Rev. Dr. Irene Taylor has been named one of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary’s 2023 Distinguished Alums. “Through her multiple appointments as an elder of The United Methodist Church and her involvement with diverse types of ministries, Rev. Dr. Taylor has cultivated a holistic ministry of spiritual formation for the empowerment and transformation of God’s people,” the seminary notes. To attend the service and meal on Nov. 8 at 4 p.m., register here.
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Seven of the Faithful 50 who will be recognized by Garrett-Evangelical's Center for the Church and the Black Experience on Nov. 9 from the NIC: Revs. P. Devon Brown, Megan Tobola, Harlene Harden, Annie Lockhart-Gilroy, Dennis Oglesby Jr., and Pamela Pirtle, and Ms. Tina Shelton. The 50 exemplify faithfulness, commitment, and perseverance in ministry through their leadership in academic, nonprofit, and congregational settings. GETS invites all interest to attend.
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NIC’s Nadia Kanhai has been named to North Central College’s Wall of Witness. Kanhai graduated from North Central College with a bachelor’s degree in English and Religious Studies. She is an active member of Grace UMC, Naperville; chairs the NIC Anti-Racism Task Force, co-chairs the Conference Commission on Religion and Race; and serves on the board of Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors. She is active in many community organizations.
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Every year, United Voices for Children recognizes people and organizations that provide remarkable ministry service or advocacy efforts on behalf of children, youth, and/or families throughout the NIC. Honored this year are St. Mark UMC Freedom School, Rev. Tura Foster Gillespie, Dr. Dana Weiner, Shelley Frizelis, and Tanya Lozano Washington.
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Cristian Schlick, a United Methodist missionary who serves migrants from Central America and Mexico, will be visiting the NIC from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. He will visit a number of churches and will meet with various people and groups to talk about his work. Attend one of these gatherings to learn more about this compassionate ministry.
- Oct. 26, 7 p.m.: Our Saviour’s UMC, Schaumburg
- Oct. 27, 5 p.m.: First UMC, DeKalb
- Oct. 29, 10:30 a.m.: Trinity UMC, Mt. Prospect
- Oct. 29, 2 p.m.: The Movement in the City (Spanish), Franklin Park
- Oct. 30, noon: Brooke Road, Rockford
Questions? Contact Rev. Shirley Pulgar Hughes.
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Rev. Dr. Paul Chilcote, originally from the Northern Illinois Conference, will lead a discussion on “Multiplying Love,” based on his book Multiplying Love: A Vision of United Methodist Life Together (Abingdon). Join the online conversation on Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. The NIC Book Club offers this in response to renewed interest in living out our faith as UM Christians. Rev. Dr. Chilcote is an engaging speaker and a respected Wesley scholar.
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The NIC risk management department is now assembling insurance coverage for the 2024 property insurance renewal. Driven by a number of factors, the 2024 insurance renewal costs may be challenging. We aim to procure comprehensive coverage that provides appropriate limits with fair deductibles for our churches. Based on market conditions, the conference is similarly expecting substantial increases in insurance premiums. NIC churches should factor into their 2024 budget a 12 to 18 percent increase in premium costs. We will provide an update when 2024 insurance renewal terms are finalized. If you have questions, contact Dwayne Jackson, NIC Director Risk Management and Ministry Protection.
Contact Dwayne Jackson
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NIC Journal is Now Available!
The 2023 conference journal is ready for download or purchase. It contains data on clergy and churches, conference committee leaders, the daily proceedings from the 2023 annual conference session, and more. You may download a free copy now. Orders for printed books should be available soon. or order a printed book. Read more
Want to Finish Your Advent Planning This Week?
Amplify Media and Cokesbury invite you to read the first full chapter and view all the videos of every new Advent study, available between Oct. 16 to 22, absolutely free! Read more
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Over 300 people attended the first in-person gathering of the National Association of Korean American United Methodists, Oct. 2-5 in Wheeling. “The most urgent need is to revitalize the association,” said Bishop Hee-Soo Jung (pictured), the only active Korean-American bishop in the UMC. In his keynote address, Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the UM Council of Bishops, said he respects the passion and spirituality of Korean American churches within the UMC and called on them to aggressively offer the skills, expertise, passion, and emphasis that they have placed on evangelism and spirituality.
Reporting on the numbers of Korean-American churches and pastors, Rev. Paul H. Chang, executive director of the Korean Ministry Plan, said there are 280 congregations, including 244 Korean-language congregations, 36 English-language congregations and those not yet officially chartered. About 270 clergy are serving Korean congregations and more than 550 are serving American congregations—totaling approximately 871 active UM Korean-American clergy. About 40 congregations and 60 clergy are expected to leave the denomination, he said.
One of the highlights was the testimony of the Rev. Eun C. Cho, who said that when he came to the U.S. in the 1970s, the love and care he experienced from the UMC toward the Korean-American church and the inclusiveness and openness of denominational leaders made him a “debtor of love,” and he could not and would not leave the UMC— drawing much applause from the attendees.
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Around the Conference
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Right Here, Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness, led by Dr. Amy Oden, Oct. 23 and 30; Nov. 6, 13, 20, and 27, online (noon to 1:30 p.m., synchronous), Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston.
Around the Connection
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Exploration 2024, Feb. 16-18, 2024, Orlando, FL. For young adults ages 18-26 who are considering a calling to ordained ministry. Registration is now open.
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Adult Advent Studies
It’s not too early to choose adult Advent studies in DVD or book format. Here are a few of the studies you can borrow from United Media Resource Center.
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Experiencing Christmas: Christ in the Sights and Sounds of Advent, with Matt Rawle
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Heart That Grew Three Sizes: Finding Faith in the Story of the Grinch, with Matt Rawle
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Heaven and Earth: Advent and the Incarnation, with Will Willimon
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Light of the World: A Beginner's Guide to Advent, with Amy-Jill Levine
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Unlikely Advent: Extraordinary People of the Christmas Story, with Rachel Billups
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Who Needs Christmas? with Andy Stanley
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Keep Watch with Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers, edited by Claire Brown and Michael McRay
List of more resources
Find the online catalog here. To contact the center, send a message to umrc@igrc.org.
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