Churches Doing Well

MAY 2016 • VOL. 20 NO. 11
Reports from the Field:
Churches Doing Well
PAGES 9-12

INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
News from the Episcopal Office 1
Events & Announcements 2
Christian Conversations 3
Local Church News 4-6
Higher Education 7-8
Featured: Church Growth 9-12
Historical Messenger 13
Apportionments 14-18
Conference News 19-21
9
10
7
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News From The Episcopal Office
1
Appointments
In consultation with the Cabinet of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, Bishop Jonathan D.
Keaton appoints the following:
Cathy Jean Clark to Tremont, Associate
Pastor, ½ time, Illinois River District, effective
July 1.
Janice Ringenberg to Bradford Leet-Boyd’s
Grove, Illinois River District, effective July 1.
Dean Reeverts to Walnut Grove, ¾ time,
Spoon River District, effective July 1. He
is being appointed as a clergy member of
another denomination.
Howard Ross to Oquawka-Biggville-
Gladstone, ¾ time, Spoon River District,
effective July 1.
Nicole Ross Bishop to Quad Cities Chyrsallis
Community, Spiritual Director, ½ time, Spoon
River District, effective July 1.
Chet Travis to Knoxville, ½ time, Spoon River
District, effective July 1.
William G. Pyatt to Bethalto, Mississippi
River District, effective July 1.
Lisa Wiedman to New Baden, ¾ time,
Mississippi River District, effective July 1.
Kimberly A. Allen to Coulterville-Tilden,
Mississippi River District, effective July 1.
Becky Barrow to El Paso, Vermilion River
District, effective July 1.
Judith Doyle, interim pastor to Hanna City-
Trivoli, Illinois River District, effective April 13.
Stacy Tomich to Marshall Trinity-Dunlap, ¾
time, Embarras River District, effective July 1.
Kimberly Stuby to East Bay Camp, Minister
of Mission Expansion, Vermilion River District,
effective May 16.
Edward Davis to Mansfield, Iroquois River
District, effective July 1.
Lynette DeAtley to Eagle Valley Charge
(Bluffs-Naples), LaMoine River District,
effective July 1.
Don Jackson to Jacksonville Grace, LaMoine
River District, effective July 1.
Sheila Kelly to Camp Point-Centennial
Ebenezer, LaMoine River District, effective
July 1.
Judy Williams to Robinson Otterbein-
Hutsonville, Embarras River District, effective
July 1.
Robert Cook to Taylorville First Associate,
Sangamon River District, effective May 1. He
will also continue to serve at Mt. Auburn.
Thomas Wright to Illinois City-Pine Bluff, ¾
time, Spoon River District, effective July 1.
John Ray to Buckeye-Owaneco-South Fork,
effective July 1. He is a clergy member of the
Missouri Annual Conference.
Tony Loyd to United Parish, LaMoine River
District, effective July 1.
Dean A. Beals to Carlyle First, Mississippi
River District, effective July 1.
Jeffrey Haley to Loraine, Spoon River
District, effective July 1.
Joseph Richard to Vienna First, Cache River
District, effective July 1.
Kimberly G. Hagedorn to Lebanon First,
Mississippi River District, effective July 1. Rev.
Hagedorn is a clergy member of the Texas
Annual Conference.
Keith A. Michaels to East Alton First,
Mississippi River District, effective July 1.
Amy Holman to Bushnell-Avon-New
Philadelphia-Point Pleasant, Spoon River
District, effective July 1.
Lyren Haney to Chaplain, Wesley Village, ½
time, Spoon River District, effective July 1.
Randy McGeehon to Prairieview Parish, lead
pastor, Sangamon River District, effective July
1. This is a new charge alignment.
Sally Hamon to Prairieview Parish:
Associate, ¼ time, Sangamon River District,
effective July 1.
Kent King-Nobles to Normal First, lead
pastor, Vermilion River District, effective
July 1.
Kathy King-Nobles to Normal First,
associate pastor, ¾ time, Vermilion River
District, effective July 1.
Charles Kurfman to Divernon-Pawnee-
Thayer (new charge alignment), Sangamon
River District, effective July 1.
Molly Spence-Hawk to Cissna Park-Rankin,
Iroquois River District, effective July 1.
Gregory Boylan to Manito UMC, Illinois
River District, effective July 1.
Jonathan Brashear to Trinity UM Parish
(Cabery-Cullom-Kempton), Vermilion River
District, effective April 1.
Douglas Stewart to Chief Chaplain,
Belleville Memorial Hospital, Mississippi River
District, effective March 21.
Shelly Forrest to Mackinaw UMC, Illinois
River District, effective July 1.
Supply not appointed
Matthew Hanson to Abingdon, Spoon River
District, effective April 1.
David Meader to McDowell, Vermilion River
District, effective July 1.
Amos Dillman to Bement, Iroquois River
District, effective July 1.
Matthew Stevens to Prairieview Parish,
¾ time Associate, Sangamon River District,
effective July 1.
Kent Bangert to Prairieview Parish, ¼ time
Associate, Sangamon River District, effective
July 1.
Change of status
David Baker, discontinuation of
appointment, Cornell, Vermilion River District,
effective March 31.
Robert L. DeBolt, discontinuation of
appointment, Hanna City-Trivoli, Illinois River
District, effective April 12.
Matthew Woodcock, discontinuation of
appointment, Island Grove, Sangamon River
District, effective June 30.
NEWS
From The Episcopal Office
Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton
I’m seeing miracles
Last month, I wrote an article entitled Looking
for a Miracle. It focused on completing our
$1 million campaign for the Africa University
Endowment Fund at Annual Conference. When
completed, eight students at Africa University will
receive scholarships annually.
At the Bishop’s Open Golf Tournament April
22, a record-breaking 122 golfers from across the
conference participated. Why so many people came
out is anybody’s guess. Advertising, responding to
an invitation, a beautiful day and our worthy cause
helped. Yet, a communal spirit beyond esprit dé
corps ruled the day. Our time together felt like the
fulfillment of Psalm 133:1: “How good and pleasant it
is when God’s people live together in unity.”
I’m seeing miracles.
As we gathered for the noon start, I exchanged
greeting with the female manager of the Golf Course.
It was her first day back to work. Chemotherapy over
the past two or three weeks had sapped her energy.
Getting back to work for a half day and seeing one of
her familiar church groups raised her spirits.
As Bunny Wolfe and I listened to her sharing
about her latest medical challenges, the Spirit said
“Pray.” So we held hands and prayed as golfers
swirled around us. When we finished praying, a
male golfer had joined our circle saying, “he heard
Deaths
Kathy Moore Howell, former executive
director of Kumler Neighborhood Ministries,
died April 23.
She served for 25 years at Kumler Ministries,
where ministries grew from a food pantry
to include a children’s mentoring program,
pharmaceutical program, emergency
prescriptions, baby layette program, Christmas present assistance
and crisis closet that provided clothing.
An advocate for the poor and needy, Howell testified before the
Illinois General Assembly on poverty issues and worked with groups
throughout central Illinois to start programs in their community.
She was a founding member of the Central Illinois Foodbank and
the Illinois Hunger Coalition.
Condolences may be sent to her daughter, Jennifer (husband Steve)
Allen, P. O. Box 161, Ashland, IL 62612.
(Martha) Imogene Dillman, widow of the
Rev. Craig Rhorer Dillman, died April 13 in
Charleston. She was 97.
She and her husband served local churches in
the area that now comprises the Illinois Great
Rivers Conference, and in Missouri. They retired
from Hume in 1982. He died in 2007.
Condolences may be sent to a son, Boyce Dillman, 3878 18th St,
Charleston, IL 61920.
Norene Ball, a former local pastor, who served
Oakford UMC from 1982-1991, died April 11.
She was 68. A complete obituary may be
found by visiting: http://www.pantagraph.
com/news/local/obituaries/norene-ball/
article_856f74a1-70be-5e80-aa03-
849f86541beb.html
THE CURRENT
us praying and stopped to listen.” I had not expected
to pray for healing the Golf Tournament. But
opportunity knocked. So, we turned to the worker of
miracles with a prayer of faith. Help me pray for her
and all the sick and shut-in. Prayer changes things.
Sunday morning, April 24, my travels took me
to Salem UMC near Toledo. Under the leadership of
District Superintendent, the Rev. Dr. Scott Grulke
and Pastor Jeremy Harminson, we dedicated a brand
new facility.
Ensconced behind the new building is the old
church erected in 1885. It served the community of
Toledo and environs for 131 years. A recent growth
surge in worship attendance of 50 maxed out the
1886 facility. A new building was needed desperately.
But the small congregation could not afford it.
So God worked some miracles. More than six acres
of property adjacent to the 1885 facility was donated
to Salem UMC to build a church. Two of those acres
included a cemetery. The gift of property spurred
church leaders to dream of a new million-dollar
facility. God moved again. Another former member
contributed 75 percent of the “project cost.”
Sunday, April 24, I saw the result of those
miracles and heard about another. On Easter Sunday,
more than 150 people poured into the new building
MIRACLES CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Helen Brawner, a former lay member to
annual conference from Peoria First, died April 1.
A very active member of Peoria First UMC,
she also served on the Conference Board of
Pensions.
A full obituary may be found at: http://www.
legacy.com/obituaries/pjstar/obituary.aspx?n=helen-brawne
r&pid=179512153&fhid=11505
Joan Loucks Eckert Hutton, widow of Rev. James B. Hutton and
mother of retired clergy member Rev. David Hutton, died March 31
in Charleston. She was 94.
Together with her husband, the Huttons served local churches
in the former Central Illinois Conference retiring from Annawan
Fairview in 1983. He died in 1992.
Condolences may be sent to Rev David Jonathan Hutton, 1002 E
1100 North Rd, Tower Hill, IL 62571-4137.
Esther White, widow of Rev. Paul E. White,
died March 21. She was 85.
Together with her husband, a pastor of the
Church of the Nazarene, they served churches
in the former Central Illinois Conference and
later the Illinois Great Rivers Conference before
retiring in 1999. Following retirement, they five
additional years at Pleasant Hill, Hamburg and Ransom. Rev. White
died in October 2015.
A full obituary can be found at http://www.never-gone.com/Me
morials/?m=aHP82eUDKvmqYsP8kw4iyw%3d%3d
Condolences may be sent to the family at 6314 N. Talisman Terrace,
Peoria IL 61615.

2
Events & Announcements
MAY 2016
CLASSIFIED
Greenville First United Methodist Church
Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator,
please visit http://www.igrc.org/classifiedsdetail/4527407
for more information.
Missionary itineration
June 12-22 – United Methodist missionaries
Larry and Jane Kies will be
itinerating through the Illinois Great
Rivers Conference.
The Kies are missionaries serving at
Africa University in Zimbabwe. Larry
Kies is an advisor on the farm and Jane
Kies is an English teacher. They will
be visiting their supporting churches.
Churches wishing to schedule the Kies
should contact Carolyn Yockey at 309-
452-3936 or by emailing CLPY508@
aol.com
The itineration schedule is posted on
the IGRC website at: http://www.igrc.
org/missions-itinerationcalendar
Conference events
June 18-26 – Mission Trip to Honduras,
San Jose de la Vega Mission
Complex, Tegucigalpa. Trip limited to
15 participants. Nine spots still available.
Cost: $2,300. Valid Passport, Visa,
Immunization Records. U.S. travelers
entering Honduras must present a U.S.
passport with at least six months of validity
remaining. Passports are stamped
at airport upon arrival. Tourists must
provide evidence of return flight. A
$40 exit fee is required at airport when
leaving Honduras. Immunizations:
Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B, Yearly
Flu Shot, Malaria preventative: Chloroquine,
Doxycycline or Mefloquine. For
more information, contact Bunny Wolfe
at bwolfe@igrc.org
June 29-July 9 – Washington, DC trip
for high school juniors and seniors ages
16-18. Includes a three-day seminar,
Embracing Diversity: Confronting
Racism, hosted by the General Board
of Church and Society at the United
Methodist Building on Capitol Hill.
Cost: $900.
For more information, visit: www.igrc.
org/DC
Local church events
Now through May 15 – The Foster
Gallery for Christianity and the Fine Arts
at Peoria First UMC will host Spirit Made
Visible - The Journey of Four Artists March
27 through May 15. The exhibit will feature
artwork by Elizabeth Davis, Doreen
Graber, Jeanette Kosier and Carol Quell,
four central Illinois artists who are all
members of the Peoria First UMC.
Contact the church office at 309-673-
3641 or visit the church's website
at www.fumcpeoria.org with any
questions. Dr. Carol McPherson, the
church's Director of Discipleship and
Fine Arts Ministries, can be reached at:
cmcpherson@fumcpeoria.org.
May 5-6 – Navigating Change Conference,
Fairview Heights Christ UMC.
Keynote speakers include: Rev. Jorge
Acevedo, lead pastor of Grace Church
in southwest Florida; social media
strategist Justin Wise; Rev. Junius Dotson,
senior pastor of St. Mark UMC in
Kansas; and Rev. Ashley Cooper, senior
pastor of Swan Bank UMC in Stoke on
Trent, England. Other presentations
will be made by Melissa Bishop, Christ
Church’s education ministries coordinator
and Rev. Shane Bishop, Christ
Church senior pastor. More information
and online registration at: www.
navigatethechange.com
May 15 – World-renowned organist, Diane
Bish, will perform the final concert
of the Peoria First UMC’s 2015-16 at 4
p.m. This concert will feature a variety
of repertoire and the church’s Sanctuary
Choir. The intricate choreography
of Ms. Bish's hands and feet will be
displayed on the Sanctuary screen. The
concert is free and open to the public,
however, tickets will be required. Tickets
are available in the church office or
on-line at www.fumcpeoria.org.
This concert is jointly sponsored by
the Peoria Chapter of the American
Guild of Organists, John-Paul Buzard
Pipe Organ Builders and First United
Methodist Church.
June 4 – 6th Annual Mazon UMC 5K
Race. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m.
Begins at 9 a.m. on Seneca Street and
follows a certified course. Online registration
at: www.active.com (search for
Mazon United Methodist 5K). Contact:
Karen Fabian, 815-483-9343.
Oct. 20-21 – ReVision Conference,
Springfield First UMC. Do you long to
change your church from an inward to
an outward focus? From an institutional
approach to a missional one?
There’s no magic wand for this change,
but there are practical steps for pastors
and lay leaders that can move your
congregation from consumers to conveyors
of faith.
EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
MIRACLES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
BISHOP’S OPEN FOR
A United Methodist-Related Institution
to celebrate the risen Christ.
After church, a lady greeted me. She
asked that I pray for her brother who has cancer.
I prayed for him as best I could. Tears
came to her eyes. We embraced. And she
left buoyed by what we believe as Christians;
Prayer changes things. Please, help me pray
for her brother and all the sick and shut-in.
We did not take up an offering in worship
so I handed the pastor my check. Shortly
after, the pastor handed me a $500 check.
“Here’s a check for your campaign, ‘Looking
for a Miracle,’” he said.
As I type these words, tears of joy are
running down my cheeks. “Thank God, I’m
seeing miracles.”
Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton
More than $20,000 raised for Africa University Scholarships
More than $20,000 was raised for the Africa University
Making Dreams Possible scholarship campaign April 22
at the Edgewood Golf Club in Auburn.
A record field of 112 golfers participated in the outing.
A foursome from Beardstown First UMC repeated as the
top team in the outing at 13 under par with a score of
58. The foursome of Larry Knight, Duane Knight, Dan
McClenning and Duane Hendricker are pictured with
Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton.
Chatham UMC placed second with a score of 8 under
par 63. Members of the foursome included Michael
Ferguson, Bill Brown, Chris Gordon and Tom Sweatman.
The foursome of Wally Carlson, Merlin Roth, Ivan
Smedshammer and Bill Baker carded a 7 under 64 for
the day to garner third place honors.
2ND PLACE
1ST PLACE
3RD PLACE
Photos by Paul Black

Christian Conversations
3
Will you enforce the Discipline?
BY WILLIAM WILLIMON
James C. Howell, pastor of Myers
Park UMC in Charlotte is one
of our church’s most effective and
thoughtful pastors. Now James is the
Western North Carolina Conference’s
endorsed candidate for election as
him and help him understand the overwhelming (William Willimon is a retired bishop of The United
Bishop.
James recently published a blog in which he noted
one of the most frequent questions put to him was
“will you, as bishop, enforce The Book of Discipline?
Of course, everybody in the UMC knows that the
question is really will you enforce the few paragraphs
in the Discipline that refer to sexual orientation?
I was reminded that this was a frequently asked
question of me before I finally blew my stack and
said, “That’s insulting. As a bishop I would promise to
administer the rules of my church.
It’s like asking, ‘As a bishop, will you promise
not to commit adultery?’ Besides, of all the stuff in
The Discipline about mission, evangelism, pastoral
effectiveness, why are these the most important paragraphs
to ‘enforce.’”
In his thoughtful response to this less than
thoughtful question, James said:
Now, if you had never laid eyes on The Book of
Discipline, but only heard Methodists talking about
it, you might assume it was (1) a law code, and (2) an
exceedingly short one. Yes, you might overhear other
unhappy United Methodists yearning for that very
short law book to be changed, although in gritty but
defeated resignation. Either way, you’d think it was
very brief, and focused on one law.
A common question asked of episcopal candidates
is “Will you enforce the Discipline?” This is
code language. Although the Discipline is far from a
short book, bulging at more than 800 pages, the Discipline
to be “enforced” is no more than a page, three
paragraphs really, the only portions we vest any emotion
in. The little sliver of the Discipline that commands
our attention, the insistence on enforcement,
and also the craving that it might one day be changed,
is about homosexuality in general, and marriage and
ordination in particular.
I wish we wouldn’t speak in code. Or if we are
so deadly earnest about the Discipline, press for the
full 800+ pages to be enforced. But the whole idea of
“enforcement” should trouble us all.
Something feeling like “enforcement” is required
when we have illegality, evil run amok – and it sounds
punitive. Bishops then are asked to function as a
robed police force.
But Jesus established a different kind of community
that trades not in force and punishment, but
in love and reconciliation. If you actually read the
Discipline, the bishops are charged with theologically
robust tasks, like vision, pastoral care, renewal, and
prophetic transformation.
Maybe we can expect them to “uphold” (rather
than “enforce”) the Discipline and all its lofty dreams.
Besides, when we have rules, and a genuine need
for order, what are theologically meaningful processes
to restore order? Punishing, like public censure, the
loss of income, or permanent removal from ministry,
seems so very secular. Should church authorities
dispense punishment?
Or offer something better? Aren’t there wise ways
to uphold the Discipline and honor our covenantal
relationships forged through it?….
Aren’t there creative, humble, healing ways to
uphold the order established by the Discipline – as it
must be upheld? If a pastor re-baptizes, for instance.
Yes, we could eradicate his income or fire him from
ministry. But perhaps, we could send him to the Jordan
River with a veteran pastor who would befriend
power of God’s mercy and grace…. Of course, there
are egregious infractions that harm others (like child
abuse) or break the law (like embezzlement), and the
Discipline rightly deals firmly with those, although
even with a criminal action we would, as Jesus’
people, still pray and yearn for redemption.
Reflecting a little further on rule-breaking: we
have in our country and in the long history of the
Church a tradition of civil disobedience. Once in a
while you see disobedience with malevolent intent.
But most rebels I know who break rules with some
real theological gusto are noble in intent. They show
considerable courage, and risk-taking, and quite
often are zealously advocating for somebody who’s
been marginalized. We don’t suffer from an excess of
courage in ministry – so are there ways to uphold the
Discipline and yet in some fashion uphold the holy
boldness and willingness to bear the cost in a pastor
who with some agony feels it is God’s hard will for her
or him to choose covenant with God over covenant
with fellow clergy?
Let’s be candid about what the Book of Discipline
is, and what it isn’t. I recently decided to read
the thing, cover to cover. It is in quite a few places
surprisingly profound, theologically rich, downright
compelling, and it is everywhere very much obsessed
with our common mission to be the Body of Christ
in a lost world. As best I can tell, Wesley and the
early geniuses of Methodism fixed our need for such
a book so we could get organized for mission, so
we would never forget how connected we are in our
labors for Jesus. But who notices, or alludes to the
dominant content of the Discipline nowadays?
.…let’s acknowledge the Discipline is not divinely
inspired Scripture. Who is the author of this book?
Several hundred people, clergy and laity, working
through translators in nine different languages, meet
every four years, and after considerable rancor, debate
that involves no listening whatsoever, and backroom
manipulation, and in an exhausted, cranky mood, finally
take a vote, and the winner, maybe with nothing
more than 50 percent plus one of that vote, becomes
the Discipline.
… after the majority vote, we don’t excommunicate
or murder the losers. We are the Body, with
different members. We disagree, and then we get this
book that I will never for a moment believe enfleshes
God’s will in any perfect way….
And have we even understood the Discipline’s
own humble claims for itself? The preface to the Social
Principles, that chunk of the Discipline that contains
the few paragraphs we treat as if it’s the whole
book, plainly and rather invitingly declares “The
Social Principles, while not to be considered church
law, are a prayerful and thoughtful effort to speak to
human issues from a sound biblical and theological
foundation… They are a call to faithfulness and are
intended to be instructive… a call to a prayerful, studied
dialogue of faith and practice.” This doesn’t sound
like an ironclad decree to be enforced. It sounds like a
holy conversation starter.
If I could wave a magic wand and change our
relationship to the Book of Discipline, I’d say Let’s actually
read the whole thing; it is profound and highly
motivational. Let’s be humble about it; its composition
happens during our denomination’s most embarrassing
moments. Let’s treat it as a covenant between
us all…. Let’s find ways for this book to be a joyful
liberation to launch us into exciting and transformative
ministry in today’s hurting world. The Discipline
truly can be a book of good news and great joy.
Thanks James. The UMC is blessed that you have
been willing to offer yourself for leadership in our
church.
Methodist Church and is Professor of the Practice of
Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School. He retired
in 2012 after serving eight years as Bishop of the North
Alabama Conference. For 20 years prior to the episcopacy,
he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of
Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, N.C.
Reprinted with permission from Willimon’s blog, A
Peculiar Prophet, www.willwillimon.wordpress.com)
Help or Hindrance?
The S/PPRC and You
BY GLEN BOCOX
Over the years, I have had the privilege of
working with many S/PPRC committees –
seven as a local church pastor and 52+ as
a superintendent – and for the most part,
they have been comprised of faithful and
loving people sincerely committed to this
crucial ministry of supervision, guidance,
support, and encouragement. But, sadly, not all pastors
have positive experiences, so I have been asked to share
some “wisdom” about this subject on behalf of Pastoral
Care and Counseling. I hope it is helpful.
The reality all pastors face when coming to a new
appointment is that you “play the hand you are dealt”
with regard to the S/PPRC membership. Frankly,
the truth is that not all members may have healthy
personalities or good judgment. But as chairperson of
the Committee on Nominations, the pastor can change
that…over time.
With regard to that, a caveat: Do not stack the deck
with people who think you are the greatest thing
since sliced bread! I have seen that happen time and
time again, and it always backfires. But who should
be on it? As much as possible, it should reflect the
broad range of people in the church with regard to age,
gender, race, and income level (see Discipline 258.2.b).
Second, the people on it should be people who love the
Lord, care about the church, have good judgment, can
maintain confidentiality, and who can remain calm in a
crisis, for crises will inevitably come. Dr. Don Houts, our
very first PCC Director, used to say that the best people
you can put on it are “volunteer firefighters and EMTs,”
for that very reason. I have also found psychologists and
business human relations people invaluable, especially
when it comes to dealing with staff issues and hiring/
termination.
Caveat number two: Never put someone on the
committee who “asks” to be on it, or someone who
clearly is a one-issue person or who has an axe to
grind. Even though the political pressure in a local
church may be strong to do so, experience teaches that
it is a clear recipe for disaster, so do not be afraid to use
your authority as Nominations Chair when necessary.
And also do not be afraid of putting someone on there
who might disagree with you on some things, but
who has the strength and health of personality to be
objective, caring, and forward-thinking; sometimes we
do need to be challenged!
At that first meeting of the committee in January, it is
crucial for you as the pastor to do some brief training
of the new people (which also provides an important
refresher for existing members). What do you need to
share with them? I believe three things are crucial to
your work, in addition to reviewing their Disciplinary
responsibilities:
S/PPRC CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
THE CURRENT

