2025maycurrent

Information on proposed Constitutional Amendments to be considered at 2025 Annual Conference; 2025 Annual Conference information

MAY 2025 | VOL. 29 • NO.9

Information on Constitutional Amendments SEE PAGES 9-12

THE current

Inside 2 Announcements & Events 3 Christian Conversations 4 Higher Education News 5 Historical Messenger 6-7 National News 8 Global News 9-12 Proposed Constitutional Amendments 13 Global News

NEWS FROM THE EPISCOPAL OFFICE

DEATHS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

River Ramblings LIVING ‘AS IF’: WE ARE EASTER PEOPLE

IGRC retired pastor, the Rev. Dr. Gilbert Fletcher , 90, died March 25. He served 33 years in active ministry, retiring from El Paso in 1996. For a complete obituary, visit: https:// www.gracelandfairlawn.com/

THIS ISSUE 1 News from the Episcopal Office

We turn the calendar to the month of May, this year following quickly on our celebration of the resurrection at Easter. In the church calendar we are in the season of Easter the entire month this year. In May it is as if the whole natural world joins us in celebrating new life – trees budding, grass greening, the warmth of the sun, the singing of the birds. Easter season in the liturgical season of the Church is the 50 days between Easter Sunday and Pentecost. In a very real sense, though, Easter season is where we perpetually live our lives as followers of Jesus. We are a resurrection people. Reflecting on Easter in A Guide to Prayer for All Who Walk with God , Bishop Rueben Job wrote: “This is the new world in which the Christian now lives – the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, life abundant and eternal. This is the news that brings hope to every Christian in every age and circumstance. It is the truth that gives courage and hope in the darkest hour and brings comfort, joy, and peace for all time.” We are an Easter people. This does not mean we fail

to recognize frustration, pain, difficulty, grief, suffering, or death. We do not fail to recognize hatred, violence, injustice, the erosion of freedom or the abuse of power. The great teacher, theologian and writer Howard Thurman put it poignantly: “Suffering is universal for mankind. … Suffering stalks man, never losing the scent and soon or late seizes upon him to wreak its devastation.” ( Disciplines of the Spirit , 64). Such a statement is not intended to encourage acquiescence to all suffering. Some suffering can be prevented, and we should work to prevent it. Some suffering can be alleviated, and we should work to end it. In the midst of all suffering, compassion and care may be offered, and we should offer it. As Easter people we see the world truthfully, in all its beauty and brutality, its tenderness and tragedy. We stand in wonder when we witness love, goodness, beauty and generosity of spirit. We stand perplexed as we witness violence, hard-heartedness, dehumanization, the destruction of community and the misuse of the natural world. And the good news of God raising Jesus is the reality

in which we live. Easter is an energy to lean into care, compassion, love, goodness, beauty and tenderness. Easter is an energy for courage and hope. Forgive me for

obituaries/gilbert-fletcher/obituary Condolences may be sent to his wife, Rose Mary Fletcher, 2520 S. Fletcher Ave., Decatur, IL 62521-9636.

BISHOP David Alan Bard

We have just received word of the death of Ruth Dolores Gott , widow of the Rev. Everett E. Gott, who died Nov.13, 2024 In Macon, Ga. Together with her husband, the Gotts served 22 years of active ministry in

echoing my Easter letter, but I think

it bears repeating. With Easter energy we live as if joy outlasts tears. We live as if justice overcomes. W live as if beauty always returns. We live as if beloved community is always possible. We live as if tenderness is our greatest strength. We live as if love is the most powerful thing there is. And we don’t simply live “as if.” We trust that it is so because God’s way is the way of resurrection. This is the season in which we live. This is the river we ramble together. Bishop David Bard

the former Southern Illinois Conference, retiring in 1989 from Enfield-Wesley Chapel. Rev. Gott died July 23, 2014. Mrs. Gott was a substitute teacher throughout Southern Illinois for many years. For a complete obituary, visit: https://www. jordanfuneralgroup.com/obituaries/dolores-gott Condolences may be sent to the family at: 281 Springhill Church Rd., Lizella, GA 31052.

14-17 Apportionments 19-20 Conference News

Photos courtesy of Harrisburg First UMC Harrisburg First UMC celebrated Palm Sunday with a very lively, spirit-filled worship service. Following the service the church held their annual Soup and Pie Auction with proceeds going to the church’s Caring for Kids program.

