Laity Convocation recording available online

More than 300 people attended the first virtual Laity Convocation, “The Other Side: Making Churches Vital in a Post-Pandemic World,” held as a Zoom webinar on Feb. 13, 2021. The session focused on the NIC’s strategic goals of ending racism, growing and reaching new disciples, and building vital congregations. The three speakers included Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey on communal prayer, Rev. Adam Hamilton on helping people grow in faith, and Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe on reaching out to our neighbors.

Transitions to new districts beginning

NIC District Superintendents have started the transition process from six to five districts that will go into effect July 1, 2021. Each of the new five districts will have a transition team with laity and clergy and will look different in each district.

General Conference Postponed Another Year

General Conference organizers announced that the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly — long postponed by pandemic — must wait to meet another year. The global gathering is now scheduled Aug. 29-Sept. 6, 2022, in Minneapolis.

Youth volunteers enjoy winter fun break

On February 20, Pastor Roger Bronkema and families from Warren and Elizabeth UMC traveled to the Lake Carroll snow tubing hill in Lanark, Ill., for a day of fun. The trip was a “thank you” to the youth who helped Bronkema in ministry throughout 2020. Amid bright sunshine and crisp blue skies, about 25 youth and adults grabbed inner tubes and let gravity speed them along down the hill.

Rainbow Covenant Book Gets Revamp

The Conference Board of Global Ministries (CBGM) announces the release of a new conference mission-giving book called “Mission Links: Living the Beatitudes” which replaces the Rainbow Covenant book.

Church serves at vaccination clinic

Like many people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, Rev. Marilyn Nolan, senior pastor at Lanark UMC, went on the search to find an appointment to get her shot, which would surprisingly turn into a community outreach. “Since I was in 1b category, I called the local Caroll County Health department to make an appointment and was told I was number 500 on a long waitlist,” said Nolan, a bit discouraged. “But while on the phone, I asked the administrator if the county needed sites to distribute the vaccine and offered our church as suggested by one of our members.”

News

Categories