Greetings from Rev. Vickie Hadaway

I am pleased to have served Irving Park United Methodist Church and the surrounding community since July 1, 2007. A second career clergy person, I spent many years in management for various wholesale companies, with a three-year stint as a marketing manager, before answering God's call to ordained ministry. I graduated from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in 2001 and am an ordained elder.

I was born and raised in Michigan and have lived in the Chicagoland area since 1980. I consider myself a diehard fan of Chicago. My husband, Mark, and I have three four-legged children - two Labrador Retrievers and a tabby cat.

I was baptized as an infant and grew up in the United Methodist Church. During my formative years, the church community played an important role in my life. Our family went through some difficult times during my high school years; and unfortunately, we did not have a church community in our lives at that time. During college and throughout my 20s I had little connection with organized religion.

As my 31^st birthday rolled around, I began to acknowledge my feelings of isolation, fear, and the results of poor choices I had made in my 20s. I realized that I wanted my life to count for something more than it had in the past 12 years. Over the next couple years I sought out individual spirituality, God, and occasionally attended a variety of churches with friends.

Then one day, I walked into the Chicago Temple building at 77 W. Washington and attended First United Methodist Church's mid-week, 20-minute service. Because I was working in the Loop at that time, this short, informal church service was something I felt I could handle. With time this grew to Sunday morning worship services and then a six-week book group during Lent.

Since walking in the doors of First UMC, Chicago, I have never looked back. It was like coming home, and I am so grateful! After a couple years of attending First UMC Chicago, God invited me to take the next step and become a minister in the United Methodist Church. After the shock wore off - and this calling was affirmed by my church - I said yes.

Here are just a few of the many reasons I became a minister...

• I believe the Church can be a place of unconditional love and acceptance for all of God's children.
• The Church can make a difference through charity and justice ministries.
• The Church can be a web that connects us together as we find healing and reconciliation as individuals, families, and communities.

You are welcome here...

• no matter where you've been or what you've done or how long you've been away from church

• if you've moved and are looking for a new church home

• if you've never or rarely been to a church in your life

Maybe God is inviting you seek a community of faith - a community that will support you, love you, and challenge you to be all God created you to be.

When I first walked in the doors of First UMC downtown on that Wednesday, I had no idea where God would lead me. And if I could have dreamed a dream for my life, it would have paled in comparison to the life I have been blessed with today. God has a plan for your life - believe it.

"Come visit us at Irving Park UMC and see if that plan includes us. We'd love to share the journey with you!" Pastor Vickie

Pastor Cecilia Obret - Mission Hispana
I am a lifelong United Methodist and I am excited to be serving as a part-time assistant pastor at Irving Park UMC for the Spanish-speaking parishioners through our Mission Hispana. We are in our second year of reaching out to Hispanic/Latinos in the community. On May 10, 2008, I graduated from the Hispanic Latino Academy of Community Faith Development. On July 31, 2008, I graduated from Course of Study from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. We worship at noon on Sundays and invite you to join.us.

Emily Slavicek, student pastor
A third year Masters of Divinity student at Garrett Evangelical, I enjoy the opportunity to be here at Irving Park UMC and to get to know the people better with each week. I am excited for the experiences and opportunities in ministry here. I plan to graduate in May and head back to my home state of Michigan. I currently am working toward ordination on the Elder track in the United Methodist Church.

I interned last year at a campus ministry in Evanston and have a love and calling to camping ministry. I joined Irving Park UCM at the beginning of the school year to experience pastoral leadership in a church setting and I love being here. I currently help out with worship, co-teach confirmation class and am working to learn as much as I can about church administration (the stuff they don’t teach you in seminary).

I am from Michigan, and while I like the excitement of the city, I miss my small town roots. I love to hike, travel, read, put together puzzles, bake, and eat

Stephanie Escher, director of music

Joyce Mylander
I was basically born into this church. They tell me I'm on the "Cradle Roll" here. My family lived in Old Irving Park when I was growing up and we were always an active part of this congregation. After Gerry and I were married at this church, we moved to Logan Square to raise our family. But, we never left Irving Park UMC.

Our children are grown now so we have even more time to enjoy our church lives. I'm the office manager and will always do my best to answer just about any question you may have. Gerry can generally be found nearby helping with the computers or fixing something around the church. We're also pretty good sources of church trivia and history!