Annual Conference update
CREDENTIALS for the Clergy and Plenary sessions will be emailed to the address given at the time of registration. Credentials should arrive no later than Monday afternoon. If you do not receive the log-in information by that time,
contact Paul Black or call (217) 652-6830.
Clergy should receive two credentials -- one for Friday's Clergy Session and one for Saturday's Plenary Session. Lay members will receive only one credential for the Saturday Plenary Session. Since the Laity Session is pre-recorded, it will be streamed at 5 p.m. Friday at
www.igrc.org/ac2021live.
Credentials are needed in order to be in the room where one can vote. Visitors can view the
Annual Conference Webstream for all events except the closed Clergy Session which requires log-in information.
Persons who have indicated that they were attending via one of the eight remote locations merely need to check in with the marshal at the remote site. The marshal will check the list in order to confirm your eligibility to vote. Persons not on the list will be asked to sit separate in a non-voting section.
PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS to answer questions concerning legislation were held this week to answer questions about proposed legislation before the 2021 Annual Conference.
A 19-minute video has been produced to explore three issues -- the 2022 Conference budget, the Board of Pensions Report and proposed changes to the by-laws of the Preachers' Aid Society and Benefit Fund.
The video can be found, along with links for playback of the Q & A sessions from June 2 and 3 by clicking the button below.
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
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKBOOKS: A revised Pre-Conference workbook is now available on the IGRC website or by clicking the download button below. The revision included those items which missed the earlier deadline -- resolutions for two churches that have left The United Methodist Church as well as the Nomination Committee report.
AGENDA: The Annual Conference agenda for the plenary session is now posted in the Download section of the IGRC website or by clicking the button below.
SPECIAL OFFERINGS: The 2021 Annual Conference will have three special offerings and an online giving portal has been created at:
www.igrc.org/ac2021specialofferings to accept individual and church payments. Churches may also remit offerings collected when remitting their monthly apportionment payments.
The three special offerings are:
- Our Conference, Our Kids -- A $2.5 million campaign to provide funding for the spiritual life programs at The Baby Fold, Chaddock, Cunningham Children's Home, Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House and Spero Family Services (formerly the United Methodist Children's Home) was approved by the 2016 Annual Conference and launched in 2017.
- Tom Brown Scholarship, Wiley College -- The Tom Brown Scholarship is one which assists a student of Wiley College, one of the 11 historical Black Colleges. Beginning in 1987, the former Central Illinois conference, named a scholarship in memory of the Rev. Tom Brown, a long-time supporter of the Marshall, Texas-based school. Rev. Brown was often the one who stood at the microphone after the presentation by the visiting Black College intern and would move that the annual conference session take up a special offering for Wiley College. Rev. Brown’s daughter, Sharon Brown, is the director of Kumler Outreach Ministries in Springfield.
- Ordinand’s Trip -- An offering will also be taken for the Ordinands' Trip in 2021. This trip, which will include the Classes of 2020 and 2021, is used to form spiritual leaders at the beginning of their ministry.
A button for making online offerings is provided below or you may send your offerings through your local church and having them remit them to the Conference as part of the church's monthly apportionment payment.
MIDWEST MISSION DISTRIBUTION CENTER COLLECTION: The Midwest Mission Center is continuing its collection through the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of its Most Needed Items until 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.
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. at www.igrc.org/ac2021live
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. at: www.igrc.org/ac2021live
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: Tuesday, June 1 is the last day to register for the 2021 Annual Conference. Registration is essential for obtaining the log-in credentials for voting clergy and lay members.
Utilizing the knowledge gained from the virtual 2020 Annual Conference, participants will be able to offer speeches for and against 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.
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 at: www.igrc.org/ac2021live.
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.
