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Bishop's Appeal/Miracle Sunday Will Help Build
Tanzanian UM High School
May 17 is Miracle Sunday, when NIC churches are encouraged to take their BIshop's Appeal for Theological Education offering. One of two beneficiaries is the construction of a high school in Tanzania, overseen by NIC elder and UM missionary Young Seon (Christina) Kim. (The other beneficiary is the Endowment for Theological Education in the Central [now Regional] Conferences.)
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The high school in Tanzania will offer advanced science programs, combining the Tanzanian national curriculum with preparation for international standards.
Rev. Kim emphasized that this growth comes with major challenges for the institution.
“Our biggest challenges include a lack of facilities, the need for more classrooms and dormitories for a high school, and the ongoing need for scholarships for students from low-income backgrounds,” she said. “As we expand into high school, we face increasing financial pressure— construction costs, improved infrastructure, and the need to retain qualified teachers.” Read how the ministry's existing secondary school is changing lives. Learn more about the 2026 Bishop's Appeal and find interpretive materials.
Photo: Rev. Christina Kim confers a diploma on a secondary-school graduate. Photo by Asaph Sunguro Ally
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Holy Conferencing is an Act of Hope
Alongside Scripture reading, fasting, prayer, and holy communion, John Wesley taught that Christian conferencing is a means of grace, says Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer, NIC's director of connectional ministries. She asserts that "in a time when differences can easily divide us, choosing to remain in holy conversation is itself an act of hope." More
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Witness to Loving Our Neighbors, June 15
The NIC Commission on Religion and Race is organizing an optional public demonstration, “Faithful Action: Love Your Neighbor,” that will occur in Schaumburg after Annual Conference adjourns at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 15. (Churches can take part by holding their own public witness in their communities as well.) Read about the option at Annual Conference and ideas about organizing your own. More
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Four UM Agencies Propose Unifying
Four UMC general agencies announced that they plan to unify into a single organization. At their spring meetings, the boards of Discipleship Ministries, Global Ministries, Higher Education and Ministry, and UM Communications each unanimously supported a proposal to combine their ministries under one structure. (General Conference must approve the plan first.) More
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Endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame (Rom. 3:4, 5)
This Week's Reminders
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The registration fee rises from $160 to $175 on this Friday, May 1. (Deadline to register is May 22; no walk-ins can be accepted.) Register now.
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Prepare to take an offering for the Bishop's Appeal on Miracle Sunday, May 17. (See story above, about Rev. Young Seon [Christina] Kim, whose high-school construction project will receive half the offering.) Find a bulletin insert, brief video, and flyer here to help you communicate the importance of the offering.
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Preconference briefings take place online on June 8, 7 to 9 p.m., and June 9, 10 a.m. to noon. Learn what legislation faces Annual Conference this year as well as highlights and recommendations for preparation.
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Registration closes April 29 for the Creation Care Summit, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon at First UMC in Arlington Heights. Keynote Speaker: Grace Hubbard, climate care coordinator, New England Conference. More
Registration closes on April 30 for Culture Shift: Part 2 on May 3, 2 to 5:30 p.m. at Barrington UMC. It is a follow-up in-person workshop with Jim Ozier that advises on how to help our churches become healthier and more vital. More
Caring Congregations Workshop, May 8-9: This two-day training at Kingswood UMC in Buffalo Grove, led by a team related to Resurrection: A UMC in Leawood, Kan., will teach theological grounding, healthy boundaries, confidentiality, care teams, and more to prepare members to offer intentional care for parishioners in need. More
Illinois Pilgrimage, June 25-28: This spiritual pilgrimage will confront the deep-seated ironies of Illinois history toward recognizing that genuine reconciliation and healing require an honest reckoning. Stops include a Lincoln-Douglas debate site in Ottawa, the El Paso Voting Rights Museum, and the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, among others. Register by May 31. More
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Connecting Faith and Justice: Youth Lectionary Curriculum
This series guides students in actively engaging the intersection of faith and justice. It is available to download today for free. Rooted in scripture, this curriculum connects biblical teachings to the world around us and with the 2025–2028 Social Principles, offering engaging lessons that encourage students to actively reflect on how their faith calls them to take action in the world. The upcoming sessions are released quarterly. More
New Book on Rev. James Lawson's Civil-Rights Witness
Nonviolent: A Memoir of Resistance, Agitation and Love documents the Rev. James Lawson Jr.’s prominent role working with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. Lawson, a United Methodist pastor, was a key but underpublicized figure in the movement of the 1960s and beyond. “This memoir is more than a reflection on the past,” says Taure Brown, director of the James Lawson Institute at Vanderbilt University. “It is an invitation to reconsider what movement building actually demands. The Rev. Lawson’s life reminds us that nonviolence is not passive. It is not accommodation. It is not quietism. It is confrontation—disciplined, strategic, morally grounded confrontation.” More
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Church Supports Congolese Refugees in Burundi
As humanitarian crises continue to rock Burundi’s Great Lakes region, The United Methodist Church is aiding people displaced by war.
