If you are a senior high youth who is interested in serving on the Illinois/Wisconsin District Youth Cabinet, [click here] for more information. New Cabinet members will be selected in September.

Spring has arrived! It's exciting to see the trees filled with beautiful, green leaves, to see the green grass and the colorful flowers. God's creation is being renewed. I, too, feel renewed in the spring. At district conference this fall our focus will be on "Renew". How are we as individuals and congregations renewed? [more...]

November 1 & 2, 2013*
Hosted by Mount Morris Church of the Brethren
Assisted by Pinecrest Community
Moderator: Mark Flory Steury, Neighborhood Church of the Brethren
Friday evening speaker: Jonathan Shively

Please watch for registration information in the coming weeks.

*Note change in the conference schedule to Friday and Saturday only.

There is a need for some additional volunteers to assist with Early Childhood Services at Annual Conference this summer in Charlotte. If you will be attending Conference and would be able to volunteer some of your time for this, please contact conference assistant Jon Kobel at jkobel@brethren.org, or fill out the online volunteer form at www.brethren.org/ac/registration/volunteer.html. Your help is greatly appreciated.

8 - Leadership Team Meeting, Peoria
7-9 - Camp Emmanuel Women's Camp
9-15 - Camp Emmanuel Sr Hi Youth Camp
14-16 - National Jr Hi Conference, Elizabethtown, PA
16-22 - Camp Emmanuel Junior High Camp
23-29 - Camp Emmanuel Junior Camp
27 - CODE Meeting, Charlotte, NC
27-29 - Camp Emmanuel Pre-Junior Camp
28 - Mission and Ministry Board, Charlotte, NC
29-July 3 - Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC

Bethany Seminary
June 14 - 24, 2013

EYC invites rising juniors and seniors in high school to experience hands-on learning and exploration of where their lives' passions meet God's great purpose. This grant-funded program creates space for discernment and community building amidst the myriad of competing interests for Brethren youth. Registration is already open, so encourage youth in your congregation or district to apply for this amazing opportunity.

You're invited...
...To Annual Conference in Charlotte, NC

June 29 - July 3, 2013!

Find more information and a new promotional video at www.brethren.org/ac

June 29-3 - Annual Conference
13-14 - Camp Emmaus Counselor-in-Training Event
13-14 - Camp Emmaus Elementary I Camp
16-19 - Camp Emmaus Elementary II Camp
21-27 - Camp Emmaus Senior High Camp
21-27 - Song and Story Fest, Camp Myrtlewood, Myrtle Point, Oregon
28-August 3 - Camp Emmaus Junior High Camp

Don and Patti Weirich are coordinating a bus to the 2013 National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) this September. Some will have to travel to get to the nearest stop but they may be willing to do that in order not to drive all the way to NOAC.

Providing there is sufficient interest, at least 35 people need to confirm their space on the bus. The bus will travel from Mt. Morris, Illinois (need a commitment of 10 people there), stop at Timbercrest in North Manchester, and travel on to Dayton, Ohio, before heading to NOAC. The return trip will be in reverse order.

People should contact Don and Patti Weirich for more information: theweirichs@frontier.com
phone: (574) 825-9185

We have a great conference planned and hope to have 1,000 registrants this year.

With appreciation,

Kim Ebersole
Director of Family Life and Older Adult Ministries
Church of the Brethren
1451 Dundee Avenue
Elgin, IL 60120
(847) 429-4305 direct line
(800) 323-8039 ext 305 note new ext. number
Fax: (847) 429-4315
kebersole@brethren.org

NOAC Save the Date!
September 2-6, 2013
Then you will be refreshed
in the Lord... Isaiah 58:14

www.brethren.org/NOAC

P.S. A note about additional stops for this bus: If there is interest they will stop in Elgin, IL, after Mt. Morris; and they do plan on a Middlebury, IN, stop before going on to Timbercrest. So lots of options for people to take advantage of.

2013 District Conference

To benefit a variety of Ministries

This year we are doing things a bit differently. For the Silent Auction we are asking each Church to provide a basket of goodies with a theme, such as kitchen, movie night and so on. We are also asking for baked goods for the Silent Auction. For the Live Auction we are asking people to provide nice Arts and Crafts items, such as woodworking, paintings, maybe pottery. We would like to have a dozen or so items in the Live Auction. If you would like to provide an item, please let me know ahead of time what you are planning to bring.

For more information, please contact Rick Koch at 815-499-3012 or at revrick-dutchtown@jcwifi.com

In January 2014, Bridgewater College chaplain Dr. Robbie Miller will again lead a 15 day study tour of Israel/Palestine as part of his Lands of the Bible interterm course. The tour, conducted by the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, will visit sites of biblical and religious importance including Jerusalem, Jericho, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum, Caesarea, Masada, Qumran, Shechem, Samaria and many more. The tentative itinerary is attached. The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center will grant 8 CEUs for the study tour. Pastors and members of the Illinois and Wisconsin District are welcome to participate in the tour as space permits. Inquiries should be directed to Robbie Miller at rmiller@bridgewater.edu or at 540-828-5383.

Dates for the next National Youth Conference have been announced. NYC will be held July 19-24, 2014, in Fort Collins, Colo. Applications for NYC 2014 coordinators are now being accepted. To request an application, contact the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office at 800-323-8039 ext. 397 or cobyouth@brethren.org. The deadline for applications is Nov. 1, 2012.

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.

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. Congregations in good standing are those that for the past two years have sent delegates to district conference and have supported the district financially with undesignated gifts of at least $100 per year for the past two years.

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 Beth Carpentier, bethc.iwdcob@att.net 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 2015 Five-year Ordination Review process for ALL ordained ministers will launch in 2014. 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.