CONFERENCE NEWS
GUATEMALA JOURNEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
These safe stoves reduce or eliminate smoke in the homes and the water filters reduce or eliminate the number of bacteria in the family’s drinking water. These two home interventions combat the prevalence of respiratory and intestinal illnesses caused by toxic smoke inhalation and consumption of contaminated water. The families that receive these stoves and water filters must go through an application process to show need, attend educational sessions to learn how to use and maintain
IGRC, The Gathering partnering on new church start
Many people just don’t think the church would be a place they could find meaning. Regardless, The Gathering is a church that wants to welcome people as they are and invite them to grow in light of what Jesus has to say. “Over nearly two decades, this has given rise to three sites of The Gathering, along with a thriving online ministry. We believe the time is right to consider starting another new site. Why now? We think there are three compelling reasons: • Inviting new people is at the heart of who we are, and a new site gives us a chance to rally together as one church to welcome new people in a new area to The Gathering. • After years of rebuilding post-pandemic, The Gather- ing is growing significantly and in a strong position to send people out to start a new site. • With the disaffiliation of United Methodist Churches in our metro area, there is a need for new churches that believe deeply in Jesus and welcome all people. “For these reasons, The Gathering board and staff have de- cided to formally begin exploring new sites in two different ministries. Her outstanding understanding of the Connectional system within the United Methodist Church will serve as an invaluable resource for advocating and securing the necessary assistance to succeed in camping ministry endeavors. Additionally, she possesses all the essential qualities of character and ministry required for managing staff and has a clear vision for camping ministries.” According to Rev. Curtis Brown, IGRC Director of Connectional Ministries, “We’re very pleased to be able to extend Rev. Lane’s excellent work to help benefit camping ministries in both of our Conferences. Obviously, this will be an increased workload, but we’re developing plans to
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Great Rivers Conference is partnering with The Gathering, a United Methodist multi- site church centered in St. Louis, to explore the develop- ment of a new worship site in the St. Louis Metro-East area. “It is with great joy and anticipation that we launch into this creative partnership in expanding God's Kin-dom with The Gathering in the Metro-East portion of the Illinois Great Riv- ers Conference," said Central District Superintendent, the Rev. Bradley Watkins II. Watkins and IGRC Director of Congregational Development Sam Rodriguez have been working closely with Rev. Matt Miof- sky of The Gathering and their denominational counterparts in the Missouri Conference to develop this plan of partnership. In a Feb. 7 announcement to The Gathering congregation, Rev. Miofsky wrote: “As a new church 19 years ago, The Gathering has always had a heart for reaching people who are curious about faith but did not go to church. Some people have written the church off as boring or irrelevant. Others have been burned by a church that didn’t welcome them or people they love.
the stove and filter, and then ODIM follows up with the family throughout the next few months to ensure the stoves and filters are in good working order and being used properly. Our team of nine was divided into four groups, each working with an ODIM staff member to build each stove. The staff members guided us through the process and helped us communicate with recipient families. As each stove was completed, the family had to demonstrate what they learned throughout the application process by building a fire in the stove, and if time allowed, make tortillas. In each home we were in, families were willing to help in the building
make sure that all of our camping ministries are well- supported and continue to offer wonderful programs and places where people can meet God outdoors and grow in discipleship of Jesus Christ.” Rev. Lane will assume her additional responsibilities this spring in time to help with the summer camping season in both Conferences. As this is a new innovative connection between the two Conferences, there are still details being finalized. With the assignment of Bishop Kennetha Bigham- Tsai of Iowa to be one of the bishops assigned to IGRC in 2024, both conferences have been exploring opportunities for increased mutual learning and cooperation in sharing resources for more vital and effective ministries. locations – the Metro East and in West County. I want to be clear. For now, we are exploring these possibilities, but not yet committing to them. We need time to determine, along with you, if a site is ready to be pursued. We will be talking to you to see if there is interest in new sites in these areas. We will pursue funding and grant opportunities. We will learn more about the specific communities and where a new site might best be located. Finally, we want to consider who might be the right leader of a new site. “By late spring, we want to determine if and where a new site might be effective and feasible. The next few months, there will be opportunities for you to learn more about these potential sites and express your interest. For now, if you live in west county or the metro east, and are inter- ested in learning more about helping to start a site there, please let us know at: https://gatheringnow.ccbchurch.com/ goto/forms/867/responses/new .”
