The Current Week in Review
January 27, 2023
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Wespath expands services to Methodist kin
The United Methodist Church’s pension and benefits agency now extends its services to two other denominations in the broader Wesleyan family — strengthening ecumenical ties at a time of United Methodist upheaval.
Since November, Wespath Benefits and Investments has administered retirement benefits for clergy and lay employees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church — stepping up to help as the AME Church grapples with a pension crisis.
Since July, Wespath has been administering a retirement plan as well as death and disability benefits for the newly formed Global Methodist Church. This month, Wespath also started offering health benefits for some participants in the new theologically conservative denomination that broke away from The United Methodist Church last May.
In addition, the agency is administering retirement plans for churches that have disaffiliated from The United Methodist Church and opted to become independent.
The Rev. Rick Van Giesen, former IGRC Director of Administrative Services and Conference Treasurer, is serving on a contractual basis with the Global Methodist Church to design the new benefit plan. Prior to accepting the position with the GMC, Van Giesen contacted Bishop Beard and indicated he remains a retired United Methodist pastor. Van Giesen is known nationally as one of the most knowledgeable persons on pension and benefit programs.
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Love!
One of the bedrock principles of our faith is to love others ahead of self.
In a recent column, Bishop Beard sounds a note of caution as churches are completing discernment processes toward disaffiliation.
He expresses concern for those persons in disaffiliating churches that are displaced by the church conference's action. While some disaffiliating churches have indicated they welcome those persons who wish to remain to join them. Very few have offered to assist the displaced members in finding a new church home within The United Methodist Church. It is to these churches that Bishop Beard expresses his thoughts in a column in February's issue of The Current:
"In the IGRC the disaffiliation process has been civil, and non-combative. I have done my best to oversee a process that is mutually respectful, fair, transparent, and open. Most of the churches and pastors have been willing to accept my plea to 'wait until we know what General Conference will do.' I appreciate the restraint and the trust.
"For the very small (but still important) percentage choosing to “get out now,” I have deep concerns about the unintended carnage being left behind. I’m not sure that some seeking to disaffiliate have considered the message they are sending to members of their congregation that do not want to disaffiliate."
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Prairie Fire Prayer Meetings slated across the IGRC
God is up to something amazing in the churches of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, and we want to invite you to join us in prayer for God to continue to pour down the Holy Spirit on our churches, our leaders, and our ministries. IGRC staff directors Curtis Brown and Sam Rodriguez are traveling across our Conference hosting prayer meetings to invite God set our Prairie State on fire with passion for Christ’s mission.
Everyone is welcome to these hour-long meetings. We’ll seek God’s word together, but spend most of our time praying for God’s blessings on our churches, pastors, and leaders. We’ll seek together God’s permission for us to reach out to new people in our communities. And we’ll seek God’s guidance for how our churches will move into a vibrant future of engaging a new generation with God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Join us at any location:
- Jacksonville Grace UMC – Wed. Feb 1 @ 10 a.m.
- Pawnee UMC – Wed Feb 1 @ 3 p.m.
- Decatur First UMC – Wed Feb 1 @ 7 p.m.
- Mattoon First UMC – Thur Feb 2 @ 10 a.m.
- Paris First UMC – Thur Feb 2 @ 3 p.m.
- Harrisburg UMC – Tues Feb 7 @ 3 p.m.
- Carbondale First UMC – Tues Feb 7 @ 7 p.m
- Lawrenceville FIrst UMC – Wed Feb 8 @ 10 a.m.
- Mt. Vernon First UMC – Wed Feb 8 @ 3 p.m.
- Effingham Centenary UMC – Thurs Feb 9 @ 10 a.m.
- Greenville UMC – Thur Feb 9 @ 3 p.m.
- Quincy Melrose Chapel UMC – Weds Feb 22 @ 10 a.m.
- Macomb Wesley UMC – Wed Feb 22 @ 3 p.m.
- Site to Be Determined – Wed Feb 22 @ 7 p.m.
- Moline Riverside UMC – Thur Feb 23 @ 10 a.m.
- Site to Be Determined -- Thur Feb 23 @ 3 p.m.
- Site to Be Determined -- Thur Feb 23 @ 7 p.m.
- Coal City UMC – Tues Mar 7 @ 10 a.m.
- Site to Be Determined -- Tues Mar 7 @ 3 p.m.
- Normal First UMC – Tues Mar 7 @ 7 p.m.
- Alton Main Street UMC – Wed Mar 8 @ 10 a.m.
- Site to Be Determined -- Wed Mar 8 @ 3 p.m.
If you’d like to host a prayer meeting contact Curtis Brown (cbrown@igrc.org or 217-529-2442), and we’ll see if we can set one up!
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Why We are Staying United Methodist
United Methodists do not face a “binary choice,” the pastor of the denomination’s largest church in America told his congregation last spring, foreshadowing the schism that has since become full-blown.
A video of Adam Hamilton, pastor of Church of the Resurrection in suburban Kansas City, speaking with his congregation about the future of the denomination has begun circulating once again as hundreds of churches are leaving The United Methodist Church to join the new Global Methodist Church.
