NIC eNews for October 13, 2021

October 13, 2021

Tending to the Harvest Weekend

The NIC Discipleship Task Force is hosting a weekend event "Tending to the Harvest" from Nov. 13-14.

The "Growing Together Symposium" held via Zoom will focus on Ephesians 4:15 on Sat., Nov. 13 from 9 - 11 am. The presenter will be Rev. Kyungsu Park with two breakout sessions: "Discipling Youth" and “Let’s Talk About IDS: Intentional Discipleship Systems.”

Registration coming soon. Click here for details.

The All-Conference Worship Service will be held on Sun. Nov. 14 at 3:30 pm at Our Saviour's UMC, 701 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, IL. The event will also be livestreamed. The Keynote speaker is Rev. Olu Brown, Senior Pastor at Impact Church, Atlanta, GA. Click for more details.

October Reporter Available Online

The October issue of the Reporter is now available online and on its way to subscribers' mailboxes soon.

Bishop John L. Hopkins continues with question #6 about the future of the United Methodist Church in his monthly column. Also, read a wrap-up of the fall session of the 182nd Annual Conference with information on the 2022 budget and a new initiative to help fund clergy retirement. Also, find out where churches can help Afghan refugees and get your donations ready for a fall fill-the-mission truck collection for disaster relief.

Click to access the online edition.

Welcome NIC Administrative Assistant/ Communications Specialist

Please help us welcome Lisa Smith to the NIC Staff as the new Administrative Assistant/Communications Specialist as of Oct. 1, 2021. She will work closely with Rev. Arlene Christopherson, Dir. of Connectional Ministries and Anne Marie Gerhardt, Director of Communications. Lisa will be responsible for special publications, brochures, graphics, Annual Conference media support, web content, social media, and other communication projects.

Lisa is a creative professional with 15+ years of experience in design, branding, marketing and art direction. She has worked for nonprofit organizations and in the corporate world. Lisa graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Stout with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Business Administration.

"I really look forward to helping the conference with their communications," said Lisa. "Helping nonprofits succeed through good design and communications is a passion of mine." Read more...

Communicator's Corner

Important Boy Scouts of America Bankruptcy Update – Receipt of Disclosure Statement Package

If your church currently charters or previously chartered a Boy Scout, Cub Scout or Explore Troop, you are likely to receive a “Disclosure Statement Package” from the Boy Scouts of America in the next few days. The United Methodist Ad Hoc Committee, which advocates for United Methodist interests within the bankruptcy process, has advised that churches that receive the packet should not take any action at this time and should not fill out the opt-out form under any circumstances. More information will be forthcoming to United Methodist churches within the next couple of weeks. Learn more. NIC leaders are holding a webinar this Thursday at 7 pm for churches affected. If you didn't receive the information, please contact your District Superintendent or Lonnie Chafin at lchafin@umcnic.org.

Fall Ministry Grant Applications Open

Applications are now being accepted for the NIC's three ministry grants, Social Reform, Congregational Development, and Creative Ministries. The deadline to apply is Nov. 1. To learn more about each grant and for an online application, click here.

New Training Course Helps Churches Communicate During Seasons of Change

Facilitated training helps churches communicate during seasons of change

United Methodist Communications’ Training Team is launching the first in a new series of four-week facilitated online courses. The Communicating During Seasons of Change course will run Oct. 18 through Nov. 12, 2021. Webinar sessions will take place each Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00 - 2:00 pm CT with weekly supplemental work. Registration is open through Oct. 15. Click here for details.

Mark your calendar

Click here for event information on the Conference calendar and check back often for updates.

Around the Conference

Hunger Crop Walk - (Oct. 16) If you don’t have a local CROP Hunger Walk in your community, join Church World Service to walk to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world! Walk on your treadmill, in your neighborhood, in a park with friends – you choose the location and the experience. Every step you take, every dollar you raise makes the walk shorter for neighbors in need by providing clean water, emergency food as well as livelihoods, and access to education. Sign-up and start raising funds TODAY at crophungerwalk.org/usa. Contact info@cwsglobal.org for more info.
Vaccine Booster Clinic - (Oct. 20) 10 am - 2 pm at Good Samaritan UMC, 960 W. Army Trail Blvd., Addison, IL. The Illinois Department of Public Health will be administering Pfizer booster shots for those eligible. Please bring your vaccine card. For questions, call 630-543-3725.
NIC UMW Annual Virtual Celebration - (Oct. 23) 9:30 - 11 am. Cost: $10. The theme will be "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms; Listening, Transforming, Reaching Out." The keynote speaker will be Rev. Megan Dean Tobola, Lead Pastor at Naperville: Wesley. Megan was a 2010 UMW Scholarship recipient, and she will bring a message to remind us to "Lean on God" for inner peace and strength during these hectic, stressful, and trying times of our lives. Click here to register.
5th Sunday Appeal - (Oct. 31) United Voices for Children (UVC) would like to thank Northern Illinois congregations for their faithful support through 5th Sunday Appeal offerings in 2021. Your generosity helps UVC and its partners' Kids Above All, MYSI, and Rosecrance as they serve at-risk children, youth and families in our communities. Sunday, Oct. 31 is the final 5th Sunday Appal of the year. You may either write a check payable to the church with "5th Sunday Appeal" in the memo line or simply donate online here.
Prairie Central Lay Academy - (Nov. 6 & 13) 8 am - 4 pm. at Plainfield UMC. Cost: $40. Click here for details and registration.
KAIROS interactive Blanket Exercise - (Nov. 7) 11:30 am - 1 pm. Join Wesley UMC Aurora, 14 N. May St., Aurora, and special guest, Joseph Standing Bear, for a teaching moment of the history between the Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples of North America. Light refreshments will be served prior to the event. This event is free and will be held outdoors (weather permitting). Pre-registration is requested by clicking here. This event is in partnership with the NIC Anti-Racism Task Force as well as the NIC Committee on Native American Ministries.

Around the Connection

Webinars to Help Reinvigorate Black Churches - (Thursdays at 6:30 pm until Oct. 21) Sponsored by Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century (SBC21). This month-long series of webinars will give Black clergy and ministry leaders tips on growing and transforming their congregations and communities. The webinars will kick off the 25th-anniversary celebration of SBC21. The celebration will include a national conference. Registration is required. Click for details.
Discussion Series Explores What it Means to be United Methodist - (Oct. 5 - Dec. 21) “Tuesdays at the Table: Should I stay? Or should I go?” is a new discussion series for United Methodists, presented by the Connectional Table (CT) in cooperation with general agencies and contributors. Weekly segments will explore topics aimed at helping viewers better understand their faith, their church and themselves. The sessions will premiere every Tuesday at 10:00 am CT on Facebook, and will also be available for later viewing at UMC.org/ComeToTheTable and the UMC YouTube channel. For details, click here.
Laity Sunday - (Oct. 17) Laity Sunday celebrates the ministry of all Christians to love God and neighbor. As we welcome and offer the good news of Jesus’ love for all, we know that the most engaging opportunities to grow deep and wide in our faith come from relationships with those beyond the comfort and security of our church walls. This is relational discipleship and participation in the mission of God. Therefore, we will go (with hope) through engagement! For resources, click here.
United Methodist Men Give Day - (Oct. 18) The General Commission on United Methodist Men receives less than 25% of its yearly budget funding from World Service Funds. Give Day is an essential funding source that enables the commission to provide resources and support to United Methodist Men in your conference and local churches. Click here for more information and ways to give.