Annual BreakfastJune 4, 2019

Renaissance Schaumburg Convention CenterSchaumburg, IL

United Voices for Children

WelcomeRev. Timothy Biel, Jr., UVC Board

InvocationChristine Hides, UVC Board

Breakfast

“Chutes and Ladders: Positive Youth Justice” Avik Das, Chief Probation Office and Acting Director, Cook County Juvenile Probation Department Introduced by Rev. Robert Biekman, UVC Board President

Presentation of 2019 Awards

BISHOP JESSE R. DEWITT ADVOCACY AWARD Rev. Dr. Norval Brown Presented by LaTonia Booth-Johnson, UVC Board

KATHERINE B. GREENE CHILD WORKER AWARDS

Ann Daniels Presented by Catherine Inserra, UVC Board Secretary

Leigh Ann Piper Presented by Christine Hides, UVC Board

REV. MARGARET ANN WILLIAMS SERVICE AWARD

Sharonda King Presented by Rev. Pamela Pirtle, UVC Board

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United Voices for ChildrenAnnual Breakfast 2019

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TODAY’S SPEAKER

Avik Das

Avik has served as a juvenile probation officer since 1999 and is also a licensed attorney. He is an appointed member of the Illinois Supreme Court’s Probation AdvisoryCommittee and the Judicial College’s Committee on Probation Education and JuvenileCourt Committee. He is member of the national training faculty for the Annie E. CaseyFoundation's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI).

For the past five years, under the auspices of Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, Avik leads anagency focused on community-based service and support for court-involved children andyoung people. As department head, Avik guides the work of over 400 employees and oversees the department in providing services for about 3,500 youth in Cook County whoare on probation at any given time. Avik is leading Cook County Juvenile Probation inground breaking reform initiatives and has a demonstrated sensitivity for ways the faithcommunity can effectively collaborate with system holders to effectively respond to theneeds of youth under court supervision.

Fifth Sunday Giving Recognition Deaconess Catherine Inserra, Deaconess Joy Hayag, Nellie Winters, UVC Board

Support for Affiliated Agencies Jacki Bogolia, UVC Board Treasurer

Sending Forth Rev. Robert Biekman, UVC Board President

Special thanks to Rosecrance for design & printing of program book and to Marc Dean, photographer.

BISHOP JESSE R. DEWITT ADVOCACY AWARDWhile serving as our bishop from 1980 to 1988, Bishop DeWitt led by example as he participated, represented, and spoke out for children, youth, and families who did not have a voice. One of his greatest passions was speaking out to educate and inform local churches about legislation and issuesimpacting the lives of children.

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The Rev. Dr. Norval I. Brown has been an elder in theNorthern Illinois Conference for more than 30 years. Duringthis time, he has advocated for the unique needs of children in avariety of leadership roles within the congregations he hasserved. Over the years, Rev. Brown has served as president ofthe board of directors for United Voices for Children, as a boardmember of ChildServ, as a camp counselor for children at CampReynoldswood (1978-1986), and as the director of ChicagoSouthern District Campus Ministry at University of Chicagoand University of Illinois Chicago (2003-2007). Currently heserves as the vice-chair of the board of directors of MYSI and as dean of the Maceo D. Pembroke institute for MinisterialRecruitment and Leadership Development. He is the pastor ofChrist UMC in Deerfield, Illinois.

Ann Daniels has been working as a volunteer in children’s ministries at Christ UMC Rockford since 1978. She has taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and is now a “Counseling Teacher” who trains other teachers. She is thecurrent chair of the Children’s Council and has served on theboard of the Christ Preschool. Recognizing that children’s ministry is not just on Sunday mornings, Ann works with theJesus And Me (JAM) on Wednesday nights, a program of families, especially single mothers, from the community whogather for a meal, worship, games, and fellowship. In the community, Mrs. Daniels volunteers at Saturday Kid’s Clubwhere she works with neighborhood children doing crafts, games,and story time. During the summer Mrs. Daniels is part of the“Hi Neighbor” outreach program, an ecumenical effort to providechildren a place to “drop in.” Throughout all of these years ofministry Ann has tirelessly taught children what it means to bechildren of God, saved through Christ, and upheld by the Spirit.

2019 United Voices for Children Awards

KATHERINE B. GREENE CHILD WORKER AWARDKatherine B. Greene was a past president and founding representative of United Voices for Children whoput forth tremendous efforts in promoting child advocacy, working faithfully against child abuse advancingand supporting children with unmet needs across the Northern Illinois Conference. She reminded andchallenged us to step up, step forth, and speak out for children.

Leigh Anne Piper, long-time member and leader at LanarkUMC, is someone who takes action when she encounters aproblem. As a nurse and lifelong resident of Carroll County, she was well aware of the high number of infants and childrenat risk for critical early development resources in this rural community. In 2007, as part of a project to fulfill an advanceddegree requirement, Leigh Anne created the Pitter PatterPantry. It began as a project where a few churches providedneeded supplies for infants and children enrolled in the WICprogram and has evolved in a large, volunteer-run organizationthat provides an alternative site for low-income families ofCarroll County to purchase essential items for their preschoolchildren. Pitter Patter Pantry is a place where participants shopwith their “Baby Bucks,” which they have earned through participating in Health Department-identified programs. ThroughLeigh Anne’s visionary leadership, this program is having a realimpact in fighting the devastating effects of childhood poverty.

