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Persons needing motel rooms while attending Covenant Keepers 2017 Jan. 30-31 in East Peoria can now contact the Holiday Inn Express,1100 Bass Pro Drive in East Peoria.
A second block of rooms have been arranged after the Holiday Inn, site of the event, is sold out.
The Holiday Inn Express can be reached directly at 309-694-9800. Use Block Code "UMC" to secure the $114 per night room rate.
Pastors will also have the opportunity to have their photo taken for the IGRC Clergy Directory at Covenant Keepers.
Register for Covenant Keepers 2017...
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Week of Prayer for the Way Forward 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.
Bishop Beard said the selection of the week of Jan. 22 was strategic in that events inside and outside the church have called for people to be united.
"The week will be the first week in which a new president will be leading the country following a very contentious campaign," he said. "And the week overlaps the Week of Prayer and Christian Unity, a worldwide ecumenical focusing on unity within the Christian faith."
Prayer coordinators have been recruited and will be assisting Bishop Beard during the week. Additional resources will be provided in the weeks prior to Jan. 22 to assist congregations and pastors in this endeavor.
The Upper Room has developed a website called
UMCprays.org. The website features many tools and resources to help you to plan for the week of prayer.
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Annual reports can now be filed online
EZRA -- the on-line tool for local churches to report their year-end statistics -- is now available. The Conference office will be sending out instructions and reminders, but if you want to get a jump on it, the website is:
http://ezra.gcfa.org
A link may also be found on the Conference website homepage and at
www.igrc.org/ezra
The username for your church is the six-digit number assigned to your church by GCFA (it is the same number found on your remittance reports from my office). The initial password is password. You will be prompted to change the password when you enter the system for the first time.
Deadline to submit your reports is March 31.
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Fairview Heights Christ to host Large Church Initiative event
Fairview Heights Christ will be hosting the denomination's Large Church Initiative event,
Navigating Change, May 8-10.
Keynote speakers include Jon Acuff, Thom Rainer, Telley Gadson, Brad Kalajainen, Adam Weber, Ashley Cooper and Bishop Robert Schnase.
More information can be obtained from the event website as:
www.lc17.com.
A Facebook page has also been established for the event.
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New online course available
A new online course for clergy and laity on worship and liturgy is being offered by the Richard and Julia Wilke Institute at Southwestern College in cooperation with the beadisciple.com platform.
Patterned by Grace: How Liturgy Shapes Us will be taught by Rev. Daniel Benedict, who served as Worship Resources Director of the General Board of Discipleship from 1993 to 2005.
The course starts April 17 and costs $55 per participant.
In six three-day segments, students in the course will explore liturgy with short assignments around provocative questions and share in online discussions with each other and the author.
The aim will be to create a groove in students' heart and brain where worship and liturgy catch fire in our souls and daily life.
The course will help laity, pastors, and church musicians who want to discover the formational and transformational power of the Spirit at work in the Church's historic worship. It will be especially helpful to Lay Servants, Lay Speakers, Certified Lay Ministers and a strong refresher for pastors. More information can be found at:
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Two Reaching New People workshops scheduled
Two Reaching New People workshops, sponsored by the IGRC Office of Congregational Development, are currently scheduled this spring: March 11 at Kansas UMC and April 1 at Elmwood UMC.
Plan now to bring a team from your church.
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Mission Day at Cunningham Home March 11
The Annual Mission Day at Cunningham Children's Home will be Saturday, March 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Middle school and high school youth groups are invited to join the agency for an inspiring day as we offer a first-hand look at the mission and exemplary programs offered at Cunningham.
Youth will learn:
* what happens daily to help the vulnerable and hurting youth that we serve
* the importance of faith for healing
* the involvement of United Methodists in our mission
* how to put their prayers, presence, gifts, and service into action
Contact Bernice Dallas by email or by calling 217-337-9058 with any questions.
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Eden hosts workshop in person and online
The Walker Leadership Institute at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis will host a conference
Tools for Leadership: Resources and Results on Jan. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
During the workshop, participants will explore ways to secure funding from resources beyond a congregation's pledges and regular income including grant writing, collective impact, space sharing, and fee-based services. Church leaders -- both clergy and laity -- can attend in person on Eden's campus or online via live webcast.
The workshop speaker will be Mary McMurtrey, director of community engagement for the St. Louis Community Foundation and Steve Lawler, director of the Walker Leadership Institute and rector of St. Stephen's and The Vine Episcopal Church.
