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The United Methodist Church's top court faces a number of questions about the election of the denomination's first openly gay bishop - including whether it should weigh in at all.
The Judicial Council is set to meet April 25-28 in Newark, New Jersey, and
leading its docket is a petition from the South Central Jurisdictional Conference asking for a ruling on questions related to the election, consecration and assignment of a bishop in a same-sex marriage.
Any decision on
that petition could affect Bishop Karen Oliveto, who is legally married to a United Methodist deaconess. The U.S. Western Jurisdiction
elected Oliveto in July, and she now leads the Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone conferences. However, Oliveto is not a party in the case, and the questions in the petition do not name her.
Read more...
Council of Bishops President Bishop Bruce Ough has called on all United Methodists to pray unceasingly, intentionally and earnestly for the unity of the church as the Judicial Council ponders its decision on the election of Bishop Karen Oliveto.
In a statement to the nearly 13 million United Methodist Church members released two days after Easter Sunday, Bishop Ough said Easter is "the season of waiting for the Holy Spirit to come among us and make it possible for us to hear one another, to understand one another, to know the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Read more...
Read the full pastoral letter...
Read Rev. Bob Phillips' letter to congregants at Peoria First UMC...
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2017 Annual Conference links
Registration for the 2017 Annual Conference will be opening Saturday.
The agenda can be viewed by visiting the IGRC website at:
www.igrc.org/ac2017agenda. Additional information will be added.
Persons are able to set up a mobile app and pre-select which agenda items apply to them. Once set up, the app sends a daily schedule to the user each morning prior to the start of Annual Conference. Any last-minute changes to room assignments and schedule will be pushed out through the app to those using it.
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.
- 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!
Workshops announced for 2017 Annual Conference
Four workshops will be offered each of two days on Thursday and Friday noon at the 2017 Annual Conference. Identical sessions will be offered both days and each person will be able to register for the workshops as part of the Annual Conference registration.
Workshops for the 2017 Annual Conference:
- Building the Church in Prayer -- Rev. Dr. Terry Teykl, author of several books, including Pray and Grow, Pray the Price, Blueprint for the House of Prayer, Acts 29, Preyed on or Prayed For, Making Room to Pray, How to Pray After You've Kicked the Dog and Outside the Camp. Dr. Tekyl will also be the Friday Morning Manna speaker and speaker at the Saturday Morning Community Prayer Breakfast that will be held at nearby Bethel UMC and hosted by the Conference's United Methodist Men.
- Can We Talk?: Respectful Communication in a Polarized Church and Society -- Rev. Stephanie Ann Hixon, executive director of the JustPeace Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation.
- Evangelism for Non-Evangelists -- Rev. Dr. Mark R. Teasdale, E. Stanley Jones Associate Professor of Evangelism, Garret-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
- Reaching New and Next Generations: Ministry with Gen Xers and Millennials -- Rev. Dr. Joe Scheets and Rev. Jessica Baldyga, pastors of Effingham Centenary UMC in the Embarras River District.
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Religion and Race to host pre-Conference event
The Conference Commission on Religion and Race will host a program,
A Day of New Beginnings, which will be from 2 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, prior to the start of Annual Conference
Refreshments consisting of fruits, cheese tray and crackers and cookies will be provided free of charge.
In order to have an estimated headcount, please indicate whether you will attend below. Should crowd exceed the size of the room, a change in rooms will be made to accommodate the crowd.
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Conference Prayer Vigil during Annual Conference
Each year during Annual Conference, laity ask each district to pray at a certain designated time for the Conference. This certainly doesn't mean that this is the only time you can pray but it gives each district a designated time.
Assignments for the 2017 Annual Conference are as follows:
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Annual Conference Special offering and collections
Three offerings will be taken at the 2017 Annual Conference as well as collections for two agencies. Churches are encouraged to take up collections for each of these offerings and send them with their lay or clergy member to Annual Conference. This allows the church to write one check and the congregation to be credited for its gift.
An offering for the John Kofi Asmah School in West Point, Liberia, will be taken for furnishings for the school IGRC laity built several years ago.
An offering will also be taken for the Ordinands' Trip in Spring 2018 during the Service of Ordination and Commissioning. This trip is used to form spiritual leaders at the beginning of their ministry.
A third offering will be taken as part of the Black College Ambassador's report for the Tom Brown Scholarship at Wiley College. The relationship with Wiley College is long-standing and the offering is held annually in memory of the late Rev. Tom Brown, a former trustee of the school from the former Central Illinois Conference.
In addition, the Midwest Mission Distribution Center is asking for items for kits assembled by the Center:
- Kitchen dishwashing gloves
- Insect repellent spray, 6 to 14 oz. (ex. Off, Cutter)
- Scouring pads
- Pens -- no advertising
- Protractors
The Center will also be collecting the following items for Fair Hope Ministry, a Danville-area agency in the Iroquois River District. Churches are encouraged to have an Undie Sunday prior to Annual Conference to collect these items:
The Midwest Mission Distribution Center will be in the loading dock area outside the Peoria Civic Center lobby area to take collections.
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Clergy directory photos
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.
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Nominations sought for the Cramer-Heuerman Social Justice Award
Nominations of clergy are being sought for the Cramer-Heuerman Social Justice Award which is awarded in the odd-numbered years by the IGRC chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action.
