Council of District Executives fall meeting, Oct. 23, 12 p.m.

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

  Leadership Team meeting, York Center Church of the Brethren, following district conference, Nov. 2

  Potluck Experience Team meeting, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.

  Church Revitalization and Development Team, Nov. 23, 9 a.m.

  Ministry Leadership Development Team, Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.

  “Changing Mindsets for Ministry” online workshop, Feb. 22, 9-11 a.m.

  Potluck Experience 2025, Peoria Church of the Brethren, March 29

  District Clergy Gathering and CEU event, Bishop Lane Retreat Center, Rockford, May 1-2

 [all meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted]

 

October Newsletter

The 2024 edition of our Illinois/Wisconsin District conference takes place Nov. 1-2 this year, hosted by the York Center congregation in Lombard, Ill. (1S071 Luther Ave.). Pastor Christy Waltersdorff serves as moderator for this conference, assisted by moderator-elect Bill Williams and clerk Judy Brinkmeier.

Noted musician and storyteller Ken Medema will be our featured guest this year, providing leadership for Friday’s continuing education event (see more 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.

The business this year will include consideration of a revised version of the query that came to last year’s district conference, after Annual Conference/Standing Committee officers asked for a broadening of the question asked. The revised query, titled “Concerns About Current Practices Related to Matters of Sexuality,” was advanced by the Highland Avenue congregation in September after Highland Avenue and York Center have both worked on the query during its development. Leadership Team approved its inclusion on the district conference agenda. If delegates approve the revised query, it will go back to Annual Conference Standing Committee for their discernment.

PRE-CONFERENCE CONTINUING EDUCATION EVENT: Masterful musician 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 the York Center church. 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.

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. Cost is $20, which includes lunch. Please register by Oct. 20 at https://forms.gle/Rm6NsQn3cfPya7HA8.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION: Congregations need to pay a district assessment in order to be able to send delegates to the conference; that information was sent to each congregation. Delegates should register at https://forms.gle/qrYc1MjHoxcEwkhj8; Non-delegates register at https://forms.gle/2w2HAACKsNoo7VJR7 (non-delegate fee $10). Each attendee needs to register for insurance purposes. Meals can also be ordered through these links (see more below). Online registration will be closed 72 hours prior to the conference, but delegates and non-delegates can still register on-site on the day of the event. Please contact the district office with any questions.

MEALS: On Saturday, a continental breakfast will be provided at the church, and a lunch will be available on Saturday (Nov. 2) in the church fellowship hall for $13 per person. It will include a deli sandwich, chips, salad, dessert, and beverage. Note: Meals CANNOT BE RESERVED AFTER OCT. 18. A lunch option will also be available for those attending the continuing education event on Friday, Nov. 1. A list of area restaurants is also available on the district website, under the district conference tab.

HOUSING: A block of hotel rooms was set aside at the SureStay Plus Lombard by Best Western, 222 E. 22nd St. It is located two miles from the York Center church, and many restaurants and entertainment options are nearby. The guaranteed date for the room block has passed, but rooms might still be available. Cost is $89 for a room with one king bed, and $99 for a room with two doubles. All rates include a complimentary hot breakfast, parking, and wifi. To ask about a reservation, please call the hotel directly at 630-916-9000 and request the Church of the Brethren Illinois/Wisconsin District block for those dates.

Visit the district conference tab at the district website, iwdcob.org, for more information. Please be in prayer for this important time of being the district together.

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.

Christy Waltersdorff

“Clothes yourselves with love.”

 

We will meet as a district in a very short time for district conference. In preparation, perhaps you will check the weather forecast for Lombard before you decide what to wear. We will be inside for the conference, and the good folks of the York Center congregation will do what they can to keep the temperature at a comfortable level —so you shouldn’t need to dress too warmly. But the outside temperature will determine if you need a coat.

My guess is that most of us are fortunate to have several coat choices at home: a light jacket, a heavier jacket, a winter coat, maybe a heavy parka. I am embarrassed to admit that I have coats hanging in my closet that I haven’t worn for a few years. It really is time to clean out that closet.

Our district conference theme invites us to think about what it means to clothe ourselves with Christ’s love. One thing it means is sharing out of our abundance with those who may not be as fortunate. As we prepare for the approach of winter, let’s provide support and warmth for others. You are invited as congregations or as individuals to bring a new or gently used coat to district conference. The coats will be donated to the Clothes Closet of The Outreach House in Lombard. They accept clothing and coats in sizes 5T and up. Over 330 families visit the Clothes Closet each month. In fall/winter 2022, they gave away over 700 coats. Your gifts will provide warmth and support for our sisters and brothers in the Lombard area. Let’s clothe ourselves and others with love.

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 in participating, contact district disaster coordinator Rick Koch at revrick4433@gmail.com.

RECENT HURRICANES: Response is under way in the wake of the two severe fall hurricanes, Helene and Milton, which brought devastation to parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and beyond. Several Church of the Brethren congregations in the region were affected.

Staff of Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) continue to work with district leaders in the region to help coordinate response efforts including the collection and distribution of relief materials and donations for emergency funding—especially for the hardest-hit areas in Southeastern District. The district’s Camp Carmel has been used as a staging point for donated supplies. Children’s Disaster Services has sent two teams to the region (in Asheville, N.C., and nearby Fletcher) to support families as they recover. BDM urges church members and others wanting to help to contribute by sending disaster relief kits and monetary donations to the coordinated response of the districts and denomination.

