Practicing hope

Dear Minooka UMC Found Family,
“Practicing Hope.” That was the theme of Annual Conference this week and it is Bishop Dan Schwerin’s vision for guiding our connectional work throughout our Northern Illinois Conference for the next year.

Wait, what’s Annual Conference? There are several answers. The most straightforward is the one the name suggests: a yearly gathering. Every June representative from every church in the Northern Illinois Conference get together to celebrate the ministry we’ve accomplished in the past year, to do the business of the Conference, and to cast the vision for the next year. All clergy attend (that’s me) plus at least one lay person from every congregation. Chris Vause and Alex Nolan are our Lay Members to Annual Conference as voted on by the whole congregation at our last Church Conference.

It has been said Annual Conference is half shareholders meeting and half revival. So it is a time of church business and reports, sure. But even more it is a time of moving worship, inspiring sermons, incredible music, remembering saints of the church, and celebrating the newly ordained. We will share a report during a worship service in July.

In what ways to you see our congregation practicing hope? There are plenty of examples so leave a comment with your responses.

I’m proud to say that one of the ways we are practicing hope is by amplifying our denomination’s Social Principles by welcoming and affirming our LGBTQ+ siblings—and sharing that witness with the world. Studies demonstrate that LGBTQ+ youth who have at least one accepting adult in their life were 40% less likely to report a suicide attempt in the past year. We aren’t welcoming and affirming LBTQ+ folks to be edgy or to be politically correct or even just because the United Methodist Church as a denomination says we should. We do so because it is who Jesus calls us to be. We do so because we can help save lives. We want LGBTQ+ youth (and adults) in our community to know we have a building full of caring adults for them. This truly is a vital way we practice hope.

As for this Sunday, June 21st, it is one of my very favorite Sundays of the year! This Sunday we hear from our Youth Summer Mission Trip ASP Team led by Marlin Hartman as they reflect on their experiences in Magoffin County, Kentucky last week. You do NOT want to miss this opportunity to support and learn from our amazing, hard working, faithful team of youth and adult leaders. Plus, as Marlin teased last Sunday, they will share a wonderful surprise or two!

Participate in our worship experiences Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in person at 1210 S. Ridge Road in Minooka. Or via livestream on our Minooka UMC Facebook page or on our Minooka UMC YouTube Channel.

Whether in person or online, all are invited to our welcoming and affirming congregation.

Plotting Goodness, 

Pastor Dave