process if they were able. It was a joy to spend time with and get to know each family, and experience the gratitude they have for ODIM, to us as volunteers, and for the stove and water filter that will help them live healthier lives. Many members of the team have been on several mission trips, and we know that our efforts were a blessing to those we served, but this trip was different. We were able to see firsthand how God works through us to impact others, realizing that each one of these stoves immediately changes lives for the better, both for their health and their self-esteem. It is estimated that each family has an average of 5-6 members living in these homes, and that these 16 stoves will immediately improve the lives of 90-100 people. We feel blessed to have seen the world through the eyes of the Guatemalan people and the work that ODIM does with them. We hope to be able to continue a relationship with ODIM and perhaps have the opportunity to help even more families in future mission trips to Guatemala. For more information of the Organization for the Development of the Indigenous Maya and the vital clinical services and proactive health and education programs they offer, see: https://www. odimguatemala.org/
IGRC, Iowa announce partnership in camp leadership
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Great Rivers and Iowa conferences have reached an initial agreement to share
camping staff leadership. Rev. Nancy Folsom Lane, who has been serving since 2021 as the IGRC Coordinator of Camping & Retreat Ministries, will
begin this spring taking on the additional responsibilities of the Iowa UMC Interim Director of Camping Ministries. Rev. Edgar Solis, Iowa Director of Connectional Ministries, said, “We made this decision after considering many positive aspects, particularly Rev. Lane’s effective leadership and management practices in camping
LIBERIA JOURNEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
UMRC
Cunningham Home’s 21st Annual Festival of Quilts URBANA – Cunningham Children’s Home will host the 21st Annual
accepting of advice from me, as well as accepting my ways of patient-care within the States. The leader of our team, Samuel Quarshie, was family to our team. Sam put us as his priority, not only as his job for one week while we were there, but he connected with each one of us spiritually and emotionally. Sam showed that the Lord is truly upon us, and He speaks through Samuel. I have never felt more love from other friends who are not considered to be family than I did from Sam. I will forever be thankful for my relationship that I was able to build with him over our ten day trip. They always say you’ll never truly understand, and that couldn’t be more correct. Even after such heartfelt experiences, I am still at a loss for words to describe my trip. The best that I can come up with is “love”. The love that Ganta has for the Lord is inspiring. The love that Ganta has for their people is unimaginable. The love of your community is untouched. The love given within your care is unconditional. Even surrounded with new people with different things to offer in aspects of patient care, the families and staff in Ganta United Methodist Hospital still showed unconditional support and love. From our team including an emergency room nurse, a medical student, a biomedical technician, and myself, a
Annual Conference 2025
UNITED MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER Easter books available to borrow from the UMRC!
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
ROMANS 5:5
Items can be sent to your church or home address and can be requested from the online catalog: www.igrc.org/umrc or by email: umrc@igrc.org No rental fee – the only cost to churches is return postage. #821096 ATONE: The Difference the Cross Makes #820082 Bedrock of Christianity: The Unalterable Facts of Jesus' Death and Resurrection #814001 Children's Dramas for the Church Year: Reproducible Dramas for Lent, Easter, and Pentecost #814215 Easter-Rific! #818147 Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God from Mardi Gras through Pentecost #822004 Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, and Resurrection: Simple Ways to Create Meaning for the Season #817023 Make Room: A Child's Guide to Lent and Easter #817299 Messy Easter #806047 Sharing the Easter Faith with Children: Helping Children Observe Lent and Celebrate Easter #814119 Voices for Good Friday: Worship Services with Dramatic Monologues Based on the Gospels
pharmacy student, the staff loved each of us as their own. I want to show thanks to our remarkable team on this trip. We all proved our love for Liberia, especially Ganta. We provided our expertise in many different aspects. We grew in ourselves, and it was evident at the end of the trip. Every single one of us proved to be a leader. I want to give my sincere thanks to each and every one of my supporters from the very beginning of my journey. You all were the reason that I could learn in this new environment. I was overwhelmed with guidance, advice, and financial support from my home church, Gay Street United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon, OH), as well as scholarships from UMVIM. Either with kind words, encouragement, prayers, or financially, you all made this trip possible. I am proud of you, Ganta. I am proud of the family I have overseas. I am proud of myself and my confidence within your walls. And I am proud of every supporter that helped me along the way. As I said before I boarded the plane: “It isn’t a goodbye, because I’ll be back to Ganta soon”.
Hope that Doesn’t Disappoint
the United Women in Faith, and the quilts they, and quilters throughout Illinois, have created and donated for our youth since 1895. Each child at Cunningham receives a quilt of their own to wrap them in warmth, safety and love. 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 dol- lars 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/ 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 over $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 sup- port 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!
Annual Conference resources Annual Conference homepage — https://www.igrc.org/ac2025 Secretary's letter — https://www.igrc.org/secretary
Annual Conference Checklist — https://www.igrc.org/ac2025checklist Hotels for Annual Conference — https://www.igrc.org/ac2025hotels Request for Display Space — https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/ac2025displays Request for Special Meals — https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/ac2025meals Request Print Materials — https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/ac2025printmaterials Order Journal-Yearbook — https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/ac2025journal Forms to update lay member to annual conference, report Equalization Member or for clergy to be granted an excused absence can be found on the Secretary's Page listed above. Registration will open April 1 with a May 15 deadline for those wishing to participate online and May 23 for in-person participation.
The UMRC is now located at Kumler Outreach Ministries, a ministry of the Kumler United Methodist Church in Springfield. The new mailing address is:
Kumler Outreach Ministries, Attn: United Media Resource Center303 E North Grand Ave, Springfield IL 62702-3822
The new phone number is 217-523-2269 , which is the number for Kumler Outreach Ministries. When the receptionist answers, ask for the United Media Resource Center. Questions, comments? Contact us at umrc@igrc.org
12 | MARCH 2025 | THE CURRENT
THE CURRENT | MARCH 2025 | 13
Powered by FlippingBook