Camp Emmaus Celebration Day and Lunch, Sept. 21, 12 p.m.

  Church Revitalization and Development Team, Sept. 28, 9 a.m.

  Leadership Team, Oct. 1, 6:30 p.m.

  District Campfire at Camp Emmaus, Oct. 12

  District Conference, at York Center Church of the Brethren, Lombard, Nov. 1-2

 [all meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted]

 

August Newsletter

The 2024 District Conference is coming up soon! This year's conference will be held November 1 and 2, at York Center COB in Lombard, Illinois.

 

The links to register are on the District Conference tab. Please individually register each attendee and delegate. For insurance purposes, we need to have a record of everyone who attends. Meals cost $13 per person and cannot be reserved after October 18. Online registration will be closed 72 hours prior to the conference, but delegates and non-delegates are welcome to register on the day of the event.

 

Noted musician and storyteller Ken Medema will be our featured guest this year, providing leadership for Friday's continuing education event (more details below), as well as for opening worship Friday evening and a special workshop on Saturday. He will also be sharing during York Center's worship service on Sunday morning, for which anyone is welcome to stay.

Many of the usual features of conference will be back this year, including the Friday ice cream social, a delicious lunch on Saturday, a buzzing exhibit area, the annual auction, and, of course, the usual schedule of business during the day on Saturday as we hear reports, approve a budget and a slate of volunteers for various offices, and care for other business of the church.

 

There are more details on the District Conference tab.

 

Please contact the district office with any questions. We look forward to seeing you at the 2024 District Conference!

 

Musician and sage Ken Medema will be the keynote leader for this year's pre-district conference continuing education workshop, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, at York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill. His theme will be "Re-Imagining: Your Work, Your Play, Your Life," thinking about the ways we reconceptualize our church ministry and other aspects of life in these rapidly changing times. Participants will receive 0.5 CEU's. Clergy are especially encouraged to attend, but all are welcome. A flyer is attached. 

Originally from Grand Rapids, Mich., Ken now lives in the San Francisco Bay area of California. Blind from birth, he is a singer, songwriter, and pianist whose music, storytelling, and improvisational skills have wowed audiences across the country and beyond. He has shared at numerous Church of the Brethren events over the years, including Annual Conference, National Older Adult Conference, and National Youth Conference. Read more about Ken at www.kenmedema.com. 

Cost is $20, which includes lunch. Some rooms are available Thursday night for those coming a distance who would like to stay over; see information in the most recent district newsletter. Please register by Oct. 20 at https://forms.gle/Rm6NsQn3cfPya7HA8.

The Church of the Brethren Outdoor Ministries Association Volunteer of the Year award was given to Aaron Gerdes for his volunteer work for Camp Emmaus in Mount Morris, Ill. Aaron grew up in the Dixon congregation and now lives in Sycamore, Ill. He has been senior high camp leader for at least 15 years and served two terms on the board including a few years as chair, when he provided invaluable leadership through the camp’s time of transition to a new manager. He has also been a regular volunteer working on maintenance. Despite a 45-minute drive to the camp, this “jack of all trades” practices a “creative hands-on approach to both program and property ministries.”

“Aaron is one of those people that inspires people around him and makes everyone feel like an important part of the team,” the award citation said, “even though he's fairly soft-spoken and leads more by example. He has often beautifully articulated the gifts of community, belonging, and connection to God's creation that camp provides so well.”

The award was presented at the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in Grand Rapids on July 5, where Camp Emmaus treasurer Dan Radcliff accepted the award on Aaron’s behalf. Congratulations, Aaron!

Our camps enjoyed a full summer of camps for children and youth, and we are grateful for all the lives that were touched by spending that time with God, creation, and good community in these beautiful spaces. Following are some additional events coming up at the camps:

Camp Emmaus (Mount Morris, Ill.):
Aug. 8-10 Women’s Camp
Aug. 30-Sept. 2 Labor Day Family Camp
Sept. 21 Camp Celebration Day and Luncheon
Oct. 12-13 Father/Son Camp

Camp Emmaus' Annual Celebration Luncheon will be held on Saturday, Sept.21 (note: the date has been changed from what was previously advertised). There will also be an auction taking place at the Celebration Luncheon. If you have an item to donate to the auction please email the program chair at: program.chair.campemmaus@gmail.com.

