IGRC Events-full
March 5, 2018
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2018 Annual Conference materials
Materials for attendees of the 2018 Annual Conference are posted online.
From the main page, pages for a variety of items will be located on the right-hand side menu. Those that are already live on the website include the following:
Online registration goes live April 2 and ends May 17.
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Annual Conference Mission Fair on Friday evening
A Mission Fair designed to provide a dedicated time to generate awareness, enthusiasm and involvement of the mission and ministries, will be held on Friday evening during the 2018 Annual Conference.
All members of the Annual Conference will be encouraged to attend with ice cream bars and popcorn available for everyone.
A request is being made to every group that is requesting display space to have a representative present to answer questions and share ideas with attendees.
The Mission Fair is taking the place of the Annual Conference dinner this year.
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The Light Kids Conference
Conference for kids first through fifth grades hosted by Harvest Ministry Team:
- March 10 -- Marion Aldersgate UMC
- March 24 -- Troy UMC
Begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 2 p.m.
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Handbell Festival
The 30th Annual Handbell Festival, sponsored by the IGRC Chapter of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts (FUMMWA) will be Saturday, March 10 at Peoria First UMC,116 NE Perry, Peoria, with David Harris of the Raleigh Ringers as the clinician.
Total cost is $40 per registrant if their church group has a Fellowship member, $45 per registrant if the group has no Fellowship member.
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Anti-racism rally in Washington
Illinois Christians Encounter Racism (ICER), a part of the Illinois Conference of Churches, is arranging for buses to Washington DC for the anti-racism rally on the National Mall on April 4, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The service in Memphis will be broadcast on the Mall. Buses will leave from LaGrange, Springfield and Carbondale. Cost is $175 per person which includes the bus, a sack lunch, bottle of water and t-shirt. This is the direct cost with no mark-up.
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Beautiful U Girls' Conference
The Beautiful U Girls Conference, hosted by Harvest Ministry Team at Troy UMC.
The world sends too many messages and girls need to hear one clear message - they are loved! Not because of looks or status, but because they are a child of God. The conference is designed to help girls get a clearer message of what true success and beauty is all about.
Speakers are Luan Meeks and Katie Gholson with music by the Harvest Ministry Team. Students can register and attend on their own, but moms and or female ministry leaders are welcome to join in on the day (and many do)!
For more information, contact Tim Price at 618-667-6241.
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Festival of Quilts
Cunningham Children’s Home will host the
14
th
Annual Festival of Quilts
, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Cunningham’s Spiritual Life Center in Urbana. Cunningham’s signature fundraiser, the Festival honors the tradition of the United Methodist Women, and the quilts they have created and donated for more than 120 years for our kids. Each child at Cunningham receives a quilt of their own to wrap them in warmth, safety, and love.
The Festival includes a collection of show quilts that creatively blur the lines between conventional quilt making and fine art. Quilts of all sizes will also be available to purchase through a quilt auction and quilt boutique. Visitors may also enjoy campus tours, featured speakers, goodies from the bake sale, lunch at the café, and handcrafted items from the gift shop.
Admission to the Festival is a suggested donation of $5 per person and all proceeds will benefit children and youth served by Cunningham.
Contact Ginger McKee (217-337-9074) to learn more.
Download flier...
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Unstuck Workshop
Join church consultant Tony Morgan for two sessions in how to get your church unstuck and have greater impact in your community.
The April 16 session will be at Peoria First UMC and is designed for clergy, lay and staff teams. The session will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
The April 17 session will be at Pekin First UMC and geared toward pastors and key leaders. It will be from 9 a.m. to noon.
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Self-Care Retreat
Sponsored by the office of Pastoral Care and Counseling, the Self-Care Retreat is for IGRC clergy and spouses and will be April 25-27 at Pere Marquette State Park and Lodge, Illinois Route 100 (The Great River Road), 13653 Lodge Blvd. in Grafton. Cost is $45 per person, hotel not included. The Retreat registration deadline is April 9.
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Native American Course of Study
The North Central Jurisdictional Native American Course of Study will be on the Spirit Lake Reservation in Devil's Lake, N.D. for two sessions -- May 1-3 and May 5-7.
Courses offered this year will be:
COS 221 -- Bible II -- Torah and Israel's History and COS 524, Theological Reflection -- May 1-3
COS 323 -- Congregational Care and COS 521 -- Bible V -- Acts, Epistles and Revelation -- May 5-7
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Bishop's Open 2018
The 2018 Bishop’s Open will be on Friday, May 11, at the Piper Glen Golf Course Club near Chatham. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. with lunch followed by a shotgun start at noon. Dinner will follow the completion of the golf outing.
Single registrations as well as foursomes can be registered online.
All proceeds of the outing will be for the Our Conference, Our Kids campaign to endow spiritual life programs at each of the five conference agencies dealing with children and youth -- The Baby Fold, Chaddock, Cunningham Home, Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House and the United Methodist Children's Home.