REV. MARGARET ANN WILLIAMS SERVICE AWARDRev. Margaret Ann Williams, former Associate Executive of Church Relations at Marcy Newberry,served on the United Voices for Children Board of Directors for 33 years, including a term as president.Rev. Williams’ dedicated service has influenced the lives of children, the church and community fornearly 50 years. Award recipients model her “Joy of Serving” within the Northern Illinois Community.

Sharonda King joined Christ the Carpenter UMC in Rockfordas a teenager and has been a faithful presence and leader eversince. She served as a junior usher and as a lead singer in thechoir. She was part of a weekly Christian-based activities night,where her spirit and energy helped the pastor provide inspirationfor the 20-30 youth attending. From a young age she has been a role model for other young persons. Now a single mom withtwo children in preschool and another starting high school, sheworks two jobs and still finds time to lead two praise danceteams. The younger team has 10-12 members who are three tofive years of age. And the Anointed Movement team consists offive to seven teenagers. Sharonda has organized two city-widepraise dance concerts. She has instilled a spiritual discipline anddesire to give praise to God in these children and youth.

THE REV. DR. NORVAL I. BROWN

LEIGH ANNE PIPER

ANN DANIELS

SHARONDA KING

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Palatine: First UMC Park Ridge: First UMCSycamore UMC

Fifth Sunday Giving Recognition

NEW CONGREGATION GIVING

Chicago: Kelly Woodlawn UMC Olympia Fields UMC Oregon UMCRockford: Court Street UMC St. Charles: Baker Memorial

LARGEST PERCENT GIVING INCREASE

Downers Grove: First UMCElmhurst: First UMCOak Park: Euclid Avenue UMC

Rockford: Christ UMC Wheaton: Gary UMC

LARGEST TOTAL GIVING

Antioch UMCAurora: Fourth Street UMCChana UMCChicago: Hartzell UMCChicago: Maple Park UMCChicago: Morgan Park UMC

Chicago: Resurrection UMCCicero: Wesley UMCDeKalb: First UMCDixon: Grace UMCElgin: Epworth UMCErie UMCEsmond UMCEvanston: First UMCEvanston: Sherman UMCEvergreen Park: First UMC

Freeport: Faith UMCFreeport: First UMCGlenview UMCHazel Crest: Community UMC

Joliet: Ingalls Park UMCKingston UMCLaGrange: First UMCLake Bluff: Grace UMCLisle: Faith UMCLockport: First UMCMaple Park: Grace UMCMendota: First UMCMilledgeville UMCMokena UMCMount HopeNaperville: Wesley UMC

Orland Park: Faith UMCOswego: Good Shepherd UMC

Palos Heights: PalosPlainfield UMCRiver Forest UMCScales Mound UMCSerena UMCStockton: Wesley UMCVilla Park: CalvaryWarren UMCWaukegan: First UMCWilmette: TrinityWood Dale Community UMC

Zion: Memorial UMC

MANY THANKS TO THESE CONGREGATIONS WHO JOINED THE

CONGREGATIONS ABOVE TO GIVE OVER $28,000 TO UNITED VOICES

FOR CHILDREN IN 2018.

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Practical guidance and resources for clergy, children/youth leaders and parents

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 20198:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

DOWNERS GROVE UMC1032 MAPLE AVENUE, DOWNERS GROVE, IL

Evanston Township High School’s best—Dr. Marcus Campbell, AracelyCanchola, and Taya Kinzie, LSCW—team up to engage participants in a deeperlook at the interconnectedness of race and well-being, reflecting on personalidentity and biases, as they relate to our relationships with others. Healing centered engagement, restorative practices, and sustaining practices are all keyto understanding the number and complexities of needs in the lives of those we serve and support.

Register online by August 29: www.unitedvoicesforchildren.org$25 fee includes lunch, CEUs available

SPONSORED BY

Delving Deeper: Race & Well-being

THIRD SKIN IN THE GAME WORKSHOP

United Voices for Children (UVC) is a coalition of three child-serving agencies,churches and individuals within the Northern Illinois Conference of theUnited Methodist Church. UVC speaks and acts on behalf of children andyouth and their families and nurtures and supports ministries of theConference serving these children, youth and families.

Board of Directors Rev. Robert Biekman, President Deaconess Catherine Inserra (ChildServ), Secretary Jacki Bogolia, Treasurer

Rev. Timothy Biel, Jr. LaTonia Booth-Johnson (MYSI) Walton Davis, Jr. Deacon Wesley Dorr Deaconess Joy Hayag Christine Hides Emily Lipinsky (Rosecrance) Ed Miner Meg Park Rev. Pamela Pirtle Nellie Winters

Past Presidents Kim Coffing Lois Moreland-DeanHonorary Board Member Mason Scholl Comunications Coordinator Mark Bowman

For more informationwebsite: unitedvoicesforchildren.orgemail: unitedvoicesforchildren@gmail.com

Affiliated Agencies