Neoga Grace UMC opens doors to the community following tornado, Bishop Bard tells of his trip to Greece and Rome, Episcopal elections in Africa and Southern and Central Europe, Craig Hill to preach Retiree Recognition Service at Annual Conference
APR 2025 | VOL. 29 • NO. 8
Tornado hits Neoga, church opens for the community
THE current
NEWS FROM THE EPISCOPAL OFFICE
DEATHS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
amazing experience I have now had twice these past six months. I will be processing this trip, and my previous trip, for some time to come. I come away with a desire to dig deeply into the rich wells of our Christian tradition. I would encourage you to do so as well. People have been following Jesus for nearly 2000 years and we have much to learn from them. They have worshipped in caves and catacombs and church buildings ranging from the simple to the grand and ornate. We have wondered how the wisdom of others might relate to the wisdom of our faith, and I admit that as a philosophy major I was moved by being in the Athens of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. In plumbing the depths of our history, we will also need to acknowledge where we have gotten things wrong in following Jesus. The church has sometimes uncritically embraced hierarchies of value inconsistent with our faith. The church has often found itself enamored with the power of Caesars. In our history we have justified slavery and racism. Ironically in a largely Chirstian United States in the 1920s Congress passed an immigration act that set strict quotas on the number of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. Our founders often referred to the thought of the Greeks and Romans but in 1924 we decided we did not want to allow many Greeks or Italians into the country. The heart of our faith, though, is always an appreciation of each person as a unique creation of God, created in the image of God, a God who cares, who seeks the well-being of God’s creation, its redemption and salvation. This God came near in Jesus and remains near in the risen Christ. On Easter morning when we sing out “Christ the Lord is risen today,” it is not a statement about the past, but about the present. Today! The message of a loving and redeeming God who remains ever near, the message carried by Paul and Peter and many others through the centuries remains our message to share. Celebrate this. Plumb the depths of our rich history. Share the story. Bishop David Bard RIVER RAMBLINGS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Inside
We have received word of the death of Charlotte Houts , widow of the Rev. Don Houts, on Sunday, March 2. Rev. Houts served in the Area Office of Pastoral Care
For a complete obituary, visit: https://www. odonnellcookson.com/obituaries/Nora- Nadine-Preston?obId=37715348 Condolences may be sent to a sister, Donna Wood, 642 Scottsdale Rd., Kirkwood, MO 63122.
River Ramblings A MESSAGE OF A LOVING, REDEEMING GOD WHO REMAINS NEAR
THIS ISSUE
We have just been notified of the death of Theodore "Ted" Miller , 90, who died Jan. 16, in Franklin, Ind. He was the spouse of the Rev. Norma Jean Miller. Rev. Miller served eight years as pastor of Oakford UMC, from 1988
and Counseling until his retirement in 1993. He was a clergy member of the former Kansas East Conference. Condolences may be sent her son, Eric Houts, 93 Old Pool Road, Biddeford ME 04005.
1 News from the Episcopal Office 2 Announcements & Events 3-4 Christian Conversations 5 Local Church News 6-7 Tornado Damage and Response 8-9 Global News 10 Ordinands' Trip 11-12 Conference News
It has been my joy and privilege to travel with groups from both the Illinois Great Rivers Conference and the Michigan Conference in the last six months. I have just returned from a trip to Greece and Rome with IGRC ordinands and others from the conference (see photos on p. 10 of this issue of The Current ). I am deeply grateful to the Rev. Jacqui King for her work in organizing the trip and grateful for each person who chose to join us on this journey following the travels of Paul and seeing some of the seminal sites in the history of Western civilization. Seeing some of the magnificent historic sites, grand temples and arches and coliseums I pondered, “what did Paul have to offer in his preaching?” When one thinks of Rome, Peter also needs to be included. What was it about the preaching of Peter and Paul that attracted persons to follow this Jesus, a Jesus crucified at the hands of the Roman Empire, but who they proclaimed as risen? There may have been some attraction in monotheism. Throughout Greece and Rome temples were built to various gods. Perhaps the simplicity of worshipping one God appealed to some, though there were certainly monotheistic trends in other religions of the time, including in Egypt. More important, though, was the character and nature of this single God proclaimed by Paul and Peter. This God was genuinely caring. This God was concerned for the well-being of all persons. In traveling to Greece and Rome and Egypt, I could not avoid the impression APPOINTMENTS In consultation with the Cabinet of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference Bishops David Alan Bard and Kennetha Bigham-Tsai appoint the following: Jie Smith to Mansfield, East District, ¾ time, effective July 1. Margaret Anne Overstreet to Eldorado: First-Wesley Chapel, South District, ¼ time, effective March 15. Rev. Overstreet is a clergy member of the Presbyterian Church-USA and this is her first appointment in the IGRC. Paul Arnold to Champaign: First, East District, effective July 1. Kelsey Ross to Bloomington: Wesley (Associate), North District, effective April 1. This is her first appointment in the IGRC. Braden Parks to Carlinville-Rural, West District, effective July 1. Nicholas Jordan to Springfield: First (Associate), Central District, effective July 1. Melissa Engel to Dunlap: Prospect-Peoria: Northwest, North District, effective July 1. This is a charge realignment. Rev. Engel is an elder in the Mountain Sky Conference, serving at Colorado: Front Range. This is her first appointment in the IGRC. A ustin Miller to Elmwood-Farmington, North District, effective July 1. This is a charge realignment and his first appointment in the IGRC. Charles McDonald to San Jose, Central District, less than ¼ time, effective March 1. Dawn Beavan to Easton, Central District, ¼ time, effective March 1. This is a charge realignment, having previously served Easton-New Holland. Tsawe-Mungo (Lawrence) Chidongo to Moline: Riverside, West District, effective July 1. Rev. Chidongo is a member of the Kenya-Ethiopia Conference and this is his first appointment in the IGRC. Darla Holden to Chatham, Central District, effective July 1. Angel Rosales to Milan: Trinity-Preemption, West District, effective July 1. This is a charge realignment. Daniel F. Diss to Kankakee: Asbury, North District, effective July 1. Rev. Diss is a clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference, a former IGRC clergy member and is currently serving Los Gatos UMC in the California-Nevada Conference.