4
MAY 2016
Local Church News
Confirmands visit Distribution Center
BY JOYCE SHELTON
CHATHAM – Youth that were recently
confirmed from the Good Shepherd
Parish (consisting of Hillsboro, Irving,
Witt, Coffeen and Fillmore UMC’s)
visited Midwest Mission Distribution
Center (MMDC) in Chatham.
Hope Newberry, and Ethan and Hannah
Carroll from the Irving United
Methodist Church; Vanessa Compton
and Erin Kistner from the Witt United
Methodist Church and Emily Miller
from the Hillsboro United Methodist
Church had the opportunity to
explore and understand their faith
as they become new members of
The United Methodist Church. Adults
accompanying the youth were Pastor
Sue Bryce, lead pastor of Irving UMC;
Denise Kistner and Sherry Terneu
from Witt UMC.
A project the youth worked on during
confirmation was to collect numerous
items and assemble flood buckets
and dignity kits for MMDC. In February
they delivered 10 flood buckets
to the Midwest Mission Distribution
Center. An additional eight flood
buckets and 19 dignity kits were
delivered during the March 28 visit
along with some additional supplies.
They were given a tour of the facility and then
worked on projects. They were instructed on
how to cut out sponges and roll trash bags for
the flood buckets, and also assemble some
buckets.
An interesting aspect of the visit was listening
to Terry House, formerly of Raymond as he
explained how the donated sewing machines are
repaired and then sent to Third World Countries.
Another highlight of the trip was to browse
through the “Twice Giving” gift shop that is located
on the campus site.
The Midwest Mission Distribution Center
(MMDC) is a disaster relief facility and a very
caring ministry for the local United Methodist
Churches. MMDC gives the opportunity for
young individuals and groups to help provide
disaster relief kits and resources as well as educational
and medical supplies to those in need
both locally and internationally.
Chatham UMC breaks ground on $1 million upgrade
CHATHAM – Chatham UMC broke ground April 3
on a $1 million building project aimed as improving accessibility
and hospitality to the community.
Chatham UMC is known as a “Matthew 25 Church”
in keeping with the words of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew,
chapter 25, who blessed his disciples for feeding
the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger,
visiting the sick and lonely. This church, which has been
located on the corner of Illinois Route 4 and Chestnut
St. since 1854, embraces its unique calling to minister to
the people of Chatham and surrounding areas through
ministries like Titan Fuel, “Back-to-School Blessing,” and
an annual Thanksgiving Dinner served to clients of the
Ball-Chatham Food Pantry.
The campaign to raise funds for this project was
titled “REACH! Transforming Together.” The goal of the
project was to improve the accessibility of the church, and
to “create a welcome, open environment” consistent with
the church’s mission and vision.
The REACH campaign officially kicked off March 22,
2015, and will continue through the project. The church
has received pledges totaling approximately 75 percent
of its fundraising goal of $1 million. The congregation is
faithfully supporting the project with pledges and special
gifts, and a celebratory “Anniversary Offering” will be
received starting April 3. The remaining costs for the $1
million building project will be secured by a mortgage.
Pledges will be paid over the next three years.
The scope of the project, designed by The Aspen
Group of Frankfort Ill., and Carmel Ind., focuses on the
following priorities:
• Accessibility – opening up the lobby to improve
traffic flow and installing an elevator lift (LULA)
for handicap accessibility; also moving the offices
to the main floor;
• Kitchen – bringing the kitchen up to code to
prepare meals for our community;
• Safety/Repairs – improving fire-resistance and
replacing and repairing our roofs to protect our
people and property
Demolition began April 5, with completion projected
in August or September. In the interim, the church has
relocated worship services to Sangamon Prairie Reception
Center (8855 Illinois Route 4). Small groups, committee
meetings, and youth groups have been relocated to other
sites around Chatham.
The planning for this project began in 2014 under
Rev. Sara Isbell who has been the directing pastor of Chatham
UMC since 2007.
The planning and fundraising efforts have called
on the help of over 200 parishioners, who have offered
support for discernment, fundraising and relocation efforts.
About a dozen parishioners served on an Advisory
Team to guide architectural plans, facilitated by Terry
Burke and Julie Miller. The project was also guided by
input from the Committee on Finance, Board of Trustees,
Education Committee, Outreach Committee, Staff-Parish
Relations, and Endowment Committee. The plans care
for the church’s current ministries, as well as planning for
its future.
Sangamon River District churches hold join Lenten services
The Athens, Cantrall, Rochester, Sherman and Williamsville
United Methodist churches gathered on
Sunday evenings during Lent to worship and fellowship
together.
And the churches took an offering. Together, the congregations
combined to raise $1,154 for the Midwest
Mission Distribution Center.
The appointed pastors shared the preaching responsibilities
along with District Superintendent Dr. Terry
Harter.
This is the third year of sharing in Lenten worship by
the five congregations.

Milestones
IGRC lay leader inducted into the High
School Football Coaches Hall of Fame
5
THE CURRENT
BY DICK GOSS
Joliet Herald-News
COAL CITY – The Illinois High School Football
Coaches Association Hall of Fame most often rewards
head coaches who enjoyed stellar careers from a
record standpoint.
Not as frequent is the inclusion of assistant
coaches among the elite.
Longtime Coal City assistant Ken Miller was
surprised, to say the least.
“I got a phone call in December,” said Miller, a
familiar figure these days as the director of community
relations for the Joliet Slammers. “The gentleman
said, ‘Congratulations, you have been elected to our
Hall of Fame.’
“Tears came to my eyes. It’s one thing to be recognized
by people, but another to be recognized by your
peers, to have your name linked to the great coaches.
It’s a great honor.”
The 70-year-old Miller – Ken P. Miller – was
nominated for the Hall of Fame by longtime Coal
City head coach Ken W. Miller. He was inducted April
2 at the annual Hall of Fame banquet in Champaign.
After three years of coaching football at Cornell
High School, Miller was hired at Coal City as a
baseball and basketball coach. He coached Coalers’
varsity baseball for 17 years and varsity basketball for
10 years.
“I didn’t get into coaching football right away; we
had fall baseball back then,” Miller said. “Coal City
started a football program with freshmen and sophomores
in 1976.”
Miller began helping with the football program
in 1980 and spent 35 years on the gridiron, largely on
the staffs of Ken W. Miller and current coach Lenny
Onsen. He coached linebackers, receivers, quarterbacks
and the offensive line at various times.
“I spent most of my time with the line,” he said.
The current president of the Coal City School
Board, Miller’s final season on the football staff was in
the fall of 2014. He spent 17 years teaching U.S. history,
civics and physical education at Coal City, and
then 17 years as the guidance counselor, a position he
entered in 1985.
Despite a busy schedule, he said he stayed with
football for three main reasons.
“First, it’s not as long a season
as basketball,” he said. “Second,
the (often poor) baseball weather
in the spring. Third, football starts
the school year. It was always fun
to be part of that. Plus, it helped
that we were successful. We had
a great run, made the playoffs
something like 18 years in a row
and I got to work with some great
coaches.”
It also was in 1985 when Miller’s first wife, Barbara,
the mother of their two children, was killed.
“She was hit on her bicycle,” Miller said. Patricia,
who now is a stay-at-home mom in Coal City and
tutors students in her home, was 12 at the time. Scott,
who works for Caterpillar in Peoria, was 9.
“That was a really difficult time for our family,”
Miller said. “But we made it through. We had to. Life
goes on.”
Miller married his current wife, Colleen, in 1998.
“She is a part-time math teacher at the high school,”
he said. “She’s very good at it. They brought her back
after she retired.”
For nearly 20 years, Miller has been a member of
the Chicago Pitch & Hit Club, which orchestrates an
annual banquet that honors baseball figures from the
Chicago area on all levels, the major leagues on down.
He has been on the board for most of that time and is
a past president.
“An old scout named Charlie Hum was a friend
of mine,” he said. “He asked me if I would like to be a
member. That’s how I got involved. I’ve really enjoyed
my association with the Pitch & Hit Club and also
with the Old Timers (Baseball Association of Will
County, of which he also is a member).”
The Joliet Slammers’ first general manager, beginning
in 2011, was John Dietrich, who was a Pitch &
Hit club member.
“We had tickets to a Dodgers game, and John
asked me if he did become the Slammers’ general
manager, would I like to go to work in Joliet,” Miller
said. “I said sure.
“A lot of my responsibility is in sales. I sell season
tickets once in a while. I represent the club at different
organizations. I have really tried to get community
nights together. I handle all donation requests.
“It’s busy, and I enjoy it. How could anything be
better than working at the ballpark?”
In a sort of retirement, yet still the president the
Coal City School Board and director of community
relations for the Slammers. That’s the Ken Miller who
wears so many hats.
“That’s what has kept me going, doing a lot,” he
said.
He is a new inductee to the IHSFCA Hall of
Fame, yet his life has been and is so much more than
coaching football – which he did for 38 years in all.
(Ken Miller is the IGRC Conference lay leader and a
member of Coal City UMC, Vermilion River District.
Reprinted with permission from the April 24 issue of
the Joliet Herald-News, www.theherald-news.com)
IGRC Communications wins three Awards of Excellence,
including two of the entries judged Best of Class in the 50th Annual DeRose-Hinkhouse
Awards banquet at the Interchurch Center in New York City, which currently houses the
General Board of Global Ministries.
IGRC Communications Director Paul Black and Assistant Editor and Designer Kim Halusan
won an Award of Excellence and a Best of Class among all newspaper entries for the June
2015 Pre-Annual Conference issue of The Current. The July post-Annual Conference issue also
won an Award of Excellence.
Halusan, Black and Bruce Weiman garnered an Award of Excellence and a Best of Class Award
for the integrated marketing campaign for The Journey of 10 x 10, a collaborative effort with
the IGRC Office of Congregational Development.
Black is pictured at left with the two Best of Class awards.
Founded in 1929, the Religion Communicators Council, the sponsor of the awards, is the
oldest communications organization in America honoring religious communications in
the public arena. The interfaith organization includes members of diverse faiths, including
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Baha'i, Sikh and Hinduism.
Photo by George Conklin, RCC

6
Local Church News / News Extras
MAY 2016
Schafer earns second place award
in Images of Illinois 2016 contest
SPRINGFIELD – IGRC Video Production Manager Bob Schafer
won a second-place award recently in the Images of Illinois 2016
photography contest.
Schafer’s entry, Meteor Over Lake, took second place in the
professional adult class category.
Schafer, who joined the IGRC Communications staff Jan. 1, said the
photo was taken Aug. 13, 2015, at Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish
and Wildlife Area during the annual Perseids meteor shower.
“There are some specific techniques involved with astrophotography,”
Schafer explained about the setup for the photo. “Finding a remote
area away from light pollution is important. Using tools such as a
remote shutter and tripod allows for long exposures (5-20 seconds). A
wide-angle lens also helps to frame as much of the sky as possible and
improves the chance of capturing a meteor. On chilly nights, a lens
warmer is essential for keeping condensation from forming on the
lens.
“Capturing meteors is extremely relaxing and rewarding,” he said.
“Sitting under a beautiful star-filled sky surrounded by the peaceful
quiet of the night helps keep things in perspective. Being lucky
enough to capture a meteor is an added bonus.”
For more Photography please visit Robert Schafer Photography on
Facebook or www.robertschaferphotography.com.
EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
Oct. 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Oct.
21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Early registration
through Sept. 20, $40; after Sept. 20,
$50. Register online at: http://revisionconference.eventbrite.com
Keynote speaker Jim Ozier, author
of Clip In: Risking Hospitality in Your
Church, will share practical approaches
to creating a culture of hospitability
that immediately connect with
first- time guest.
Roger Ross will lead break-out
sessions based on his book, Meet
the Goodpeople, that helps church
leaders create a process to lead
non-church people into a transforming
relationship with Jesus and his
Church.
Other break-out sessions will focus
on what a mindset change could
look like in each ministry area of your
church - Children’s Ministry, Youth
Ministry, Music, Technical Arts, Hospitality,
Small Groups, and Missions.
Other events
July 29-Aug. 12 – Mission trip to
Zimbabwe, Africa. Plans are to
participate in a crusade at a church,
work in impoverished areas of the
capital city of Harare, meet with
church leaders in their homes, visit
Africa University in Mutare and go on
a safari. Other opportunities may be
added depending upon the areas of
specialty on the team.
Cost of the trip is $3,500 per person.
For more information, contact Matt
Henson at matt@livingtheadventure.net
or by calling 618-830-6670.
Scholarship links
Melzer Scholarship – Applications
are being accepted for the 2016
Justin A. Melzer Scholarship for persons
who are active participants in a
music ministry within their church.
Applicants must be a member of
a United Methodist Church within
the Illinois Great Rivers Conference;
a graduating high school senior,
college undergraduate or students
attending a technical or trade school.
The selected recipient will be awarded
$500. Application can be found at:
http://www.trentonfumc.com/content.cfm?id=213&download_id=16
Deadline to apply is May 15. Award
will be announced in July.
Barber Scholarship – Applications
are also being received for the Barber
Scholarship, administered by the
Onarga UMC.
Grants are awarded to persons pursuing
Christian service through fulltime
work in the church and includes
those pursuing ordained ministry,
Christian education, youth ministry
or other specialized ministries in the
church. Preference is given to those
persons from the Iroquois West
School District or who were raised
within the boundaries of the Iroquois
River District of the IGRC. Applicants
may or may not be United Methodist
although preference is given to
United Methodists.
Applications can be requested from
the Barber Scholarship Committee
by fax at 815-268-4725, by email at
methodistof@att.net or by mailing
the committee at: 109 Seminary Ave.,
Onarga, IL 60955-1240.
Applications are due May 31. Scholarships
will be awarded no later than
July 15.
S/PPRC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
1) The S/PPRC role within the church and
relationship with you
First and foremost, they need to know that they are not
the church “Complaint Department.” They are there
primarily as your support system, that they are your
“sounding board” for matters within the church, and
that you need to be able to share things with them that
you can’t share with anyone else. That is not only true,
but stating it has the added benefit of creating a trust
relationship between you and them that goes a long
way, both in good times and in bad. It is also a good
idea to meet periodically, even informally, with the
chairperson to help plan meeting agendas and share
things you are working on, issues with other church
staff, etc. It really helps when you are both reading off
the same page. Giving them written materials (such as
a Job Description* that lists all responsibilities from the
current Book of Discipline) is also very helpful. That way
there are no surprises.
2) The Covenant of Confidentiality
The issue of confidentiality may seem so obvious that
it doesn’t need to be said, but it does. Not only can
its breach cause problems for you as the pastor and
affect your ministry in ways unimaginable, but it can
also put the church in legal jeopardy. It is important to
remember that when dealing with staff in the church,
they are dealing with people’s lives and livelihood. And
even though church staff members are considered
“at will” employees, and can be dismissed for any or
no reason, a situation handled badly, especially when
a breach of confidentiality is present, can subject the
church to a lawsuit. And even if groundless, any lawsuit
of that kind always casts the church in a bad light in
your community.
The best definition of confidentiality I have ever heard,
and which I still use today, was shared with the Board
of Ordained Ministry by Bishop Woodie W. White many
years ago when he said, “Confidentiality means that
what is said in this room is not to be shared with any other
living person who was not in the room at the time it was
said.” He promised consequences for breaking that rule,
and so should you. The members of the S/PPRC need
to know that any breach of confidentiality – even under
pressure from spouses to “give it up” – will result in an
immediate recommendation to the Church Council for
removal from office. And remember, too, that what is
good for the goose is good for the gander; you, too, are
bound by the same covenant of confidentiality!
3) Conflict Management 101
As I said above in relation to the S/PPRC’s role, it is not
the church “Complaint Department.” The worst thing
that can ever happen is for the chairperson to open a
meeting with the words “Well, does anyone have any
complaints or concerns about the pastor that need to
be brought up?” Yikes!
In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus clearly lays out how the
church is to handle conflict or complaints in a threestep
process. First, you speak to the person with whom
you have the issue. If that does not bring resolution,
then it can be taken to the S/PPRC chairperson, not
a member. The chair (and the person involved) then
speak to the pastor (or other staff person). If that does
not bring resolution, then and only then does the
matter come before the entire S/PPRC. This is the only
process that has both biblical and relationship integrity,
and it is the only process that should ever be used.
Committee members should be armed with the
following response if someone comes to them with a
“concern”: they must stop the person, mid-sentence
if necessary, and ask “Have you talked to this person
directly?” If the answer is no, then the next sentence
should be “I’m sorry, but until you have talked directly
to that person, I cannot listen to any more that you have
to say.” And no matter how hard they try to proceed,
remain firm; you are holding them accountable for
their words and actions and not allowing them to hide
behind you or be anonymous. And that is of God, is it
not?
I have always had very good working relationships
with every S/PPRC, and I hope that these few basic
suggestions will help you and your committee to be the
most effective one possible for your church.
(Rev. Glen Bocox is senior pastor at Galesburg First UMC,
Spoon River District and a member of the Pastoral Care
and Counseling Board. If you would like a copy of the S/
PPRC Job Description that he has developed, you can
contact him at Bocox1950@aol.com, and will send it to
you upon request.)

