Volunteers deliver truckload of relief supplies

This Flood Bucket Disaster Relief Project began with a decision by the Congregational Care and Missions Team of Belvidere First United Methodist Church. That prompted an email from the Rev. Danice Loveridge, Deacon, to me, asking if other churches in the NIC were collecting flood buckets for the Texas flood relief effort with UMCOR. Could they join the effort? That request generated emails to the all of the UMC churches in the Rockford District. This project was later noted and publicized by the Northern Illinois Conference. That then caused a lot of emails and phone calls.

Bishop Dyck calls for prayer in midst of world disasters

Our world continues to be in a state of suffering. It’s been over a week and the people of Puerto Rico are still without water, electricity, food and the means to connect with others both on the island and in the states. Some of our own clergy and church members still don’t know the whereabouts of family and friends.

NCJ College of Bishops issue statement on racism

Events in recent weeks in our country have made evident the deep persistence of racism in our society. As United Methodist leaders, we commit ourselves to continuing our on-going work to identify, resist, and dismantle racism in our churches, communities, and world, building on work which began at the Jurisdictional Conference of 2016.

NIC churches help with hurricane relief

As Hurricane Harvey was taking aim at Texas, Colin Monk from First United Methodist Church in Morris, Ill., (FUMC) was ready to jump into action. Monk helps lead the church’s Early Response Team (ERT) who are trained to respond in times of a disaster.

What’s your call story?

One year when I was a district superintendent in East Ohio, I asked all of my churches to have a clergyperson and a layperson talk about their call. Many congregations had never heard their pastor’s call story before that church conference. The many ways that God works in and through our lives to call us into full-time Christian service is amazing! That year the church conferences were incredibly inspiring for us all!

DYK – Boundaries have value

Every summer, newly appointed and assigned pastors in the Northern Illinois Conference receive Boundary and Ethics training. Every four years all those under appointment or assigned are required to take a “refresher course” in professional ethics and boundaries. This fall, all our appointed and assigned clergy will participate in mandatory boundary and ethics training.

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