Bishop Sally Dyck is challenging churches in the Northern Illinois Conference to collect a special Bishop’s Appeal offering to support the ongoing work of Northern Illinois Justice For Our Neighbors (NIJFON), which will be taken at this year’s Annual Conference in June. NIJFON supports immigration legal clinics at three United Methodist churches in the Northern Illinois Conference. At these clinics, staff attorneys and teams of volunteers provide in-depth immigration legal assistance to low-income immigrants and their families so that they can understand and navigate our nation’s complex immigration laws. The outcomes of the legal work often include keeping families together safely and permanently, enabling eligible immigrants to work lawfully, uniting families who have experienced long separation, and helping immigrants escape from domestic violence. NIJFON volunteers have learned that when we take the time to truly listen to someone’s story about how they came here, what struggles they have endured, and what hope they hold for the future, we gain a connection with someone who at first appeared as a stranger to us. These intentional encounters, which our ministry strives to foster into meaningful relationships, create communities of welcome in our churches. Numerous immigrants have told us that the assistance they received through NIJFON helped them to see the church as a safe, welcoming place. We hope that these immigrants experience not just love and compassion at our NIJFON clinics, but also witness the eagerness by our volunteers to know their stories. We as an annual conference have become enriched by these encounters and blessed to better know our immigrant neighbors. With your help we can reach up to 300 new clients each year. Your financial contributions assist in providing excellent immigration legal advice that otherwise may not be available to those who come to our clinics. We thank you in advance for your faithful generosity. (you’ll find a special offering envelope in your bulletin on Sunday) 
Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON) is a faith-driven, United Methodist ministry, welcoming immigrants into our churches and communities by providing free, high-quality immigration legal services, education and advocacy. For more information, visit jfonnic.org.