In essay form, nominators are asked to explain why the nominee exemplifies the work of MFSA and lives a life in accordance with the objectives of MFSA. Work, volunteer activities, lifetime and lifestyle characteristics and pursuits, as well as any relevant dates, activities or achievements will be considered.
The objectives of MFSA are:
- to witness prophetically to the Biblical faith in solidarity with persons who are oppressed;
- to establish a society based on democratic social-economic principles, according human dignity to all without discrimination based on race, gender, age, sexual identity, handicapping condition, or class distinction;
- to defend civil liberties and human rights as set forth in Biblical tradition and the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights; and,
- to work to abolish nuclear arms and eliminate war between nations.
The award will be given at the Social Justice Banquet at Annual Conference Thursday evening.
All nominations must be
submitted by May 1, and should be sent to:
Pat Davis, 3204 Ridge Park Rd., Urbana, IL 61802, or by emailing:
pat@bnpdavis.com
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Global Ministries partner in April 29 Potato Drop
The Conference Baord of Global Ministries will host a Potato Drop on Saturday, April 29, at the Central Illinois Food Bank, 1937 E. Cook St. in Springfield.
Volunteers are needed to work at the Food Bank to sort canned and frozen food. A minimum of 40 volunteers are needed for this effort.
Email Jeff Thornton if you plan to work on this day.
The Potato Drop will begin at 8 a.m. and should finish by 10:30 a.m. with sufficient volunteers.
Potatoes will be available one of two ways. An estimated 38,000 pounds will be available for distribution. The first way to obtain potatoes is to pick them up in person at the Food Bank the day of the event. Requests need to be
emailed to Thornton in advance. The potatoes will be in individual 10 pound bags and wrapped in 50 pound bundles.
The second method of distribution will be partner agencies of Central Illinois Food Bank will be able to order the amount through the Food Bank. The Central Illinois Food Bank will distribute close to 12 million pounds of food supplies this year to those that are hungry.
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Stroble to preach Prentice Sermon at Mt. Carmel Trinity UMC April 23
Mt. Carmel Trinity UMC will host the annual Prentice Sermon, sponsored by the IGRC Commission on Archives and History on Sunday, April 23, at the church's 9 a.m. worship service.
Dr. Paul Stroble, chair of the Commission on Archives and History, will be the preacher.
The Prentice Sermon began with a bequest from a Methodist layman in Springfield to honor a group of persons who are well known for their untiring proclamation of the Gospel, the pioneer Methodist circuit riding preachers. Hiram Buck Prentice made his bequest to the Illinois Conference in 1922 to pay the expenses of one of the ministers of the Illinois Conference to preach upon the topic, "the Ministry and service as exemplified by the lives and labors of pioneer preachers of the Illinois Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church."
Mt. Carmel is one of two IGRC communities that will be celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2017 and three Methodist ministers were instrumental in the community's founding.
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Making a Good Move for new appointments
Many pastors have already begun the work of preparing for your next appointment. There are movers to contact, items to pack and many arrangements to be made before that important day arrives. Bishop Frank J. Beard joins with the Cabinet in praying for a smooth transition for you and those who might be traveling with you.
It is in that spirit that a seminar is being designed to be helpful as you begin your new appointment as pastor and congregation. Bishop Beard, along with Rev. Mike Crawford and Rev. Gifty Smith, will be facilitating a workshop entitled Making a Good Move. This two-day event is designed to enhance your ministry and to prepare you for a successful transition.
ALL clergy that are receiving a new appointment are expected to be present at this seminar along with representatives of their new church/charge.
The Making a Good Move event will take place on May 12-13, at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, IL. The workshop will begin on Friday at 4 p.m. and continue until 8 p.m. Dinner will be provided. On Saturday, a light breakfast will be offered, beginning at 8 a.m. and concluding at noon.
There is no charge for this workshop; however, you will need to make your own arrangements for lodging. We anticipate that the receiving congregation(s) will care for the lodging and mileage reimbursements. The Crowne Plaza has reserved a block of rooms for us at $109 per night. Call the hotel (217-529-7777) and identify yourself as part of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference group. Registration deadline is May 1.
Should you have any questions about this event, please contact Nancy Patton at the Illinois Great Rivers Conference Office (217-529-2397,
njpatton@igrc.org). Please secure your reservation as soon as possible. We look forward to joining you and assisting you in making a good move!
Register online...
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Fair Economy Illinois organizes march to the Capitol
Fair Economy Illinois, a group organized by Rev. Charles Straight, a pastor in the Northern Illinois Conference, will be sponsoring a march from Chicago to Springfield May 15-30.
The group is seeking help from United Methodist churches along the way.
They envision this march as an opportunity for neighbors to come together. We want to provide space for storytelling, a time for our neighbors to share how they have been hurt by the budget crisis. We need your help to make this happen. There are many ways for our United Methodist sisters and brothers to support this march:
- Marching -- Are there folks in your congregation who would like to march, either for the entire journey or just for a day?
- Lodging and Food -- Could your congregation offer a place to sleep and food to eat?
- Hosting a Town Hall -- Could your congregation host a town hall meeting where folks can share their stories and struggles as we discuss our vision for the budget?
- Financial -- Could your congregation make a financial contribution to this work?
Read more...
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Sincerely,
Paul E. Black
Illinois Great Rivers Conference
217-529-2848
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