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In mid-March, United Methodist bishops from across Africa visited the Musenyi camp to deliver vital aid and inaugurate essential infrastructure for refugees from eastern Congo seeking shelter in Burundi. The outreach was supported by UMCOR.
Located in Bururi Province in southeastern Burundi, Musenyi hosts a major integrated refugee site, officially inaugurated in August 2024 by the Burundian government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Bishop Emmanuel Sinzohagera, who leads the Burundi-Rwanda Episcopal Area, started the project in December. Now in its second phase, the initiative distributes food and focuses on health, hygiene, nighttime security, and access to drinking water. More
Bishop Emmanuel Sinzohagera of Burundi (right) and Global Missionary Abro Patrick (center) help a displaced person carry a bag of food at the Musenyi camp in Burundi. Photo courtesy of the communications department of the Burundi-Rwanda Episcopal Area.
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Around the Conference
Creation Care Summit, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon, First UMC, Arlington Heights. Hear from Grace Hubbard, climate care coordinator of the New England Conference; learn practical ways churches can become more eco-friendly; and more.
Transition Workshop, May 2, 9 a,m. to 3:30 p.m., Our Saviour's UMC, Schaumburg. This will help churches and pastors with appointment transitions.
Culture Shift Part 2: Creating Healthy Congregations, May 3, 2 to 5:30 p.m., Barrington UMC. This builds on part 1, a Jan. 31 Zoom gathering.
Tuesday Teaching, May 5, 11 a.m. to noon, online. Rebuilding in-person worship.
Caring Congregations Workshop, May 8-9, Kingswood UMC, Buffalo Grove. This two-day training offered by a team related to Resurrection: A UMC in Leawood, Kan., teaches healthy caring practices for lay and clergy.
Creative Ministries Grant Applications due May 15.
Equitable Compensation Applications due May 15.
Miracle Sunday, May 17. This is a good day to collect your church's offering for this year's Bishop's Appeal.
Preconference briefings, June 8, 7 to 9 p.m., and June 9, 10 a.m. to noon, online.
Around the Connection
Kids Above All's Healthy Babies Drive, April 1-May 15. Collecting essential health and safety items, like diapers, wipes, baby gates, protective stove knob covers, and baby bottles, for the young children and parents in KAA programs.
United Methodist Student Day, any Sunday in May
Golden Cross Sunday, May 3
Joint Christian Advocacy Summit on Israel/Palestine, May 5-7, Washington, DC
#StillinMission with Dr. Belinda Forbes, May 7, 11 a.m. to noon, online. Dr. Forbes, a dentist and missionary supported by the NIC, will talk about her crucial missionary placement with AMOS Health and Hope, which is located next to the city dump in Villa Guadalupe, Nicaragua.
Faith and AI Discernment Webinar Series, May 7 and July 27, 3 p.m. on each day. Offered by Discipleship Ministries, this is a conversation-centered online series created to help church leaders explore the ethical, theological, and practical questions emerging around artificial intelligence in ministry. Each session features expert insight, thoughtful reflection, and structured follow-up discussion.
Rosecrance Foundation Benefit, May 12, 5 p.m., Hard Rock Live, Rockford. This UM-related organization provides life-saving mental health and substance use treatment.
UWFaith Assembly 2026, May 15-17, Indianapolis, Ind. Gathering of United Women in Faith from around the world.
Heritage Sunday, May 17. This year's emphasis: women in ministry, past, present, and future.
Two-Year Academy for Spiritual Formation Information Session, May 19, 3 p.m.
Pentecost, May 24
Peace with Justice Sunday, May 31
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Reminder: The NIC cabinet and bishop observe a weekly sabbath from Thursday evening to Friday noon. During that time, they will refrain from using electronic devices. Barring an emergency, they will not respond to phone calls, emails, or texts.
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Books on Discipleship and Faith Formation
The United Media Resource Center has books on discipleship and faith formation to lend. Some examples:
#820077 Disciple Like Jesus: Making Disciples Like Jesus Who Make Disciples Like Jesus, by Phil Maynard and Eddie Pipkin
#818231 Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life In Christ, by Greg Ogden
#815127 Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith, by Chris Folmsbee
#822000 Lifelong Faith: Formation for All Ages and Generations, edited by John Roberto
#816002 Seasons of Adult Faith Formation, edited by John Roberto
#817011 Teaching the Next Generations: A Comprehensive Guide for Teaching Christian Formation, edited by Terry Linhart
The United Media Resource Center has books, DVDs, and more to lend to your church's Christian education, faith formation, and book club ministries for children, youth, and adults. Borrow a resource of your own interest as well. Check their online catalog.
List of resources
Online catalog
Contact the center
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