Camp Emmaus added a new tractor to its fold in June: a red Case IH DX33 Loader. The camp received a good trade-in for its old tractor. Longtime volunteer Doug Firebaugh and Tim Smith helped research and locate the new tractor.

Camp Emmanuel (Astoria, Ill.):
Men’s Camp Aug. 9-11
Family Camp Aug. 30-Sept. 2

Stay up to date on what’s happening at our district camps! Visit www.campem.com for Camp Emmanuel news and www.campemmaus.org for Camp Emmaus news.

Brethren Disaster Ministries has updated its website with information for its second project response, which will mark a return to projects in Dawson Springs, Kentucky. The area was struck by a strong tornado in 2021. It joins another BDM rebuilding site in Letcher County, Ky. Information is at: https://www.brethren.org/bdm/rebuild/schedules/.

Our district’s assigned week this year is Dec. 1-7, when we are responsible for supplying seven volunteers to work in conjunction with a group from South/Central Indiana at the Dawson Springs site. If you have interest, contact district disaster coordinator Rick Koch at revrick4433@gmail.com.

Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) will hold three new volunteer training events this fall. Upcoming events are:

Sept. 27-28 at Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren, starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday and ending at 5:30 p.m. Saturday; Sept. 28-29 at Modesto (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and ending at 9:30 a.m. Sunday; Oct. 18-19 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Victor, N.Y., starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday and ending at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

For currently certified CDS volunteers, if it has been more than five years since you have been out on a disaster response or taken a workshop, it is suggested you attend a volunteer training as a refresher to review policies, procedures, and updates regarding disaster responses. Learn more at www.brethren.org/cds .

Church of the Brethren Newsline
September 5, 2024

The Church of the Brethren’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry is publicizing upcoming events and opportunities. More information about the ministry and its programs is at www.brethren.org/yya.

National Youth Cabinet nominations are due Sept. 30. Senior high youth serve on the cabinet. Adults also are welcome to nominate outstanding youth to serve on this advisory body that will provide significant leadership for the next National Youth Conference, to occur in summer 2026. The nomination form is at https://forms.gle/tNSosJ7NmBEjBX6R7.

 

National Junior High Sunday is planned for Nov. 3. Congregations are invited to encourage their junior high youth to take the lead in worship on this day. Resources including worship resources will be made available at www.brethren.org/yya/jr-high-resources.

Christian Citizenship Seminar is planned for April 5-9, 2025, giving high school students a chance to explore the relationship between their faith and a particular social justice issue, culminating in legislative visits on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Find out more at www.brethren.org/yya/ccs.

 

National Youth Sunday on May 4, 2025, will be an opportunity for congregations to empower senior high youth to plan and lead worship. Resources will be posted in 2025 at www.brethren.org/yya/national-youth-sunday.

Young Adult Conference is planned for May 23-25, 2025, at Brethren Woods, a camp and outdoor ministry center near Keezletown, Va. The annual event offers people ages 18-35 a chance to enjoy fellowship, worship, recreation, Bible study, service projects, and more. See www.brethren.org/yya/yac.

National Junior High Conference takes place June 20-22, 2025, at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa. Come join other junior high youth and adult advisors for a weekend packed with powerful worship, fun workshops, music, recreation, and more. Details are at www.brethren.org/yya/njhc.

 

The next National Youth Conference (NYC) will be held in July 2026 in Colorado, with exact location and dates to be announced.

The planning team for the next National Older Adult Conference (NOAC), to be held Sept. 1-5, 2025, at Lake Junaluska, N.C., has announced the theme for the event: “Alive in the Spirit!”

The theme scripture is Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (NRSVue).

The planning team includes Heidi Berkenbosch, Deanna Brown, Bonnie Kline Smeltzer, Leonard Matheny, Don Mitchell, Karlene Tyler, and coordinator Christy Waltersdorff.

