Midwest Mission Distribution Center just outside Chatham needs your volunteer time and donations to assist the people of Ukraine. Every $1 donated feeds 6 people. It’s $40 per case. $1200/pallet $1 a bag or $.17/meal. Donate by texting Ukraine to 855-589-1314 or go to midwestmission.org/donate. Transportation cost will be covered by a grant given to our partner organization Northstar Foundation which has been working in the Ukraine and surrounding countries since 1989.

48,000 bags have to be packed. Walk-in volunteers are welcome anytime May 2 - May 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you have a group of 8 or more interested in coming at a different time. Contact Gene Turner at gene@midwestmission.org or 309-331-3766 for possible additional times. Bring a friend, or a group or come and make some new friends in your community. Children accompanied by an adult are welcome. All abilities are welcome - we have standing and sitting jobs. To adhere to food industry and safety issues all volunteers will need to wear a hair net, gloves, mask and close-toed shoes.

The shipment will leave Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC) the week of May 15.

The 40-foot container will be shipped and disbursed through MMDC partner, Northstar Foundation. It will go in through Ukraine. The rice meals provide a nutritious meal to help sustain those who are suffering during this time of war and crisis in Ukraine.

Since opening in 2000, Midwest Mission has been bringing the hearts and hands of God's people together to transform resources into humanitarian and disaster relief through the distribution of education, health, micro business, and disaster relief supplies around the world and around the corner. In 2021, Midwest Mission sent out over $5,981,160 in supplies in 33 international and 256 domestic shipments. For every $1 spent, $7.66 of in-kind supplies were sent to people in crisis around the world and around the corner. To learn more: go to www.midwestmission.org. 

The Pre-Conference workbook's Legislative, Information and Reference sections will be posted online on Monday, May 2, and will be sent via email to voting lay and clergy members that have provided an email address.

Saturday's schedule includes a Prayer Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the Service of Ordination and Commissioning begins at 9:30 a.m. Bishop Frank J. Beard will be the preacher. Adjournment is expected to be around noon on Saturday.

These 90-minute briefings will provide an overview of proposed legislation, explanatory presentations, orientation to Conference processes, and respond to questions about legislation or reports. Annual Conference legislative materials will be sent to all registered members by May 2 and will be available at: www.igrc.org/ac2022downloads. You may participate in any briefing, and there is no pre-registration for the briefings. The online briefings will be recorded for individual viewing and available on the Conference website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your District Superintendent, the host church, or IGRC Director of Connectional Ministries, Curtis Brown (cbrown@igrc.org).

The 2021 Journal-Yearbook is posted online for your viewing and reference.

All printed journals and journal CD's have been mailed to lay and clergy members of the annual conference this week.

You should be receiving them at any time now.

With spring here and bad weather in the forecast, remember that the Conference has an organized disaster response team.

You can hellp in three ways:

Also included on the iGRC website is a copy of the IGRC Disaster Response Plan. It includes information about how you can get involved as well as the roles of all the different conference leaders.

Most importantly, though, if a disaster hits your community, the pastor needs to contact their District Superintendent and IGRC Disaster Response Coordinate Curt Franklin so that resources can be deployed without delay.

First people can help by supporting the IGRC Disaster Response efforts by donating to the IGRC disaster Response fund https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/DisasterResponseMinistry People are always welcome to give to UMCOR but when the disaster is local we can make sure the money gets directed here. We don’t always need a grant from UMCOR.

Second they can join an upcoming training and be ready to respond locally or join an Early Response Team (ERT) and travel with us to help others. https://www.igrc.org/disasterresponse

Third they can pray for those effected by the disaster.

Director of the Wesley Foundation at University of Illinois/Senior Pastor of Urbana Wesley UMC: The Board of Trustees of The Wesley Foundation and the Staff Parish Relations Committee of Wesley United Methodist Church announce a search for the Director of The Wesley Foundation and Senior Pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church (UMC).

In this role, the selected candidate will be chief executive officer of both The Wesley Foundation at the University of Illinois and Wesley United Methodist Church. The Director and Senior Pastor is responsible for coordinating the life of the campus ministry and congregation, communicating the vision and mission of the Foundation and Church, promoting the general interests of the Foundation and Church, conducting the day-to-day administration of the Foundation and Church, and organizing activities toward the strategic goals of the Foundation and Church. Closing date for applications: May 6. Pastors under appointment are reminded they need to seek permission from their District Superintendent in order to apply.

Bishop Frank J. Beard, in his column for the May issue of The Current, answers the question squarely.

"I pray for our pastors and lay leaders that they will be “a non-anxious presence pointing people to the hope that is ours in Jesus Christ.” Leaders set the pace! Perhaps if we, as leaders, spent less time on Facebook and more time on our faces pleading the promises of HIS BOOK, we will begin to see our constituents become filled with the air of Holy Spirit potential rather than being drained by disappointment and despair. Jesus encourages us to put the light on a lampstand and not hide it under a bowl.

Bishop Ken Carter, episcopal leader of the Florida and Western North Carolina conferences, shares seven reasons why he loves The United Methodist Church and plans to remain in the denomination.