Higher Education
WIU lays a foundation in Cuba
7
THE CURRENT
BY MARK HENDRICKSON
Western Illinois University Wesley Foundation
When Wesley Foundation of Western Illinois
University traveled to Cuba over spring break for a
mission trip, through the power of the Holy Spirit
every possible barrier was crossed – language, race,
age, and culture. Methodists of the IGRC and Cuba
labored side-by-side, and worshiped as one body of
Christ. It was a very powerful and spiritual experience
for everyone.
There were 13 in our group -- seven students
and six adults. Some of us had made a trip to Cuba
last spring break as well. We were excited to have the
same Cuban Methodist interpreter, Alba, a wonderful
woman we an amazing heart. The arrangements
were made through UMVIM and our paper work
was signed by the U.S. Treasury Department.
Our team has been blessed to have Rodney Fink
as our team leader both years. Rodney said, “We
went to Cuba to serve but the outcome was that we
were the ones served as a result of our hosts humility,
kindness, hospitality, and love for God.” Another
leader who has been on both trips is our Wesley
Foundation Board President, Tim Sheridan.
We landed in Havana and spent the first night at
the national headquarters for the Methodist Church
of Cuba. The following morning we departed for
Ciego De Avila, a city of 170,000 people, located
in the central part of the country. This portion of
Reflections
from Katy Todd
Illinois State University Wesley Foundation
Finding ISU Wesley my freshman year
has meant so much to me and has
honestly been one of my favorite
parts of my first year of college. I’ve
made countless memories, experienced
incredible opportunities, and
formed so many meaningful friendships.
One of my favorite parts of the
year was getting to travel to Baton
Rouge, Louisiana for a mission trip. I
had the chance to make new connections
with people and really get
to know them. One of my favorite
memories from the trip was being
able to see the transformation of the
house my group was working on and
the improvements being made on it.
We also got to spend time with the
homeowner of the house we worked
on and he was just the sweetest,
most grateful man, which made
the trip included about a six-hour van ride. After a
couple of bathroom stops and a flat tire we arrived at
the parsonage late that afternoon, with a feast awaiting
us. We were served three delicious meals each
day, all by volunteers of the local church.
The church activities at Ciego De Avila are held
outside because they have no church building at this
time. Sunday morning, we attended Sunday school
from 8:30-9:15. Several church members arrived at
8 to setup the “church.” Homemade benches were
taken out of their stacks and lined up on the dirt as
pews. The pulpit was set on the raised patio, and the
lone speaker was hung up in a nearby tree. For Sunday
school, the adults were in front of the parsonage
where the worship service would also be held, and
the children were in the back.
Worship followed, and lasted from 9:15 a.m.-
12:15 p.m. More than 200 people were packed into a
small area for the service. Of the Wesley Foundation
students that made the trip, six of them are members
of our praise band. The Cuban congregation had a
similar praise band made up of young people and
adults. Each group shared a few songs throughout
the worship to a very enthusiastic congregation.
We invited women and children to come back at
8 p.m. Sunday. We announced that the women would
be making crafts and the children would be involved
in several fun activities. We took all the necessary
supplies with us. About 30 women and 20 children
the work we were doing even more
meaningful. I took a lot away from
that week, and I have also learned
a lot from being a student leader
for the ministry this semester. It’s
rewarding to be a part of the team
that makes ISU Wesley such an amazing
and welcoming environment. It’s
so much fun getting to meet new
people and help them feel at home
at such an incredible ministry. I really
can’t imagine life without ISU Wesley,
and I’m so glad I’ve gotten to become
a part of this group.
(Katy Todd is a freshman at Heartland
Community College and is phenomenal
at connecting with other students
for ISU Wesley. She joined ISU Wesley’s
Leadership Academy in January, and is
a natural leader. It is awesome to have
Katy as a part of our ministry, and to
see what she’ll learn and do here!)
returned, many with their fathers and husbands. It
was after 10 pm when everyone finally departed.
Many rode bicycles, some took the bus, a few had
motor scooters; however, no one had a car.
Student Hannah Porter taught five church
members to play the ukulele. We had taken five ukuleles
with us, and left them for the church. Hannah
stated, “Cuba refreshed me spiritually, mentally, and
musically. The wonderful people of Cuba will always
hold a dear place in my heart.” Wesley Foundation
musicians Jordan Mance and Rey Brinson spent
extra time practicing with their keyboard player
and drummer who asked for additional instruction.
Jordan said, “Their excitement for worship sparked a
fire in me that will never burn out.”
On Monday we were honored to be a part
of starting the foundation for the first Methodist
Church to be built in Cuba from the ground up,
since prior to 1959. We dug 15 holes that were 4 feet
by 4 feet, and about 4 feet deep. Four men from the
congregation volunteered their time and worked with
us. Together, working as brothers and sisters, we accomplished
our goal in two days. It was hot, but there
were still many smiles and much laughter along with
lots of sweat. One Cuban gentleman, who was the
first to arrive every morning and the last to stop each
day, was 89 years old. He was very inspiring to us. On
Wednesday, we mixed and poured concrete into 8 of
the holes. It will be a very special occasion for all Cuban
Methodists when the first worship is held in the
new temple. Their hope is that it can be completed in
two years.
On Tuesday evening the two praise bands
practiced together. They prepared to play two songs
together at the Wednesday night worship. They had a
wonderful time communicating, and working out the
details of the instruments and music. In both songs,
part would be sung in English and part would be in
Spanish. All band members learned all the words
in both languages. Mattie Porter, a Wesley Foundation
student claimed, “I enjoyed getting to know the
CUBA CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

8
Higher Education
Skylar
Lipman
MAY 2016
Maggie Thomas
University of Illinois Wesley Foundation
Up until a few years ago, I dreaded
the Good Friday church service.
Not because I didn’t like going to
church, but because it was so sad. The
thought of anyone dying, let alone
Jesus, made me feel uncomfortable. I only wanted
church to be happy and bright, with vibrant bible
lessons and fellowship. I preferred to gloss over the
passages about
Jesus’ agonizing
final moments and
instead marvel
in the mystery of
his resurrection.
I liked to have a
perfect vision for
what Christianity
was and is, and
I didn’t want to
confront the sadness
and countless
questions that
came along with
it.
It wasn’t until I got
to college that I
started to participate
in church
and experience
Christianity on a
deeper level. With
that, though, I began
to question pretty much everything. I wanted to
know why Jesus had to die the way he did. I wanted
to know where God was when Jesus was hanging on
the cross. I wanted to know why God didn’t answer
Jesus when he cried out “My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?” Jesus was desperate, doubting,
and dying, and it seemed that no one was there for
him, not even the God that put him on this earth.
Upon trying to answer some of these questions I’ve
realized that I probably can’t. I wasn’t there, I don’t
know what was going through anybody’s minds at
the time - I can only imagine it because I’m human.
Humans, in our capacity, will never fully and completely
know God. We will never know what is divine
because it is just that - divine. And that’s okay. Now,
this may seem pessimistic. Don’t we want to know
everything about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Humans are powerful, intelligent, and hungry for information
at all times, so shouldn’t we try to understand
everything about the God we worship and his
Son we try to emulate? Doubt is something that isn’t
welcomed in today’s society. Doubt shows weakness
and a lack of knowledge because you should have
all the answers, right…?
Well, there are many ways one can look at this. Jesus
himself was alone and doubtful on the cross. He
didn’t want to be there. His final cry could be interpreted
as a cry of doubt and frustration - My God,
my god WHY have you forsaken me?! Why have you
left me here to die, by myself, hated by those who
welcomed me just last weekend? His last words are
in a place of despair, hopelessness, and heartbreaking
agony. But also in his cry and loneliness is a cry
of hope. Hope that God will be present, even in sin
and death, and hope that we will trust in God’s grace
and power, because, as we’ve learned throughout
Lent, we are just humans - from dust we came and
to dust we shall return, but God is forever.
Jesus’s last words echo those of Psalm 22 - “My God,
my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so
far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
Oh my God, I cry by day but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.” Psalm 22 starts in
turmoil but ends in triumph. While lamenting, the
Psalmist finds peace knowing that God will come
through. Even when the Psalmist cries out to God in
anguish, they are still crying out to God. The Psalmist
felt that God was not present, but relied on personal
faith in the relationship with God - that God
will always be with us, even in times of despair and
perceived silence.
Jesus’s last words also start in turmoil, but end in
triumph - with his suffering, death, resurrection, and
ascension to heaven. Jesus died for humanity and
became as we are, so that we might become as he
is. The Crucified Christ reflects human suffering, and
the Risen Christ is the vision of perfection and glory
we hope to achieve by imitating Christ’s life.
Regardless of whether or not God’s voice was actually
absent on the cross, we must be humbled reading
about Jesus’s final words. We may not always
understand where God is, what God is doing, or why
terrible things happen. We don’t know why there
have to be disasters, terrorism, death, illness, or any
other thing that brings us down and makes us feel
distant from God. It’s natural and human to doubt
and question, and I can imagine that God appreciates
our questions about faith as we continue on
our journeys. Even in our doubt, we must remember
that God is working within each of us and is still
present even in those times of perceived silence. In
being humbled enough to trust in something out of
our control, we can be free. We are free because of
Jesus’s suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension
to heaven. We are free because God loves us - even
with all of our flaws and sins. We are free because,
even when we think God has forsaken us in times
of great sorrow, God is with us, in us, around us, and
surrounding us with unending love.
Maggie Thomas is a peer minister/student leader at the
U of I’s Wesley Foundation. Maggie is a sophomore at
the U of I studying speech and communications.
University of Illinois Wesley Foundation
This past March, our Campus Minister, Rev. Julie
Dowler, fellow peer minister Maggie, and I attended
the Senior High Youth Annual Retreat, or YAR, at the
Lake Williamson Christian Center in Carlinville, IL. We
approached this weekend-long trip with the simple
goal of connecting with youth through one-on-one
conversations, workshops, and worshipping together.
Standing by our brightly-colored booth, we spoke with
individuals, answering questions about what Wesley
Foundations represent and how they interact with
their communities, including service through mission
trips, food pantries, student-led worship, and Bible
studies. By providing information about specific campuses,
we were able to help students connect with and
better understand our various Wesley Foundations.
One student even asked us about Wesley Foundations
in Texas! We also stirred up some fun with our photo
booth featuring the #YAR2016 tag and colorful T-shirts.
They were a hit!
Rev. Julie, Maggie, and I collaborated in the time
leading up to the retreat to prepare a workshop for
students to think about why it’s important to maintain
your faith after high school. Whether their post-graduation
plans take them to universities, the work place,
or the military, we provided space to consider why
faith is important, what challenges one might face in
keeping one’s faith, and how to overcome these. In this
way, we hope these students now have a head start
in contemplating how to grow in their faith after they
graduate.
Worshipping together is always a powerful way to
build community. With music and prayer, a high-energy
space for asking questions, and an open atmosphere
for hearing scripture, we learned together and
grew in faith together. This weekend certainly had an
impact on me, as I asked both the students and myself
why faith is important, and why it is worth the effort. It
allowed me the opportunity to contemplate my own
faith journey and to share it with others. Listening to
the students' answers was quite thought-provoking,
and I only hope that they had the same kind of experience
with us. I'm already looking forward to next year's
YAR to connect, have some fun, and get those gears
turning!
Skylar Lipman is a peer minister/student leader at the U
of I’s Wesley Foundation in Urbana-Champaign. Skylar is
a junior at the U of I, pursuing a double-major in bassoon
performance and restoration ecology.
CUBA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
beautiful people of Cuba. I
was surprised how easy it was
to communicate even though
very few of us knew each others
language.”
The Wednesday night service
was from 8:30-10:15 p.m.
There was great anticipation for
this “combined” service. We had
just spent four days worshipping,
working, and socializing together. We stayed in the
parsonage so we had come to know our hosts very well.
During the service, student
Logan Bangert shared a personal
message that was very heartfelt. WIU
graduate student, Terry Torres Cruz,
who is a native of Costa Rica, served
as Logan’s interpreter. Terry shared
these thoughts, “This trip helped me
learn more about the world, more
about my team, more about myself,
and more about God. We live
very different lives compared to the
people of Cuba, but on thing we have in common is that
all of us need God.”
Wesley Foundation Director Mark Hendrickson offered
a message that Alba interpreted. The worship ended
with great celebration as the two praise bands played the
final two songs together. This was a very powerful moment
for all. This was followed by lots of hugs and kisses.
Student Corrin Sanders expressed her thoughts this
way, “My time in Cuba helped me to become more selfless.
The kindness, care, and love the Cubans showed was amazing.
By the end of the trip we were all singing our hearts
out together, both in English and Spanish, to praise God.”
We learned first hand that when you serve others,
God will bless you, and you will receive back more than
you give.

Churches Doing Well
9
Multi-site model of
ministry growing
exponentially
BY MIKE CRAWFORD
IGRC Coordinator of Congregational Development
One church, multiple
locations. The model of
ministry has been growing
exponentially in the United
States in the past 15 years.
According to a Leadership
Network study in 2014, there were less
than 100 multisite churches in the U.S.
in the 1980’s and less than 200 in the
1990’s. By 2014, there were over 8,000!
And it is a growing trend in The United
Methodist Church, in particular in the
North Central Jurisdiction.
Why multisite? What makes this such a
growing trend?
Several years ago, when the conference
identified an area to start a new
church, a pastor was appointed to move
to the location and would work to find
others to help him or her to launch the
new congregation. This was commonly
referred to as a “parachute drop” church
plant. It often was lonely and always very
hard work. And that was the day when
major phone campaigns, follows up with
mass mailings were effective strategies.
Times have changed. An individual moving
to a community as a church planter
has greater challenges in seeking the
first 20 people, let along the first 50 or
100.
Instead of sending a “parachute drop”
planter, the multisite model is built on
replicating the healthy ministries and
practices of a strong congregation. The
church seeking to start a new “campus”
will usually identify and send strong
leaders to the new campus (sometimes
dozens or even a hundred or more,
depending on the size of the “sending”
campus). This allows the new site to start
with healthy DNA, strong leaders, and
critical mass for worship and volunteers.
In their study, Leadership Network
found that on average multisite campuses
grow more rapidly than other new
churches. 88% of the churches said that
going multisite increase the role of lay
participation.
Multisite is not just a means of starting
“new” campuses. It has become a key
“turnaround” strategy. 37 percent of
multisite churches started a new campus
as the result of a “merger” when a struggling
church chose to deed their assets
to and become a part of a growing,
healthy church.
If any church in the Illinois Great Rivers
Conference is interested in exploring
the potential for multisite ministry, they
are encouraged to contact their District
Superintendent and me at mcrawford@
igrc.org
Quest and Grace members work together making the church grounds more hospitable for the Champaign-Urbana community.
Urbana Grace, Quest to join
together in mission and ministry
(Editor’s note: On July 1, 120-year-old Urbana Grace UMC and 11-year-old Quest UMC will officially merge and be known as Quest:
A Community of Grace. Although the two congregations on their own are noticeably different, together they better reflect God’s Kingdom
and are better positioned to share the love of Jesus Christ with the Champaign-Urbana community. The following is a reflection
from one of Quest’s founding members.)
BY ERIN TARR
Quest UMC
I remember the room was already hot, with
the early morning sun glaring in through the
east facing windows. The parents sitting across
the table from me were good people, and the
meeting had been pleasant enough considering
we were there to discuss their daughter’s behavior in the
classroom. But then, my mood took a turn for the worse as she
uttered the phrase I had – as a teacher – come to detest. “You’ll
understand when you are a parent.”
I could feel my stomach tighten, the temperature in my
face rise, and it took every fiber of my being to smile politely
and nod my head in agreement. After working with kids for so
many years, this phrase ALWAYS felt like a slap in the face.
And then I gave birth.
And all of a sudden… I got it. And I secretly apologized to
all of the parents whom I had cursed in my mind after they had
uttered those words to me. Because I realized…
They were SO.TRUE.
When I became a parent, it was like my eyes were reopened
to the world around me. EVERYTHING … EVERY-
THING was different.
A simple trip to the grocery store became an ordeal. The
man cursing in public became my arch enemy when my child
was within earshot. The weeds in the garden became beautiful
flowers through my child’s eyes.
… EVERY.THING. was different.
…and while the adjustment of becoming a parent in my
life was (and continues to be) huge and in some ways completely
catastrophic … it has been totally wonderful and life-giving
as well.
I can imagine the members of Grace UMC have had
similar feelings of huge, catastrophic and yet wonderful, and
life-giving adjustments when they welcomed into their building
and their hearts the younger people of Quest UMC. For them,
and for us… Everything is different.
From our first forays into working together in the summer
of 2012 when we partnered to offer a Vacation Bible School and
a joint worship service – to July 1, 2016 when the two churches
Photo courtesy of Quest UMC
THE CURRENT
will officially merge to one… the lives of our two communities
have grown and changed in ways we could never have anticipated…
everything is different.
Grace members often laugh as they stop short to keep from
tripping over a tiny human racing up the stairs to grab the last
“treats” from the “narthex.” Quest members have to ask “What
is a narthex?”
Quest members don’t have to load and unload everything
from trailers to make Sunday morning possible – while Grace
members now have their post-church fellowship accompanied
by the singing coming from the Kids Quest Christian Education
wing.
Grace members no longer have to wonder about the future
and legacy their church will leave, and Quest doesn’t have to
wonder where it will be meeting next week, next month, or
next year.
The multi-purpose room is now used for multiple purposes
by members from both congregations for pot-lucks (we are
United Methodists), weekly food pantry for the community,
youth dinners, VBS classes and post-church meetings varied in
their unique purposes.
Both Grace and Quest members are starting to get glimpses
of a multi-generational congregation, learning from one
another, honoring the past, and sharing hope and excitement
about the future.
Drums, organs, hymnals, projection screens, fingerprints
on the windows, musty basement smells, stained glass windows,
preachers wearing jeans, alter rails, modern couches and
TVs … everything is changing … for both communities.
And although both Grace and Quest (soon to be one:
Quest: A Community of Grace) have experienced so much
change and adjustment through these past few years – with
more to come I imagine – one thing hasn’t changed… both
Grace and Quest remain committed to the mission of reaching
people with the gospel of Jesus to make disciples – and we truly
believe we are able to do this better together than apart.
(Erin Tarr has been a member of Quest UMC since its inception
in 2004. Between juggling the joys of being a wife to Adam
and a mom to three amazing daughters, she mentors young girls
through Be the Benchmark at www.erintarr.com.)

10
Churches Doing Well
MAY 2016
Christ Church’s vision of multiplicat
BY LARRY WEBER
Director of Campus Development
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – Every
good story begins with a
conversation at a remote
time and place. The Christ
Church multi-site story
begins with a conversation
between a United Methodist Bishop named
Palmer and a UM Senior Pastor named
Bishop at the 100 largest UM Church’s conference
in 2010.
Illinois Great Rivers Conference Bishop
Greg Palmer asked Christ Church’s Rev.
Shane Bishop if he had any ideas for turning
around the decline of United Methodist
numbers. Bishop began talking about
an idea to expand Christ Church within its
mission of Connecting People with Jesus
Christ by starting multi-site campuses in
the local area. At that time, Christ Church
was one campus in Fairview Heights; now
it is four campuses plus two Biker Church
services. The bishop gave permission for
Christ Church to add four campuses within
the following five years, one in each geographic
direction from its current location in
Fairview Heights.
After that initial conversation, I worked with
the IGRC through its Congregational Development
Team and its Director, Rev. Mike
Crawford, to partner with Christ Church in
the establishment of campuses in Collinsville/Maryville,
Millstadt and near Scott Air
Force Base.
Each campus began with a clear mission
and a dedicated bi-vocational couple leading
a committed group of Pioneers. Those

Churches Doing Well
11
THE CURRENT
Nearly every person attending one of the campuses
is new to Christ Church; and it is unlikely they would
have found Christ Church without the placement of
these campuses in their respective locations.
ion carried on in multiple venues
Pioneers talked to their friends, acquaintances and
others to invite them to Christ Church at their respective
location; in effect, Christ Church became a G0-TO
church in each of those locations.
The CM and Millstadt campuses began as portable
churches, i.e., they set up and tear down church each
Sunday morning and hold their small group meetings
off-site. Once Scott began operations in a remodeled
Grange building in the country outside the Belleville
gate of Scott Air Force Base in 2014, the need for permanent
spaces for CM and Millstadt became obvious.
The CM campus moved into a renovated Family
Dollar store this spring after 4 1/2 years in the YMCA
in Maryville. Millstadt is in the discernment phase of
determining its next iteration; it continues to meet in
the Millstadt Primary School Center.
A year ago, each campus location participated in a
three-year pledge campaign netting nearly $150,000
in pledges for each location to use in their respective
quests for suitable, usable 24/7/365 spaces. The Biker
Church services began as a surprise birth when the
motorcycle ministry leaders inquired in 2012 about establishing
a service for motorcyclists, gear heads and
cowboys. The first Sunday of each month Biker Church
meet in a bar in Maryville and meets at the Fairview
Heights VFW on the second Sunday of the month.
The Christ Church mission of Connecting People with
Jesus Christ has compelled each campus to continually
identify strategies that reach out, welcome and
disciple through worship and service. The campuses
are video venues with local hosts and high quality
worship teams. The campus’ strengths are worship,
welcoming and ministries for children.
Currently the CM Campus is averaging more than 150
in attendance since its move to permanent facilities.
The Millstadt Campus experienced the most growth
proportionally this past year and is averaging nearly
100 since the first of the year. The Scott Campus is averaging
more than 115 each week. And Biker Church is
averaging nearly 40 per worship service.
Nearly every person attending one of the campuses
is new to Christ Church; and it is unlikely they would
have found Christ Church without the placement of
these campuses in their respective locations. Each
campus has multiple small groups; specific outreach
activities to serve the people of the community in
which they are located; and their giving has exceeded
expectations with the average giving exceeding the
average weekly giving of UM in the IGRC.
The campus leadership teams meet with me monthly
in addition to the regular conversations throughout
the week to discuss the progress towards the mission
of reaching people for Jesus.
Each of these campuses has added people to the kingdom
of God; our hope is that they will become places
of multiplication. And it all began with a conversation
at a distant time and place six years ago!

