The Annual Conference Shepherding Team (ACST) is an adaptive learning team with a primary purpose to coordinate and communicate the ministry of the NIC in order to make disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Goals for the Conference approved at the 2019 June Annual Conference are:

• To Grow and Reach New Disciples of Jesus Christ; 
• To Live Out the Conviction that Racism is Incompatible with Christian Teaching; and 
• To increase the Number of Highly Vital Congregations. 
   

2019 ACST Strategic Goals brochure

The ACST’s priorities focus on ministries and connections in four areas: Congregational Life, Clergy Life, Missional Life and Connectional Resources. Each of the six districts has a locally focused shepherding team (DST).
 

The primary purpose of each DST is to coordinate the equipping of local churches so that they might be faithful, Christ-centered communities of worship, prayer, witness and change, and to enhance the connection between local churches, the districts, and the NIC.

Contacts:

Co-Chairs: 
Liz Gracie and Rev. Myron McCoy
shepherding@umcnic.org

List of Team Members (pdf)

Each goal has a committee working on details of our three primary conference goals and breaking them down into actionable steps. Committee co-chairs are as follows:

Discipleship: 

Karen Bonnell (Lay Leader, DeKalb District)
Caleb Hong (Lead Pastor, Orland Park)
Visit webpage

Anti-Racism:

Jarrod Severing (Pastor, Elgin: Epworth)
Nadia Kanhai (Lay, Aurora District)
Visit webpage

Vital Congregations:

Mike Jones (Pastor, Bethel: Shannon)
Dennis Langdon (Pastor, Chicago: Morgan Park and Trinity)
Brittany Isaac (District Superintendent, Chicago NW District)