A Christmas Greeting from Bishop Dan Schwerin 

"This gift of Jesus is the means by which we live out

what it means to be a child of God in love and the way

we receive each other in love."

Advent and Christmas greeting videos to download or share

Participate in Martin Luther King Jr. Service, Jan. 14  

Join NIC United Methodists in honoring the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at St. Mark UMC, 8441 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Chicago. A worship service begins at 3 p.m., featuring music, testimonies, prayers, and a guest speaker. A light supper follows. There is no fee, but please register in advance so organizers can plan accordingly.

Read more

Recommit to God in a Covenant Renewal Service  

Since 1755, Methodists have often observed a Covenant Renewal Service, typically on New Year's Eve (sometimes called "Watch Night" services). In the heart of the service, Wesley's Covenant Prayer, worshipers recommit themselves to God. Observing this service will prepare you for annual conference session this year.

Find an order of service here

Find Property Insurance Invoices Online 

Churches enrolled in the NIC property insurance program may retrieve their quarterly invoices at the ProsperUMC website. Your log-in name is your church four-digit id, followed by @churches.nicum. The initial password is your church six-digit GCFA number. If you have questions, contact Dwayne Jackson, NIC's director of risk management and ministry protection.

Find the invoice portal here

No eNews Next Week 

The eNews will not be published next week, the week of Christmas. The next issue will be published on Jan. 3. View past issues here.

Want to Gain Communications Skills?

UM Communications provides church leaders a variety of ways to gain the knowledge and skills to become confident, effective communicators of your church's or organization's ministries. They are now building the 2024 training calendar and want your input. Please complete this survey to help them plan the training topics and approaches you want. 

Take the survey   

2023 United Methodist Ministries in Photos

In a world filled with uncertainty, United Methodists found creative ways to live out their faith and serve their communities in 2023. UM News photographers documented a year in the life of United Methodism worldwide.

View slide show

Around the Conference

• Dec. 25, 26; and Jan. 1: Conference offices closed

• Deadline to register for Mission u, Jan. 2. Winter session starts on Jan. 7.

• NIC Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024, Jan 14, 3 p.m. at St. Mark UMC, Chicago.

• 2024 District Trainings. Click district listing for details.

• Lake South Leadership Training, Jan. 20, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Oak Lawn: First UMC
• Prairie South Leadership Training, Jan. 20, 9 a.m.-noon, at Dixon: First UMC
• Lake North Leadership Training, Jan. 27, 9 a.m.-12:20 p.m., at Wheeling: First Korean UMC
• Prairie Central Leadership Training, Jan. 27, 8 a.m.- 3 p.m., at Barrington UMC
• Prairie North Leadership Training, Jan. 27, 9 a.m.- noon, at Freeport: Harmony UMC

• NIC Delegates to General Conference meeting, Jan. 21,

6 p.m., location TBD. The meetings are open to all for questions and listening. Contact the delegation.

• Bishop's Days on the District

Clergy will meet from 9:30 a.m. through lunch

Lay will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Information for all locations can be found here

• Lake North, Feb. 1: Clergy meet at Trinity UMC, Mt. Prospect. Laypeople meet at First UMC, Park Ridge.
• Prairie South, Feb. 7: Both gatherings will meet at First UMC, DeKalb.
• Prairie North, Feb. 8: Both gatherings will meet at First UMC, Freeport.
• Lake South, Feb. 12: Both gatherings will meet at New Lenox UMC.
• Prairie Central: Feb. 13: Clergy will meet at First UMC, Elmhurst. Laypeople will meet at First UMC, Lombard.

• Lay Convocation, Feb. 10, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at First UMC, Belvidere. Theme: "Growing Together in Love: Learning to Have Courageous/Respectful Conversations"

Around the Connection

• Human Relations Day, Jan. 14

• Special North Central Jurisdictional Conference, Jan. 23, 7 p.m., virtual.

• National Gathering of Fresh Expressions United Methodist, Feb. 7-9, Charlotte. N.C.

• Exploration 2024, Feb. 16-18, Orlando, FL. For young adults ages 18-26 who are considering a calling to ordained ministry. Registration is now open.

Books for Leading Godly Play

The center offers a number of resources on the "Godly play" approach to children's faith formation. Here are a few examples:

• Godly Play, Volume 1: How to Lead Godly Play Lessons, by Jerome Berryman
• Spiritual Guidance of Children: Montessori, Godly Play, and the Future, by Jerome Berryman
• Stories of God at Home: A Godly Play Approach, by Jerome Berryman
• Teaching Godly Play: Revised and Expanded Version, by Jerome Berryman

List of more selected resources

Find the online catalog here. To contact the center, send them an email message.

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