This Week's IGRC Events-full

January 9, 2017

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 nearly 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.

Register for Covenant Keepers 2017...

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.

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

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, 2017.

Pastors: your help needed

Full-time pastors who engaged with Monte Chamberlain or Gravie for assistance with choosing a health insurance plan are asked to confirm their utilizing this service with Rick Van Giesen at rvangiesen@igrc.org. Please respond regardless of whether the experience was good or bad to ensure proper billing and payment to the provider.

Pastors who engaged with Chamberlain or Gravie that the service fee paid by the Conference is good for the whole 2017 health insurance year. If you have a problem with your health insurance, Gravie will intercede for you. If you are moving in July and you need to change your plan, you can re-engage with Gravie at no additional cost.

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.

Read more or register online...

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.

Order of St. Luke sets January meetings

The IGRC Chapter of the Order of St. Luke has announced their meeting

schedule for January to May 2017.

Meetings will be as follows with the January meeting listed in parentheses:

Norris City UMC -- second Tuesdays (Jan. 10)
Glasford UMC-- second Thursdays (Jan. 12)
Springfield, Conference Center -- fourth Wednesdays (Jan. 25)

January's study will beChapter 3 of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. and end with Communion near noon.

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.

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...

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...

Ross to lead Wesley Heritage Tour in July 2017

Dr. Roger Ross, directing pastor of Springfield First UMC, is leading a Wesley Heritage Tour July 11-19.

Through Educational Opportunities Tours, Ross will lead a group as they journey through England and discover the roots of the early Church and the history-changing ministry of John Wesley.

Visit London, Oxford, the ancient Roman cities of York and Bath, the Old Rectory in Epworth where John Wesley grew up, and much more. This nine-day guided tour will leave from either St. Louis or Chicago on July 11, and return on July 19.

Cost is $3,896 which includes international airfare, first class hotels, daily buffet breakfast and dinner, entrance fees, professional tour guides, and deluxe motorcoaches.

View a brochure or register online...

Register early and save! If registeredby Jan . 11, 2017, save $25.

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...

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.

Cost is $25 per person. Register online at: www.igrc.org/selfcare2017 .

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

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.