that the religious systems of all three were hierarchically structured and those higher up in the social system were also closer the the gods. The God of Jesus Christ did not distinguish between rich and poor, ruler and ruled in caring and concern. “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). In the Egyptian, Greek and Roman religions, the emperors were given titles such as son of God and savior. In Christian faith, all can be considered children of God and our savior is a Jew from a backwater province crucified by the empire. The notion of a caring and concern God is rooted in the faith of the Hebrews, and is now extended in Jesus to all persons. And this caring and concerned God is always near in the resurrected Christ. People responded to this message. And while the message of the Christian faith is about an accessible God, there is also a sense that some places can be places of special encounter with this God of Jesus Christ. Some have labeled such places “thin spaces,” places where the presence of God in the risen Christ seems remarkably powerful. One cannot travel in Greece and Rome without being taken by the remarkable church structures which have for years been thin places for many: St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, monasteries built on the Greek mountains in Meteora. Icons, in their unique artistry, provide a powerful reminder of the presence of God.
The message of a caring, concerned and accessible God often threatened the empire. To worship the usual gods supported the imperial structures
BISHOP David Alan Bard
Margy Jean Curtis , 88, widow of the Rev. John Curtis, Jr., died Feb. 28 in Hillsboro. Together with her husband, Margy served alongside Rev. Curtis in the 19 years of his 44
to 1996. She died May 7, 2011. For a complete obituary, visit: https://www. swartzmortuary.com/obituary/theodore- martin Funeral services have already been held. Condolences may be sent to his wife, Shirley Tanksley, 540 Dove Dr. West, Franklin, IN 46131. We have received word of the death of Martha Johnson , 107, widow of the Rev. Charles W. Johnson, who died April 1, 2024, in Florida. The Johnsons began their ministry in West Virginia, transferring to the Illinois Conference in 1950. They served the following appointments over the next 25 years: Good Hope, Springfield: Jerome-Woodside, Peoria First: Associate, Paris First and 10 years as Superintendent of Chaddock Boys’ School before going on disability in 1975. Rev. Johnson retired in 1986 and died Dec. 31, 1991. Condolences may be sent to a daughter, Kate Snodgrass, 39W860 Reindeer Trail, St. Charles IL 60175-6946.
and systems. To worship the God of Jesus Christ might lead people to question those systems and structures. The relationship between Christian faith and the philosophical and religious ideas of the Greeks and Romans remains interesting. Some early Christians such as Justin Martyr (100-165) taught that as all truth comes from God, the truth that may be found in Greek and Roman philosophy should be welcomed by Christians. Unfortunately, his Christian faith still ended up getting him killed. He was beheaded for refusing to renounce his faith, likely and ironically during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a philosophically inclined emperor. When the empire fell, there was a time when the Christians showed little concern for its grand structures. Marble from the Roman coliseum was taken and used for building homes. Later, Popes and other authorities began to appreciate the importance of these ancient structures. Archaeologists have uncovered wonderful places that tell us about our history and help it come alive. To walk the ancient streets of Corinth where Paul walked is an
years of active ministry, retiring from Paris: First in 1997. In retirement, the Curtises returned to the Carlinville area where they served Rural UMC for an additional 22 years. Rev. Curtis died Jan. 10, 2020. For a complete obituary, visit: https://davis- andersonfuneralhome.com/tribute/ details/3503/Margy-Curtis/obituary.html Condolences may be sent to a daughter, Melody Carlson, 107 S Main St., Arrowsmith, IL 61722. IGRC retired pastor, the Rev. Nora Nadine Preston , 78, died Feb. 18 in Pittsfield.
T H E current APR 2025 | VOL. 29 • NO. 8
Rev. Preston had a 20-year career in education before answering the call to ministry. She served
19 years in active ministry, retiring in 2009 from Stewardson-Mode.
RIVER RAMBLINGS CONTINUED ON ADJACENT PAGE
McMichael to be new South District assistant superintendent
MARION – The Rev. Marty McMichael, pastor of Murphysboro First UMC, will be an assistant superintendent in the South District, effective July 1. Rev. McMichael is pictured to the right along with his wife Veronica, a local pastor who serves at Carbondale: Grace and Marion: First UMC's. Bishop David Bard and the Cabinet have affirmed the assignment. McMichael will succeed Assistant
Superintendents David and Sheila Kelly, who will be moving to new appointments outside the South District. In his fourth year of ministry at Murphysboro: First UMC and third as directing pastor of Carbondale: Grace, McMichael will assist South District Superintendent Stan Irvin. He has 25 years of ministerial experience combined with serving as spiritual formation facilitator at United Theological Seminary and adjunct faculty member at several colleges and universities.