12
Churches Doing Well
MAY 2016
Because serving others is in the DNA of the congregation,
feeding kids who are on subsidized school lunch became
a passion. Journey feeds 64 kids in the Freeburg Primary
Center and Grade School each weekend by packing
blessing bags that will provide breakfast and lunch.
Journey
UMC
built around mission
to the community
BY ED WESTON AND HOLLY WOOD
FREEBURG – In 2007, Pastor Ed Weston of Belleville
Union UMC held a series of meetings in Freeburg to
investigate the possibility of planting a United Methodist
congregation in Freeburg.
Freeburg's UMC closed in the 1982 and merged with
neighboring New Athens UMC. Since that time there
had not been a Wesleyan presence. These meetings did
not bring out large numbers but clearly the interest was
there. It was decided that staff from Union would help
establish this daughter church while still serving Union.
Union members were not asked to commit to worshipping
in Freeburg. Instead, it was the hope and plan that
a new congregation would be established and lay leaders
would come from the new community of faith.
The next step was weekly Bible Study that was held in the
Township Building, some events planned for kids in the
community, and monthly worship. Within approximately
10 months we moved to weekly worship with Bible Study
to follow. Musicians came from within this new community
of faith making the creation of a worship band
possible. With 20 people in worship, including the kids,
we needed to find a larger space.
The school system in Freeburg graciously allowed us to
move our worship and study group to the grade school
cafeteria with kids study/worship in the library. Moving
to the school gave us space to grow, but limited opportunities
beyond Sunday morning. Growth was slow as the
growth that had been projected for the community did
not materialize due to the economic situation.
During the years that Journey met in the school the slow
growth brought us to an average worship attendance
of 50. The community of faith was made up of young
families with only two couples that were senior adults.
Journey continued to focus on meeting the needs of
young families and reaching out into the community.
In 2011 Journey had the opportunity to purchase a building
that would give them visibility in the community, a
location for weekday activities and studies, and credibility
in a community that saw a church as legitimate
only when they had a building. A year of demolition
and rehabbing brought the congregation together. The
congregation did not take out an additional loan for the
work, but did the work themselves and paid the bills as
they came in. In September 2012, worship was held for
the first time at 900 N. State Street in Freeburg.
Labor for Your Neighbor began soon after moving into
the building. From the early beginnings the Journey
community was involved with disaster relief through
teams traveling to work in Joplin, MO and Moore, OK. We
developed Labor for Your Neighbor using leaders from
the disaster relief work. On 5th Sundays after worship,
teams go out to the surrounding communities to work on
homes for elderly, disabled, and low income people. The
only requirement is that we serve people that are not a
part of the faith community.
During the summer the Journey congregation packs 200
sack lunches to feed kids in 9 different neighborhoods in
Belleville. In addition to packing the lunches, volunteers
deliver the lunches to the kids and spend some time talking
and encouraging these kids. Union pays for the lunch
supplies.
Because serving others is in the DNA of the congregation,
feeding kids who are on subsidized school lunch became
a passion. Journey feeds 64 kids in the Freeburg Primary
Center and Grade School each weekend by packing
blessing bags that will provide breakfast and lunch.
Journey's growth continues with a worship average at
110 each Sunday. Young families continue to gravitate
our direction, however, we have added more senior
adults and singles which has helped provide a wellrounded
community of faith.
The youth of Journey and Union meet together weekly
and participate in Mission Trips together.
Sr. High youth meet at Journey and Jr. youth meet at
Union with staff and volunteers working from both
churches.
Journey like Union UMC is a church that has a wealth of
wonderful volunteers. The Journey community seeks to
Honor God, Love Others, and Serve the World.
(Rev. Ed Weston is senior pastor of Belleville Union UMC.
Rev Holly Wood is preaching pastor at the Journey UMC in
Freeburg.)

Illinois Great Rivers Conference
Volume 48, Number 2
April – June 2016
13
Grace here and glory hereafter:
the legacy of pioneer preachers
THE CURRENT
(Editor’s note: the following is the transcript of the Annual
Prentice Sermon which was delivered by retired IGRC pastor
Rev. Miley Palmer on April 3, 2016, at Lebanon First UMC)
BY MILEY PALMER
Scripture Text: I Corinthians 9:16-23
I feel it is indeed a privilege to be
asked to preach the annual Prentice
Memorial sermon, which was first established
in 1924 by a bequest in the
will of Mr. Hiram Buck Prentice. His
father, William Prentice was a longtime
Methodist preacher in Illinois,
and had served as Presiding Elder
– what is now known as a District
Superintendent – five times. William
named his son after his closest friend Photo by Lynn Gale
and fellow Methodist minister, Hiram Palmer
Buck. Hiram Buck Prentice himself
remained deeply involved in the affairs of the conference,
among other things being the treasurer of the Preachers’ Aid
Society for 35 years and helping establish the Hiram Buck
Library on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.
Mr. Prentice in his will designated that this sermon
would be on “the ministry and service as exemplified by the
lives and labors of pioneer preachers of the Illinois Annual
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.” And that is
our purpose today.
When we think of those pioneer preachers, we inevitably
think of that unique phenomenon, the circuit rider. Other
denominations in America were served by two kinds of
pastors. Those serving wealthier and more respectable folks
– like Congregationalists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians -
had a seminary training. The less educated folks like Baptists
were served by one of their own number, usually a fellow
farmer or laborer.
But the people called Methodists had a Catholic-like
structure, ruled by bishops, who appointed pastors for one
year at a time – and they were appointed to serve an area
which often did not have settled churches. It was an ideal
“They were driven by the dream
of Wesley to ‘spread Scriptural
holiness across the land’, and so
they rode.”
method for the frontier, which would have scattered farms
and few settlements. The circuit rider – who usually had little
formal education for his task -would ride from place to place,
covering enormous distances in doing his ministry.
It is said that Francis Asbury, the best known of the earliest
circuit riders and the first Methodist bishop in America,
rode over 300,000 miles on horseback
and crossed the Allegheny Mountains
some 60 times He visited nearly every
state once a year. One biographer estimates
that during his 45-year ministry
Asbury stayed in 10,000 households
and preached 17,000 sermons. Perhaps
understandably, he never married. He
Asbury
became so well-known that letters simply
addressed “Bishop Asbury, United
States of America” reached him.
Asbury set the standard for all early Methodist itinerants
and left little doubt as to what he expected from his charges.
He had given of himself to the last breath. He expected no
less from his preachers.
This group of tough men would travel the frontiers of
America for decades, taking the Gospel to the most remote
places in America. In a time of American history where
it was easier to stay in one place and live in the safety and
comfort of the few cities that existed, these men chose
difficulty and danger. They were driven by the dream of
Wesley to “spread Scriptural holiness across the land”, and so
they rode. It was said that the two things you could count on
in the wilderness were mosquitos and Methodist preachers.
Another common saying in stormy weather was that “there’s
nothing out today but crows and Methodists.”
It was a difficult life. According
to contemporary records, one of them
– Billy Hibbard – rode a 500-mile
circuit with 63 places to preach; it took
him 4 weeks to make the circuit – you
figure out how much time he had to rest.
Thomas Smith reported that in one year
he traveled 4200 miles, preached 324
times, exhorted 64 times, and met with
classes 287 times – in one year. (1) Methodist
preachers were required to study for five hours each
day; usually they did it in the saddle.
It’s no wonder that over half of them died before
reaching age 33. Many retired early because they were
too worn out to travel. And not only did the preacher
face physical hardship, but often he endured persecution.
Freeborn Garrettson wrote of his
experience: “I was pursued by the
Garrettson
Bascom
Hibbard
wicked, knocked down, and left almost
dead on the highway, my face scarred
and bleeding and then imprisoned.” (2)
They did it not for fame nor an
affinity towards human comfort, and
certainly not for the love of money. As
one Henry Bidleman Bascom wrote,
“I did not engage in the ministry to
accumulate wealth.” (3) Their annual pay,
if any, was around 64 dollars – in a time
that standard pay for Congregational
ministers was $600. And each was
to give $2 at the annual conference
– a prodigious sum - to care for
“superannuated preachers and widows
and orphans of preachers.”
Bishop Asbury expressed their reward when he recruited
Jesse Lee, who established Methodism across New
England, “I am going to enlist Brother Lee. What bounty?
Grace here and glory hereafter, if he is faithful, will be
given.”
These pioneer preachers were marked by the same
determination as Asbury that every person and home
in America would hear the Gospel and come to believe.
When Asbury arrived in America there were a few hundred
Methodist followers and a few dozen preachers; by the time
he died there were over 210,000 followers and more than
4,000 preachers – most ordained by him. By the start of the
Civil War there would be at least 1.5 million Methodists in
America. The nation would never be the same because of
those dedicated revivalists.
They left their mark. One of the most famous of Illinois
circuit riders was Peter Cartwright, who is credited as a
founder of Illinois Wesleyan University and MacMurray
College. He was a fiery preacher with little education, who
thought that most preachers didn’t have enough brimstone in
their sermons. According to his autobiography, he sometimes
would ride into a settlement and dismount at the local tavern,
knowing that’s where the men would gather. He’d stride in
and announce “My name is Cartwright. I’m a Methodist
preacher, and I intend to preach a sermon in this place. Any
who would object, line up over there.” Most men would do
so, and he’d take them on one at a time in a bare-knuckled
fist-fight. When he had beaten every man in the place, he’d
crawl up on the bar and preach his sermon. And when he left
that place, there was a Methodist church. There’s no record
that he ever lost a fight – but then, he kept the records.
A contemporary – and sometime rival – was Peter
Akers, a much more
thoughtful, erudite preacher
who was twice President
of McKendree. Though his
sermons typically ran two to
three hours, he was called by
one hearer “the greatest Bible
preacher ever heard on the
continent.” That listener later entered the ministry.
Another person profoundly moved by Akers’ preaching
was a 28-year-old man named Abraham Lincoln. On
August 13, 1837, Peter Akers had come to the Spring Creek
camp meeting near Springfield to preach at the invitation
of the Sangamon Circuit pastor, George Rutledge. He
“A seed apparently was planted
that day by a circuit rider’s sermon.”
preached for a full three hours to a rapt audience. Riding
back to Springfield that evening, Lincoln sat in silence as the
others, some doctor-preachers and others lawyers, mulled
over Akers's discourse. Finally, when asked for his opinion,
Lincoln “thoughtfully” responded: “It was the most instructive
sermon I have ever heard.... It is wonderful that God has
given such power to men. I firmly believe his interpretation
of prophecy, so far as I understand it, and especially about the
breaking down of civil and religious tyrannies; and odd as it
may seem, when he described those changes and revolutions,
I was deeply impressed that I should be somehow strangely
mixed up with them.” (4) It would be more than 20 years before
Lincoln would be President and involved in those great
changes and revolutions, but a seed apparently was planted
that day by a circuit rider’s sermon.
One of the preachers Cartwright ordained – and who
would have known Akers as well – was William Deneen.
A window in this church is dedicated to his memory, as is a
window at the church where I am on the staff and where Kent
and Kathy King-Nobles are co-pastors, Decatur First UMC.
His influence was wide across the Illinois prairies. He died in
Lebanon and is buried in College Hill Cemetery.
It’s good to remember these towering saints from
another age, but it’s far more important to learn what they
would say to us for the living of our days.
Probably the one thing they would urge for us is to have
what an earlier age called “a burden for souls”: a caring about
what happens to others and an earnest desire to introduce
them to Christ and a better way of living. Circuit riders were
motivated by the desire to carry the message of salvation to
all. On one occasion Bishop Asbury recorded there was "little
rest” for him and his companions. His next comment reflects
the missionary spirit “But souls are perishing--time is flying-
-and eternity comes nearer every hour.”
That urgency, grounded in love, is at the heart of
everything “the people called Methodists” (in Wesley’s
favorite term for us) do. Our schools, hospitals and
retirement homes, our social concerns and witness in
political issues, our evangelism and educational programs –
they all come from our desire to (as Wesley said) “Do all the
good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you
can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all
the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
So preach the Word today and every day; even more embody
the Word every day. That is our calling. But with it we
have a promise: “Grace here and glory hereafter.” Amen.
Sources cited:
1. Article by John H. Wigger, assistant professor of history
at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, in Christian
History Magazine.
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Robert Bray, “Abraham Lincoln and the Two Peters”

14
MAY 2016
Conference Apportionment Receipts as of March 31, 2016*
*Churches reflecting contributions of 25% or greater of total apportionments are considered current.
District/Church
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
CACHE RIVER DISTRICT
Anna UMC $2,769 25.00% $1,602 25.00% $4,371 25.00%
Belknap UMC $424 33.33% $244 33.33% $668 33.00%
West Eden UMC $92 16.67% $52 16.67% $144 17.00%
Benton First UMC $1,279 8.33% $741 8.33% $2,020 8.00%
Big Prairie UMC $243 25.00% $141 25.00% $384 25.00%
Maunie UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Concord UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Cache Chapel UMC $480 25.00% $279 25.00% $759 25.00%
Cairo Tigert Memorial UMC $906 25.00% $525 25.00% $1,431 25.00%
Mounds UMC $387 25.00% $222 25.00% $609 25.00%
Carbondale First UMC $14,370 25.00% $8,319 25.00% $22,689 25.00%
Carbondale Grace UMC $4,431 25.00% $2,565 25.00% $6,996 25.00%
Carmi Emmanuel UMC $3,660 25.00% $2,118 25.00% $5,778 25.00%
Carmi First UMC $3,852 25.00% $2,229 25.00% $6,081 25.00%
Carrier Mills UMC $3,189 25.00% $1,845 25.00% $5,034 25.00%
Carterville UMC $2,968 16.67% $1,718 16.67% $4,686 17.00%
Cedar Grove UMC $1,314 25.00% $762 25.00% $2,076 25.00%
Pittsburg UMC $188 33.33% $108 33.33% $296 33.00%
Cypress UMC $384 25.00% $222 25.00% $606 25.00%
Center UMC $120 25.00% $69 25.00% $189 25.00%
Luther's Chapel UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Colp UMC $528 25.00% $306 25.00% $834 25.00%
Crab Orchard UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Cross Road UMC $1,518 25.00% $879 25.00% $2,397 25.00%
Crossville UMC $2,308 33.33% $1,336 33.33% $3,644 33.00%
McHenry UMC $1,077 25.00% $624 25.00% $1,701 25.00%
Dahlgren UMC $435 25.00% $252 25.00% $687 25.00%
Macedonia UMC $336 33.33% $196 33.33% $532 33.00%
Dale UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Webb's Chapel UMC $237 25.00% $138 25.00% $375 25.00%
DuQuoin UMC $2,620 20.00% $1,725 22.22% $4,345 21.00%
Eldorado UMC $97 0.77% $870 11.90% $967 5.00%
Raleigh UMC $312 25.00% $180 25.00% $492 25.00%
Enfield UMC $483 25.00% $279 25.00% $762 25.00%
Wesley Chapel UMC $596 33.33% $264 25.58% $860 31.00%
Equality UMC $627 25.00% $363 25.00% $990 25.00%
Wesley Chapel UMC $636 33.33% $368 33.33% $1,004 33.00%
Ridgway UMC $267 25.00% $156 25.00% $423 25.00%
Fountain UMC $628 33.33% $364 33.33% $992 33.00%
Galatia UMC $462 25.00% $267 25.00% $729 25.00%
Glendale UMC $957 25.00% $555 25.00% $1,512 25.00%
Eddyville UMC $567 25.00% $327 25.00% $894 25.00%
Golconda UMC $1,230 25.00% $711 25.00% $1,941 25.00%
Cave In Rock UMC $417 25.00% $240 25.00% $657 25.00%
Goreville UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Creal Springs UMC $843 25.00% $489 25.00% $1,332 25.00%
Grand Tower UMC $420 25.00% $243 25.00% $663 25.00%
Wolf Lake UMC $429 25.00% $249 25.00% $678 25.00%
Ware UMC $384 25.00% $222 25.00% $606 25.00%
West Frankfort Antioch UMC $729 25.00% $423 25.00% $1,152 25.00%
West Frankfort Central UMC $556 33.33% $320 33.33% $876 33.00%
West Frankfort First UMC $632 33.33% $368 33.33% $1,000 33.00%
Greenwood UMC $831 25.00% $480 25.00% $1,311 25.00%
Harrisburg First UMC $5,445 25.00% $3,153 25.00% $8,598 25.00%
Herrin UMC $567 4.50% $333 4.56% $900 5.00%
Energy UMC $714 25.00% $414 25.00% $1,128 25.00%
Johnston City UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Stiritz UMC $762 25.00% $441 25.00% $1,203 25.00%
Jonesboro UMC $405 25.00% $234 25.00% $639 25.00%
Walnut Grove UMC $456 25.00% $264 25.00% $720 25.00%
Joppa UMC $157 8.33% $91 8.33% $248 8.00%
Oak Grove UMC $333 25.00% $192 25.00% $525 25.00%
Karnak UMC $1,668 25.00% $966 25.00% $2,634 25.00%
Olmsted UMC $483 25.00% $279 25.00% $762 25.00%
Ohio Chapel UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Marion Aldersgate UMC $14,973 25.00% $8,667 25.00% $23,640 25.00%
Marion First UMC $5,268 25.00% $3,048 25.00% $8,316 25.00%
McLeansboro First UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Metropolis UMC $1,065 3.34% $2,395 12.95% $3,460 7.00%
Mount Moriah UMC $375 25.00% $216 25.00% $591 25.00%
Pleasant Grove UMC $333 25.00% $195 25.00% $528 25.00%
Murphysboro UMC $8,172 25.00% $4,731 25.00% $12,903 25.00%
New Burnside UMC $501 25.00% $291 25.00% $792 25.00%
Taylor UMC $495 25.00% $285 25.00% $780 25.00%
Norris City UMC $2,436 25.00% $1,410 25.00% $3,846 25.00%
Shiloh UMC $405 25.00% $234 25.00% $639 25.00%
Olive Branch UMC $724 33.33% $420 33.33% $1,144 33.00%
Tamms UMC $726 25.00% $420 25.00% $1,146 25.00%
Pinckneyville UMC $2,798 16.67% $1,620 16.67% $4,418 17.00%
Powers UMC $696 25.00% $405 25.00% $1,101 25.00%
Rosiclare UMC $798 25.00% $462 25.00% $1,260 25.00%
Sesser UMC $1,869 25.00% $1,083 25.00% $2,952 25.00%
Valier UMC $591 25.00% $342 25.00% $933 25.00%
Shawneetown Emmanuel UMC $936 33.33% $540 33.33% $1,476 33.00%
Sunfield UMC $2,553 25.00% $1,479 25.00% $4,032 25.00%
Tate's Chapel UMC $1,302 50.00% $756 50.00% $2,058 50.00%
Broughton UMC $1,344 100.00% $780 100.00% $2,124 100.00%
Vergennes Faith UMC $473 9.81% $278 9.94% $750 10.00%
DeSoto UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Vergennes Wesley UMC $688 33.33% $396 33.33% $1,084 33.00%
Elkville UMC $444 25.00% $258 25.00% $702 25.00%
Vienna UMC $3,912 25.00% $2,265 25.00% $6,177 25.00%
West Frankfort Trinity UMC $6,264 25.00% $3,624 25.00% $9,888 25.00%
Zeigler UMC $639 25.00% $372 25.00% $1,011 25.00%
District/Church
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Royalton UMC $444 25.00% $258 25.00% $702 25.00%
Zion UMC $669 25.00% $387 25.00% $1,056 25.00%
Cache River District Totals $135,100 20.73% $80,939 21.45% $216,039 21.00%
EMBARRAS RIVER DISTRICT
Asbury UMC $228 25.00% $132 25.00% $360 25.00%
Dexter UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Funkhouser UMC $232 33.33% $132 33.33% $364 33.00%
Salem UMC $84 16.67% $48 16.67% $132 17.00%
Altamont First UMC $920 8.33% $533 8.33% $1,453 8.00%
Beecher City UMC $1,065 25.00% $615 25.00% $1,680 25.00%
Shumway UMC $1,336 33.33% $776 33.33% $2,112 33.00%
Brownstown UMC $540 25.00% $312 25.00% $852 25.00%
Emmanuel UMC $520 33.33% $300 33.33% $820 33.00%
Casey UMC $4,196 16.67% $2,430 16.67% $6,626 17.00%
Charleston Otterbein UMC $1,569 25.00% $909 25.00% $2,478 25.00%
Oakland UMC $840 25.00% $486 25.00% $1,326 25.00%
Charleston Wesley UMC $9,285 25.00% $5,376 25.00% $14,661 25.00%
Chrisman UMC $2,356 33.33% $1,364 33.33% $3,720 33.00%
Clay's Prairie UMC $264 25.00% $153 25.00% $417 25.00%
Scottland UMC $237 25.00% $138 25.00% $375 25.00%
Cowden UMC $1,050 25.00% $606 25.00% $1,656 25.00%
Lakewood UMC $816 25.00% $471 25.00% $1,287 25.00%
Dogwood Prairie UMC $2,424 33.33% $1,404 33.33% $3,828 33.00%
Seed Chapel UMC $1,020 33.33% $592 33.33% $1,612 33.00%
Effingham Centenary UMC $8,655 25.00% $5,010 25.00% $13,665 25.00%
Falmouth UMC $428 16.67% $248 16.67% $676 17.00%
Willow Hill UMC $768 25.00% $444 25.00% $1,212 25.00%
Stewardson UMC $1,197 25.00% $693 25.00% $1,890 25.00%
Mode UMC $696 33.33% $404 33.33% $1,100 33.00%
Strasburg UMC $4,128 100.00% $2,388 100.00% $6,516 100.00%
Washington UMC $318 16.67% $184 16.67% $502 17.00%
Gaskill UMC $300 25.00% $174 25.00% $474 25.00%
Flat Rock UMC $927 25.00% $537 25.00% $1,464 25.00%
Greenup UMC $777 25.00% $450 25.00% $1,227 25.00%
Cottonwood UMC $381 25.00% $219 25.00% $600 25.00%
Harmon UMC $273 25.00% $156 25.00% $429 25.00%
Harvest UMC $230 8.33% $133 8.33% $363 8.00%
Humboldt UMC $573 25.00% $333 25.00% $906 25.00%
Hume UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Kansas UMC $1,329 25.00% $768 25.00% $2,097 25.00%
Kirk Chapel UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Lerna UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Marshall Asbury UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Brick UMC $276 25.00% $159 25.00% $435 25.00%
Grandview UMC $324 25.00% $186 25.00% $510 25.00%
Marshall First UMC $6,111 25.00% $3,537 25.00% $9,648 25.00%
Marshall Armstrong UMC $3,188 33.33% $1,844 33.33% $5,032 33.00%
Marshall Emmanuel UMC $1,062 25.00% $615 25.00% $1,677 25.00%
Zion UMC $1,556 33.00% $900 33.33% $2,456 33.00%
Marshall Trinity UMC $1,190 16.67% $688 16.67% $1,878 17.00%
Dunlap UMC $592 33.33% $344 33.33% $936 33.00%
Patton UMC $732 25.00% $423 25.00% $1,155 25.00%
Martinsville UMC $1,545 25.00% $894 25.00% $2,439 25.00%
Mattoon First UMC $6,444 16.67% $3,730 16.67% $10,174 17.00%
Coffeen UMC $570 25.00% $330 25.00% $900 25.00%
Fillmore UMC $254 16.67% $148 16.67% $402 17.00%
Hillsboro UMC $1,800 16.67% $1,042 16.67% $2,842 17.00%
Irving UMC $608 33.33% $352 33.33% $960 33.00%
Witt UMC $1,192 33.33% $692 33.33% $1,884 33.00%
Montrose UMC $294 25.00% $171 25.00% $465 25.00%
Neoga Grace UMC $2,847 25.00% $1,647 25.00% $4,494 25.00%
Etna UMC $387 25.00% $225 25.00% $612 25.00%
Newton Grace UMC $2,598 25.00% $1,503 25.00% $4,101 25.00%
Kedron UMC $462 25.00% $267 25.00% $729 25.00%
Nokomis UMC $2,972 33.33% $1,720 33.33% $4,692 33.00%
Oak Ridge UMC $312 25.00% $180 25.00% $492 25.00%
Oblong Central UMC $2,739 25.00% $1,584 25.00% $4,323 25.00%
Oblong Evangelical UMC $2,871 25.00% $1,662 25.00% $4,533 25.00%
Oliver UMC $548 33.33% $316 33.33% $864 33.00%
Palestine First UMC $113 3.02% $67 3.08% $180 3.00%
Palestine Grace UMC $417 25.00% $240 25.00% $657 25.00%
Paris First UMC $4,839 25.00% $2,802 25.00% $7,641 25.00%
Paris Otterbein UMC $1,848 25.00% $1,071 25.00% $2,919 25.00%
Vermilion UMC $1,136 33.33% $660 33.33% $1,796 33.00%
Pearl Chapel UMC $687 25.00% $399 25.00% $1,086 25.00%
Pleasant Valley UMC $201 25.00% $117 25.00% $318 25.00%
Robinson First UMC $4,224 25.00% $2,445 25.00% $6,669 25.00%
Robinson Otterbein UMC $560 4.95% $- 0.00% $560 3.00%
Hutsonville UMC $654 25.00% $378 25.00% $1,032 25.00%
Fairview UMC $1,056 100.00% $612 100.00% $1,668 100.00%
Trinity Chapel UMC $540 25.00% $312 25.00% $852 25.00%
Saint Elmo First UMC $1,863 29.07% $1,037 27.97% $2,900 29.00%
Salem UMC $726 22.57% $426 22.90% $1,152 23.00%
Toledo UMC $2,472 100.00% $1,428 100.00% $3,900 100.00%
Fourth Street UMC $176 8.33% $102 8.33% $278 8.00%
Wesley Chapel UMC $315 25.00% $183 25.00% $498 25.00%
Shelbyville First UMC $3,024 16.67% $1,750 16.67% $4,774 17.00%
Sugar Grove UMC $1,104 33.33% $640 33.33% $1,744 33.00%
Tower Hill UMC $867 25.00% $501 25.00% $1,368 25.00%
Herrick UMC $1,012 33.33% $584 33.33% $1,596 33.00%
Vandalia Haley Chapel UMC $480 33.33% $276 33.33% $756 33.00%
Mount Carmel UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Vandalia Luster Chapel UMC $93 25.00% $54 25.00% $147 25.00%