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EarthKeepers training
Global Ministries EarthKeepers equips United Methodist laity and clergy to develop or deepen environmental initiatives in their communities. This is a great opportunity for United Methodists who:
- Feel a deep sense of God’s call to care for the environment, recognize the urgency of the environmental crisis, and are ready to take bold action;
- Need to strengthen their organizing skills and deepen their theological resources to support the development or growth of an environmental project or initiative in their churches and/or communities;
- Want to join a broader community of United Methodists who are engaged in environmental ministries;
- Have some previous experience with environmental issues and/or ministry.
EarthKeepers may have professional experience in science, environment and/or ministry fields, or they may be engaged in religious or environmental work as volunteers.
Deadline for the May 17-20 training is April 26.
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UMW Assembly 2018
United Methodist Women is currently the largest faith-based women's organization in the world and Assembly is the largest quadrennial gathering of that organization. At Assembly you viscerally feel “The Power of Bold” with the combined energy of 8,000 women through communal, face-to-face growth, action, celebration and inspiration.
Assembly 2018 will be in Columbus, Ohio. A Ubuntu Day of Service will precede the event's start on May 17.
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Bleacher removal project
The Midwest Mission Distribution Center is needing volunteers for a bleacher removal project May 26-31, at Darlington High School in Darlington, Wis.
There are many facets to the process for individuals to volunteer.
- Bleacher Removal: individuals involved must be capable of lifting to load the wood and scrap the metal.
- Clerical Assistance: individuals will help to keep track of volunteers on site and the hours worked.
- Refreshment Coordinator: individuals to take charge of drinks, snacks and first aid.
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Sexual ethics training makeup
A makeup session for the mandatory quadrennial sexual ethics training will be Saturday, June 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 at Sugar Creek UMC in Chatham.
This session is for those individuals who were unable to make one of the three weekday sessions in February.
All clergy and laypersons that are appointed or assigned to a local congregation are required to complete this training once every four years. Registration is open through June 16.
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District mission trip
The Mississippi River District and New Baden UMC is planning a mission trip to the Blackfeet United Methodist Parish located in Browning, Mont., Aug. 6-10. This is an agricultural and equine mission for the people of the Blackfeet United Methodist Parish.
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23-31
Tuesday-Sunday-Wednesday
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Bishop's Wesley Heritage Trip
Join Bishop Frank Beard and the 2017 and 2018 Ordination classes from the IGRC for a trip to the birthplace of Methodism. You don't want to miss this golden opportunity to experience and enjoy England.
Get a chance to learn and laugh with the Bishop as we explore our historical roots and retrace the life and legacy of the Wesley family and other significant contributors to the development of the Methodist movement. Travel to Epworth, Oxford, Bristol, London and several charming England villages as we explore our Wesleyan heritage.
Mention Tour HE18 for Bishop Beard's tour
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World Council of Churches internships
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The World Council of Churches is inviting applications to an Internship Programme in 2018. We will be most grateful for your support in finding suitable candidates.
The application deadline is March 15, and the programme's overarching goal is to strengthen church and ecumenical relations with the churches and create benefits for young people through capacity building, ecumenical formation, regional relations, international and multicultural exposure, and leadership building for work in the churches.
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The Illinois Great Rivers Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry is offering a scholarship opportunity for the 2018-2019 school year to undergraduate students. Applicants must be members of a United Methodist Church for a minimum of one year. Scholarships awarded will be sent to the community college, college or university that the student will be attending during the 2017-2018 school year to help pay for their undergraduate tuition. The scholarships awarded will be a minimum of $500.
The deadline is March 15.
Undergraduate and Graduate scholarships through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry are also available.
The deadline is March 7.
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary has announced it will be giving 25 full-tuition scholarships available for students applying for admission as a full-time student for 2018-19.
Ten of the scholarships will be awarded to United Methodist students with awards going to no more than one student per United Methodist conference; five to Hispanic/Latinx students; five to Pan-Methodist fellows; and five students applying to Garrett's new Master of Arts in Public Ministry program. Academic and other requirements must be met.
Deadline for applying is April 1.
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Online mentor training available for laity
God speaks to every person, but oftentimes young people don’t know how to listen for God’s voice. You can help – become a mentor to a young person in your community! The Timothy Circle has created an online training workshop to give adults the tools and resources to be successful mentors.
The four-week online training costs $45 and connects participants to a community of fellow mentors as well as a database of volunteer, work, and educational opportunities to help young people grow in their faith and clarify how they are being called by God.
The online nature of the course means you can log in and participate whenever it is convenient for you. Visit
www.TimothyCircle.com to sign up for a January, April or June training. It’s an excellent way to help churches foster intergenerational connections and take an active role in raising up the next generation of disciples!
The Timothy Circle is a joint project of the Foundation for Evangelism (known for their Denman Awards) and the Richard and Julia Wilke Institute for Discipleship (founded by the authors of DISCIPLE Bible Study).
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United Methodist Center Contact Information
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USPS (U.S. Postal Service)
P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207
Office Phone: 217-529-2040
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UPS and FedEx deliveries only use the street address:
United Methodist Center
5900 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62711
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