The NOAC 2025 theme statement:

“As the Apostle Paul came to the end of his letter to the Christians living in Rome, he shared his hopes for them. He knew they were strong, if imperfect, followers of Jesus Christ. He knew the church communities had their ups and downs. He knew life was hard for Christians. He also knew that they didn’t have to handle life alone. His hope for them was in the power of God, which would bring joy and peace. The fuel of their faith was the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.

“We too are called to be ‘Alive in the Spirit!’ We too are called to claim the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, which empowers everything we do. When we are alive in the Spirit we live with hope, with gratitude, with power, and with joy. Our world needs to experience the transforming love of God. Let’s welcome the wind and the fire of the Holy Spirit into our lives and into our Church so that we may truly be alive in the Spirit.”

 

• Official IL/WI Channel
• Older Content

There is a Speakers List for the Illinois/Wisconsin District. Persons included in this document have accepted the invitation to be available to preach during worship services or for other special events as indicated. Hopefully you will find this tool useful and valuable when the need arises for inviting a guest speaker.

The speakers on this list are all credentialed ministers, either licensed or ordained. We would like to expand the list to include more credentialed ministers as well as interested laity. If your name is absent from the list and you have interest in serving as a guest speaker, please inform the district office. We would also welcome the names of persons you might suggest for inclusion on the list.

Since this is a new venture, it is likely we may need to provide more information than is included. Your input as to how the list can be improved would be welcomed.

Please share with the District Office any questions, comments, or concerns you may have.

Grants available through the district include the following:

1. Mission and Mortar: Sustaining and developing ministry (mission) within congregations, as well as maintaining property (mortar), is sometimes hindered because of inadequate financial resources. The Illinois/Wisconsin District, whose mission is to support the growth and development of member congregations, realizes that this dilemma exists and desires to financially support congregations that are in good standing with the district and have specific needs. More information can be found here.

2. Being Jesus in the Neighborhood: Congregations can apply for $100 in seed money to start a new outreach project or initiative in their local communities, or to expand an existing one. These should be projects that intentionally engage with the neighborhood immediately around the congregation, or for those in rural locations, with the town or area around the church. Each congregation receiving a grant will be asked to share a little about their project at district conference. More information can be found here.

3. Give Your Pastor a Break: Congregations can apply for up to $100 for a grant to cover or help cover a guest speaker for an extra Sunday to give your pastor a day off—or at least a day off from having to prepare and preach a sermon. We hope this might be part of the ways you care for your pastor. More information can be found here.

4. Emerging Missions Fund: To facilitate the growth and establishment of new faith communities, this grant is available for church and ministry planting initiatives. New church and ministry plants are encouraged to apply by contacting the district office and/or the CRDT.

All ordained ministers, licensed ministers, and congregations need to keep the District Office informed of changes in contact information. Changes include: phone number, cell phone number, email address, mailing address, and congregational email or website. Please email Andrea Garnett, andreag.iwdcob@gmail.com, or call (309)649-6008 with your updates. Your effort will save valuable staff time trying to track down these changes. Other information to share: changes in key leadership positions at the church or the death or serious illnesses of minister, retired ministers, or spouses. Help us serve better!

Do not wait to begin to log your Continuing Education Units. The 2025 Five-year Ordination Review process for ALL ordained ministers will launch in 2024. Ordained ministers are required to produce verification of 5 CEU credits for this five-year period. It is your responsibility to secure certificates, letters or verifying documentation regarding CEU credit. Retired clergy are exempt from this requirement with the exception of those retired clergy actively involved in Interim Ministry.

CEU Notation: The district does not grant CEU credit for personal study and/or self-designed experiences you have had and/or books you have read. It is the minister's responsibility to secure a CEU certificate, Letter of Verification, and/or authentication document for completed training, seminars or workshops, or learning experiences offered by the presenting organization. This verification should always state the number of hours of the training - 10 hours of training equals 1.0 CEU credits. Please take personal initiative to become a life-long learner and increasingly effective minister of the Gospel.

The Gifts Discernment and Call Committee seeks your help. We are commissioned to call active, informed, and committed members of congregations or fellowships from within our District to positions of service. These persons, both pastors and lay members, are to be called from all parts of the District and to represent the diversity among us. Our committee's knowledge of members eligible and capable to serve is limited. Therefore, we make this appeal for assistance.