District/Church
Conference Apportionment Receipts as of March 31, 2016*
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
*Churches reflecting contributions of 25% or greater of total apportionments are considered current.
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Watson UMC $1,110 25.00% $642 25.00% $1,752 25.00%
West Liberty UMC $435 25.00% $252 25.00% $687 25.00%
Westfield UMC $1,275 25.00% $738 25.00% $2,013 25.00%
Woodbury UMC $472 33.33% $272 33.33% $744 33.00%
Zion UMC $456 25.00% $264 25.00% $720 25.00%
Zion Hill UMC $672 25.00% $390 25.00% $1,062 25.00%
Embarras River District Totals $126,263 24.15% $72,719 24.03% $198,982 24.11%
ILLINOIS RIVER DISTRICT
Bartonville UMC $1,698 25.00% $981 25.00% $2,679 25.00%
Kingston Mines UMC $567 25.00% $330 25.00% $897 25.00%
Blue Ridge UMC $396 25.00% $231 25.00% $627 25.00%
Bradford Leet Memorial UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Boyd's Grove UMC $792 25.00% $459 25.00% $1,251 25.00%
Brimfield UMC $664 33.33% $384 33.33% $1,048 33.00%
Canton South Park UMC $855 25.00% $495 25.00% $1,350 25.00%
Shields' Chapel UMC $1,497 25.00% $867 25.00% $2,364 25.00%
Canton Wesley UMC $11,493 25.00% $6,651 25.00% $18,144 25.00%
Chillicothe First UMC $7,271 32.28% $4,212 32.32% $11,483 32.00%
Crossroads UMC $22,548 25.00% $13,050 25.00% $35,598 25.00%
Cuba UMC $- 0.00% $292 8.33% $292 3.00%
London Mills UMC $1,515 25.00% $876 25.00% $2,391 25.00%
East Peoria Faith UMC $948 33.33% $548 33.33% $1,496 33.00%
Deer Creek UMC $435 25.00% $252 25.00% $687 25.00%
Delavan UMC $3,480 25.00% $2,013 25.00% $5,493 25.00%
Dunlap Prospect UMC $5,091 25.00% $2,946 25.00% $8,037 25.00%
East Peoria First UMC $7,028 28.16% $4,075 28.20% $11,102 28.00%
Eureka UMC $4,368 25.00% $2,529 25.00% $6,897 25.00%
Farmington UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Glasford UMC $720 8.33% $480 9.09% $1,200 8.00%
Green Valley First UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Hanna City UMC $1,144 16.67% $662 16.67% $1,806 17.00%
Trivoli UMC $1,362 25.00% $789 25.00% $2,151 25.00%
Henry UMC $880 12.08% $650 15.43% $1,530 13.00%
Washburn UMC $620 12.69% $570 20.21% $1,190 15.00%
Kewanee First UMC $5,934 25.00% $3,435 25.00% $9,369 25.00%
Lacon Sparland UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Varna UMC $1,008 25.00% $585 25.00% $1,593 25.00%
LaFayette UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
West Jersey UMC $270 16.67% $156 16.67% $426 17.00%
Laura UMC $885 25.00% $513 25.00% $1,398 25.00%
Monica UMC $387 25.00% $222 25.00% $609 25.00%
Lewistown UMC $2,979 25.00% $1,725 25.00% $4,704 25.00%
Mackinaw UMC $4,785 25.00% $2,769 25.00% $7,554 25.00%
Manito UMC $2,520 25.00% $1,458 25.00% $3,978 25.00%
Maples Mill UMC $1,452 33.33% $840 33.33% $2,292 33.00%
Morton UMC $13,329 25.00% $7,716 25.00% $21,045 25.00%
Mossville UMC $2,412 16.67% $1,396 16.67% $3,808 17.00%
Mount Pleasant UMC $918 50.00% $534 50.00% $1,452 50.00%
Norris UMC $264 33.33% $152 33.33% $416 33.00%
Providence Chapel UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Pekin First UMC $9,579 26.92% $5,544 26.92% $15,123 27.00%
Pekin Grace UMC $13,200 33.33% $7,640 33.33% $20,840 33.00%
Peoria Bethel UMC $5,193 25.00% $3,006 25.00% $8,199 25.00%
Peoria Bradley Epworth UMC $10,890 25.00% $6,303 25.00% $17,193 25.00%
Peoria First UMC $23,919 25.00% $13,845 25.00% $37,764 25.00%
Peoria Forrest Hill UMC $3,939 25.00% $2,280 25.00% $6,219 25.00%
Peoria Northwest UMC $3,585 25.00% $2,076 25.00% $5,661 25.00%
Peoria University UMC $7,809 25.00% $4,521 25.00% $12,330 25.00%
Princeville UMC $4,101 25.00% $2,373 25.00% $6,474 25.00%
RiversEdge UMC $3,015 25.00% $1,746 25.00% $4,761 25.00%
Saint David UMC $126 25.00% $72 25.00% $198 25.00%
Bryant UMC $492 100.00% $288 100.00% $780 100.00%
Sheffield UMC $681 25.00% $396 25.00% $1,077 25.00%
Smithfield Brock UMC $606 25.00% $351 25.00% $957 25.00%
Locust Lane UMC $516 25.00% $300 25.00% $816 25.00%
Texas UMC $189 25.00% $111 25.00% $300 25.00%
Tiskilwa Community Church UM/AB $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Toulon UMC $3,051 25.00% $1,764 25.00% $4,815 25.00%
Tremont UMC $3,093 12.50% $1,791 12.50% $4,884 13.00%
Washington Evangelical UMC $5,139 25.00% $2,976 25.00% $8,115 25.00%
White Chapel UMC $741 25.00% $429 25.00% $1,170 25.00%
Monterey UMC $516 25.00% $297 25.00% $813 25.00%
Willow Hill UMC $10,132 33.33% $5,864 33.33% $15,996 33.00%
Wyoming UMC $225 3.47% $225 5.99% $450 4.00%
Neponset UMC $879 25.00% $510 25.00% $1,389 25.00%
Zion Evangelical UMC $289 8.33% $168 8.33% $457 8.00%
Illinois River District Totals $24,420 23.95% $130,719 24.10% $355,138 24.00%
IROQUOIS RIVER DISTRICT
Allerton UMC $525 25.00% $306 25.00% $831 25.00%
Arcola UMC $3,504 25.00% $2,028 25.00% $5,532 25.00%
Arthur UMC $3,501 25.00% $2,028 25.00% $5,529 25.00%
Batestown UMC $804 25.00% $465 25.00% $1,269 25.00%
Union Corner UMC $844 33.33% $488 33.33% $1,332 33.00%
Bellflower UMC $726 25.00% $420 25.00% $1,146 25.00%
Bement UMC $2,508 25.00% $1,452 25.00% $3,960 25.00%
Camargo UMC $1,206 25.00% $699 25.00% $1,905 25.00%
Catlin UMC $2,937 25.00% $1,701 25.00% $4,638 25.00%
Centerville UMC $1,404 25.00% $813 25.00% $2,217 25.00%
Seymour UMC $501 25.00% $288 25.00% $789 25.00%
White Heath UMC $441 25.00% $255 25.00% $696 25.00%
District/Church
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Champaign Faith UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Champaign First UMC $18,120 33.33% $10,488 33.33% $28,608 33.00%
Champaign New Horizon UMC $16,464 25.00% $9,528 25.00% $25,992 25.00%
Cissna Park UMC $1,040 33.33% $600 33.33% $1,640 33.00%
Rankin UMC $2,460 100.00% $1,428 100.00% $3,888 100.00%
Collison UMC $423 25.00% $243 25.00% $666 25.00%
Countryside UMC $2,376 25.00% $1,374 25.00% $3,750 25.00%
Tolono UMC $1,932 25.00% $1,119 25.00% $3,051 25.00%
Danville Farmers Chapel UMC $1,176 25.00% $681 25.00% $1,857 25.00%
Danville First UMC $1,053 25.00% $609 25.00% $1,662 25.00%
Danville Bowman Avenue UMC $1,384 33.33% $800 33.33% $2,184 33.00%
Danville Saint James UMC $13,056 25.00% $7,557 25.00% $20,613 25.00%
Donovan UMC $981 25.00% $567 25.00% $1,548 25.00%
Crescent City UMC $693 25.00% $402 25.00% $1,095 25.00%
Fairmount UMC $179 8.33% $103 8.33% $282 8.00%
Fairview UMC $324 25.00% $189 25.00% $513 25.00%
Georgetown UMC $1,028 33.33% $596 33.33% $1,624 33.00%
Farmer City UMC $2,229 25.00% $1,290 25.00% $3,519 25.00%
Weedman UMC $702 25.00% $405 25.00% $1,107 25.00%
Fisher UMC $1,592 33.33% $920 33.33% $2,512 33.00%
Fithian UMC $1,722 25.00% $996 25.00% $2,718 25.00%
Oakwood UMC $1,713 25.00% $993 25.00% $2,706 25.00%
Hebron UMC $438 25.00% $252 25.00% $690 25.00%
Gibson City UMC $6,492 25.00% $3,759 25.00% $10,251 25.00%
Gifford UMC $489 25.00% $285 25.00% $774 25.00%
Gilman UMC $80 0.96% $80 1.66% $160 1.00%
Ashkum UMC $1,372 33.33% $796 33.33% $2,168 33.00%
Hindsboro UMC $652 33.33% $705 62.50% $1,357 44.00%
Homer UMC $2,544 25.00% $1,473 25.00% $4,017 25.00%
Hoopeston UMC $2,523 25.00% $1,461 25.00% $3,984 25.00%
Wellington UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Iroquois UMC $129 25.00% $75 25.00% $204 25.00%
Sheldon UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Loda UMC $2,679 25.00% $1,551 25.00% $4,230 25.00%
Ludlow UMC $1,088 33.33% $632 33.33% $1,720 33.00%
Mahomet UMC $7,110 25.00% $4,116 25.00% $11,226 25.00%
Mansfield UMC $2,919 25.00% $1,689 25.00% $4,608 25.00%
Melvin UMC $6,840 100.00% $3,960 100.00% $10,800 100.00%
Middlefork UMC $888 25.00% $513 25.00% $1,401 25.00%
Milford UMC $1,347 25.00% $780 25.00% $2,127 25.00%
Stockland UMC $609 25.00% $354 25.00% $963 25.00%
Mount Vernon UMC $930 25.00% $537 25.00% $1,467 25.00%
Bondville UMC $936 25.00% $540 25.00% $1,476 25.00%
Newman UMC $1,443 25.00% $834 25.00% $2,277 25.00%
Murdock UMC $477 25.00% $276 25.00% $753 25.00%
Ogden UMC $897 25.00% $519 25.00% $1,416 25.00%
Broadlands UMC $933 25.00% $540 25.00% $1,473 25.00%
Onarga UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Piper City UMC $343 8.33% $199 8.00% $542 8.00%
Paxton First UMC $4,908 25.00% $2,841 25.00% $7,749 25.00%
Pesotum UMC $348 25.00% $201 25.00% $549 25.00%
Pleasant Grove UMC $189 25.00% $108 25.00% $297 25.00%
Quest UMC $5,472 25.00% $3,168 25.00% $8,640 25.00%
Rantoul First UMC $4,144 20.97% $2,606 23.00% $6,750 22.00%
Ridge Farm UMC $423 25.00% $246 25.00% $669 25.00%
Indianola UMC $404 33.33% $232 33.33% $636 33.00%
Roberts UMC $444 25.00% $258 25.00% $702 25.00%
Rossville UMC $2,400 25.00% $1,389 25.00% $3,789 25.00%
Bismarck UMC $1,748 33.33% $1,012 33.33% $2,760 33.00%
Sadorus UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Parkville UMC $285 25.00% $165 25.00% $450 25.00%
Saint Joseph UMC $4,308 25.00% $2,493 25.00% $6,801 25.00%
Savoy UMC $5,784 25.00% $3,348 25.00% $9,132 25.00%
Shiloh UMC $822 25.00% $474 25.00% $1,296 25.00%
Sidell UMC $2,490 25.00% $1,440 25.00% $3,930 25.00%
Sullivan UMC $5,511 25.00% $3,192 25.00% $8,703 25.00%
Tuscola UMC $5,784 25.00% $3,348 25.00% $9,132 25.00%
Urbana First UMC $2,748 16.67% $1,590 16.67% $4,338 17.00%
Urbana Grace UMC $3,645 25.00% $2,109 25.00% $5,754 25.00%
Urbana Wesley UMC $7,272 25.00% $4,209 25.00% $11,481 25.00%
Villa Grove UMC $2,679 25.00% $1,551 25.00% $4,230 25.00%
Watseka UMC $3,172 16.67% $1,836 16.67% $5,007 17.00%
Weldon UMC $1,167 25.00% $675 25.00% $1,842 25.00%
Woodland UMC $508 33.33% $292 33.33% $800 33.00%
Iroquois River District Totals $200,361 23.97% $116,540 24.09% $316,900 24.01%
KASKASKIA RIVER DISTRICT
Albion UMC $2,904 25.00% $1,680 25.00% $4,584 25.00%
Bethel UMC $1,059 25.00% $612 25.00% $1,671 25.00%
Allendale UMC $759 25.00% $441 25.00% $1,200 25.00%
Alma UMC $412 33.33% $236 33.33% $648 33.00%
Pleasant Grove UMC $198 25.00% $117 25.00% $315 25.00%
Asbury Chapel UMC $540 33.33% $312 33.33% $852 33.00%
Bellmont UMC $350 16.67% $202 16.67% $552 17.00%
Ashley UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Beulah UMC $3,792 25.00% $2,193 25.00% $5,985 25.00%
Bluford Otterbein UMC $314 16.67% $182 16.67% $496 17.00%
Bonnie UMC $32 1.28% $19 1.31% $50 1.00%
Bridgeport UMC $2,331 25.00% $1,350 25.00% $3,681 25.00%
Petrolia UMC $318 25.00% $186 25.00% $504 25.00%
Calhoun UMC $300 16.67% $174 16.67% $474 17.00%
Ebenezer UMC $588 25.00% $342 25.00% $930 25.00%
Centralia First UMC $4,560 25.00% $2,640 25.00% $7,200 25.00%
15
THE CURRENT