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VIM Mission Leadership Training Jan. 21
tThe 2017 VIM Mission Leadership Training will be Saturday, Jan. 21 at O'Fallon UMC. in O'Fallon.
This training is for anyone who is planning to lead a mission trip in 2017. They will learn the practical details of planning and carrying out a mission work trip and how to prepare the team members for the experience.
Information and registration can be found at:
http://www.igrc.org/2017missionworktriptraining.
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Five-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation slated
The 2017 Five-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation will be April 23-28 at Lake Williamson Christian Center in Carlinville.
The Academy is a program of Upper Room Ministries, providing an opportunity for clergy and laity to tune their hearts toward God through a daily rhythm of prayer, worship, learning and reflection. Each day includes teachings by gifted spiritual leaders to deepen our walk with God, periods of silence, morning and evening prayer, Eucharist, and an opportunity to share with and encourage one another.
Registration through March 6 is $675 which includes tuition, room and board plus all supplies for the week. After March 6, the cost rises to $700 through April 3. Rooms are single occupancy with private baths. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required at the time of registration.
Continuing education credit is available for participants who commit to full-time participation.
Read more and register online...
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Extension School offerings for the April-May term
Feb. 10 is the deadline to register for the April-May classes. These classes will meet April 7-8 and May 5-6. The classes offered in this term are:
- COS 123: Formation and Discipleship
- COS 223: Worship and Sacraments
Read more and register online...
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Confirmation retreats at East Bay, Little Grassy camps
A confirmation retreat for middle school and junior high students from sixth to eighth grades are is being offered Feb. 10-12 at East Bay Camp.
The Little Grassy retreat has been cancelled.
The East Bay retreat will be taught by Keith Michaels.
Confirmands will be discussing such questions as:
- What does it mean to be a member of a church?
- What are YOUR responsibilities?
- What expectations come with confirmation?
Material from Credo will give an opportunity for your students to grow as they learn.
Retreats are designed to complement, not replace the confirmation classes at the local church. The session will start at 7 p.m. Friday and end after worship by 11 a.m. Sunday.
Cost for the retreat is $100 per person for two nights. One adult must attend with each group of five or fewer youth.
Read more...
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PCC Self-Care Retreat April 21-22
The office of Pastoral Care and Counseling will host a Self-Care Retreat for IGRC clergy and spouses April 21-22 at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville.
Childcare will be available at a cost of $10 per family and will be provided at Belleville St. Matthew UMC, just minutes from the Shrine. Parents must pick up and drop off children as no transportation will be provided. Childcare registration deadline is April 1 and reservations can be made at
www.igrc.org/selfcare2017-childcare
.
Topics of workshops during the retreat include:
- Do We Encourage or Discourage Self-Care as a Culture?
- Our Healthiest Selves with Nutrition and Exercise
- Sacred Spaces: An Experiential Faith Exploration
- Wake Up Your Life
- Chair Yoga and Healthy Living
- Marriage Self-Care
- Finding Your Treasures
- "What My Spouse Doesn't Tell Me" Benefits Education
- Understanding Stress and Management of Chronic Stress
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Renovate Youth Conference
Renovate Youth Conference is a two-day discipleship event for students in 6th - 12th grades hosted in East Moline Feb. 10-11. Early Registration cost is $35 for students and $20 for adults.
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Fire-up Conference
Crystal Kirgiss will be the speaker for the 2017 Fire-Up Senior High Conference hosted at Troy UMC Feb. 24-26.
Kirgiss serves as adjunct faculty at Purdue University where she teaches English and researches the history of adolescence. For 25 years, she has worked with students in church, parachurch, educational, and community settings. She is the author of many books for adults and students, most recently
In Search of Adolescence: A New Look At an Old Idea which presents a broad historical survey of youth throughout the centuries. She regularly speaks to youth workers, parents, students, and congregations on a variety of topics. She lives in Indiana with her husband Mark, a veteran youth worker.
The weekend consists of worship, small groups, seminars, meals, recreation and community.
Registration is now open and for more information, visit the link below or call 618-667-6241.
Read more and register online...
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Light Kids Conference in three locations
Harvest Ministry Teams will host three Light Kids Conferences for children in first through fifth grade and their ministry leaders.
The conference will be at Washington Crossroads UMC on March 4; Troy UMC on March 25 and Marion Aldersgate on April 1.
The one-day event includes music, Bible Buzz, MERGE Recreation, entertainment, snacks, lunch and worship times centered around the theme RESCUED!
Read more...
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Sincerely,
Paul Black
Illinois Great Rivers Conference
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