The Current (USPS 014-964) is published monthly by the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The UMC, 5900 South Second Street, Springfield, IL 62711 An individual subscription is $15 per year. The opinions expressed in viewpoints are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Current, The IGRC, or The UMC . Communications Team Leader: Paul E. Black Team members: Kim Halusan, Michele Willson Send materials to: P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207 or tel. 217.529.2040 or fax 217.529.4155 thecurrent@igrc.org , website www.igrc.org Periodical postage paid at Peoria, IL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to The Current , Illinois Great Rivers Conference, P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207
DEATHS
Lillian Anderson , 86, widow of the Rev. Ben Anderson, died March 14 in Savoy. Together with her husband, Lillian served
13235 N Linda Ln, Lewistown, IL 61542. Martha Roberts , 84,
Central Illinois Conference. Rev. Sabo retired in 1997 from Carlinville. In retirement, the Sabos served 17 years at Thayer and three years at Carrollton-Christ. Rev. Sabo died July 12, 2018. For a complete obituary, visit: https:// davis-andersonfuneralhome.com/ tribute/details/3511/Martha-Sabo/ obituary.html Condolences may be sent to her son, Rev. Robert Sabo, Jr., 529 Lakewood Dr., Moscow Mills, MO 63362-4701.
widow of the Rev. Lester Raymond Roberts, Jr., died March 10. Together with her husband, the Robertses
alongside her husband for 27 of his 41 years of active ministry in the former Southern and Central Illinois conferences, including stints as an Air Force chaplain, associate director of Preachers' Aid and Jacksonville District Superintendent. Rev. Anderson retired in 1993 from Decatur: First and died June 29, 2003. For a complete obituary, visit: https:// calvertmemorial.com/obituaries/lillian- anderson-2025 , where condolences may be left for the family.
pastored 41 years in active ministry, retiring in 2001 from Assumption-Findlay. Rev. Roberts then served Lerna-Johnstown in retirement before his death on Oct. 18, 2017. For a complete obituary, visit: https://www. templetonfuneralhome.com/obituaries/ Martha-L-Roberts?obId=38467491 Condolences may be sent to her daughter, Lucy Trine, 505 Maple Ave., Paris, IL 61944- 1024 or Ruth Adams, 700 CR 800N, Sullivan, IL 61951.
We have received word of the death on March 6 of Patrick W. Cox of Rantoul, a former clergy member, in Gifford. Mr. Cox served 24 years in
Peggy Eaker , 73, wife of former Living Springs Camp site manager, C. Michael “Mike Eaker,” died March 12 in Lewistown. For a complete obituary,
the former Central Illinois Conference with his last appointment being at Gibson City-Elliott in 1996. For a complete obituary, visit: https:// evergreencremationservices.net/ obituaries?name=patrick-william-cox Condolences may be sent to his wife, Susan Cox, 134 N Ludlow St, Rantoul, IL 61866. DEATHS CONTINUED ON ADJACENT PAGE THE CURRENT | APRIL 2025 | 1
Martha Sabo , widow of the Rev. Robert Sabo, Sr., and the mother of IGRC retired clergy, Rev. Robert “Bob” Sabo, Jr., died March 6.
visit: https://www.henrylange. com/obituaries/Peggy-Darlene- Eaker?obId=38844675#/obituaryInfo Condolences may be sent to C. Michael Eaker,
Together with her husband, Martha served 40 years of active ministry, including pastorates in South Georgia, North Georgia and the former
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS
C H R I S T I AN CONVERSATIONS
Free to a good home Jacksonville Grace UMC has the fol- lowing items FREE to a good home: • Choir robes (33 adult-size dark blue with dark red trim; 27 kids/ youth sized, ivory with a cross and flame (UM symbol) trim; 4 solid burgundy adult-size; and 6 solid ivory adult-size) • 2-3 octave set of Schulmerick handbells • 2+ octaves of Malmark Chines (flat-bar style chimes) • Plus music, cushions for tables, table covers, variety of worship bell music, gloves • Praise band music: Hymns for Praise and Worship (has a green cover) and Volumes 2, 3 and 4 More Songs for Praise & Worship – vocal and various instruments • Approx 2 dozen copies of The Oxford Easy Anthem Book (A Col- lection of Fifty Anthems) in good condition Interested parties would be respon- sible for pickup from the church. Phone or text Becky McGinnis, (217) 473-3832.
‘...For All the People You Can…’
Bishop Kennetha's Lenten Bible Study
Kennetha and ask questions. The day's schedule will have the bishop preaching at a church in the morning followed by the District Town Hall Meeting in the afternoon. District Town Halls were held Feb. 2 in the Central District, Feb. 23 in the East District and March 23 in the North District. • West District – Sunday, April 6, Preaching at Macomb: Wesley, 11 a.m. Town Hall at Monmouth UMC, 3 p.m. • South District – Sunday, May 4. Preaching at Mt. Vernon: First UMC, 10 a.m. Town Hall Meeting at Carbondale: First UMC, 2:30 p.m. NOTE TIME CHANGE! 21st Annual Festival of Quilts April 4-5 Cunningham Children’s Home will host the 21st Annual Festival of Quilts, April 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and April 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Cunningham’s Spiritual Life Center in Urbana. Cunningham’s signature fundraiser, the Festival honors the tradition of the United Women in Faith, and the quilts they, and quilters throughout Illinois, have created and donated for Cunningham youth since 1895. Each child at Cunningham receives a quilt of their own to wrap them in warmth, safety and love. The Festival, which will be in-person and online, includes a collection of show quilts that creatively blur the lines between
conventional quilt making and fine art. Quilts of all sizes will be available for purchase. Participants may also enjoy homemade baked goods from the Bake Sale; handcrafted items from the Gift Shop, home décor from Centerpieces & Such and more! Last year, 108 United Women in Faith units, churches and individuals helped raise more than $6,300 to make the United Women in Faith the presenting sponsor and were showcased by name on a digital Tribute Quilt. Cunningham is again asking for support to continue to celebrate the legacy of the UWFaith with the quilting tradition and Cunningham’s signature fundraiser. If all 350 Illinois Great Rivers Conference UWFaith units participate by again making a tribute gift of at least $20, a total of $7,000 will be raised to underwrite the expenses of the Festival of Quilts for the second year in a row. Admission to the Festival is a suggested donation of $10 per person (youth 12 years and under free with purchased adult ticket) and raises thousands of dollars to help bring hope to the 977 youth, adults and families Cunningham serves. Learn more at https://cunningham.org/get- involved/events/festival-of-quilts/ Northern Illinois, IGRC join forces for Lobby Day at the State Capitol SPRINGFIELD – The Northern Illinois and the Illinois Great Rivers conferences are planning a Lobby Day in Springfield on Wednesday, May 7. The day will be used for advocacy for just policies around the environment, education, and