While those who advocate leaving the UMC often portray the debate as an all-or-nothing mandate on LGBTQ issues, it’s not that simple, Hamilton said.
“I don’t think this is this binary choice. I think there are conservative Christians who have gay kids who say, ‘I want a church that’s going to welcome my kid.’ And I think there are progressive Christians who are ready to embrace same-sex marriage and are more progressive on theology who might be more conservative on other social issues.”
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Why Stay United Methodist
"One of the most intellectually and factually dishonest things being said today is something similar to this: "If you want to be conservative/orthodox, you need to join the Global Methodist Church. If you want to be progressive/liberal, you need to be United Methodist," writes Rev. Sky McCracken, a multi-time elected General Conference delegate from the Western Kentucky-Tennessee Conference and pastor of FIrst UMC in Jackson, Tenn.
McCracken notes: "Consider the words conservative, orthodox, centrist, progressive, and liberal. Many of us think we know what these words mean, claim them for ourselves, or interchangaably in politics. social mores and Christian theology. That would be a grave mistake and poorly defining the words.
"Why remain United Methodist? At this time–for better or worse–there have been no changes made in church law regarding anything being “fought over” at the present. Are there likely changes to be made? Probably not in the near future. For those changes to be made, the denomination would more than likely have to be broken into regional areas (i.e., the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Philippines). That would take years of amendments to the Book of Discipline (our church law). Then once regionalized, some changes regarding human sexuality might happen."
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February issue of The Current
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The February issue of The Current is now available online and print subscribers will receive their copy in the mail in the next few days.
The cover story, Lincoln Among the Methodists, explores the president's relationships with the various Methodists of his day -- particularly Peter Cartwright and Bishop Matthew Simpson.
The IGRC will be hosting the North Central Jurisdiction's Historic Symposium in Springfield July 10-13.
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New year-end reporting tool for local churches
A new year-end reporting tool for local churches have been unveiled by the General Council on Finance and Administration and has been adopted for use by IGRC churches.
The IGRC AC Stats is open for 2022 annual statistical reporting and ready to be accessed by the local church. The report from local churches is due Feb. 28.
The reporting is the same as has been used in the past with three tables using the same questions. What is different is how to access the report.
Church have two options -- they can access the direct year-end reporting option from the AC Stats link on the homepage or they can access it through a new Church Dashboard that is replacing the Church Portal page on the IGRC website. The long-term goal is to create a one-stop shop for local churches when it comes to interactions with the conference.
Each option for AC States has a different user name and password for access so please read carefully!
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Bishop's Confirmation Rally March 25
Bishop Beard is inviting all students that are engaged in confirmation classes or were recently confirmed to join in a Day of Celebration and Witness with him on Saturday, March 25 at Springfield First UMC, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The celebration will be a day of interactive fun, worship, fellowship and of course, food!
There is a small pre-registration fee of $5 per student. Adult leaders are free but must register so there is an accurate headcount for lunch.
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Registration for Covenant Keepers now open
Registration is now open for Covenant Keepers 2023, which will be Feb. 27-28 at the Regency Convention Center in O’Fallon.
The theme for the event is Joyful Resilience, based upon Psalm 30: 11-12 and Isaiah 55:12.
Links for making hotel accommodations have been added to the registration form. Those already registered can access the registration form to get direct links to the Hilton Garden Inn, the Hampton Inn or Fairfield Inn to make reservations with the Covenant Keeper block rates.
After two years of holding the annual gathering of clergy online, the 2023 event returns to an in-person format. The agenda shows a 10:30 a.m. start on Feb. 27 and a end time of 12:30 p.m. Feb. 28.
Registration can be made by clicking the button below.
Cost is $25 per person, which includes lunch Feb. 27 and breakfast Feb. 28.
Individuals are responsible overnight accommodations and for the Feb. 27 evening meal. Rooms are available at the Hilton Garden Inn St. Louis/Shiloh/O’Fallon and the Hampton Inn O’Fallon, both in near proximity to the meeting site.
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Registration at East Bay, Little Grassy now open
Registration is underway for the Summer 2023 Camping season at East Bay and Little Grassy camps.
Camp makes a great Christmas gift! Want to give the gift of camp and still have something wrapped under the tree? Send an email to camping@igrc.org for assistance.
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Click on the graphic above to find out more... |
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Updated clergy photos, church photos needed
IGRC Communications is updating clergy and church information on the IGRC website in preparation for a launch Jan. 1 of a clergy portal that will enable clergy to update their information in real time.
Churches will also migrate over to a new Church Dashboard that will enable churches to update its leadership roll at any time during the year as well as contact information. The Church Dashboard also will have online journals that enable the church to see what money has been remitted to the Conference as well as itemization of benevolent and mission giving.
You can assist in this transition time by uploading a photo of the church below. The photo should not be downsized nor taken from Facebook but rather a photo that can be attached to an email (do not embed the photo in a Word document either).
Pastors can take a look at the Clergy Locator to view their current photo. If a different photo is desired, the photo can be uploaded and it will be put in the clergy locator file for that pastor. Pastors also will have the opportunity to get a new photo taken at the 2023 Covenant Keepers event Feb. 27-28 in O'Fallon.
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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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