ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS
C H R I S T I AN CONVERSATIONS
Amendment would make the church more open (Editor’s note: Lay and clergy members to Annual Conference will consider the ratification of four constitutional amendments to The Book of Discipline. These four items received more than two-thirds affirmative vote by General Conference delegates and ratification requires a two- third affirmative vote in the aggregate of all annual conferences worldwide.)
Bishop Kennetha scheduling District Town Hall meetings SPRINGFIELD – Bishop Kennetha J. Bigham- Tsai is scheduling Town Hall Meetings in each of the five districts in the upcoming months. This will be an opportunity to meet Bishop 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. The first two District visits were Feb. 2 in the Central District and Feb. 23 in the East District. The remaining dates are as follows: • North District – Sunday, March 23, Preaching at The Bridge, 10 a.m. Town Hall at Pontiac: First UMC, 2:30 p.m. • West District – Sunday, April 6, Preaching at Macomb: Wesley. Town Hall at Monmouth UMC, TBA • South District – Sunday, May 4. Preaching at Mt. Vernon: First UMC, 10 a.m. Town Hall Meeting at Carbondale: First UMC, time TBA Bishop Bard to host Confirmation Rally AUBURN – Bishop David Bard is inviting confirmation students to join him for the 2025 IGRC Confirmation Rally, which will be Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Auburn UMC. The rally is open to all current 2025 confirmation class studnets and those recently confirmed youth who joined the church in 2024. This special day of celebration and witness bringstogether confirmands from across our conference to strengthen their faith journey and connection with our United Methodist family. Register online at: https://igrc-reg.brtapp.co m/2025BishopsConfirmationRally Cost is $8 per student confirmand with adult leaders being free. Registration of both students and adults are needed for an accurate lunch count. Registration deadline is March 24. Disaster Response Training ERT Recertification 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, and maintain your certification status. Dates: March 11 and 13, 6 to 8 p.m. (via Zoom) Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org Basic ERT Training for new Early Response Team members. Full-day, in-person training covering fundamental early response skills and protocols. Date: June 4, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: Peoria (day before the start of Annual Conference) Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org Basic ERT Training for new Early Response Team members. Full-day, in-person training covering fundamental early response skills and protocols. Date: Saturday, Sept. 6, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: East Bay Camp Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org ERT Recertification 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, and maintain your certification status. Dates: Oct. 28 and 30, 6 to 8 p.m. (via Zoom) Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org Looking for ways to connect with young people? SPRINGFIELD – Join our Relational Discipleship Kickstart (RDK) spring cohort! Are you a pastor, Sunday School teacher, youth leader, or volunteer who connects with young people in your church? Through 10 weeks of flexible learning and 3 Zoom gatherings, you'll gain practical tools for connecting with youth, engaging families, and building sustainable ministry practices. Learn more and register at https://igrc-reg. brtapp.com/RelationalDiscipleshipCohort Questions? Contact Curt Franklin at youth@igrc.org Church and Society hosting online Book Study Lent is a season of prayer, fasting, and
repentance. It's also a good time to dive deep into a challenging topic, discuss with our brothers and sisters in faith, and chart action toward a new future. We hope participation in this book study inspires action toward Church and Society's goal of becoming anti-racist in the IGRC. Meeting once a week for 4 weeks (March 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 7 to 8:15 p.m.) during Lent, participants will discuss the book, The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee and explore content with a theological lens. Sessions will also feature learnings on what is happening in our world now and how to engage in meaningful action. Register online for this book study at: https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/sumofus Please email christina.krost@gmail.com if you have any questions. Applications sought from churches, candidates for 2025 Intern Program SPRINGFIELD – - Applications are now open for the 2025 IGRC Intern Program. Prospective interns, mentors, and host church representatives are welcome to visit www.igrc.org/interns for all the details and application links. Final deadline is March 3. 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 United Methodist Scholarship portal open for 2025-26 school year Information for the 2025-26 school year. Scholarships and low interest loans made possible through UM Student Day offering. Applications will be accepted through March 31. Apply for a United Methodist scholarship by visiting: https://www.gbhem.org/ scholarships/apply-for-scholarships UM Higher Education Foundation accepting scholarship applications The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2025-26 school year. The foundation's scholarship program awards $2 million to nearly 1,000 students attending United Methodist-related institutions. Deadline for applying is April 1. Read more by visiting: https://umhef. org/2025-scholarship-applications
Mission can revitalize United Methodism BY REV. DR. JEAN CLAUDE MASUKA MALEKA people and the communities in which they live.