T H E current MAY 2025 | VOL. 29 • NO. 9

APPOINTMENTS In consultation with the Cabinet of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, Bishops David Bard and Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai appoint the following: Robert Dillingham to Rochester- Edinburg, Central District, effective July 1. He is currently on Medical Leave. Michael Barclay to Greenville: First-Mulberry Grove, Central District, effective July 1. Sara L. Isbell to Superintendent, East District, effective July 1. James A. Fielder to Superintendent, West District, effective July 1. Cindy Rettig to New Holland, Central District, less than ¼ time, effective March 1. Ellen Dodd to Smithfield Brock-Locust Lane, North District, ¾ time, effective July 1. She will be serving as a retired local pastor. Martin Ellison to Glasford-Shields Chapel, North District, effective July 1. This is a charge realignment. Ted A. Hartley to East Peoria: First, North District, ½ time, effective July 1. Roberta Robbins to Orion, West District, ½ time, effective July 1. Thad Galloway to McLeansboro: First, South District, effective July 1. This is a charge realignment as McLeansboro: First is now a single-point charge. Mark England Graham to Twin Rivers Cooperative Parish (Church of the Cross-Hampton Grace-Hillsdale), West District, effective July 1. This is a charge realignment with Hillsdale joining the charge. Chris Easton to Sidell, East District, ½ time, effective June 1. He is a full member of the Church of the Nazarene. Supply or assigned not appointed Jennifer Harris to Tate’s Chapel, South District, less than ¼ time, effective July 1. This is her first assignment in the IGRC as a certified lay minister.

Change of status Terry McDorman , discontinuation of appointment, effective July 1. He is currently serving at Macon, Central District as a retired clergy member from the Northern Illinois Conference. Judy Doyle , discontinuation of appointment, effective July 1. She is currently serving at Glasford, North District. Rolando Renteria , discontinuation of status as a local pastor, effective July 1. He is currently serving the Greater Annawan Parish (Annawan Community- Hooppole Zion-Fairview), West District. Randy Burwell , discontinuation of status as a local pastor, effective July 1. He is currently serving Industry- Bushnell-Walnut Grove, West District. Crystal Burwell , discontinuation of supply assignment, effective July 1. She is currently serving Industry-Bushnell- Walnut Grove (Assoc), West District. Angel Gomez , discontinuation of appointment, effective April 1. He was previously serving the Westmer Larger Parish (Joy-Eliza Community-New Boston), West District. Melva Graham England , discontinuation of appointment, effective July 1. She is currently serving at Hillsdale, West District. Elizabeth Alexander , discontinuation of appointment, effective July 1. She is a deacon in full connection from the Wisconsin Conference, serving as Director of Children and Youth Ministries at Galesburg: First, West District. Merle John Heicher , discontinuation of appointment, effective July 1, 2024. He previously served Trinity Chapel, East District. Lori Bultemeier to retired status, effective Dec. 15, 2025. She is currently serving in extension ministries with the Baby Fold, North District.

Photo by Rev. Yulia Starodubets

Displaced Ukrainians staying at Under the Castle eat a meal together, Christmas 2024.

Bishop David Bard tells his personal story and call into the ministry to youth attending a Confirmation Rally March 29 at Auburn UMC. The rally included youth currently in confirmation or completed confirmation in late 2024 was a time to celebrate and share in a common connection with one another in Jesus Christ and the United Methodist Church Family. IGRC Camping and Retreat Ministries, the conference intern program and the Midwest Mission Distribution Center had exhibits and engaged youth on opportunities for education and service. Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai answers questions from a group of 40 who attended her West District Town Hall meeting April 6 at Monmouth UMC. Bishop Kennetha’s final Town Hall meeting will be Sunday, May 4, 2:30 p.m., at Carbondale First UMC.

Home Sweet Home Ministries in Bloomington has announced plans continue to move forward for the development of the Bloomington’s first non-congregate emergency shelter program. This first-of-its-kind model to Central Illinois will provide transformational housing focused on serving local community members who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

DEATHS

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

Mildred Rowena Tindle , 92, widow of the Rev. Charles H. Tindle, died April 24 in Benton. Together with her husband, the Tindles served 31 years of active ministry in the former Southern Illinois Conference,

www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/peoria-il/ elva-harper-12343755 Condolences can be sent to Merridee Harper 21 Ashford Ave, Greenville South Carolina 29609 or to Charles Douglas Harper 1314 North Wood Road, Peoria Illinois 61604. Mary Lou Shaw Hackl , 91, widow of the Rev. Robert C. Hackl, Jr., died April 7.

retiring in 1995. Rev. Tindle died Nov. 27, 2009. For a complete obituary, visit: https://www.hugheyfh. com/obituaries/Mildred-Rowena-Tindle?obId=42235111 Condolences may be sent to a daughter, Marsha Jean Winkelmann, 402 W 4th St, O Fallon, IL 62269-2013.