16
MAY 2016
Conference Apportionment Receipts as of March 31, 2016*
*Churches reflecting contributions of 25% or greater of total apportionments are considered current.
District/Church
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Irvington UMC $560 33.33% $324 33.33% $884 33.00%
Chauncey-Landes UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Claremont UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Prairieton UMC $40 10.42% $20 8.77% $60 10.00%
Dix UMC $411 25.00% $237 25.00% $648 25.00%
Union Chapel UMC $357 25.00% $207 25.00% $564 25.00%
Garrison Temple UMC $273 25.00% $159 25.00% $432 25.00%
Enterprise UMC $1,032 25.00% $597 25.00% $1,629 25.00%
West UMC $612 25.00% $354 25.00% $966 25.00%
Fairfield Ellen Moore UMC $1,341 25.00% $777 25.00% $2,118 25.00%
Cisne UMC $486 25.00% $282 25.00% $768 25.00%
Johnsonville UMC $648 33.33% $376 33.33% $1,024 33.00%
Bethel UMC $954 50.00% $552 50.00% $1,506 50.00%
Fairfield First UMC $5,799 25.00% $3,357 25.00% $9,156 25.00%
Farina UMC $1,737 25.00% $1,005 25.00% $2,742 25.00%
Flora First UMC $4,317 25.00% $2,499 25.00% $6,816 25.00%
Flora Trinity UMC $528 25.00% $306 25.00% $834 25.00%
Cornerstone UMC $2,193 25.00% $1,272 25.00% $3,465 25.00%
Odin UMC $336 25.00% $195 25.00% $531 25.00%
Shattuc UMC $1,047 25.00% $606 25.00% $1,653 25.00%
Gilead UMC $1,116 100.00% $648 100.00% $1,764 100.00%
Golden Gate UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Conway UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Grayville UMC $2,181 25.00% $1,263 25.00% $3,444 25.00%
Browns UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Hopewell UMC $40 4.90% $35 7.29% $75 6.00%
Olive Branch UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Ina UMC $426 25.00% $246 25.00% $672 25.00%
Waltonville UMC $297 25.00% $171 25.00% $468 25.00%
Kinmundy First UMC $4,782 25.00% $2,766 25.00% $7,548 25.00%
Wesley UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Lancaster UMC $288 25.00% $168 25.00% $456 25.00%
Pleasant Grove UMC $666 50.00% $384 50.00% $1,050 50.00%
Nye Chapel UMC $195 25.00% $114 25.00% $309 25.00%
Lawrenceville First UMC $3,534 25.00% $1,709 20.88% $5,243 23.00%
Billett UMC $1,539 25.00% $891 25.00% $2,430 25.00%
Lawrenceville Otterbein UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Lawrenceville Zion UMC $912 25.00% $528 25.00% $1,440 25.00%
Louisville UMC $1,604 33.33% $928 33.33% $2,532 33.00%
May Chapel UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Mount Carmel Evangelical UMC $4,569 25.00% $2,643 25.00% $7,212 25.00%
Mount Carmel Trinity UMC $3,423 25.00% $1,983 25.00% $5,406 25.00%
Adams Corner UMC $180 25.00% $105 25.00% $285 25.00%
Mount Vernon Epworth UMC $1,524 25.00% $882 25.00% $2,406 25.00%
Wayne City UMC $1,276 33.33% $740 33.33% $2,016 33.00%
Zion UMC $566 16.67% $328 16.67% $894 17.00%
Mount Vernon First UMC $7,500 16.67% $4,342 16.67% $11,842 17.00%
Mount Vernon Wesley UMC $1,689 25.00% $978 25.00% $2,667 25.00%
Mount Vernon West Salem Trinity UMC $4,491 25.00% $2,598 25.00% $7,089 25.00%
Mount Zion UMC $734 16.67% $424 16.67% $1,158 17.00%
Brown's Chapel UMC $702 25.00% $405 25.00% $1,107 25.00%
Olney First UMC $6,627 25.00% $3,837 25.00% $10,464 25.00%
Olney Immanuel UMC $851 6.47% $499 6.55% $1,350 7.00%
Olney Saint Paul UMC $1,698 25.00% $984 25.00% $2,682 25.00%
Parkersburg UMC $354 25.00% $204 25.00% $558 25.00%
Ebenezer UMC $924 100.00% $528 100.00% $1,452 100.00%
Little Wabash UMC $460 33.33% $268 33.33% $728 33.00%
Pinkstaff UMC $1,196 33.33% $692 33.33% $1,888 33.00%
Richview UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Saint Francisville UMC $768 25.00% $444 25.00% $1,212 25.00%
Salem Grace UMC $7,638 25.00% $4,422 25.00% $12,060 25.00%
Salem Trinity UMC $1,983 25.00% $1,146 25.00% $3,129 25.00%
Iuka UMC $1,020 25.00% $591 25.00% $1,611 25.00%
Sandoval UMC $1,611 25.00% $933 25.00% $2,544 25.00%
Patoka UMC $1,413 25.00% $816 25.00% $2,229 25.00%
Boulder UMC $528 25.00% $306 25.00% $834 25.00%
Sumner UMC $3,135 25.00% $1,815 25.00% $4,950 25.00%
Clay City UMC $1,377 25.00% $798 25.00% $2,175 25.00%
Harmony UMC $1,101 25.00% $636 25.00% $1,737 25.00%
Bethel UMC $- 0.00% $808 33.33% $808 12.00%
Union Chapel UMC $315 25.00% $183 25.00% $498 25.00%
Vandalia First UMC $9,748 33.33% $5,640 33.33% $15,388 33.00%
West Salem Zion UMC $2,592 25.00% $1,500 25.00% $4,092 25.00%
Xenia UMC $1,404 25.00% $813 25.00% $2,217 25.00%
Kaskaskia River District $132,105 23.50% $76,952 23.65% $209,057 23.56%
LAMOINE RIVER DISTRICT
Ashland UMC $1,233 25.00% $714 25.00% $1,947 25.00%
Peter Cartwright UMC $1,305 25.00% $756 25.00% $2,061 25.00%
Astoria UMC $1,232 58.33% $714 58.33% $1,946 58.00%
Sheldon's Grove UMC $516 33.33% $300 33.33% $816 33.00%
Batchtown UMC $196 33.33% $116 33.33% $312 33.00%
Beardstown UMC $3,504 25.00% $2,028 25.00% $5,532 25.00%
Bethel UMC $393 25.00% $228 25.00% $621 25.00%
Grafton UMC $582 25.00% $336 25.00% $918 25.00%
Bluff Springs UMC $291 25.00% $168 25.00% $459 25.00%
Griggsville UMC $1,624 33.33% $940 33.33% $2,564 33.00%
New Salem UMC $303 25.00% $177 25.00% $480 25.00%
Detroit UMC $1,584 100.00% $924 100.00% $2,508 100.00%
Florence UMC $81 25.00% $48 25.00% $129 25.00%
Oxville UMC $576 100.00% $336 100.00% $912 100.00%
Perry UMC $1,047 25.00% $606 25.00% $1,653 25.00%
Baylis UMC $141 25.00% $81 25.00% $222 25.00%
District/Church
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Browning UMC $408 33.33% $236 33.33% $644 33.00%
Sugar Grove UMC $376 16.67% $218 16.67% $594 17.00%
Camp Point UMC $2,754 25.00% $1,596 25.00% $4,350 25.00%
Centennial Ebenezer UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Carlinville UMC $3,272 16.67% $1,894 16.67% $5,166 17.00%
Carrollton UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Christ UMC $1,564 33.33% $904 33.33% $2,468 33.00%
Carthage First UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Clayton Federated UMC $855 25.00% $495 25.00% $1,350 25.00%
Concord UMC $372 25.00% $216 25.00% $588 25.00%
Arenzville UMC $2,396 33.33% $1,388 33.33% $3,784 33.00%
Doddsville UMC $504 25.00% $291 25.00% $795 25.00%
Bluffs UMC $1,140 25.00% $660 25.00% $1,800 25.00%
Naples UMC $615 25.00% $357 25.00% $972 25.00%
Beverly UMC $135 8.33% $78 8.33% $213 8.00%
Plainville UMC $369 25.00% $213 25.00% $582 25.00%
Richfield UMC $315 25.00% $183 25.00% $498 25.00%
Franklin UMC $470 16.67% $272 16.67% $742 17.00%
Durbin UMC $796 33.33% $460 33.33% $1,256 33.00%
Greenfield UMC $1,977 25.00% $1,143 25.00% $3,120 25.00%
Rockbridge UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Hamilton UMC $774 25.00% $450 25.00% $1,224 25.00%
Warsaw UMC $1,218 25.00% $705 25.00% $1,923 25.00%
Havana First UMC $3,615 25.00% $2,091 25.00% $5,706 25.00%
Industry UMC $2,622 25.00% $1,518 25.00% $4,140 25.00%
Vermont UMC $1,196 33.33% $692 33.33% $1,888 33.00%
Jacksonville Asbury UMC $501 25.00% $291 25.00% $792 25.00%
Jacksonville Centenary UMC $4,671 25.00% $1,802 16.67% $6,473 22.00%
Jacksonville Brooklyn UMC $406 8.33% $235 8.33% $641 8.00%
Jacksonville Grace UMC $5,922 25.00% $3,429 25.00% $9,351 25.00%
Jacksonville Wesley Chapel UMC $5,256 33.33% $3,044 33.33% $8,300 33.00%
Jerseyville UMC $8,088 25.00% $4,683 25.00% $12,771 25.00%
Littleton UMC $492 25.00% $285 25.00% $777 25.00%
Living Faith UMC $2,820 25.00% $1,632 25.00% $4,452 25.00%
Loraine UMC $1,776 33.33% $1,028 33.33% $2,804 33.00%
Manchester UMC $500 33.33% $288 33.33% $788 33.00%
Mount Sterling First UMC $2,166 25.00% $1,254 25.00% $3,420 25.00%
Columbus UMC $462 25.00% $267 25.00% $729 25.00%
Murrayville UMC $2,535 25.00% $1,467 25.00% $4,002 25.00%
New Hope UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Palmyra UMC $740 33.33% $428 33.33% $1,168 33.00%
Modesto UMC $498 25.00% $288 25.00% $786 25.00%
Payson UMC $615 25.00% $354 25.00% $969 25.00%
Pittsfield UMC $4,605 25.00% $2,667 25.00% $7,272 25.00%
Pleasant Grove UMC $1,144 33.33% $664 33.33% $1,808 33.00%
Paloma UMC $396 25.00% $231 25.00% $627 25.00%
Oakford UMC $1,524 25.00% $882 25.00% $2,406 25.00%
Bath UMC $393 25.00% $228 25.00% $621 25.00%
Fairview UMC $465 25.00% $270 25.00% $735 25.00%
Quincy Melrose Chapel UMC $5,388 25.00% $3,120 25.00% $8,508 25.00%
Quincy Union UMC $4,776 25.00% $- 0.00% $4,776 16.00%
Quincy Vermont Street UMC $12,220 33.33% $7,072 33.33% $19,292 33.00%
Rosedale UMC $3,036 100.00% $1,764 100.00% $4,800 100.00%
Rural UMC $3,372 100.00% $1,944 100.00% $5,316 100.00%
Rushville First UMC $8,986 51.61% $5,339 52.97% $14,325 52.00%
Barry UMC $1,128 25.00% $651 25.00% $1,779 25.00%
Hull UMC $1,128 25.00% $654 25.00% $1,782 25.00%
New Canton UMC $664 33.33% $384 33.33% $1,048 33.00%
Pleasant Hill UMC $609 25.00% $354 25.00% $963 25.00%
Hamburg UMC $120 33.33% $68 33.33% $188 33.00%
Virden First UMC $2,130 25.00% $1,233 25.00% $3,363 25.00%
Girard UMC $2,344 33.33% $1,356 33.33% $3,700 33.00%
Virginia UMC $3,303 25.00% $1,914 25.00% $5,217 25.00%
Waverly UMC $2,562 25.00% $1,482 25.00% $4,044 25.00%
Brooklyn UMC $288 25.00% $168 25.00% $456 25.00%
Ebenezer UMC $328 33.33% $188 33.33% $516 33.00%
Houston UMC $464 33.33% $268 33.33% $732 33.00%
Camden UMC $864 33.33% $500 33.33% $1,364 33.00%
Winchester UMC $12,120 100.00% $7,008 100.00% $19,128 100.00%
LaMoine River District Totals $154,156 28.66% $85,716 27.53% $239,872 28.25%
MISSISSIPPI RIVER DISTRICT
Alton Grace UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Hartford UMC $561 25.00% $327 25.00% $888 25.00%
Elsah UMC $513 25.00% $297 25.00% $810 25.00%
Alton Main Street UMC $11,268 25.00% $6,522 25.00% $17,790 25.00%
Belleville Saint Matthew UMC $32,082 25.00% $18,570 25.00% $50,652 25.00%
Belleville Signal Hill UMC $2,127 16.00% $1,064 13.75% $3,191 15.00%
Belleville Union UMC $11,556 25.00% $6,687 25.00% $18,243 25.00%
New Athens UMC $1,257 25.00% $726 25.00% $1,983 25.00%
Benld UMC $1,044 25.00% $603 25.00% $1,647 25.00%
Bethalto UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Brighton Saint Paul UMC $2,493 25.00% $1,443 25.00% $3,936 25.00%
Bunker Hill UMC $435 25.00% $252 25.00% $687 25.00%
Carlyle UMC $1,410 8.00% $816 8.33% $2,226 8.00%
Huey UMC $423 25.00% $246 25.00% $669 25.00%
Beckemeyer UMC $303 25.00% $177 25.00% $480 25.00%
Caseyville UMC $2,138 18.75% $1,238 18.76% $3,375 19.00%
Chester First UMC $1,641 25.00% $951 25.00% $2,592 25.00%
Collinsville First UMC $4,056 25.00% $2,349 25.00% $6,405 25.00%
Columbia Bethany UMC $4,281 25.00% $2,478 25.00% $6,759 25.00%
Coulterville UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Tilden UMC $666 25.00% $384 25.00% $1,050 25.00%

