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The Current Week in Review

June 17, 2022

Annual Conference 2022: a celebration of generosity

The Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference gathered in a first-ever, hybrid annual conference session June 9-11. The theme of annual conference session was A Time for Love and a Time for Peace, the second of four themes focusing on a quadrennial theme of God Has Made Everything Beautiful in His Time, based upon Ecclesiastes 3.

The Conference provided opportunity for celebration on a number of fronts – the 25^th anniversary of the annual conference following the merger of the former Central and Southern Illinois conferences in 1996 and the approaching bicentennial of Methodism in Illinois when the first session of the antecedent Illinois Conference convened in 1824.

Conferees also celebrated the completion of the six-year Our Conference, Our Kids campaign, in which funds were raised to finance the chaplaincy programs at the five children’s health and welfare agencies in the IGRC – The Baby Fold, Chaddock, Cunningham Children’s Home, Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House and Spero Family Services. The $2.5 million goal was eclipsed and the Conference celebrated total giving of $3,000,130.76. The Conference also approved the naming of the endowment as the Bishop Frank J. and Melissa K. Beard Our Conference, Our Kids Endowment.

The generosity of the Annual Conference was evident as a report showed that IGRC churches contributed $6,619,996 to missions beyond apportionments through The United Methodist Church.

Special offerings during the Annual Conference included: $21,900; John Kofi Asmah School in Liberia, $3,750; Tom Brown Scholarship at Wiley College, $4,500; and funds for the 2023 Ordinands’ Trip, $4,600.

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IRS mileage rate to increase July 1

The Internal Revenue Service today announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rate for the final 6 months of 2022. Taxpayers may use the optional standard mileage rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business and certain other purposes.

For the final six months of 2022, the standard mileage rate for business travel will be 62.5 cents per mile, up 4 cents from the rate effective at the start of the year. This is the rate used by churches in providing support for its pastors.

The 14 cents per mile rate for charitable organizations remains unchanged as it is set by statute.

Midyear increases in the optional mileage rates are rare, the last time the IRS made such an increase was in 2011.

New path forward for Scouting ministry

The long-anticipated wait is coming to an end as a new era of Scouting ministry in The United Methodist Church makes its way forward. A highly skilled team of chancellors, insurance risk advisors, and UMC leaders have forged a path through a difficult landscape to provide a safer way for Scouting ministry to continue within local United Methodist churches.

After months of negotiation between the Ad Hoc Committee of United Methodist’s leadership team and the Boy Scouts of America, a new “Affiliation Agreement” has been finalized and approved by The UMC Ad Hoc Leadership Team, BSA top executives and GCUMM top executives.

The new agreement defines the roles and responsibilities of the various parties – the Boy Scouts of America, the local councils, affiliated organizations, and Scouting units -- and specific information regarding indemnity and insurance agreements (including the types of insurance coverage and limits).

The ownership of the local Scouting unit will reside with the local Scout Council. The support of the ministry with the unit will still reside with the local church. Under the older relationship known as “chartering,” the local church “owned” the Scouting unit while the local Scouting councils and BSA national acted as resource partners. As a result of the class-action lawsuit against BSA and their subsequent bankruptcy case, it became imperative to redefine the relationship and re-establish ownership. This move allows the local church more freedom of choice in how to engage Scouting ministry while building a responsible framework and relationship moving forward.

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New phone numbers for LaMoine, Embarras District offices

Due to a change in phone carriers, there are new phone numbers for the LaMoine River and the Embarras River district offices in Jacksonville and Effingham.

The direct phone line to the LaMoine River District office in Jacksonville is: (217) 503-4284.

The direct phone line to the Embarras River District office in Effingham is: (217) 503-4503.

The addresses, email addresses and other contact information remains unchanged.

Applicants sought for Congregational Development Director's position through June 24

Applications are being sought for the vacant IGRC Director of Congregational Development position through June 24.

The position became vacant due to the appointment of the Rev. Mike Crawford as Spoon River District Superintendent July 1.

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Annual Conference issue

of The Current

The July issue of The Current provides extensive information of the 2022 Annual Conference.

Copies should be arriving over the weekend to subscribers but you can also view it online and save it to your computer.

Click the cover of the issue to begin.

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United Methodist Center Contact Information

USPS (U.S. Postal Service)

P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207

Office Phone: 217-529-2040

Email: info@igrc.org

UPS and FedEx deliveries only use the street address:

United Methodist Center

5900 S. 2nd Street

Springfield, IL 62711

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