Engaging the world and society Wesley always encouraged active engagement from Christians in society, whether through education, health care or economic development. Timothy C. Tennent, writing in “Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think About and Discuss Theology,” emphasizes that “Wesley believed in a global mission, but he also saw it as concrete service within local social structures, including education and aid to the poor.” To revitalize its missionary role, The United Methodist Church must engage meaningfully with contemporary issues that shape the world: social ethics, environmental protection, human rights and ethical governance. Practical engagement in the world is essential. For the church to truly reinvent itself, it must move beyond the walls of its buildings and respond to the social calls of its time. The example of the historical Methodist movement, with its actions in favor of abolishing slavery and educating the poor, can inspire a new generation of social evangelists. Empowering laity and collective mission One of the most distinctive aspects of Wesleyan theology is its vision of the laity as key players in the mission. Wesley believed in a church of “lay disciples,” where every believer, whether a pastor or not, has an active responsibility in the mission work. “Every Christian is a missionary, and the Church must be a community of missionaries, where each believer plays a role in announcing the Kingdom of God,” Wesley states. To revitalize The United Methodist Church, it is crucial to encourage the laity to take on leadership roles in mission while fostering a collaborative approach with pastors. By revising ecclesial structures to make them more inclusive and participatory, the church can encourage a mission commitment from all its members. Mission should not be the sole work of pastors but a collective project where every believer becomes an ambassador of Christ. Prayer and spiritual formation Prayer and spiritual formation are essential to any revitalized mission effort. Wesley himself stressed the importance of daily prayer, prayer groups and spiritual retreats. “Prayer is the fuel for Christian mission; without it, the Church cannot hope to accomplish its mission in a sustainable and authentic way,” writes Michael E. Barr in “Wesley and the Mission of the Church.” In this framework, effective mission must first arise in the hearts of believers, in their MISSION CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire (UM News) – Christian
mission is a central element of Wesleyan theology and a foundational pillar of The United Methodist Church’s identity. To revitalize this church in an increasingly dehumanized and searching world, we must return to the principles of mission according to Methodism’s founder, John Wesley, while contextualizing them within contemporary challenges. Wesleyan theology provides pathways for the revitalization of mission within The United Methodist Church in several ways. Sanctification as the foundation In Wesleyan theology, sanctification is at the heart of the Christian experience. Wesley viewed sanctification as a continuous transformation that brings the believer closer to the image of Christ. This pertains not only to the individual but also to the entire Christian community. “Sanctification is the process by which we become more like Christ, and this is the true goal of mission,” Wesley writes. (The Wesley quotes in this article can be found in “The Works of John Wesley, Vol. 7”). A revitalized church must understand that the call to mission is inseparable from the life of sanctification: The believer, transformed by the love of God, becomes a living witness of the Gospel. Mission is not limited to isolated actions or external strategies; it begins with inner transformation, deeply affecting the character and commitment of believers. By emphasizing sanctification, The United Methodist Church can reclaim a clear vision of its mission, becoming a place of continuous conversion and transformation, both spiritual and social. Mission at the heart of society Wesley did not merely preach a message of individual salvation; he insisted that the Gospel must also translate into concrete actions of social transformation. “Wesley preached a Gospel that concerned not only individual redemption but also social well-being,” notes Albert C. Outler in John Wesley’s Theology: A Study in Historical Theology. For Wesley, Christian mission involved a genuine responsibility toward society, especially the most disadvantaged. A revitalized mission within The United Methodist Church should include an integral approach to mission, combining spiritual evangelism with a commitment to social justice. The church must address contemporary challenges, such as poverty, social injustices, ethnic conflicts and environmental crises. By preaching a Gospel that touches both the hearts of individuals and the structures of society, The United Methodist Church can offer a relevant and transformative message for