Together with her husband, the Hackls served 32 years of active ministry in the former Central Illinois Conference. Rev. Hackl retired in 1991 from Ridge Farm-

Photos courtesy of Home Sweet Home Ministries

Georgetown and died Nov. 13, 2020. For a complete obituary, visit: https://www. morganmemorialhome.com/obituaries/Mary-Lou- Shaw-Hackl?obId=41933072 Condolences may be sent to a daughter, Belinda Millis, 14871 Denmar Lane, Danville, IL 61834. IGRC retired pastor, the Rev. Avis June Richardson , 93, died April 4 in Staunton. Rev. Richardson served 30 years in active ministry, primarily in the former Southern Illinois Conference, retiring Dec. 31, 1998, from Wood River: Evangelical-Wanda. For a complete obituary, visit: https://www.williamsonfh. com/obituary/RevAvis-Richardson Condolences may be sent to a daughter, Alisa Hoffman, 721 E Main St., Staunton, IL 62088.

Judy Pratt , 86, widow of the Rev. Donald Pratt, died April 24 in Bloomington. Together with her husband, the Pratts served 29 years of active ministry -- 20 years being in The United Methodist Church, retiring from Saunemin-Odell in

2003. Rev. Pratt died July 3, 2020. For a complete obituary, visit: https://calvertmemorial. com/obituaries/judy-pratt-2025 Condolences may be sent to the Pratt Family at: 1902 Widermere Drive, Normal, IL 61761.

Elva D. Harper , 97, widow of the Rev. Charles Henry Harper, died April 14. Rev. Harper in the former Central Illinois Conference. He died July 7, 1998. For a complete obituary, visit: https://

DEATHS CONTINUED ON ADJACENT PAGE THE CURRENT | MAY 2025 | 1

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

C H R I S T I AN CONVERSATIONS

A REFRESHED WESLEYAN VISION IS EMERGING

Bishop Bard to participate in ecumenical celebration of the Nicene Creed SPRINGFIELD – Bishop David Bard will participate in an ecumenical celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea on Sunday, May 4, 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Bishop John Paprocki will host the event commemorating a creed frequently used in worship services that unite most Christians around the world. On May 20, 2025, the Christian world will commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the opening of the Council of Nicaea, which took place in Asia Minor in the year 325. This was the first ecumenical council in history, and it produced the creed that, completed by the First Council of Constantinople in 381, has become the distinctive expression of the Church’s faith in Jesus Christ. The World Council of Churches (WCC) is organizing a year-long series of events in 2025 to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, which convened in 325 AD. This includes the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order. Other Christian denominations and organizations are also marking this significant anniversary with various activities, including theological symposia, webinars, and discussions on the legacy of the Council.

CORR Action Grant opportunities The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) is currently accepting applications for the 2025-2026 CORR Action Fund (CAF) grant cycle. This funding opportunity supports initiatives that promote equity, intercultural competency, and justice within the church and broader communities. For United Methodist Church (UMC) and Methodist Church of Puerto Rico entities within the United States, GCORR seeks proposals that address the realities of immigration. Eligible projects should: • Directly impact immigrant communities. • Build alliances with organizations serving immigrants. • Engage congregational or organizational leadership in GCORR's Immigration Vital Conversations curriculum. districts, campus ministries (e.g., Wesley Foundations), and UMC-affiliated colleges and universities. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for projects lasting up to 12 months, beginning Aug. 1, 2025, and concluding by July 31, 2026. The application deadline is May 15. Application Process Interested applicants are encouraged to review the detailed guidelines and application requirements at gcorr.org/ caf . Completed applications, along with all required documents, should be submitted Eligible applicants include local congregations, church clusters,

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: • 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.

via email to grants@gcorr.org by May 15. Disaster Response Training Basic ERT – June 4 Training for new Early Response Team members. Full-day, in-person training covering fundamental early response skills and protocols.

Five potential impacts of tariffs, trade policy BY JOE HALWAX, CAIA, CIMA Senior Managing Director, Institutional Investment Services, Wespath Benefits and Investments 2025—on the eve of the new tariffs taking effect. The index fell another 1.2% the following day, reaching its lowest level in four months.

BY REV. DR. PAUL W. CHILCOTE Following a tumultuous year, United Methodists now stand in a liminal space that separates us from the past and opens a door into a future filled with hope.