immigration. Specific legislative asks are still being worked out. To indicate your interest and to help us sort you into legislative districts, please complete an interest form by visiting: https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMe82X5hyC _ mFr7t3N4SNBlPqzTCIU _ leIeHuKYph-b _ OIDg/ viewform More details are coming soon! If you have any questions, email christina. krost@gmail.com . Information for the April 26 Lobby Day Training Session from 9 to 10:30 a.m. will be shared to the email address with which you use to register. The session will be recorded and will be shared with registrants. Disaster Response Training Basic ERT June 4, 2025 Training for new Early Response Team members. Full-day, in-person training covering fundamental early response skills and protocols. • Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Location: Peoria, IL (Site location TBA) • Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org Basic ERT, Sept. 6, 2025 Training for new Early Response Team members. Full-day, in-person training covering fundamental early response skills and protocols. • Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Location: East Bay Camp, Hudson • Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org ERT Recertification, Oct. 28 and 30, 2025 Join us for ERT recertification training delivered via Zoom. Recertification requires attendance at both dates. These interactive virtual sessions will refresh your ERT knowledge, update you on new procedures,
Guided by the Gospel’s call to “love your neighbor as yourself,” Bishop Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai will examine how the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of beloved community can be a counterpoint to Christian nationalism and reflect on the lectionary passages for the Lenten season and the call of the church as we approach the season of resurrection. In this three-part study, she will explore the theological concept of grace and discuss how love, service, and solidarity can help churches expand their impact and reach. Bishop Bigham-Tsai will share her experiences building a beloved community within and beyond the Church. Tuesday evenings, April 1, April 8, and April 15 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. These will be recorded and available soon after for your small group studies. Register today by clicking the button below. You will be emailed a ZOOM link soon after. Register for the Bible Study by visiting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ Yh _ tXYctRRavPB9w-0WCHA#/registration Bishop Kennetha’s District Town Hall meetings SPRINGFIELD – Bishop Kennetha J. Bigham- Tsai has two Town Hall Meetings remaining in the upcoming weeks. This will be an opportunity to meet Bishop
PASTOR SHARES OF THE WORK, ADVOCACY OF BREAD FOR THE WORLD (Editor’s note: Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization that works to end hunger, and it has strong ties to the United Methodist Church, with many United Methodists involved in its work and the church advocating for policies that address hunger. In recent years, the IGRC Board of Church and Society has taken a leadership role for IGRC in Bread for the World’s Offering of Letters which usually occur during Lent each year.)
enough food gets produced to feed 10 billion (Gabriel Ferraro). Yet, between 1 and 2 billion human beings live in extreme hunger and face daily malnutrition. Bread focuses on legislative issues around both domestic and global hunger, poverty, domestic and global food development programs, maternal and childhood nutrition, climate change, international assistance, food security and smallholder agriculture ( www.bread.org ). They look at what policies work in our government, and what needs improvement, and they view everything through a Christian lens. When I first went to D.C. in June, it was part of their annual Advocacy Day. They brought together more than 250 faith leaders from around the country, and the goal was to meet with as many members of the United States Congress and Senate as possible. The meetings each lasted about 15 minutes and were focused around four specific parts of the proposed 2024 Farm Bill negotiations that were ongoing last summer. I met with aides to both U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and
in our communities fighting to bring God’s kingdom to light. Congressman Jim McGovern said “Hunger is a political condition, domestically and globally. We have the resources, we have the food, we know what we have to do to end it, what we lack is the political will.” There is a reason that the prophets of the Old Testament spoke to kings and nations. Because living out God’s will for humanity requires political solutions. We’re witnessing drastic cuts to programs, both foreign and domestic, that threaten to leave behind millions of mothers, children and other displaced people. This is as important a time as ever to speak out. You and your local church can get involved. We can collectively use our voices across the state of Illinois to urge our political representatives to act justly and show mercy. Though the federal government is being dragged for being wasteful and incompetent, it is important to recognize very real critical successes. In 2021, during the height of Covid, Congress
BY WILL MEACHUM, Prairie River Parish When preaching, I occasionally do the delicate work of asking hard questions. Questions we often know the answer too, but don’t want to confront. One in particular that has stuck with me and I ask it often, because it reveals
frustration in the modern church, and our avoidable path toward irrelevance in the world. Jesus stood up in his hometown synagogue and read from the scrolls of Isaiah that he “had been sent to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 18b-19). In light of his politically-driven mission, a mission calling for drastic, overwhelming change to the way the world works; I asked my six rural congregations: Could we, if we wanted to, if we committed every resource and amount of energy we have at our disposal; Could we completely solve the issues of poverty in our town? My churches’ average worship attendance is somewhere between 10 and 30 on any given Sunday, and the sizes of my communities are anywhere from about 700 to 3000. I went further in my questioning, by asking: “If we were able to bring together all of the churches in our respective communities, and all of their collective resources, could we completely solve the issues of poverty? Could we even completely eradicate poverty for one family in our community?” Everyone knows the answers to these questions. And even if we turned back to self-assuring Christian hyperbole like saying “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” the reality is, our declining churches are deeply limited in their potential for missional effectiveness. It has become harder than ever to do all the good we can for all the people we can. This hard to accept reality frustrates me, but it also reminds us that while local mission is still essential, and part of our DNA as United Methodists, it is also just one part of the work we are called to do as disciples of Jesus Christ. I got the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. in June of 2024 to do advocacy work on behalf of an organization called Bread for the World. They are a non-partisan, Christian advocacy group founded by the Rev. Arthur Simon back in 1975. Art was the brother of former Illinois Senator Paul Simon, and after working with his brother on his political campaigns, he learned the impact religious leaders can have on a global scale when organized and willing to use their prophetic voices to members of Congress and other world leaders. In the 50 years since their founding, Bread for the World has mobilized clergy leaders and disciples to speak prophetic words in our national and local halls of power. Matt Gross is the Director of Organizing and Faith Engagement for the Washington D.C.