amendment has nothing to do sexuality. In this amendment, the inclusion of gender simply means being male or female is no bar to United Methodist church membership. Every lay and clergy voting member within every annual conference will have the opportunity to vote on this amendment. Ratification will be based upon the percentage of the total number of votes from across The United Methodist Church. Every vote will be counted. When your annual conference moves into the voting session focused on the constitutional amendments from General Conference, Ratification Ballot #1 focuses on regionalization. Ratification Ballot #2 will be Paragraph 4, Article IV. These amendments will be presented for possible discussion, but they cannot be amended or changed. Every individual vote will be counted, and the goal is to have at least two-thirds of all votes in favor of the amendment. Some people have shared that they feel like Paragraph 4, Article IV doesn’t go far enough in listing groups that cannot be discriminated against and that it isn’t progressive enough. That is a fair concern, and we have to start where we are. When churches, denominations and organizations work on ensuring that all are welcome, they have to take steps towards their goal. Changes, like constitutional amendments, have to meet people where they are and help them take steps towards welcoming all people. The addition of ability and gender are a step in the right direction. The United Methodist Church celebrates an open table. At the Holy Communion table, all are welcome, without regard to difference. Voting “yes” on Ballot #2 for Paragraph 4, Article IV is a way to ensure that there are no barriers to membership in The United Methodist Church. (Casperson is the director of Enrollment Management at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant, and a deacon in the West Ohio Conference. She was a delegate at last year’s General Conference. She also is a board member of the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women, which submitted the amendment to General Conference.) Amendment’s wording If the amendment is ratified, Paragraph 4, Article IV would read as follows: “All persons, without regard to race, gender, ability, color, national origin, status, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments, upon baptism be admitted as baptized members, and upon taking vows declaring the Christian faith, become professing members in any local church in the connection.”
BY REV. APRIL CASPERSON At last year’s General Conference, an important amendment to The United Methodist Constitution was passed. Paragraph 4, Article
IV added “gender” and “ability” to the categories of persons who cannot be denied membership within a United Methodist church. The addition of gender and ability matters. Often, congregations will say, “We welcome everyone!” But it can be easy to become complacent in being intentionally welcoming to all. Naming specific groups, demographics and dimensions of diversity helps us consider who might not be present in our churches and to be intentional about welcoming all. Adding the word “ability” is a bold acknowledgement that the church is for all people. As I am continuing to learn about disability advocacy, I am thankful for the Disabilities Ministries Committee of The United Methodist Church and its resourcing for the connection. It can be easy for churches to have preferences for new visitors and members who look and sound like the majority of the congregation. Think about someone you know who has physical and/or mental abilities that differ from yours. Can you think of a time when they were not fully welcomed into a community, a workplace, a school or even a family, simply because they were different? The church exists to welcome all, not just the majority. Adding “ability” to Paragraph 4, Article IV makes our universal welcome even more clear for persons with differing abilities. Adding the word “gender” may feel unnecessary, but we still have many spaces in our world where gender discrimination exists. Women and men are part of God’s beloved community. The denomination uses expansive language to describe God, and all persons, regardless of gender, can serve in lay and clergy leadership throughout the church. I am hopeful that 2025 will be the year when we pass ratification of Paragraph 4, Article IV. In 2016, we came very close. The addition of “gender” and “ability” passed at the General Conference level, but when individual voting members voted, we fell short of the two-thirds vote needed. The Rev. Leigh Goodrich provided a summary of 2016 voting. It is important to note that the number and configuration of the annual conferences listed differ from today’s United Methodist Church. In conversations with people from annual conferences where most of the members voted “no” in 2016, we came to understand that there was concern that the topic could be related to human sexuality. It should be noted that this
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