Annual Conference update
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKBOOKS: Pre-Conference workbooks are now available on the IGRC website or by clicking the download button below.
MIDWEST MISSION DISTRIBUTION CENTER COLLECTION: The Midwest Mission Center is conducting a collection through the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of its Most Needed Items May 20 through June 10.
Download the flyer below to see a list of needed items and then refer to the second page for when collections will be picked up.
MORNING PRAYER TIME: The IGRC Chapter of the Order of Saint Luke plans to offer online Morning Prayer at 9 a.m. on each of the two days of Annual Conference (June 11 and 12) via Zoom.
PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS to answer questions concerning legislation before the 2021 Annual Conference will be held in two sessions on the Zoom platform.
Videos from the major presenters will be posted the week of May 24 to provide time for persons to be briefed on the legislation before the Q & A sessions.
Both sessions will be recorded and available for playback. The dates and specifics for each session is as follows:
Wednesday, June 2, 7 p.m.
Meeting ID: 954 1348 8757
Passcode: 815261
Thursday, June 3, 2 p.m.
Meeting ID: 941 2795 7703
Passcode: 974409
You may also phone in to either session by calling:
1 312 626 6799 and then enter the meeting ID and passcode when prompted.
TECHNOLOGY CHECK-IN SESSIONS for those who are unfamiliar with Zoom will be held at the following times with the corresponding log-in information:
Monday, June 7, 7 p.m.
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 976 6101 7937
Passcode: 073182
Tuesday, June 8, 10 a.m.
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 959 9759 7932
Passcode: 386515
SPEAKERS: Bishop Sharma Lewis, episcopal leader of the Richmond Area (Virginia Annual Conference) will be preaching opening worship on Saturday at 10 a.m. Lewis was the preacher at Covenant Keepers 2021.
Rev. Mike Potts and his wife, Jamee, will preach the Memorial Service, which will air on Thursday, June 10, beginning at 7 p.m.
Rev. Judy Vidakovich, one of 25 retirees that comprise the Class of 2021, will preach the Retiree Recognition Service on Friday, June 11 at 7 p.m.
Both services’ broadcasts will premiere at those assigned times but playback will be possible on all broadcasts of the Annual Conference following their airings.
REGISTRATION: Registration for the 2021 Annual Conference is now open through June 1.
The theme for the 2021 Annual Conference is A Time to Heal, based upon Ecclesiastes 3
Participants will be able to join the Annual Conference session online from their homes or they may choose one of eight remote sites from which to view the sessions and participate. The remote locations for annual conference are as follows:
- Marion Aldersgate UMC (Cache River District)
- Belleville St. Matthew UMC (Mississippi River District)
- Salem Grace UMC (Kaskaskia River District)
- Champaign New Horizon UMC (Iroquois River District)
- Bloomington Wesley UMC (Vermilion River DIstrict)
- Pekin Grace UMC (Illinois River District)
- Quincy Vermont Street UMC (LaMoine River District)
- Galesburg First UMC (Spoon River District)
Utilizing the knowledge gained from the virtual 2020 Annual Conference, participants will be able to offer speeches for and against and ask questions during the plenary session, slated for Saturday, June 12 from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. The Annual Conference will be using the Zoom platform, utilizing the polling feature for voting (the same as last year) and the Q & A feature for posting questions or asking for recognition to speak for or against the motion.
No amendments or changes to the legislation will be possible. However, the Sessions Committee will be holding Pre-Conference meetings to address both technological issues as well as answer questions on the legislation.
CLERGY AND LAITY SESSIONS: The clergy session will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, June 11 and the laity session will be the same day from 5 to 7 p.m.
ORDINATION AND COMMISSIONING: Ordination and Commissioning services will be a week later – on Saturday, June 19. Commissioning will be aired in the morning with Ordination in the afternoon. Bishop Frank J. Beard will preach both services, which will be held with limited seating for family at Champaign Faith UMC. It will be aired live via the webstream.
Persons will need to register in order to obtain credentials once the screening process is completed the first week of June. Because of needing secure access to the room, persons will register, been confirmed as voting members and receive two log-ins – one for either the clergy or laity session on Friday, and one for the joint plenary session on Saturday.
