Avoid the holiday bustle, and read the December/January Reporter now online! It is in the mail but delivery may be delayed competing with all those Christmas cards and packages!

In his monthly column, Bishop John L. Hopkins brings you Christmas greetings and hopes for 2022 as he continues as NIC's Interim Bishop. Also, read more about one Chicago church that received a more than million-dollar grant to help restore its historic building. Find out more about the recent North Central Jurisdictional Special Conference held virtually Nov. 10 and 11. Plus, learn how you can get involved in a new Discipleship Task Force Book Club.

The NIC Board of Ordained Ministry Recruitment Team is working to highlight God’s persistent calling of all servants to lives of holiness and ministry, and some servants to the set-apart ministry of the ordained.

This year they're highlighting the season of Epiphany and offering resources that could be used in worship on January 2 or 9. Clergy are encouraged to share your own call story, reflecting on the call of Mary, Elizabeth, John the Baptist and the Magi, or the joyful response of the shepherds to the angels’ proclamation and their experience of the good news of Christmas.

If you would like to review liturgical resources (prayer, call to worship, Scripture, song), or need a video resource that could be played during live or virtual worship, please reply to [email protected].

For more information, visit umcnic.org/dayofcall2022.

The Journal of the 182nd Northern Illinois Annual Conference held July 16 -17 and Oct. 1 - 2 is now available to purchase online through Amazon.com.

A free downloadable pdf is available on the conference website at umcnic.org/journal. 

Communicator's Corner

With a deadline looming, United Methodist leaders are advising churches that sponsored troops to vote “no” on a proposed Boy Scouts of America (BSA) bankruptcy reorganization plan. A press release reiterating that recommendation went out on Dec. 2. Many churches held church conferences on Dec. 5 to hold the vote. The plan seeks to halt a deluge of lawsuits against BSA by creating a fund for those who, as Scouts, experienced sexual abuse from troop leaders or others. The NIC thanks UMC churches that are affected for their patience in this ongoing legal matter and Treasurer Lonnie Chafin for helping lead them throughout this process. We continue to pray for the victims and their families. Read more. If you have questions, please contact Lonnie at [email protected]

Rethink Church's annual Advent Photo-A-Day Challenge is underway. There's a new word posted each day during the season of Advent. Take a moment (or several moments) of pause and reflection, then share a response to that word through a picture posted on social media. Post your picture with #RethinkChurch. Don't worry if you miss a day or two--there's no failing this challenge. (And we know you don't need the extra pressure!) The hope is to provide a gift of added meaning to this special season. Click for the calendar list of words.

Click here for a list of new resources that can be mailed to your church or home address.

Go to igrc.org/umrc to access the online catalog.

The UMRC will be closed the following days:

Questions, comments? Contact UMRC Director Jill Stone at [email protected].

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