This Week's Issue of The Current Week in Review

December 16, 2016


	Click on cover to view or download the January 2017 issue

The January issue of The Current should be arriving on your doorsteps this weekend. The cover story features a story on Dr. Craig Hill, an IGRC elder who is Dean of Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas.

Hill just completed his latest book, Servant of All: Status, Ambition and the Way of Jesus.

In addition, Bishop Frank Beard recalls the experience of getting lost on a fishing trip with his daughter and how that experience underscores the reason for Christ's birth -- to seek and to save those who are lost.

Rev. Julie Smith offers another perspective as the church discerns A Way Forward.

Churches and pastors are reminded to update their Current subscriptions as we begin 2017.

Update your free subscriptions to The Current...

Retirees holding prayer vigil during 12 Days of Christmas

Retired clergy and spouses are being asked to join in a Prayer Vigil for active clergy and spouses during the 12 days of Christmas.

Organized through retired clergy groups, the vigil begins Christmas Day and runs through Jan. 5. The first and last days of the vigil will be all-Conference days with each district's retired clergy taking one of the remaining 10 days (in alphabetical order). The complete schedule is as follows:

Dec. 25 -- Conference-wide prayer
Dec. 26 -- Cache River District
Dec. 27 -- Embarras River District
Dec. 28 -- Illinois River District
Dec. 29 -- Iroquois River District
Dec. 30 -- Kaskaskia River District
Dec. 31 -- LaMoine River District
Jan. 1 -- Mississippi River District
Jan. 2 -- Sangamon River District
Jan. 3 -- Spoon River District
Jan. 4 -- Vermilion River District
Jan. 5 -- Conference-wide prayer

Organized through Preachers' Aid Society, the retirees would like every active clergy in our annual conference and other conferences know that they are being raised up in prayer for the whole period of the celebration of the 12 days and feel as if they each are receiving that hand of prayer on their shoulder during this time.

Bishop issues call to prayer for Jan. 22-28

Bishop Frank J. Beard is asking that the Illinois Great Rivers Conference set aside the week of Jan. 22-28, 2017, as a Week of Prayer for the Way Forward Commission and its work.

The week selected is part of a church-wide call to prayer in 2017 and 2018 as the Commission moves forward its work. Bishops of the church have covenanted with one another to pray 15 minutes each day for the Commission. The second phase is involving each individual annual conference in prayer for a week.

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Covenant Keepers set for Jan. 30-31

Online registration is now open for Covenant Keepers 2017 which will be Jan. 30-31 at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in East Peoria.

Registration and more information can be found at: www.igrc.org/CK2017. Registration is $30 per person and includes a Monday noon luncheon.

The theme for this event is: CK2017: Keepers of the Covenant.

Keynote speakers for the event are Dr. Jay Carter and Dr. Sandra Whitacre Herron.

IRS announces business mileage rates for 2017

The Internal Revenue Service Tuesday issued the 2017 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2017, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 53.5 cents per mile for business miles driven, down from 54 cents for 2016.

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Former Springfield First UMC being redeveloped

Much of the original look of the former First United Methodist Church in downtown Springfield will be preserved -- inside and out -- say developers who plan to convert the complex to apartments and office space.

Members of the city Economic Development Commission on Tuesday unanimously recommended city approval of the $8.5 million redevelopment project, including a request for $985,000 from a downtown tax increment financing district. The project of The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and The Springfield Project community development group next goes to the city council, where approval could come as early as January.

"This is one of the best projects to ever come to us," said commission chairman Mike Pittman.

Bishop Hill UMC celebrates Swedish Christmas

Bishop Hill recently celebrated a Swedish Christmas tradition by hosting a Lucia Nights celebration Dec. 9-10. This Swedish tradition is based on a legend of Saint Lucia, Queen of Light. Girls in Sweden today wake their families on Dec. 13 carrying a tray of Lucia buns while dressed in a white robe and wearing a crown of candles.

Bishop Hill UMC was a former Swedish Methodist Church that unified with the Methodist Church in America.

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Church-school partnership celebrated

A 2015 partnership between the Shiloh Village School District and Shiloh UMC is being celebrated by the school district's superintendent.

"We are able to help our students have a good breakfast and lunch while at school, but the weekends brought to some a gap in food availability," wrote Superintendent Dale Sauer. "To that end, the Weekend Wildcats food program began. The students participating in the program receive a backpack of food each Friday to help their families ensure they are receiving nutritious meals and snacks over the weekend."

Students participating in the program are referred by Shiloh faculty and staff and must be on the free-lunch list to qualify. All names of students and their families are kept confidential and are managed by the school social worker. The program started with 10 students and have served up to 30 at various times during the school year. The Wildcats program currently benefits 24 students at Shiloh Elementary and Middle schools.

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Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/news/local/community/ofallon-progress/article118421298.html#storylink=cpy

Shelbyville First UMC food pantry fills the gaps

Since the CEFS food pantry closed nearly a year ago, the food pantry at Shelbyville First United Methodist Church has had a steady increase in the number of clients, serving almost 700 people in August.

For more than 20 years, the food pantry at the United Methodist Church has aided county residents who are struggling with the choice of paying their bills or feeding their families.

"We're here to help the hungry - that's the bottom line," said administrator David Mills. "We don't judge. It's not our place to judge. There's a lot of people who need help."