-based organization, and he also lives in our Conference in Dunlap. And he shared a simple principle that Bread uses strategically. He told me that one pastor, or one small church cannot have influence on a member of Congress; and they likely can’t even get into the room with one. But if you can get 10 pastors, and multiple congregations involved in advocacy, members of Congress cannot ignore you. Bread’s primary focus is feeding the world. Not through food pantries and food drives, but by fighting to change laws, protect current programs, or enhance programs that work to get food where it needs to go. Though we have about 7 billion people in this world,
and maintain your certification status. • Oct. 28, 6 to 8 p.m. (via Zoom) • Oct. 30, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (via Zoom) • Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org Civil rights trip traces the historic struggle IGRC Missions and Outreach, in cooperation with Normal: First UMC, will be hosting the trip Oct. 2-10. The trip will explore key historic sites in Tennessee and Alabama. Through guided tours, group discussions and personal reflection, participants will engage with this crucial history and its contemporary relevance. Cost for the trip is $1,850 based upon double occupancy, $2,450 for single occupancy. The cost includes transportation and hotel accommodations. A deposit of $600 is due upon registration before June 30. The balance is due Aug. 18. Read more by visiting: https://www.igrc. org/calendardetail/18995126 Living Into My Yes sessions explore calls into ministry SPRINGFIELD – The Living Into My Yes online inquiry session is designed for people of any age or life stage who are beginning to discern a call to some form of vocational ministry but who have not yet officially begun the process toward ordination or licensing. Pastors and other leaders are welcome to attend to learn more about the process. Upcoming events in the Living Into My Yes series include: • Tuesday, April 29 , 6 to 7:30 p.m., Living Into My Yes for Supply. This session is especially for laity currently assigned to a church as Supply to learn their options. • Thursday, June 12 , 6 to 7:30 p.m. Living Into My Yes online inquiry session. This session is for anyone discerning how God might be calling you. Read more by visiting: https://www.igrc. org/living-into-my-yes
expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and that single policy cut child poverty in half, the largest drop ever. It was a truly remarkable achievement. Yet, a year later, child poverty skyrocketed because Congress failed to extend the fully refundable CTC. This rollback hit rural communities like those I pastor especially hard. Rural incomes are lower in these communities and the CTC is tied directly to income. 1 in 3 children in rural areas under 17 receive less than the full credit compared to 1 in 4 children in metro areas (Center for Poverty and Social Policy). Kids I coach in high school basketball and baseball often don’t
Tammy Duckworth, and I met with Congressmen Darin LaHood (R-16th District) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8th District), as well as Congressional aides of Eric Sorensen (D-17th District). While these meetings were brief, they were an opportunity to share stories and experiences from our local communities, and the very human struggles I see in my everyday ministry. While the farm bill negotiations got “punted” for another year, I believe that I succeeded in planting a seed where my voice can be heard again in Washington. On Feb 6, I returned to Washington D.C. Bread rolled out a new advocacy initiation called “Nourish our Future.” It is a two-year campaign that “partly
REGISTER AT: https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/CivilRightsTrip2025
know if they will eat when they get home from practice, or during summer breaks. When we invest our tax dollars in nutrition, we get a greater return on the kingdom of God than just about anything else we can invest in. Every $1 invested in WIC saves about $2.48 in medical, educational and productivity costs (National WIC Association). Investments to scale up high-impact nutrition interventions could avert 6.2 million deaths in children under age 5 and 980,000 stillbirths over the next decade. In addition, the scale-up of nutrition interventions is estimated to generate $2.4 trillion in economic benefits. For every dollar invested in addressing undernutrition, a return of $23 is expected. These economic benefits far outweigh the costs of inaction which run at around $41 trillion over 10 years (World Bank). “Alleviating hunger and improving agricultural livelihoods means that people are less likely to immigrate, turn toward criminal activity or fall prey to radicalized groups,” (Texas A & M Program on Conflict and Development). Nearly half of all preventable deaths among children under age 5 are attributable to malnutrition. Yet we’ve just seen a catastrophic freeze on USAID, the single largest supplier of global food aid in the world. WIC provides nutrition for over seven million pregnant women, mothers and children up to age 5. In 2023, the program
comprises expanding the Child Tax Credit, addressing college hunger, fully funding and strengthening the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and robustly funding global nutrition” ( https://www.bread.org/article/ bread-for-the-world-launches-nourish-our-future- campaign-focused-on-child-hunger ). I once again spoke to Congressman LaHood -- this time introducing him to a gathering of over 1,300 anti- hunger advocates joining the meeting on Zoom or in person in the US Capitol. After my introduction, he said. “I promise to continue advocating for a stronger child tax credit that reaches a greater number of families and provides additional support for those who need it most.” Bread was able to bring not just Congressman LaHood, but Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (D-N.C.), Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), Congressman Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Pablo José Hernández, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, and Congressman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.). Leaders of our faith were able to call together members from both parties of Congress and ask for their commitment to feeding the poor and the marginalized. Those leaders responded. What I’ve learned so far in these experiences, is that while churches can’t solve these problems completely and all by themselves, we need to be the leading voices
