will Wisconsin and Northern Illinois share a bishop?

Wisconsin and Northern Illinois conferences continue to anticipate the possibility they will share a bishop—something like a two-point charge—in the near future. A Bishop-Sharing Task Force in Northern Illinois met on Aug. 28 to plan NIC’s next steps in the exploration.

Sympathy Notice: Mr. Stephen E. Starwalt

Mr. Stephen E. Starwalt, spouse of Rev. Joy E. Starwalt, member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away August 6, 2023.

News

Categories