District/Church
Conference Apportionment Receipts as of March 31, 2016*
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
*Churches reflecting contributions of 25% or greater of total apportionments are considered current.
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
East Alton First UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
East Saint Louis Trinity UMC $945 13.17% $555 13.37% $1,500 13.00%
Edwardsville Immanuel UMC $4,278 25.00% $1,925 19.44% $6,203 23.00%
Edwardsville Saint John's UMC $7,459 21.41% $3,790 18.80% $11,249 20.00%
Ellis Grove UMC $432 25.00% $249 25.00% $681 25.00%
New Palestine UMC $582 25.00% $336 25.00% $918 25.00%
Preston UMC $102 16.67% $58 16.67% $160 17.00%
Fairview Heights Christ UMC $49,917 25.00% $28,893 25.00% $78,810 25.00%
Fairview Heights Prospect Park UMC $382 16.67% $220 16.67% $602 17.00%
Gillespie First UMC $3,060 25.00% $1,770 25.00% $4,830 25.00%
Glen Carbon New Bethel UMC $4,419 25.00% $2,559 25.00% $6,978 25.00%
Godfrey First UMC $6,807 25.00% $3,939 25.00% $10,746 25.00%
Granite City Dewey Avenue UMC $345 11.45% $195 11.21% $540 11.00%
Granite City Nameoki UMC $6,092 33.33% $3,528 33.33% $9,620 33.00%
Granite City Niedringhaus UMC $501 5.12% $249 4.40% $750 5.00%
Granite City Trinity UMC $667 7.83% $1,233 25.00% $1,900 14.00%
Greenville First UMC $4,305 25.00% $2,490 25.00% $6,795 25.00%
Highland Hope UMC $8,265 25.00% $4,785 25.00% $13,050 25.00%
Keyesport UMC $512 33.33% $296 33.33% $808 33.00%
Lebanon First UMC $2,834 16.67% $1,640 16.67% $4,474 17.00%
Litchfield Saint Timothy UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Marissa UMC $550 9.55% $550 16.49% $1,100 12.00%
Maryville Saint Luke's UMC $5,199 25.00% $3,009 25.00% $8,208 25.00%
Mascoutah Bethel UMC $8,004 33.33% $4,632 33.33% $12,636 33.00%
Medora UMC $372 25.00% $216 25.00% $588 25.00%
Piasa UMC $452 33.33% $264 33.33% $716 33.00%
Mount Olive UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Sorento UMC $236 16.67% $136 16.67% $372 17.00%
Mulberry Grove UMC $549 25.00% $318 25.00% $867 25.00%
Pleasant Mound UMC $900 100.00% $516 100.00% $1,416 100.00%
Nashville Grace UMC $6,342 25.00% $3,669 25.00% $10,011 25.00%
New Baden UMC $2,196 33.33% $1,272 33.33% $3,468 33.00%
O'Fallon First UMC $15,756 25.00% $9,120 25.00% $24,876 25.00%
Okawville UMC $561 25.00% $324 25.00% $885 25.00%
Pocahontas UMC $1,472 16.67% $852 16.67% $2,324 17.00%
Panama UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Rosewood Heights Saint Paul UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Shiloh UMC $3,053 8.33% $1,321 6.23% $4,374 8.00%
Shipman UMC $1,890 50.00% $1,098 50.00% $2,988 50.00%
Dorchester UMC $291 25.00% $168 25.00% $459 25.00%
Sparta First UMC $4,794 25.00% $2,775 25.00% $7,569 25.00%
Staunton UMC $885 25.00% $510 25.00% $1,395 25.00%
Steeleville UMC $525 25.00% $303 25.00% $828 25.00%
Percy UMC $555 25.00% $321 25.00% $876 25.00%
Trenton First UMC $3,390 25.00% $1,962 25.00% $5,352 25.00%
Troy UMC $7,026 14.54% $2,331 8.33% $9,357 12.00%
Worden UMC $567 25.00% $327 25.00% $894 25.00%
Saint Jacob UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Wanda UMC $2,535 25.00% $1,467 25.00% $4,002 25.00%
Waterloo Real Life UMC $207 25.00% $120 25.00% $327 25.00%
Wood River First UMC $2,082 25.00% $1,206 25.00% $3,288 25.00%
Mississippi River District Totals $250,547 21.34% $142,626 20.99% $393,173 21.21%
SANGAMON RIVER DISTRICT
Argenta UMC $1,296 25.00% $750 25.00% $2,046 25.00%
Warrensburg UMC $1,125 25.00% $651 25.00% $1,776 25.00%
Assumption UMC $750 25.00% $435 25.00% $1,185 25.00%
Findlay UMC $988 33.33% $572 33.33% $1,560 33.00%
Windsor UMC $1,059 25.00% $612 25.00% $1,671 25.00%
Athens UMC $2,584 33.33% $1,496 33.33% $4,080 33.00%
Cantrall UMC $1,356 25.00% $786 25.00% $2,142 25.00%
Auburn UMC $3,546 25.00% $2,052 25.00% $5,598 25.00%
Beason UMC $1,040 33.33% $600 33.33% $1,640 33.00%
Elkhart UMC $615 25.00% $357 25.00% $972 25.00%
Bethel UMC $198 25.00% $114 25.00% $312 25.00%
Bissell UMC $597 25.00% $345 25.00% $942 25.00%
Blue Mound UMC $3,604 33.33% $2,088 33.33% $5,692 33.00%
Buckeye UMC $968 33.33% $560 33.33% $1,528 33.00%
Owaneco UMC $684 25.00% $396 25.00% $1,080 25.00%
South Fork UMC $1,524 25.00% $882 25.00% $2,406 25.00%
Chatham UMC $5,036 16.67% $2,914 16.67% $7,950 17.00%
Cisco UMC $2,022 25.00% $1,170 25.00% $3,192 25.00%
Clinton UMC $6,221 30.00% $3,600 30.00% $9,821 30.00%
Decatur Christ UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Decatur First UMC $11,304 25.00% $6,543 25.00% $17,847 25.00%
Decatur Grace UMC $14,526 25.00% $8,409 25.00% $22,935 25.00%
Decatur Wesley UMC $1,264 33.33% $732 33.33% $1,996 33.00%
Divernon UMC $1,888 33.33% $1,092 33.33% $2,980 33.00%
Farmersville UMC $168 25.00% $96 25.00% $264 25.00%
Midland UMC $1,593 25.00% $921 25.00% $2,514 25.00%
Easton UMC $1,844 33.33% $1,068 33.33% $2,912 33.00%
Edinburg UMC $1,746 25.00% $1,011 25.00% $2,757 25.00%
Stonington UMC $2,180 33.33% $948 25.00% $3,128 30.00%
Elwin UMC $4,276 33.33% $2,476 33.33% $6,752 33.00%
Fairview UMC $420 25.00% $243 25.00% $663 25.00%
Forsyth UMC $3,984 25.00% $2,307 25.00% $6,291 25.00%
Fountain of Life UMC $1,665 25.00% $963 25.00% $2,628 25.00%
Garver Brick UMC $951 25.00% $552 25.00% $1,503 25.00%
Hartsburg UMC $342 25.00% $198 25.00% $540 25.00%
Island Grove UMC $657 25.00% $381 25.00% $1,038 25.00%
Kenney UMC $294 50.00% $174 50.00% $468 50.00%
Lincoln First UMC $6,021 25.00% $3,486 25.00% $9,507 25.00%
Loami UMC $496 16.67% $288 16.67% $784 17.00%
Long Creek UMC $2,028 25.00% $1,173 25.00% $3,201 25.00%
District/Church
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Dalton City UMC $918 25.00% $531 25.00% $1,449 25.00%
Macon UMC $2,484 25.00% $1,437 25.00% $3,921 25.00%
Maroa UMC $3,918 25.00% $2,268 25.00% $6,186 25.00%
Mason City UMC $1,610 16.67% $932 16.67% $2,542 17.00%
San Jose UMC $1,346 16.67% $780 16.67% $2,126 17.00%
Middletown UMC $441 25.00% $255 25.00% $696 25.00%
Monticello UMC $8,481 25.00% $4,911 25.00% $13,392 25.00%
Morrisonville UMC $1,836 33.33% $1,064 33.33% $2,900 33.00%
Mount Auburn UMC $732 25.00% $423 25.00% $1,155 25.00%
Mount Pulaski First UMC $1,130 16.67% $654 16.67% $1,784 17.00%
Chestnut UMC $591 25.00% $342 25.00% $933 25.00%
Latham UMC $1,116 33.33% $648 33.33% $1,764 33.00%
Mount Zion UMC $3,486 25.00% $2,024 25.00% $5,510 25.00%
Bethany UMC $468 25.00% $270 25.00% $738 25.00%
Moweaqua UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Sanner Chapel UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
New Holland UMC $3,348 100.00% $1,944 100.00% $5,292 100.00%
Waynesville UMC $2,335 41.67% $1,350 41.67% $3,685 42.00%
McLean UMC $1,422 25.00% $825 25.00% $2,247 25.00%
Niantic UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Illiopolis UMC $786 25.00% $456 25.00% $1,242 25.00%
Cerro Gordo UMC $2,211 25.00% $1,281 25.00% $3,492 25.00%
Lovington UMC $1,329 25.00% $768 25.00% $2,097 25.00%
Hammond UMC $1,140 25.00% $660 25.00% $1,800 25.00%
LaPlace UMC $537 25.00% $312 25.00% $849 25.00%
Pana UMC $4,179 25.00% $2,418 25.00% $6,597 25.00%
Pawnee UMC $189 3.71% $111 3.78% $300 4.00%
Thayer UMC $651 25.00% $378 25.00% $1,029 25.00%
Petersburg UMC $2,256 16.67% $1,306 16.67% $3,562 17.00%
Raymond Community Of Faith UMC $2,901 25.00% $1,680 25.00% $4,581 25.00%
Riverton First UMC $898 8.33% $520 8.33% $1,418 8.00%
Rochester UMC $5,985 25.00% $3,465 25.00% $9,450 25.00%
Sharon UMC $2,586 25.00% $1,497 25.00% $4,083 25.00%
Sherman UMC $6,798 25.00% $3,936 25.00% $10,734 25.00%
Springfield Asbury UMC $1,662 25.00% $963 25.00% $2,625 25.00%
Springfield Cotton Hill UMC $3,618 25.00% $2,094 25.00% $5,712 25.00%
Springfield Douglas Avenue UMC $5,676 16.67% $3,286 16.67% $8,962 17.00%
Springfield First UMC $44,976 25.00% $26,034 25.00% $71,010 25.00%
Springfield Grace UMC $1,812 16.67% $1,050 16.67% $2,862 17.00%
Springfield Kumler UMC $1,530 10.97% $886 10.97% $2,416 11.00%
Springfield Jerome UMC $1,131 25.00% $654 25.00% $1,785 25.00%
New Salem UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Springfield Laurel UMC $9,656 16.67% $5,588 16.67% $15,244 17.00%
Sugar Creek UMC $6,912 25.00% $4,002 25.00% $10,914 25.00%
Taylorville UMC $7,788 25.00% $4,509 25.00% $12,297 25.00%
Williamsville UMC $1,335 25.00% $774 25.00% $2,109 25.00%
Zion Chapel UMC $1,000 9.55% $1,000 16.67% $2,000 12.00%
Decatur Central UMC $1,530 25.00% $885 25.00% $2,415 25.00%
Sangamon River District Totals $249,593 23.26% $144,612 23.28% $394,206 23.27%
SPOON RIVER DISTRICT
Abingdon UMC $2,721 25.00% $1,575 25.00% $4,296 25.00%
Aledo UMC $6,063 25.00% $2,340 16.67% $8,403 22.00%
Alpha UMC $2,244 25.00% $1,299 25.00% $3,543 25.00%
Altona UMC $1,941 25.00% $1,125 25.00% $3,066 25.00%
Oneida UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Blandinsville UMC $729 25.00% $423 25.00% $1,152 25.00%
Burnside UMC $700 36.46% $- 0.00% $700 23.00%
Bushnell UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Avon UMC $800 18.47% $400 15.95% $1,200 18.00%
New Philadelphia UMC $212 33.33% $124 33.33% $336 33.00%
Point Pleasant UMC $360 33.33% $208 33.33% $568 33.00%
Colchester UMC $2,655 25.00% $1,536 25.00% $4,191 25.00%
Hills Grove UMC $309 25.00% $180 25.00% $489 25.00%
Colona UMC $3,606 25.00% $2,088 25.00% $5,694 25.00%
Colusa UMC $669 25.00% $387 25.00% $1,056 25.00%
East Moline Christ UMC $12,144 25.00% $7,029 25.00% $19,173 25.00%
Elmwood UMC $3,741 27.18% $2,292 28.77% $6,033 28.00%
Fairfield UMC $501 25.00% $291 25.00% $792 25.00%
Fairview Center UMC $2,679 25.00% $1,551 25.00% $4,230 25.00%
Galesburg Faith UMC $1,518 25.00% $879 25.00% $2,397 25.00%
Galesburg First UMC $9,753 25.00% $5,646 25.00% $15,399 25.00%
Galva Grace UMC $398 16.67% $230 16.67% $628 17.00%
Geneseo First UMC $13,347 25.00% $7,725 25.00% $21,072 25.00%
Cambridge UMC $4,028 33.33% $2,332 33.33% $6,360 33.00%
Geneseo Grace UMC $7,365 25.00% $4,263 25.00% $11,628 25.00%
Annawan Community UMC $598 16.67% $346 16.67% $944 17.00%
Fairview UMC $1,143 25.00% $660 25.00% $1,803 25.00%
Hooppole Zion UMC $726 25.00% $420 25.00% $1,146 25.00%
Henderson UMC $408 25.00% $237 25.00% $645 25.00%
North Henderson UMC $486 25.00% $282 25.00% $768 25.00%
Hillsdale UMC $1,308 33.33% $760 33.33% $2,068 33.00%
Illinois City UMC $1,515 25.00% $879 25.00% $2,394 25.00%
Pine Bluff UMC $432 25.00% $249 25.00% $681 25.00%
Kirkwood UMC $1,804 33.33% $1,044 33.33% $2,848 33.00%
Smithshire UMC $488 33.33% $284 33.33% $772 33.00%
Knoxville UMC $2,694 25.00% $1,560 25.00% $4,254 25.00%
LaHarpe UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Durham UMC $411 25.00% $240 25.00% $651 25.00%
Terre Haute UMC $1,788 50.00% $1,038 50.00% $2,826 50.00%
Good Hope UMC $1,809 25.00% $1,047 25.00% $2,856 25.00%
Jerusalem UMC $921 25.00% $534 25.00% $1,455 25.00%
Loraine UMC $4,464 33.33% $2,584 33.33% $7,048 33.00%
17
THE CURRENT

18
Conference Apportionment Receipts as of March 31, 2016*
MAY 2016
*Churches reflecting contributions of 25% or greater of total apportionments are considered current.
District/Church
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Macomb Wesley UMC $10,992 25.00% $6,363 25.00% $17,355 25.00%
Maquon UMC $1,221 25.00% $705 25.00% $1,926 25.00%
Douglas UMC $852 33.33% $492 33.33% $1,344 33.00%
Orange Chapel UMC $600 25.00% $348 25.00% $948 25.00%
Maxey Chapel UMC $780 33.33% $452 33.33% $1,232 33.00%
Milan Trinity UMC $2,520 25.00% $1,458 25.00% $3,978 25.00%
Green River UMC $460 33.33% $264 33.33% $724 33.00%
Mineral UMC $1,164 100.00% $672 100.00% $1,836 100.00%
Moline Bethel Wesley UMC $4,512 25.00% $2,613 25.00% $7,125 25.00%
Moline Riverside UMC $9,351 25.00% $5,412 25.00% $14,763 25.00%
Monmouth First UMC $5,733 25.00% $3,318 25.00% $9,051 25.00%
Nauvoo UMC $987 25.00% $570 25.00% $1,557 25.00%
Galva First UMC $878 8.33% $- 0.00% $878 5.00%
Bishop Hill UMC $768 33.33% $444 33.33% $1,212 33.00%
Oquawka UMC $558 25.00% $321 25.00% $879 25.00%
Gladstone UMC $175 8.33% $101 8.33% $276 8.00%
Biggsville UMC $627 25.00% $363 25.00% $990 25.00%
Orion UMC $4,713 25.00% $2,727 25.00% $7,440 25.00%
Port Byron First UMC $3,525 25.00% $2,040 25.00% $5,565 25.00%
Reynolds UMC $730 8.33% $423 8.33% $1,153 8.00%
Taylor Ridge UMC $772 33.33% $448 33.33% $1,220 33.00%
Rock Island Two Rivers UMC $4,977 25.00% $2,880 25.00% $7,857 25.00%
Roseville UMC $2,766 25.00% $1,602 25.00% $4,368 25.00%
Swan Creek UMC $543 25.00% $315 25.00% $858 25.00%
Silvis UMC $1,674 25.00% $969 25.00% $2,643 25.00%
Stronghurst UMC $1,095 25.00% $633 25.00% $1,728 25.00%
Carman UMC $738 25.00% $426 25.00% $1,164 25.00%
Carbon Cliff UMC $681 25.00% $396 25.00% $1,077 25.00%
Church of the Cross UMC $990 25.00% $573 25.00% $1,563 25.00%
Hampton Grace UMC $660 16.67% $382 16.67% $1,042 17.00%
Victoria UMC $1,972 33.33% $1,140 33.33% $3,112 33.00%
Viola UMC $1,827 25.00% $1,059 25.00% $2,886 25.00%
Preemption UMC $1,424 16.67% $824 16.67% $2,248 17.00%
Walnut Grove UMC $1,281 25.00% $741 25.00% $2,022 25.00%
Joy UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Eliza Community UMC $753 25.00% $- 0.00% $753 25.00%
New Boston UMC $466 16.67% $270 16.67% $736 17.00%
Williamsfield UMC $1,518 25.00% $879 25.00% $2,397 25.00%
Dahinda UMC $6,036 100.00% $3,492 100.00% $9,528 100.00%
Spoon River District Totals $180,797 25.23% $102,202 24.74% $282,999 25.05%
VERMILION RIVER DISTRICT
Aroma Park UMC $858 25.00% $495 25.00% $1,353 25.00%
Atlanta UMC $1,004 16.67% $580 16.67% $1,584 17.00%
Ebenezer UMC $3,430 58.33% $1,988 58.33% $5,418 58.00%
Hopedale UMC $1,116 25.00% $648 25.00% $1,764 25.00%
Bloomington Wesley UMC $23,049 25.00% $13,341 25.00% $36,390 25.00%
Bloomington Park UMC $1,327 18.01% $668 15.64% $1,995 17.00%
Bonfield First UMC $480 16.67% $278 16.67% $758 17.00%
Bonfield Evangelical UMC $1,443 25.00% $834 25.00% $2,277 25.00%
Grand Prairie UMC $1,035 25.00% $600 25.00% $1,635 25.00%
Bourbonnais Grace Community UMC $2,158 16.67% $1,250 16.67% $3,408 17.00%
Braceville UMC $934 16.67% $540 16.67% $1,474 17.00%
Bradley Wesley UMC $3,567 25.00% $2,064 25.00% $5,631 25.00%
Chatsworth UMC $5,796 100.00% $3,360 100.00% $9,156 100.00%
Forrest UMC $1,536 25.00% $888 25.00% $2,424 25.00%
District/Church
Golden Cross: a caring
response with love in action
(Editor’s note: This is another in a series of articles
spotlighting Golden Cross ministries in the Illinois
Great Rivers Conference. Golden Cross Sunday
is observed on the second Sunday in May with
an alternate Sunday designated in December.
Offering envelopes and resources are available at:
www.igrc.org/goldencross)
BY PATRICK ANDRESEN
Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care
UnityPoint Health Methodist/Proctor
PEORIA – Perhaps you are familiar with the story
in Scripture of the triumphal return of Christ and
the separation of humanity into two groups, sheep
and goats. A truly beautiful story about love in
action.
Love in action because to be identified by Christ as
sheep, his people have to not only recognize the
needs of others, but also do something in caring
response to those needs. Every time someone
cares for another person, they care for Christ.
Your Golden Cross support helps provide a caring
response for people from all walks of life, all faiths,
and life backgrounds. When life has suddenly become
difficult or even tragic, your support helps us
train volunteers and churches to use both spiritual
and physical resources in caring response to these
hurting people. Homeless people, single moms,
people in major life transition, people facing the
end of their earthly journey. In all of these situations,
both in the hospital and in our community,
people are coming forth with caring responses to
the needs of friends and neighbors. Our hospital
volunteers sit and listen to difficult life stories offering
encouragement, hope, even prayer. And in our
community more churches now work with community
agencies to help people find resources that
help mitigate life crisis. Your support helps us put
love into caring response for many hurting people
inside the hospital and across the community.
In Peoria both Methodist Medical Center and
Proctor Hospital are proud affiliates of UnityPoint
Health, a healthcare system based in Iowa.
CS/Adm
Paid
CS/Adm
% Paid
B/CM
Paid
B/CM
% Paid
Total
Paid
Total
% Paid
Chenoa UMC $5,184 100.00% $3,000 100.00% $8,184 100.00%
Coal City UMC $3,576 16.67% $2,070 16.67% $5,646 17.00%
Cornell UMC $1,496 33.33% $868 33.33% $2,364 33.00%
Downs UMC $5,652 33.33% $3,272 33.33% $8,924 33.00%
Dwight UMC $9,780 33.33% $5,660 33.33% $15,440 33.00%
El Paso UMC $2,673 25.00% $1,548 25.00% $4,221 25.00%
Essex UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Fairbury First UMC $3,396 25.00% $1,965 25.00% $5,361 25.00%
Grand Ridge UMC $2,760 50.00% $1,596 50.00% $4,356 50.00%
Long Point UMC $1,095 25.00% $633 25.00% $1,728 25.00%
Herscher UMC $2,532 25.00% $1,467 25.00% $3,999 25.00%
Reddick UMC $1,275 25.00% $738 25.00% $2,013 25.00%
South Wilmington UMC $315 25.00% $183 25.00% $498 25.00%
Heyworth UMC $3,588 25.00% $2,076 25.00% $5,664 25.00%
Hudson UMC $2,217 25.00% $1,284 25.00% $3,501 25.00%
Kankakee Asbury UMC $- 0.00% $1,268 7.17% $1,268 3.00%
Kankakee Saint Mark UMC $3,738 25.00% $2,163 25.00% $5,901 25.00%
Kankakee Trinity UMC $2,154 25.00% $1,248 25.00% $3,402 25.00%
Bradley Evangelical UMC $954 25.00% $552 25.00% $1,506 25.00%
LeRoy UMC $5,196 25.00% $3,006 25.00% $8,202 25.00%
Lexington First UMC $4,557 25.00% $2,637 25.00% $7,194 25.00%
Manteno UMC $4,002 25.00% $2,316 25.00% $6,318 25.00%
Mazon UMC $1,026 25.00% $594 25.00% $1,620 25.00%
McDowell UMC $5,220 100.00% $3,024 100.00% $8,244 100.00%
Minonk UMC $816 33.33% $472 33.33% $1,288 33.00%
Wenona Saint John's UMC $996 33.33% $576 33.33% $1,572 33.00%
Momence UMC $2,862 25.00% $1,656 25.00% $4,518 25.00%
Grant Park UMC $750 25.00% $435 25.00% $1,185 25.00%
Hennepin UMC $5,604 100.00% $3,252 100.00% $8,856 100.00%
Magnolia UMC $620 33.33% $360 33.33% $980 33.00%
McNabb UMC $432 25.00% $252 25.00% $684 25.00%
Normal Calvary UMC $25,290 25.00% $14,637 25.00% $39,927 25.00%
Normal First UMC $15,123 25.00% $8,754 25.00% $23,877 25.00%
Normal Morningstar UMC $3,222 25.00% $1,863 25.00% $5,085 25.00%
Bloomington West Olive Faith UMC $1,794 50.00% $1,038 50.00% $2,832 50.00%
Pontiac First UMC $11,751 25.00% $6,801 25.00% $18,552 25.00%
Ransom UMC $1,551 25.00% $900 25.00% $2,451 25.00%
Verona UMC $513 25.00% $297 25.00% $810 25.00%
Ritchey UMC $- 0.00% $- 0.00% $- 0.00%
Roanoke UMC $2,262 25.00% $1,311 25.00% $3,573 25.00%
Secor UMC $1,084 33.33% $628 33.33% $1,712 33.00%
Saunemin UMC $2,144 33.33% $1,240 33.33% $3,384 33.00%
Saybrook Wesbein UMC $1,383 25.00% $801 25.00% $2,184 25.00%
Streator First UMC $3,780 25.00% $2,187 25.00% $5,967 25.00%
Ellsworth UMC $1,755 25.00% $1,017 25.00% $2,772 25.00%
Cropsey UMC $1,101 25.00% $636 25.00% $1,737 25.00%
Colfax UMC $1,136 33.33% $- 0.00% $1,136 21.00%
Pleasant Grove UMC $876 25.00% $507 25.00% $1,383 25.00%
Tonica UMC $2,196 33.33% $1,272 33.33% $3,468 33.00%
Lostant UMC $1,075 41.67% $625 41.67% $1,700 42.00%
Richland UMC $231 25.00% $135 25.00% $366 25.00%
Cabery UMC $716 33.33% $416 33.33% $1,132 33.00%
Cullom UMC $603 25.00% $348 25.00% $951 25.00%
Kempton UMC $654 25.00% $378 25.00% $1,032 25.00%
Vermilion River District Totals $212,439 26.87% $123,496 26.98% $335,935 26.91%
IGRC TOTALS $1,665,781 21.35% $1,076,521 23.85% $2,942,301 23.89%
Slaughter to speak at
College of Christian Life
EAST PEORIA – Rev. Mike Slaughter, pastor of
Ginghamsburg Church in Tipp City, Ohio, will
be the speaker at the 2016 College of Christian
Life, a clergy and laity retreat, Aug. 15-17 at the
Embassy Suites in East Peoria.
The two-day retreat, will have four teaching
sessions and one Q & A with Rev. Slaughter on
topic: Rethink Mission. Rev. Rich Rubietta will be the worship
leader for the event.
Hotel Registrations can be made through Hilton.com or call
309-694-0200. Use code CCL to receive the retreat rate. Fliers
for the event will be coming out in May and should be used for
retreat reservation. Questions can be directed to Rev. Nancy
Rethford at revrethford@gmail.com.
Slaughter is in his fourth decade as the chief dreamer of Ginghamsburg
Church and the spiritual entrepreneur of ministry
marketplace innovations. His life-long passion to reach the lost
and set the oppressed free has now made him a tireless and
leading advocate for the children, women and men of Darfur,
Sudan, named by the U.N. as the worst humanitarian crisis in
the world today. Mike’s call to afflict the comfortable and comfort
the afflicted will challenge attendees to wrestle with God
and their God-destinies.

