Personal Thoughts from NIAC
No. Ill. Annual Conference was from June 3rd to 5th at Pheasant Run in St. Charles this year. I arrived Sunday afternoon for the big important Service of Ordination. Monday morning starts at 8:30 with a call to order and a full day follows lasting to 9 PM. Tuesday begins at 8:30 and we were adjourned at 5 PM. Next year’s NIAC will be at the Renaissance Center in Schaumburg.
There are so many things going on (Roy reported on the highlights). It is a 
time to talk to former pastors, if you can find them! This year Scott McClellan gave his retirement speech. It is a time to meet old friends & make new ones. It is a time to recognize new things that are going on in the NIC. “The Way Forward” is information about what could happen at the special General Conference next year in St. Louis. The Annual Conference Shepherding Team is about changing and improving the way our conference is operated. I am a member of that Team and the Elgin District Shepherding Team. It means lots of time & effort dedicated to learning & leading.
The Worship Services are wonderful, we had great musicians & musical leaders. Do you think the Gospel Choir of St. Mark UMC, Chicago, would like to come to HUMC? WOW! Our Bishop always gives a great message for Ordination & the wonderful message for the Memorial Service was given by Rev. Tim Casey.
We had something new this year that was fun! Ever so often we had a “stretch break”. We’d stand up & stretch following a cartoon usually, but once a live person.
We celebrated 50 years of being the UNITED Methodist Church, merging with the Evangelical United Brethren 50 years ago!
It is awesome when all 900+ people in the Conference Center unite in prayer, as we are all United Methodists!
HUMC Lay Member to Annual Conference,
Kathy Dickerson