BREAD FOR THE WORLD CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
2 | APRIL 2025 | THE CURRENT
THE CURRENT | APRIL 2025 | 3
C H R I S T I AN CONVERSATIONS
LOCAL CHURCH NEWS
BLESSING BAGS: SHARING GOD’S LOVE WITH NEW MOMS
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: pastor, theologian and witness for Christ BY REV. ROBIN R. LYONS
two copies of the book in my library, both signed by Eberhard Bethge. Back in the day, I had the privilege of meeting with Bethge and his wife, Renate (Bonhoeffer’s niece) on various occasions. (I reveled at being “one degree away” from Bonhoeffer). In those letters, Bonhoeffer expanded his thoughts about friendship, theology, discipleship and specifically, what it meant to be a follower of Jesus Christ and to be “the Body of Christ” in Nazi-controlled Germany. During this harrowing period, (1925-1945), roughly 80 percent of the existing, German church became the German Christian Reich Church, so called because of their acceptance of and alignment with Hitler and the Nazi Reich. Bonhoeffer, along with Pastor Martin Niemoller and the other, 20 percent brave souls, were instrumental in forming The Confessing Church, so named after the acceptance of the Barmen Declaration in 1934. Bonhoeffer became the reluctant spokesman for the Confessing Church, speaking out in opposition against the Fuhrer Principle and the brutality directed toward the Jewish community, as well of other groups/individuals who criticized the Nazi movement. He represented the
faith that can affirm ‘ before God and with God we learn to live without God’; and because of the wholesale apostasy of the German Church ‘selling its soul’ to the Nazi Third Reich, ‘all Christian thinking, talking and organizing must be born anew, out of prayer and righteous action (literally, doing the just among humans).” As a long-time member, I attended the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature/ /After Action Review and the International Bonhoeffer Society back in November in San Diego (see: https://www.sbl-site.org/ meetings/annualmeeting.aspx ). Coincidentally, the film, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin was just being released by Angel Productions and was playing nearby. I went to see it and it told the basic story of Bonhoeffer’s short life. You really can’t do justice to delve into the situation which Bonhoeffer experienced by trying to balance the tension between being a pastor and peacemaker and being part of a plot to remove Hitler from power, thereby saving Germany and the Church. Bonhoeffer was not an assassin and was not a seasoned “spy”. He used his credentials to help Jews escape with their lives to Switzerland, and to inform various, Allied sources about plans in Germany to stop Hitler. He remained true to his calling to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, even to the gallows at Flossenberg. According to fellow prisoner, RAF pilot Payne Best, Bonhoeffer was leading an impromptu worship service on the morning of April 9, when two Gestapo agents barged into the room and seized Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer’s last words were, “this is the end; for me, the beginning.” Of all the theologians I have read in my decades of study, none have influenced me, inspired me and challenged me more than Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In order to fully and authentically discover Jesus as the Incarnate Lord of Life, one must learn to see the sacred in the secular, the extraordinary in the ordinary of life, the Christ in the common and the Holy in the human. Bonhoeffer elegantly expressed in his letter to Bethge after the failure of the July 20, 1944, bomb attempt on Hitler’s life, thus starting the chain reaction of events that would eventually claim his life, these words that for me I take as gospel: “Later I discovered, and am still discovering to this day, that one only learns to have faith by living in the full, this-worldliness of life.” Thank God for the life and witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. (The Rev. Robin R. Lyons is a retired IGRC clergy member currently serving at Maryville St. Luke’s UMC in the Central District)
This year marks the 80 th Anniversary of the end of World War II. VE Day (Victory in Europe) observance is May 8, while VJ Day (Victory in Japan) observance is Sept. 2. Historians unilaterally agree that (estimated) World War II resulted in a death
there! We know that moms need care too, so we’ve included bath salts, bubble bath, soothing lotion, fuzzy socks, and a gift card to a local establishment, just a little way to say, You are loved, and you are not alone. Both the Watseka and Weedman UMC’s have lent their assistance in making burp cloths and receiving blankets. This ministry was established because Farmer City lacks many local stores or resources for new moms, and we wanted to fill that gap in a meaningful way. Beyond this first bag of gifts, we hope to build relationships. We plan to follow up at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, offering additional small gifts like teethers, books, and other goodies, reminders that these moms are supported through their journey of motherhood.
BY EMILY LITTLE Farmer City UMC
FARMER CITY – Farmer City UMC believes in caring for its community in tangible ways. One of the greatest joys in life is welcoming a new baby into the world, but we also know that for many new and expecting mothers in our area, resources can be limited. That’s why we launched the Blessing Bag Ministry, a simple yet powerful way to support moms and their babies -- no strings attached. Each Blessing Bag is filled with essential care items for both baby and mom. Inside, new moms will find diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, a cozy sleeper, burp cloths, and a soft receiving blanket, helping them get started with the basics. But we didn’t stop
count between 70-85 million people, or roughly 3 percent of Earth’s population at the time. That figure does not take into account all casualties, the missing in action and the like. Here we are 80 years later, and the reality facing the world is this: in a short while, there will be no remaining members around of “the Greatest Generation” or of those survivors of “Shoah: The Holocaust” with us. The philosopher George Satayana warned all who would listen with these prophetic words, “Those who don’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Europe is particularly more aware of this truth than Americans, simply because Europe was Ground Zero for two, catastrophic world wars. Americans have not had a major, domestic war disaster since Lee surrendered to Grant and Union forces at Appomattox Courthouse in April 1865.