The church is supporting collections of disaster relief kits by Church World Service (CWS), many of which are warehoused and shipped by the denomination’s Material Resources staff at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Most needed right now are Clean-Up Buckets, and also Hygiene Kits and Period Packs. Find out how to assemble these kits at https://cwskits.org/assemble-kits. Staff are encouraging people who put together CWS kits to take them to a CWS “depot”; find locations at https://cwskits.org/ship-kits.

An initial $30,000 in grants has already been allocated from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) for emergency relief. The response to Hurricane Helene will be a multi-year effort. Donations toward the effort are received at www.brethren.org/givehurricaneresponse or by mail, through checks made out to the Emergency Disaster Fund with “hurricane response” in the notation line. Mail to: Emergency Disaster Fund, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin IL 60120.

A number of Illinois/Wisconsin congregations are making concerted efforts to aid the response. For more tips for how to help, visit www.brethren.org/news/2024/how-you-can-help. Please continue to be in prayer for all those affected by this difficult situation.

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 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.

Camp Emmaus' Annual Celebration Luncheon took place Sept. 21, featuring a pork BBQ lunch served by board members along with an open house, a program sharing highlights of the past summer (when 112 campers attended), and an auction that raised more than $1,000 for the camp’s ministries. Volunteer recognition awards were presented to Sylvia Saunders of Mount Morris and Don & Cathy Hart of Cherry Grove.

The October “Escape to Emmaus” event will be Primitive Shelter Building on Oct. 26 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), when participants will construct a primitive shelter from natural materials near camp’s picnic pavilion shelter. Cost is $10 per person; registration deadline is Oct. 23. To register, email manager.campemmaus@gmail.com or call 815-734-4268.

The annual fall Leaf-Raking Day will be Saturday, Nov. 9, beginning at 8 a.m. Volunteers should bring a rake if possible as the camp gets its grounds prepared for the winter season.

A senior high youth retreat will be held surrounding Leaf- Raking Day, Nov. 8-10, in the camp retreat lodge. The retreat begins at 7 p.m. Friday and wraps up by 12 p.m. Sunday. Late arrivals and early departures are permitted, but you must be there for the leaf raking Saturday morning. Michelle Bowman is organizing the retreat, and Walt Wiltschek will be leading sessions on the theme “Big Questions,” thinking about how we think about our faith. Bring a sleeping bag, towel, snacks, and whatever else you need. Cost: $50; register at the camp website. For questions, email MichelleKBowman@gmail.com.

Camp Emmanuel (Astoria, Ill.) will hold fall work days Oct. 18-19. The camp closes to the public for the winter season after Oct. 19.

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.

 The 2025 Denominational Clergywomen’s Retreat, an every-five-years event sponsored by the Church of the Brethren Ministry office, will take place Feb. 10-13 at San Pedro Spiritual Development Center in Winter Park, Fla., near Orlando. The theme, drawn from Ephesians 5:2, is “Love the World Like Jesus: with Courage, Care, and Healing.” The keynote speaker will be Meghan Larissa Good, author and lead pastor of Trinity Mennonite Church in Phoenix. Early bird registration is $325 for double occupancy, $450 for single. Cindy Weber (York Center) is among the planning team members. Registration for the event is now open at www.brethren.org/ministryoffice. The district's Church Revitalization and Development Team has some partial scholarships available to assist with registration and travel for those in need. To make a confidential request for scholarship aid, please contact district executive Walt Wiltschek or the district office.

We're excited to announce a special online workshop that will take place Saturday, Feb. 22, 9-11 a.m. Central, looking at "Changing Mindsets for Ministry." Our keynote leader will be Jeff MacDonald, a pastor and journalist from Massachusetts and author of Part-Time Is Plenty.

The workshop will look at changing models of congregational leadership, including shared ministry teams, greater involvement of lay leaders in the church's ministry, and helping church members re-conceptualize how they envision ministry and what constitutes a "successful" or vital church, among other topics. This free workshop is open to all and will take place on Zoom; the link will be sent out by late January.

Our district is offering this partnership with many of the surrounding Midwest/Plains districts, and with support from the denomination's Ministry Office. Clergy can receive 0.2 CEU’s. A flier was sent to the district list; contact the district office if you need a copy. Save the date and spread the word and we consider how we move forward in ministry together!n

The 2025 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference will take place Wednesday, July 2, to Sunday, July 6, at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Registration and hotel reservations will open to the public on March 5. The Annual Conference office has announced the following registration fee schedule:

For advance registration (March 5-June 10): Delegates $350; Non-delegate adult, full conference, $175; Non-delegate adult, daily rate, $60; Post-high school to age 21, full conference, $50; Post-high school to age 21, daily rate, $20; Current high school student or younger, free; Active BVSer, free.For on-site registration (opens July 1): Delegates $425; Non-delegate adult, full conference, $210; Non-delegate adult, daily rate, $75; Post-high school to age 21, full conference, $50; Post-high school to age 21, daily rate, $20; Current high school student or younger, free; Active BVSer, free. Note there is an additional fee for age-group activities.

Registration for virtual participation (non-delegate only): Adult (until June 10), full conference, $195 or daily rate, $75. Group/institutional registration, $500; Post-high school to age 21, full conference, $75.

For lodging, the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons is connected to the Koury Convention Center, making it extremely convenient for guests. The Annual Conference room rate is $120 plus tax (12.75%) totaling $135.30 per night. Parking is complimentary. The Sheraton Hotel provides complimentary shuttle transportation to and from Piedmont Triad International Airport from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. In room Wi-Fi is complimentary for all hotel guests.

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
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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.