The One Matters Discipleship Award was created by the Discipleship Ministries (GBOD) in 2015 with the purpose of lifting up churches who have in recent years moved from zero baptisms and zero professions of faith into positive numbers as they redirected their focus toward intentional discipleship. In addition to the One Matters Discipleship plaque, each church will receive $1,000 to encourage the continuation of their work in discipleship.

The Northern Illinois Conference is one of the most diverse conferences in The United Methodist Church, so instead of recognizing one congregation, we have the opportunity to offer one award per district with the help of the Office of Connectional Ministries.

Most  importantly, as we celebrate these churches and hear their stories, we are invited to ask “What are they doing differently that is helping them to turn things around by God’s grace?” And when we discern an answer to that question, we can ask ourselves, “What can we do to make a difference?” Each person matters to God! 

Questions about One Matters? 
Please contact Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer, Director of Connectional Ministries, email or  (872) 810-0870 

2026 awards presented to:

• Lake North: Evanston: First UMC (Rev. Grace Imathiu, Rev. Britt Cox)
  Read their story
• Lake South: Chicago: House of Praise UMC (Rev. Innis Miller)
  Read their story
• Prairie Central: Naperville: Grace UMC (Rev. Cindy Marino, Rev. Eric Blachford, Rev. Kimberly Neace)
  Read their story
• Prairie North: Rockford: Christ UMC (Rev. Caleb Hong, Rev. TK Lee, Rev. Jane Bradford)
  Read their story
• Prairie South: Plattville UMC (Rev. Terry McLaughlin)
  Read their story

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2025 awards presented to:
(click each to read their stories)

• Lake North: Arlington Heights: First UMC (Rev. Brittany Isaac and Pastor David Profitt)
• Lake South: United Methodist Church of Lenox UMC (Rev. Wesley Dixon and Rev. Mark Meyers)
• Prairie Central: Antioch UMC (Rev. Katie Voigt)
• Prairie North: Rockford: Grace UMC (Rev. Sejoon Jang)
• Prairie South: Hinckley UMC (Rev. Derek Rogers)

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2024 awards presented to:
(click each to read their stories)

• Lake North: Kingswood UMC (Rev. James Preston and Rev. Clayton Edwards)
• Lake South: Downers Grove: First UMC (Rev. Claude King. and Rev. Andi Voinovich)
• Prairie Central: Batavia UMC (Rev. Melissa Meyers)
• Prairie North: Marengo UMC (Rev. Doc Newcomb)
• Prairie South: Ashton UMC (Pastor Jan Shaulis)

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2023 awards presented to:
(click each to read their stories)

• Lake North: Urban Villiage Church (Rev. Christian Cook, Rev. Chan Ik Choi, Pastor Juan Pablo)
• Lake South: First United Methodist Church in Downers Grove (Rev. Claude King and Rev. Andersen Vionovich)
• Prairie Central: Wellspring New Faith Community (NFC) in Oswego (Pastor Corey Ashley)
• Prairie North: First United Methodist Church in Belvidere (Rev. Jim Bell and Pastor Jay Hyesang Shin)
• Prairie South: Paw Paw United Methodist Church (Rev. Dana Cox)

Watch the 2023 AC Award Presentations

2022 awards presented to:
(click each to read their stories)

• Lake North: West Ridge Community United Methodist Church in Chicago (Rev. G Morris K Jarkloh Jr.)
• Lake South: Grace United Methodist Church in Blue Island (Rev. Innis Miller)
• Prairie Central: Our Saviour's United Methodist Church in Schaumburg (Rev. David Lagos-Fonseca)
• Prairie North: Cedarville United Methodist Church (Rev. Gary Rich)
• Prairie South: East Jordan United Methodist Church (Rev. Jim Miller)

Awards were not presented in 2020 and 2021.

2019 awards presented to:
(click each to read their stories)

• Aurora District: Baker Memorial (Rev.  Mary Zajac)
• Chicago Northwestern District: United Church of Rogers Park  (Rev. Lindsey Long Joyce and Rev. Hope Chernich)
• Chicago Southern District: Chicago: First UMC at the Chicago Temple  (Rev.  Myron McCoy and Rev. Wendy Witt)
• DeKalb District: Mendota: Zion (Rev. Hogun Kim)
• Elgin District: La Luz de Cristo/El Mesias (Pastor Ruben Rivera)
• Rockford District: Shannon: Bethel (Rev. Michael Jones)

2018 awards presented to:
(click each to read their stories)

• Aurora District: Naperville: Grace UMC (Rev. Cindy Marino)
• Chicago Northwestern District: Chicago: Indo-Pak UMC (Rev. Ernest Singh)
• Chicago Southern District: Chicago: South Shore UMC (Rev. Adonna Davis Reid)
• DeKalb District: Reynolds UMC (Rev. Seamus Enright)
• Elgin District: Crystal Lake: First UMC (Rev. Scott Field)
• Rockford District: Belvidere: Emerge Hispanic NFC (Pastor Cris Ramirez)

2017 awards presented to:

• Aurora District: Orland Park: Faith United Methodist Church

• Chicago Northwestern District: Skokie: Jesus-Love Korean New Faith Community

• Chicago Southern District: Oak Lawn: First United Methodist Church

• DeKalb District: Morrison United Methodist Church

• Elgin District: Morrison United Methodist Church

• Rockford District: Roscoe United Methodist Church