Passing the baton key to a
smooth pastoral transition
BY MIKE CRAWFORD
IGRC Coordinator of Congregational Development
BELLEVILLE – Times of pastoral transition
are stressful, not only for the clergy family, but
also for the church. Did you know there are things
which can be done to help a church not only survive,
but to thrive in the midst of pastoral change?
On April 14-15, Jim Ozier, Director of Congregational
Development in the North Texas Conference,
led Passing the Baton, a workshop designed
to give churches practical strategies in the midst of
transition. Although designed with transitions of
long-tenured pastors, the principles are applicable
in any transition. The material is based on the
research and information in the recently published
book, The Changeover Zone: Successful Pastoral
The Illinois Great Rivers Committee on Global
Ministries hosted a Potato Drop at the Central Illinois
Food Bank in Springfield, Illinois April 2.
An estimated 38,000 pounds of potatoes were
available for distribution to foodbanks and
ministries bundled in individual 10-pound bags
Transitions, by Jim Ozier and Jim Griffith.
Sixty participants representing 17 churches
attended the workshop. Three churches had teams
which included the outgoing and incoming senior
pastors and laity (see picture) whose current pastoral
combined represent more than 33 years. Each
church left the workshop with specific actions they
would take to facilitate a healthy transition.
A frequent comment on the final day was
“This is great information. Every pastor and
church should be expected to attend this workshop
every few years.” Given the response, the Office of
Congregational Development anticipates working
with other conference leaders in the future to equip
churches for this important time in the life and
ministry of churches.
Photo by Bob Schafer
wrapped in 50-pound bundles.
Volunteers helped with the potatoes as well as
sorting canned and frozen foods. The IGRC United
Methodist Men joined with the Committee on
Global Ministries to work the event.
Conference News
UM Children’s
Home hosts
Prayer Walk
BY DEBORAH POLLEX
United Methodist Children’s Home
MT. VERNON – As Spiritual Life Coordinator of the United
Methodist Children’s Home, I’m privileged to interact with
some amazing teens on a daily basis. When a prayer walk
was suggested I was intrigued. The original idea was inviting
pastors to gather on campus, walk around and pray for
the various UMCH programs. Quickly though the decision
was made to have the youth from our Spiritual Life Group
at UMCH organize, set up, and then participate in the Prayer
Walk with the clergy.
Because the youth are at
varying places on their spiritual
journey, with varying
degrees of comfort when it
comes to prayer, a series of
six prayer stations were set
up. This provided a nonthreatening
way for all to
pray, using tangible objects
and creativity in prayer.
An invitation was sent to
Kaskaskia River clergy and
11 responded. Twelve
youth from UMCH gathered
in the Chapel March 7 for
the walk. There was some
hesitation which quickly
dissolved as pastors and
teens split into five groups.
Each group a mix of pastors
and youth, to encourage
relationship building.
I wanted the youth to feel
more comfortable with
pastors, and for pastors
to become acquainted
Photo courtesy of
United Methodist Children’s Home
One prayer station at the United Methodist Children’s
Home Prayer Walk had band aids with prayer requests
written on them. After picking up a band-aid and praying
for the request it was placed on the cross, because
“God is the ultimate healer” and UMCH offers Hope,
Help and Healing for a Brighter Tomorrow by providing
Christ-centered services.
with our youth at a deeper level. The youth led their groups
around campus; there were prayer stations at various buildings
therefore the youth were able to share their life at
UMCH in between prayer.
Tears came to my eyes seeing the groups walk from station
to station, laughing together, and then gathering in their
group to pray for the needs of UMCH. Afterwards the youth
responses were incredibly positive. Comments such as, “Praying
like this is really fun!” “Pastors are pretty cool.” “I loved
doing this with pastors, cause they know how to pray and
want to pray with us, not just for us.”
Checking in with the pastors I heard similar encouraging
comments. Rev. Mike Ebersohl from Salem Grace UMC
shared about the prayer walk. “I was privileged recently to
be a participant in a prayer walk at the invitation of youth
from the United Methodist Children's Home in Mt. Vernon.
Broken and battle-scarred, young and old, we met at stations
of prayer. There was a sense of risk in the unknown. We were
pilgrims on a journey and God met us there in prayers that
were spoken, in silence, and symbols. The richness of the
time spent together centered in our corporate need for faith,
not the unique and sometimes unfortunate circumstances of
our lives. Later, one of the youth prayed for us as we shared
in a youth banquet of pizza, cookies, doughnuts and pop!
New friendships were forged; new possibilities imagined. As
we prepared to depart one of the youth, unprompted, spoke
of their appreciation for the time spent together. And for the
gift of the pizza! The promise of Easter was among us.”
Definitely a God-filled experience for all involved. An experience
the youth were quick to tell me they would like to do
again…soon!
19
THE CURRENT

20
MAY 2016
IGRC
Conference News
Conference to feature Wednesday afternoon workshops
PEORIA – The 2016 Annual Conference will feature workshops
aimed at helping the local church make disciples
of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Nine workshops, covering a wide array of practical skills
for the disciple-making task, will be offered to lay, clergy
and visitors to the Annual Conference. The 90-minute
workshops will be offered immediately following the lay
and clergy sessions which will run concurrently beginning
at 1 p.m. June 8.
Selecting workshops is part of the annual conference
registration at: www.igrc.org/ac2016registration.
The workshops are listed below with the
workshop leader:
• Bloom Where You're Planted:
Being The Church Wherever
You Are (Rev. Linda Vonck,
pastor of the Divernon-
Farmersville-Midland
UMC's) What does
it look like to BE the
church in the world
today? This workshop
will dig deeper in how to
2016 Annual Conference
BE the church, wherever you are planted. What will
that look like in your context? The sky is the limit!
Dare to dream! Be the buzz in in your community
and beyond.
• Celebrating Diversity: Moving From Color-Blindness to
Understanding and Appreciating our Commonalities
and Differences (Dr. Pam Hammond McDavid, Chair,
IGRC Commission on Religion and Race)
• Creating New Places for New Faces: Reaching New
People for Christ (Rev. Mike Crawford, IGRC Coordinator
of Congregational Development) New people
are reached most effectively through new: new ministries,
new churches, new … This workshop will offer
practical steps for creating space in our lives and
the church to make new disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Meet My Friend Jesus: Sharing Your Faith With Integrity
(Rev. Shane Bishop, pastor of Fairview Heights Christ
UMC) This session will discuss faith sharing, inviting
people to church and leading others toward Christ
in intentional ways.
• Reaching the Now and Next Generations: Ministry with
Gen Xers and Millennials (Rev. Jessica Baldyga, associate
pastor, and Dr. Joe Scheets, senior pastor, Effingham
Centenary UMC) Everyone is talking about
reaching young adults and youth, through different
strategies and ideas. This workshop will explore
Special meals speakers announced
Several groups hosting special meals at
Annual Conference have announced their
speakers for the 2016 annual conference:
• Garrett-Evangelical Theological
Seminary (Wednesday evening at
Peoria First UMC) – GETS President
Dr. Lallene Rector
• Fellowship of Local Pastors and
Associate Members (Thursday lunch)
– Rev. Randall Robinson, pastor of
Danville St. James UMC and chair of
the 2016 North Central Jurisdictional
Conference's host committee speaking
on the 2016 NCJ Conference
• COSROW Women in Ministry
(Thursday lunch) – Rev. Nicole Cox,
associate pastor of Springfield First
UMC and Rev. Melissa Meyers, pastor
in the Northern Illinois Conference,
talking about their video blog,
"PastorBesties."
• Ethnic Local Minority Concerns/
Commission on Religion & Race/
Hispanic Ministries (Thursday
lunch) – Dr. Cheryl Walker, Director
of African-American Ministries,
Discipleship Ministries, Nashville,
Tenn.
• Reconciling United Ministries of
Illinois (Friday breakfast) – Emily
Schmidt and Jess Howell, students at
Eastern Illinois University and RUMI
scholarship recipients
• United Methodist Foundation (Friday
lunch) – Phil Haning, regional vice
president at America Funds, part of the
Capitol Group, based in Bloomington.
• IGRC Historical Society (Friday
lunch) – Churches celebrating its 150th
and 175th anniversaries this year will
be recognized
• Asbury Seminary Alumni and
Friends (Friday lunch) – Dr. Joseph
Dongell, professor of Biblical Studies,
Asbury Seminary
• Good News (Friday evening) – Rev.
Andy Adams, pastor of Urbana Quest
UMC and IGRC General Conference
delegate speaking on the 2016 General
Conference.
• United Methodist Women (Friday
evening)– Dr. Thembi Conner-Garcia,
internist, OSF Medical Group, Peoria.
these ideas and strategies, debunking some myths
about these younger generations and naming very
practical ways we can reach out to young adults and
youth through the church.
• Why Can't We All Get Along: Conflict Resolution in the
Local Church (Rev. Mike Fender, pastor, Jacksonville
Grace UMC) If we are in relationship with people we
will at some time be exposed to disagreement. Disagreement
brings about anxiety and anxiety brings
about CONFLICT. This workshop will offer church
leaders insight into some of the tools available to
help their congregation to live respectfully with one
another.
• Will the Ushers Please Come Forward: Inviting People
to Financially Support the Mission and Ministry of the
Church (Rev. Ted Frost, director of the IGRC Foundation)
• Public Theology: Leading Faith-Based Change in Our
Communities (Dr. Lallene Rector, President, Garrett-
Evangelical Theological Seminary and Dr. Angela
Cowser, assistant professor of sociology of religion,
G-ETS) The workshop will consider: 1) how the
commandments to love God, self, and neighbor call
us into the public sphere, the "city gates" to "love
good and seek justice" (Amos 5:15), and 2) specific
practices that enable us to lead change in the public
sphere based upon this call upon our lives.
Special offerings and collections during Annual Conference
John Kofi Asmah School (Laity Session offering) –
This school, located in the West Point section of Monrovia,
Liberia, was built and furnished by offerings of IGRC laity.
This year's offering will be used for additional furnishings for
the school.
Africa University (Opening worship) – The IGRC is
closing in on the $1 million goal set for Making Dreams
Possible Scholarships. Give generously so that this goal
is reached. When completed, eight scholarships will be
endowed to educate students at Africa University.
Ordinands' pilgrimage (Friday's Service of
Ordination) – It has been the tradition for the past few years
that the newly ordained class of elders and deacons are sent
for a mission saturation experience. This offering helps to
fund the trip.
Tom Brown Scholarship at Wiley College (Saturday
morning) – This year marks the 30th year for the collection
of the Tom Brown Scholarship at Wiley College, named for
a pastor of the former Central Illinois Conference, who was
a trustee of the historically Black College and was the person
who usually made the motion to take up an offering for the
Black College Fund.
The Midwest Mission Distribution Center is seeking
any or all supplies for the following kits:
Personal dignity kits - hand towel, wash cloth, comb,
nail clippers, toothbrush, shampoo with conditioner,
deodorant, bar soap, razors (individually wrapped);
toothpaste (2.5 oz. or larger)
School kits - 3 spiral, 1 subject notebooks (8 x 10
1/2"); 3 pens (blue or black); 3 unsharpened pencils; pencil
sharpener; pencil eraser (2 inches or larger), 12" ruler with
metric measurements; protractor (6" long with metric); box
of 24 crayons; pair of round tip scissors (no plastic scissors)
Those wishing to help with the cost of shipping and/
or the purchase of supplies in bulk can make their checks
payable to MMDC and bring it to Annual or Jurisdictional
Conference or mail them to : MMDC, P.O. Box 56, Chatham,
IL 62629.
For more details on personal dignity kits or school kits,
please see: http://midwestmissiondc.org/projects/projects
Helpful links and deadlines
May 8
May 9
May 9
May 16
May 17
Deadline to submit an ad in the June issue of
The Current.
Deadline for child care registration and ordering of
t-shirts for childcare participants. No registrations for
child care will be accepted after this date.
Deadline for other annual conference members to
order childcare t-shirts.
Deadline for hotels where blocks of rooms have been
set aside.
Deadline for:
• annual conference registration (registrations after this
date are handled at the IGRC registration window in
the Terrazzo Lobby of the Civic Center).
• purchase of parking and meal tickets. (Note: No
refunds for meals are given after May 19).
For information on advertising,
contact Michele Willson
at: mwillson@igrc.org
For childcare information
and registration go to www.
igrc.org/ac2016childcare
To order childcare t-shirts
go to www.igrc.org/
ac2016childcare
List of hotels can be
found at: www.igrc.org/
ac2016hotels
Avoid long lines on site
by registering online in
advance at: www.igrc.org/
ac2016registration
For meal refunds call
217-529-2395
May 15 Deadline for presenters to submit materials needing audiovisual
support during the Annual Conference session
See: www.igrc.org/ac2016AVsupport for more information
To download pre-Conference workbook materials, visit: www.igrc.org/
ac2016downloads for the various documents that can be viewed or
downloaded. The Supplemental Packet will be added in May once it is
compiled.

Conference News
Withdrawals, new candidates
expands candidate field to 13
21
THE CURRENT
Dick
Brown
Brown
BY PAUL BLACK
PEORIA – Two episcopal candidates have withdrawn their names
from consideration for bishop in the North Central Jurisdiction, while the
East Ohio has endorsed a second candidate and Michigan Black Clergy
have endorsed three candidates -- two of which have not been previously
endorsed.
In all, the field now has 13 episcopal candidates. Four new bishops will
be elected at the 2016 North Central Jurisdictional Conference July 13-16
in Peoria. The four elected will replace Bishops John Hopkins, currently
assigned to East Ohio; Michael Coyner of Indiana; Deborah Lieder Kiesey of
Michigan; and Jonathan D. Keaton of Illinois.
Dan Dick, Brian Brown withdraw
Wisconsin Conference candidate Dan Dick announced his
withdrawal April 13. "I am dealing with chronic health issues
related to a degenerative spinal condition, and I truly do not believe
I can handle the rigors and demands of the Episcopal office," Dick
said. "I cannot in good conscience continue in the process knowing
that my physical condition will not improve and that I may not be
able to fulfill the duties and expectations of the job."
West Ohio's endorsed candidate, Rev. Dr. Brian Brown,
announced his withdrawal April 20. "...over the past several weeks, I
have wrestled in moving forward as an episcopal candidate," Brown
said in an open letter to the Conference. "Through prayer and
counseling with friends concerning my uneasiness, I have found
a place of peace in discontinuing my campaign as an episcopal
candidate, discerning that now is not the time."
New endorsements
The East Ohio clergywomen have endorsed a second candidate
from the conference, the Rev. Susan Brown, who currently serves as senior
pastor of Canfield UMC.
“East Ohio has a history of equipping women for ministry in
all areas of the church and I give thanks for the many women, both
clergy and laity, who have been part of my journey to ministry,”
Brown said. “I am thankful for this honor and pray God’s wisdom
and guidance as I move forward in this process.”
Brown has served her current appointment since 2012.
Prior to this appointment, she served two years as director of
Discipleship for the Northwest Texas Annual Conference.
Brown has been active in the church since she was a child and brings
more than 25 years of faithful service and participation as a lay person and
an ordained minister to her candidacy. Before entering seminary she had a
career in arts and non-profit management.
She began her appointive
ministry in the East Ohio
Conference by serving ½-time
as the conference director
of Youth Ministries while
being ½-time pastor in a local
church. During those four
years, leading up to her move
to Texas, Brown served first
as associate pastor of UMC of
Wooster, and then as pastor of
Randolph UMC.
“At the clergywomen
gathering I appreciated hearing how Susan’s lifelong journey has prepared her
for Episcopal leadership,” said the Rev. Lenore Robinson of Spencer UMC.
“I think her life and clergy experiences would bring a front-line perspective
to the Episcopacy that is real and relevant, and lead The United Methodist
Church into the future.”
Brown has been active in the communities in which she has lived, and at
all levels of The United Methodist Church. She participated in the General
Board of Church and Society consultation on The Social Principles in January
2015, and has extensive experience in congregational development and
leadership formation. She currently serves the Mahoning Valley District as a
member of the Strategy team and as a Compass Group coordinator.
More information on Brown can be found at www.susanebrown.com
Michigan bringing four candidates
Bigham-Tsai
Boayue
After the West Michigan and Detroit conferences
endorsed the Rev. Laurie Haller and Rev. Kennetha
Bigham-Tsai, the Black Clergy of Michigan added their
endorsement to the candidacy of Bigham-Tsai and also
endorsed Rev. Charles Boayue and Rev. Dr. Jerome
Devine.
Boayue, a native of Liberia, is completing his first
year as superintendent of the Detroit Renaissance
District in the Detroit Annual Conference. Devine is
running for his third time as an
episcopal candidate and currently
serves as Director of Connectional
Ministries for the Detroit Annual
Conference.
Information on all of the
candidates can be found by visiting
http://www.ncjumc.org/ncj-2016-3/
episcopal-endorsements-v2/
Devine
McKendree added to UMC Historic Site registry
LEBANON – The United Methodist Church has designated
McKendree University as a national historic site for 188 years
of service in higher education. Founded in 1828, McKendree
is the oldest college with continuous ties to the United Methodist
Church.
“We are grateful for this special designation and know that it
is just one more symbol and sign of the Methodist legacy and
influence felt through the years on this campus and by the
many students who pass through these doors,” said Rev. Tim
Harrison, McKendree chaplain.
The university joins several notable congregations, campgrounds,
buildings and locations on the United Methodist
historic registry, said Dr. Paul Stroble, UMC elder and chair of
the Illinois Great Rivers Conference (IGRC) Commission on
History and Archives. He spoke at the April 1 commemoration
ceremony at Bothwell Chapel, joined by Rev. Dr. Roger
Grimmett, Mississippi River District Superintendent, an ex
officio member of the university Board of Trustees and a 1983
McKendree graduate.
The university’s history is closely tied to early American Methodism
in Illinois. Its founders– Edmond Ames, Bishop William
McKendree, Peter Akers and Peter Cartwright among them–
were circuit riders, the traveling preachers who ministered to
pioneer settlers.
“In 1827 at the fourth session of the Illinois Conference, a
discussion took place about the inadequate training for men
who were called to important positions of leadership as
Methodist preachers. Not a single member of that group, not
even the bishop, had a college education,” noted Rebecca
Schreiner, director of Holman Library at McKendree.
Determined to provide educational opportunities for their
successors, they formed a committee to establish a seminary
in Lebanon. “They discussed the purpose of the school,
the raising of funds, the purchase of a site, and the kind
of building it would be. Before they adjourned, Articles of
Organization were formulated, which are still preserved in our
university archives,” Schreiner said.
In 1828 circuit rider Edmond Ames opened the Lebanon
Seminary in two rented sheds for 72 students. In the same
year Bishop McKendree–the first American-born bishop of
the Methodist church–deeded 480 acres in nearby Shiloh Valley
as an endowment. In 1833 Rev. Peter Akers was appointed
the first president of the newly named McKendree College.
In 1835 it received one of the first charters granted to independent
church colleges by the Illinois legislature, which then
met in Vandalia. A second, more liberal charter was granted in
1839, under which it still operates. The college was renamed
McKendree University in July 2007.
Immediately following the historic site plaque dedication
April 1, a reception was held to honor retiring volunteer archivist
Linda Isbell, of O’Fallon. The McKendree alumna worked
in Holman Library’s Pioneer Room since 1995, cataloging
and preserving historic books and curating items from early
Methodism and early McKendree history.

ILLINOIS GREAT RIVERS
CAMPS FOR SALE
Three camp and retreat properties owned by the
Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United
Methodist Church offer potential buyers a wide range
of possibilities for use.
Epworth Camp on the outskirts of Louisville, IL, would
serve well as a retreat center, educational facility,
or lovely location on which to build in a peaceful
community.
Jensen Woods Camp is located in the “Golden
Triangle” of Illinois in Brown County, which is known
nationwide for exceptional hunting of white tailed
deer. A lodge, bunkhouse, and A-frame make the
property turnkey ready for business. Timber on the
property offers opportunities for logging and the
wooded setting for camping.
Living Springs Camp is located just north of
Lewistown, IL. The property includes generous acres of
timber for hunting, RV sites, an all-purpose recreation
building, and a rustic-appearing lodge, all of which
suggest opportunities for development as a hunting
operation, RV park, retreat center, or facility for hosting
receptions and other large group gatherings.
Epworth Camp
$350,000
Jensen Woods Camp
$3,000,000
CONTACT
Living Springs Camp
$1,600,000
Rev. Rick Van Giesen
Director of Administrative Services
Illinois Great Rivers Conference
Camping & Retreat Ministries
P.O. Box 19207
Springfield, IL 62794-9207
(217) 529-2132
rvangiesen@igrc.org
TERMS OF SALE
Properties sell “AS IS.”
IGRC’s best kept secret:
Your church has FREE
Current subscriptions!
Due to the faithful payment of apportionments of our churches, free subscriptions
to The Current are available to each IGRC congregation.
The bad news? One-half of those subscriptions go unclaimed!
Pastors: Check the list of subscribers to The Current for your church by visiting
www.igrc.org/subscriptions. Select the District, Church and enter the
church’s six-digit GCFA number.
Print subscriptions are based upon a church’s average worship attendance with
every church guaranteed a minimum of four subscriptions.
Members can also subscribe to the electronic version of The Current and there is no
limit on the number of electronic subscriptions a church may have. Merely send
those names, email addresses and the corresponding church to Michele Willson at
mwillson@igrc.org or by calling Michele at 217-529-3122.