Sending relief after Midwest tornadoes
Confessing Church in the ecumenical scene in Europe, making friends and contacts in what became known as allied or neutral countries. He was selected to be the headmaster of the Confessing Church’s seminary in Finkinwalde, until it was shut down in 1937 by the Gestapo. In prison, Bonhoeffer laid out his assessment of the Church of Jesus Christ and Its mission, theology and identity not only for his turbulent present, but also for what the Church must do after
The anniversary that is of particular interest to me will be the one on April 9. On that day, 80 years ago -- April 9,1945 -- Nazi militants of the Gestapo executed a group of prisoners known as the “Canaris Group” at Flossenberg Concentration Camp. Among the murdered was theologian, author and pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was 39 years old. With the sound of Allied artillery in the distance, Bonhoeffer was among a group of resisters, who, having actively opposed Hitler, the Nazis and their implementation of “The Final Solution to The Jewish Question”, were hanged by a direct order
PAWNEE – A line of severe weather pushed through the Midwest March 14, bringing tornadoes, straight-line winds, and heavy rain, affecting millions of people. You or your loved ones, might have even been hunkered down, awaiting the storm. It’s a terrible feeling, preparing for the worst, and sometimes, the worst happens. Over 50 tornadoes were confirmed across the Midwestern United States. In Missouri multiple EF-3 tornadoes struck small towns, destroying everything in its path. Communities woke up to unrecognizable towns, with hundreds of homes and businesses affected. But, when disaster strikes, Midwest Mission is ready to respond! Its partner, Convoy of Hope in Springfield, Mo., was on the ground the day after the tornadoes, assessing the needs, and handing out food, water, and relief supplies. Convoy of Hope called Brad Walton, Midwest Mission’s Director of Operations, over the weekend, to find out what supplies we had available to send. Because of your generosity after Hurricane Helene, Midwest Mission had almost completely replenished itsr disaster relief kits and supplies. Brad was able to tell Convoy that Midwest Mission had more than enough to help. They requested: • 936 Cleaning Kits to help families whose homes were damaged begin cleaning up the debris • 130 Menstrual Hygiene kits and 1,020 Hygiene Kits to help those who lost everything, have been displaced from their homes, or don’t have the ability to purchase items in stores. • Games and puzzles to bring joy to children, even in the midst of some of their most difficult moments. The supplies were picked up on Monday, March 24, and delivered to Convoy of Hope’s World Distribution Center in Springfield, Mo. From there, the supplies will be sent out to the affected communities, such as Poplar Bluff, Mo., West Plains, Mo., and Cave City, Ark. The value of the shipment is $94,668. You can be a part of bringing hope to people in crisis, by helping us have the supplies needed to quickly respond to disasters. Donate at https://www.midwestmission.org/ donate, or send a check to 1001 Mission Dr, Pawnee, IL 62558. Your monetary donations will help Midwest Mission replenish supplies that it will send, so that Midwest Mission is ready for the next ask, and the next disaster.
that way in the next couple of weeks with donations. Keep spreading the word! Riverside UMC, Park Rapids, Minn. – Spike Wellman is working to create a “bike push” later this year. As part of Midwest Mission’s Micro Business core area, bicycles are needed around the world not only as transportation to work, but as a potential business. Nebraska City FUMC, Nebraska City, Neb. – Howard Orndorff will be working with a team in May to tear down bleachers from a local school. The wood will be recycled and used to make school desks at Midwest Mission’s main facility. This is a hard job. Thank you for helping to plan this event. Glenview UMC, Glenview, Ill. and New Lenox UMC, New Lenox, Ill. – Ethel Doyle has collected seven sewing machines at the Glenview location and is expecting more to come in. They also have a collection of Student kits waiting to make their way to Midwest Mission’s warehouse. Every volunteer and every donor has a part in helping those in need. Peoria Forrest Hill UMC – Deb Nuske shared that a local Mennonite School has asked her church to teach their students how to weave sleeping mats on the loom and how to make the one-handled school bags. The school needs ongoing projects for their students and Midwest Mission needs volunteers. Win-win! Trinity UMC, Elk Mound, Wis. – Joel Certa-Werner is leading his congregation and their four looms to challenge other local churches. He is working to set up a sleeping mat competition with a prize for the winner. Thank you for sharing Midwest Mission’s vision with your community. Become a Permanent Collection Site Midwest Mission needs more Permanent Collection Sites! If your congregation is interested in becoming a new Permanent Collection Site, please contact teresa@ midwestmission.org for more information. All you need is free space, and a willingness to be a part of the mission!
BONHOEFFER
the War to restore its identity, relevancy and mission. I became a student of Bonhoeffer’s developing theology. His thoughts were original, visionary and mind-blowing. Here, I read new ideas about faith and thought: “Being the Church come of Age and called to be the Church for others (as Christ was the Man for others); Christ in us, at the very center of our lives (Life) and not out on the peripheries of our priorities; Religion-less or worldly Christianity where one lives out one’s witness while discovering God’s Presence in the midst of the secular world and redefining ‘traditional Christian thought’; His understanding of a theology and a
from Adolf Hitler. On April 23, U.S. Forces would liberate Flossenberg death camp, and one week later, the Red Army would be in Berlin. On April 30, Adolf Hitler would commit suicide in his bunker, marking the end of the nightmarish evil known as the Third Reich. In his poem, The Waste Land , Nobel laureate T.S. Eliot began with these words, “April is the cruelest month...”, and that accurately, described Nazi Germany in April 1945. Though the War was winding down, die-hards in the Nazi Reich war machine became even more ruthless in their capacity for indiscriminate torture and killing of any remaining Jews, POWs, and even Germans who wanted to surrender to the Allies. In those final days of April,1945, Nazi leadership implemented a “scorched earth” policy of destruction as a last act of desperation. In all of my years growing up in United Methodist churches in Salem and Centralia (with a brief stint in Bowling Green, Ky.), I never once heard the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer mentioned, either in Sunday School or in the couple of thousand sermons I must have sat through from a great many preachers. I would not hear of or know about Dietrich Bonhoeffer until my freshman year at Western Kentucky University, when by chance, I registered for a general elective” course, Religion 101 (how hard could this be?). It was there, under the influence of Dr. Robert K. Johnston (who was to become my Advisor and Mentor), that a class assignment would –all drama aside— change my life. It was my “great awakening” moment. I was introduced to a German pastor and theologian named Dietrich Bonhoeffer. My first assignment was to read the collection of Bonhoeffer’s letters smuggled out of Tegel Prison (Berlin) from 1943 to early January 1945. Those letters, sent to his friend, confidant and former student Eberhard Bethge (and to family members too), were published after the War with the title, Letters and Papers From Prison . I own
