The Current Week in Review
December 10, 2021
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Deadline extended to Dec. 28 on BSA vote
The deadline for casting a ballot in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy plan has been extended two weeks -- to Dec. 28. The extension was announced this week by the court overseeing the case.
With a deadline looming, United Methodist leaders last week began advising those churches to vote “no” on a proposed BSA bankruptcy reorganization plan. A press release reiterating that recommendation went out Dec. 2.
The plan seeks to halt a deluge of lawsuits against BSA by creating a fund for those who, as Scouts, experienced sexual abuse from troop leaders or others. Under the plan’s latest version, nearly $1.9 billion has been committed to the fund.
A United Methodist Ad Hoc Committee — consisting of eight annual conference chancellors, two bishops, two lawyers from the General Council on Finance and Administration and two staff members from United Methodist Men — has been part of the bankruptcy negotiations.
Members of the committee have sought a plan that deals compassionately with abuse survivors financially and otherwise, but also protects United Methodist churches from abuse-related lawsuits.
The United Methodist committee was part of mediation talks that continued through the Thanksgiving weekend. But votes on approval for the plan have to be in by Dec. 14, in anticipation of a January bankruptcy court hearing.
So the committee has put out the word that the churches involved — all of them in the U.S. — should vote “no.”
“We do not have a signed settlement that would bring healing to the survivors and a release from claims against United Methodist local churches and other United Methodist entities. These releases are essential to prevent congregations and United Methodist entities from being sued and numerous court cases for United Methodists to defend,” the committee said.
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Special MLK edition of Bishop Palmer's Leadership Clinics
Bishop Gregory V. Palmer is hosting a special MLK Edition of his Leadership Clinic online on Tuesday, Jan. 11 from 9 to 11 a.m. CST.
Dr. Jennings is the Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School. He is also well-published, authoring several books and over 40 scholarly essays. Dr. Jennings is a Calvin College graduate, receiving his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in religion and ethics from Duke Divinity School. An ordained Baptist pastor, Dr.
Jennings is recognized as a major figure in theological education across North America.
Registration fee is $10 for all participants and 100% of the proceeds will be given to General Commission on Religion and Race of the UMC to support their ongoing work helping the church and the world to be free from the brokenness of racism.
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Registration open for Covenant Keepers 2022
Registration is now open for Covenant Keepers 2022 which will be a hybrid event Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at Troy UMC.
Registration can be found on the IGRC website at: https://www.igrc.org/ck2022. At the time of registration, persons will have the choice of registering for the in-person event at Troy or joining on Zoom. Both options are $25.
In keeping with the theme of excellence, the planning team wants to assure everyone that they are paying attention to daily COVID updates. Everyone’s safety is a top priority. You are encouraged to continue to register and to keep watch for future updates. Covenant Keepers will not be cancelled. If necessary, it will become a totally virtual event automatically moving in-person registrants into the virtual mode. If this occurs, you will receive adequate notice to cancel hotel reservations.
No meals will be served on-site and participants will be responsible for their own overnight accommodations. There are several hotels in Troy within a short driving distance from the church. Time for the event will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 31, and from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 1.
The theme is Called to Holy Excellence, based upon Philippians 4:4-9.
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Mandatory sexual ethics training to be online with three options of dates
Desiring to provide support and encouragement to our clergy, the Board of Ordained Ministry with the Bishop’s Response Team on Relational Ethics is offering a fresh approach to the 2021-2024 Quadrennial Ethics and Boundary Training events. Though still mandatory for all appointed and assigned clergy and lay ministers, this year’s workshop will engage the topic of relational ethics from a “whole person” perspective – considering how to strengthen both personal and professional relationships in a highly stressful environment.
The presenter will be the Rev. Dr. David C. Olsen, co-author with Nancy Devor, of the book,Saying No to Say Yes: Everyday Boundaries and Pastoral Excellence (2015). The book explores the difficulties clergy face when they attempt to say “no” by setting effective boundaries in order to say “yes” to the life-giving call of ministry.
