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 Confernece 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

Team Members:

Danita Anderson	Mark Manzi
Karen Bonnell	Myron McCoy - Co-Chair
Arlene Christopherson**	Harry Nicol
Kathy Dickerson	Dennis Oglesby
Sally Dyck**	Noah Panlilio
Jacqueline Ford	Meg Park
Anne Marie Gerhardt**	Nancy Pendergrass
Liz Gracie -Co-Chair	Mary Rawlinson
Rob Hamilton	Luis Reyes
Alka Lyall	Donna Sagami
Jarod Severing	Laura Underwood

*El Concilio representative TBS
**Ex-Officio

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)

Anti-Racism:

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

Vital Congregations:

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