Shipment to Dominican Republic The 10th international shipment of the year went to the Dominican Republic. Midwest Mission partnered with Food For The Poor to send this load of supplies to the Fundación Cruz Jiminián. The shipment included: • 840 Student Kits • 20 Bikes • 16 Wheelchairs • 38 Stacking chairs • 55 Tarps donated by Lamar Advertising • 92 School desks (donated by a school) • Blankets, disposable diapers, exam gloves, dry wipes, bed pads, and games! The value of this shipment is $129,579. Hundreds of hands made this shipment happen. From collecting wheelchairs at home, to assembling Kits at Midwest Mission, to helping load the shipment, each part of the process is vital — YOU are vital to this mission. Thank you for your generosity! Permanent Collection Sites News Midwest Mission has been blessed with volunteers across the Midwest who give of their time, energy, and resources to assist us in carrying out God’s mission to help those in need. Some of these volunteers use the facilities God has blessed them with to provide a donation collection point for needed supplies. These are our Permanent Collection Sites! You can find their contact information at https://www.midwestmission.org/ permanent-collection-sites Asbury UMC, Sioux Falls, S.D. – Lloyd Petersen is excited about bringing a group of volunteers to Midwest’s Jefferson, Iowa, location in June. He will also be heading
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TORNADO DAMAGE AND RESPONSE
Neoga STRONG for Kids United Methodists open doors of church, meet the community’s needs following March 14 tornado
children attended the initial day of day camp. That number grew to 40 on March 21 with 53 different children attending at least once. “Because the needs of caring for the children vary from household to household, not all children attended every day,” St. Michael explained. “But a good number of them did.” The day’s activities begin with breakfast and various stations are set up around the church with a variety of activities for them to do after eating. Community members come in after lunch and provide various activities for the children. On March 21, Kristi Shirley from Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom, visited with the children and talked with them about the watershed of an area and how it is affected by humans. Agriculture in the Classroom is part of the Illinois Farm Bureau’s working partnership between the agriculture community, agribusiness and agricultural education providing Illinois educators and students with resources that help them understand the role of a vital agriculture sector in their lives and society. Shirley was a familiar face to students as Agriculture in the Classroom is part of the students’ classroom curriculum. After the lesson, Smith gathered the students to talk about the importance of community. She shared with them about how Grace UMC helped the community with an outdoor food pantry stocked with non-perishables
BY PAUL BLACK NEOGA — When a disaster struck the Cumberland County community of Neoga, members of Grace United Methodist Church knew there was a part to play in the community’s recovery effort. An EF-2 tornado that tore through Neoga March 14 damaged the community’s schools, causing classes to be cancelled for more than a week. But the cancellation of classes became an opportunity to organize and execute a day camp program for students from kindergarten to fifth grade completely manned by volunteers. The tornado damage made part of the junior/senior high school structurally unsafe and the roof of the elementary school was also damaged. Melinda White, a member of Grace UMC, had an idea. She shared her idea with others and the wheels were set in motion for the day camp. “We quickly gathered people and we started putting together the fact we wanted to do more than just feed the children,” said volunteer Carol Smith, who along with church pastor, Cameron St. Michael, had become media spokespersons for the church. “We wanted to keep them (for the day) and our schedule is fluid because our numbers are changing from day to day and there is not a lot of time to prepare.” Opening the churches’ doors on March 17, 18
where persons can help themselves to what they need. Using the pantry’s staples of peanut butter, jelly and macaroni and cheese, students took the food items and restocked the pantry in the church parking lot. Church member Rhonda Whitaker shared with the children how the church began this ministry and the important part it played for persons who are in need. In the afternoon, retired Mattoon teacher Michelle Englund presented a lesson on reptiles. The culminating activity was a turtle race. Kids were also served an ice cream sundae bar by members of the Salem UMC in Toledo. Other programs during the week included an art project with a lesson on artist Vincent Van Gogh by Kim Varner, a visit from Lake Land College’s team mascot Laker Louie with every child receiving a copy of a book, High Fives for Laker Louie from the author, Lisa Shumard Shelton. Retired teachers have also stopped by and read to the children. For its last two days on March 24-25, students were
urged to wear their favorite sports-themed clothing in honor of March Madness and baseball's opening week on Monday and to wear red (the school’s colors) on Tuesday. It has been a community effort, however. St. Michael said that the community and the area has responded, providing the resources needed to make the day camp a success. Central Roofing LLC brought Casey’s Pizza for lunch on March 21. St. Michael said that at the beginning of daycamp, they presented the church with a check to help finance the meals. “They told me if that isn’t enough, we can give you more,” he said. Varner and Rawlings Heating & Air Conditioning provided donuts and fruit March 20, which the church reported, “were devoured very quickly!” On March 19, a farmers' breakfast was prepared by Julie Williamson of the Neoga Presbyterian Church and a crew of "sous chefs" comprised of some of the church’s volunteers. Biscuits and sausage were provided by Mike, Rick and Teresa Walk, while Jeri from Effingham Dairy Queen brought the gravy. Farm fresh eggs were courtesy of Barry Williamson.
Chris and Brenda Stone donated cinnamon rolls and Julie Altman provided a rainbow art snack. Smith said it is a matter of God directing the church. “It’s in God’s hands. You have a disaster and the community comes together and we do what God tells us to do.” “We have had so many people who want to help.” White said. “Our needs have been met and we are so very blessed and grateful.” Neoga Superintendent Kevin Haarman said he hopes to bring students back on Wednesday, March 26. “High school students will now resume instruction at the Neoga Community Center which previously served as our elementary school. These extra school closure days will be classified as Act of God days and will not need to be made up,” he said. Even as these plans are subject to change, St. Michael said the church will follow the school’s lead. “We are here (with the day camp) for as long as the community needs it,” he said. “It has been a wonderful demonstration of what God can do when we are willing to be available and do what we can do.”
Photos by Paul Black and courtesy of Neoga Grace UMC
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