Dr. Olson will weave together the basics of boundary-training with a deep understanding of the stressors of church leadership during a pandemic. You’ll glean insights that will encourage and strengthen you not only for leadership within the church, but for all relationships.
This quadrennial training (5.5 hour webinar) will be offered via Zoom on the following dates. Register now for ONE of these three dates. Though identical in content, each training will be hosted live with Dr. Olson leading each one and engaging the unique questions which arise during each session.
Dates: Thursday, January 13, 2022
Friday, January 14, 2022
Saturday, January 15, 2022
Each webinar will begin at 9:00 a.m.and end at 3:30 p.m. Each will be broken into 4 sections with a lunch break.
Topics to be covered will begin with the necessity and history of boundary awareness, the complexity of boundaries in church settings as well as types of boundary issues including the obvious sexual misconduct, social media, email, etc. The afternoon focuses on what makes boundaries so complicated: looking at both internal psychological issues and systemic issues and ending with prevention strategies. Special attention will be given throughout the sessions to the impact of significant anxiety over COVID and the way it has made boundary setting even more complex. Dr. Olson will offer wisdom and encouragement for saying “yes” to the life-giving call of ministry even in the midst of a pandemic.
The training is mandatory for all persons under appointment and will fulfill the requirement for the 2021-24 quadrennium.
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State sexual harassment training needs to be completed by Dec. 31
Churches are reminded that the State of Illinois requires all employees (including pastors) to complete an annual sexual harassment training by Dec. 31.
The 2021 Illinois Harassment Prevention Training Law of the Illinois Human Rights Law requires that all Illinois employers must provide sexual harassment prevention training to all employees. While the IGRC Employee Handbook sections of “Prohibition of Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, and Retaliation” (p. 17-22) meet the minimum standards set forth in the law, the training provided by the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) has updated terms and examples.
The online training can be completed in 30 minutes and a link is provided as a convenience. Churches should have employees document their completion by printing out the certificate at the end of the training.
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Church promotes COVID-19 vaccines in Africa
The United Methodist Church continues to collaborate with governments in Africa to promote COVID-19 vaccinations. Zimbabwe congregations and church-related clinics offer COVID-19 vaccines and testing. Similar efforts are underway in Malawi, Mozambique and Congo. Eveline Chikwanah and Chadrack Tambwe Londe report.
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Life is a marathon: Lessons from a retired pastor
“Everybody is in a marathon, the marathon of the spirit, the marathon of the mind,” 84-year-old retired pastor John Capen shares. “You can take what you're learning from one and apply it to the other.”
Capen, 84, is still active as a part-time pastor at two churches: Athens Federated Church in Athens, N.Y., and Shady United Methodist Church in Bearsville, N.Y. He also continues to run marathons, most recently completing the Tata Consultancy Services New York City Marathon on Nov. 7.
He started running at 38 to improve his health.
After a break for his medical issues and the coronavirus pandemic, he went back into training and started signing up for more marathons. He was in his early 80s by that point.
Now, he still runs all 26.2 miles of the marathons, but sometimes by the time he finishes a race, everybody has packed up and gone home.
But he persists.
“Growing old is a full-time job,” he shares. “It's important to have a close relationship to God. … You have to be in touch with your body, which is one of the privileges of being a marathoner.
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Charge Conference materials available online
Forms and other materials needed to prepare for the 2021 Charge Conference season are now posted online on the IGRC website.
Forms can be accessed through the Church Portal page located in the upper right corner of the IGRC Homepage.
- Choose your District
- Choose your Church
- Type in the six-digit GCFA number for the church as the password
In addition, the Finance Office has put together information needed to build local church budgets for 2022. Apportionments are also available below.
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United Methodist Center Contact Information |
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USPS (U.S. Postal Service)
P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207
Office Phone: 217-529-2040
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UPS and FedEx deliveries only use the street address:
United Methodist Center
5900 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62711
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