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March 3, 2017

Elkville Tornado

Washburn Tornado -- Full Chase Video

Tornadoes ripped through six states, including Illinois Feb. 28 ripped through six states and once again, United Methodists are being asked to respond.

Tornadoes touched down in Washburn in the Illinois River District, as well as the Elkville-Vergennes and Carmi-Crossville region of the Cache River District. Two fatalities were reported -- one in Ottawa in the Northern Illinois Conference and one in Crossville.

Elkville UMC had to cancel Ash Wednesday services as the blacktop between Elkville and Vergennes was closed. News reports indicated that U.S. 51 remained closed Thursday as authorities began removing debris and restoring power due to downed power lines. Elkville schools have been identified as the command center.

Crossville, located in White County had 17 homes damaged. MMDC delivered 150 totes to Crossville UMC Thursday. Matt Henson has mobilized a team of pastors from the area to distribute the totes to the damaged homes.

In the Metro East area, Maryville St. Luke's parsonage and church sustained somedamage but the church's Ash Wednesday services were held as planned.

The six-state region hit by storms included Perryville, Mo., where IGRC retired pastor Bruce Owens lives. Earlier today, contact was made through social media and Owens reports he is fine despite heavy storm damage to the area. Owens is pastoring a Presbyterian church in the community.

Here's what you can do:

Volunteer when requests are made to assist with cleanup. The City of Ottawa has already posted information on the city's website with the latest information.
Donations are being collected for residents in the Crossville and Phillipstown area.
Food, gift cards, water, batteries, trash bags, totes are being collected at the Village Hall in Crossville. For additional information, call Brandi Williams (618-383-4864) or Hannah (618-966-2237).
Donate to the Conference Disaster Fund #6800, or if you wish to assist in disaster response to the entire six-state region, donate to UMCOR Advance #901670 Disaster Response -- U.S. Designate your offerings to "Spring 2017 Tornadoes." In addition to donating online, you can make your offerings through your local church and have your church treasurer remit these offerings with the church's apportionment payments to the conference.
Assist by assembling personal dignity kits for the Midwest Mission Distribution Center. The Center will also accept donations as they can use the money to purchase supplies in bulk.
Become an early responder. An early response training will be held at Eldorado UMC in Cache River District on April 8. For those early responders needing re-certification, a re-certification will be on March 18 at Marion Aldersgate, also in the Cache River District. Information can be found on the Conference Disaster Response page.
Attend the Jurisdictional Disaster Response Academy April 26-30, which will be at Camp Warren in Decatur. Take advantage that an event will draw persons from 10 conferences in the Upper Midwest is in the IGRC backyard. Read more...

Above everything else, pray! Prayer is the one thing everyone can do. Pray for the communities, the families and individuals that have been affected by these storms. Pray for those volunteers that will respond and for professional first responders who put their lives in harm's way for our safety.

Clergywomen Lenten Retreat March 23

Bishop Frank J. Beard is inviting clergywomen and laywomen serving local churches to a Lenten Retreat March 23 at the Chiara Center, 4875 LaVerna Road, Springfield. There is no cost but registration is required prior to March 15.

Register online...

2017 Annual Conference links

Several items related to the 2017 Annual Conference which will be June 8-10, at the Peoria Civic Center has been posted to the IGRC website.

The main page for the 2017 Annual Conference is: www.igrc.org/ac2017. Secondary pages are found to the right-hand menu area. Additional pages will be added as information becomes available.

Registration will open April 1. However, the following information is available now:

Secretary's letter from Annual Conference Secretary Joy Caschetta. This letter along with an annual conference checklist will be arriving in the mail but you can view it online now.
Annual Conference Checklist includes a list of deadlines, some of which have changed due to the shortened annual conference schedule.
Hotel list of the Annual Conference block of rooms. Conferees are responsible for making their own reservations. Now is the best time to reserve your room. Rates are guaranteed through May 16, but rooms are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Request for Special Meals. Due to the shortened schedule and workshops being scheduled over the noon hours on Thursday and Friday, groups may have to choose alternate times for their special meals. Requests need to be made by March 6.
Request for Display Space. Setup and tear down times have been modified to conform to the new schedule. Requests need to be made by March 27.
Information on submitting reports/resolutions. Provides a summary on the process for submitting items for consideration by the Annual Conference. Includes the deadlines, dates and responsibilities.
Information on A/V and tech support. Information for presenters at the Annual Conference. Includes deadlines to ensure third-party items work with the equipment and those who seek help for creative assistance by IGRC Communications. Deadlines are strictly enforced! Plan early!

LifeTouch Studios is now setting up online appointments for clergy to have their photos taken at the 2017 Annual Conference on June 8 and 9.

A new clergy directory will be produced this year. Clergy who had their photos taken at Covenant Keepers 2017 will not need to have them taken again.

There is no cost for having one's photo taken. Persons will receive a free 8 x 10 or wallet size photos and clergy photo badges can be purchased at the time of the shooting.

Click the photo to the right to be taken to the appointment page.

Community-based diabetes care saves lives

Missionary Mary Zigbuo introduces a young patient who has benefitted from the life-saving diabetes work at Ganta Hospital in Liberia.