• Date: Wednesday, June 4 • Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This is a particularly good moment to think about a refreshed Wesleyan vision of The United Methodist Church. A new vision of what it means to be united is emerging from the pain of schism. A number of characteristics will identify a church renewed as we recapture the vision of John and Charles Wesley. We are called to be church of wide embrace, Christlike practice, Scriptural dynamism, spiritual growth and missional character. The prayers and the hymns of our church underscore these values and practices. United Methodists are called to be a church of wide embrace. Those who refused to leave the church embrace an inclusive vision of our community. Everyone is welcome; everyone is invited to share their gifts. A collect — or prayer — of the church reminds us why: Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace. So, clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you, for the honor of your name. Amen. Jesus humbled himself, taking on the form of a servant. Humility is a critical characteristic of a refreshed church. Most people in our cultures view the church as judgmental, arrogant and hypocritical. We want to present a completely different image to the world. “If so low a child as I may to your great glory live,” Charles Wesley prayed, “claim me for your service, claim all I have and all I am.” Methodists are not fundamentalists or biblical literalists. The Wesleys gave us a much more dynamic approach to Scripture. When we engage the words of Scripture and invite the Holy Spirit to be our guide, those dead words become the “living Word” for us. Our dynamic approach to Scripture means that we take the current context seriously. The truths that have emerged through science, in particular, do not contradict the Truth of Christ. We seek the Light of Christ in Scripture in light of the emerging truth in God’s world. The continuing United Methodist people will be characterized by their emphasis on spiritual growth. This has always been a hallmark of the Wesleyan way. This is why intimate small groups played such a major role in our origins. If the fullest possible love in all things is our goal, then we must grow into it. It just does not happen. Fellowship provides growth. This is why John Wesley claimed that the fruits of intimate connection with others included peace, joy, love and zeal for every good word and work. Charles sang:

o The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 1.5% on both March 3 and March 4. • Goldman Sachs estimated back in early February—when the tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China were first scheduled to be implemented—a 2-3% reduction in S&P earnings per share because of the tariffs, Reuters reported. • Investors should prepare for potential market instability in the coming months from the tariff talks, and the weaker U.S. economic data in February. • The U.S. markets are already fragile with high concentration in large cap technology and high valuations, as evidenced by the sharp drawdowns 3. Consumer Price Increases • There’s the potential for significant price hikes across various sectors. In particular, consumers in the market for a new car could feel sticker shock. On March 5, the automotive industry received a month-long reprieve from the tariffs on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, but if the tariffs are eventually imposed, a Michigan- based economic consultancy expects the cost of a pickup truck assembled in North America to jump $8,000. • Supply chain disruptions could lead to broader inflationary pressures. • The National Association of Wholesale Distributors issued a statement about how prolonged tariffs “could create significant cash flow challenges and supply chain disruptions for distributors.” The trade association added that tariffs “divert valuable capital away from critical investments in hiring, wages, training, and expansion.” from the August yen carry trade blowup and DeepSeek-induced volatility in late January. 4. Drag on Economic Growth • The Atlanta Fed's GDP estimate for Q1 2025 has fallen precipitously to -2.8% as of March 3. The estimate was +3.0% just one month earlier. The latest estimate is the biggest projected contraction since the start of the pandemic. • The tariffs will disproportionately impact lower-income households, according to an analysis released by the Yale University Budget Lab on March 3. • Potential economic contraction is being predicted across multiple economic indicators. The drag on GDP and the increased inflation potential heightens the risk of stagflation. TARIFF IMPACTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

• Location: Peoria, IL (Site Location TBA) Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org Basic ERT – Sept. 6 Training for new Early Response Team members. Full-day, in-person training covering fundamental early response skills and protocols. • Date: Saturday, Sept. 6 • Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Location: East Bay Camp Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org ERT Recertification – Oct. 28, 30 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, 6 to 8 p.m. (via Zoom) • Oct. 30, 6 to 8 p.m. (via Zoom) Contact: Curt Franklin, cfranklin@igrc.org

As tariffs descended on key U.S. trade partners China, Canada and Mexico—and then were paused on Canada and Mexico—last week, investors were confronted with a fundamental question: Will President Donald Trump’s trade strategy be primarily opportunistic and short-term, or deeply structural and transformative? Tactical tariffs represent a negotiation tool, designed to extract concessions from foreign governments through economic pressure. One example might involve leveraging tariff threats against Mexico to secure more robust border security commitments. Structural tariffs embody a more comprehensive economic philosophy. They aim to fundamentally reshape import dynamics, such as addressing the trade imbalances. This approach suggests tariffs are not merely a transactional mechanism, but an instrument for broader economic and geopolitical recalibration. The Trump administration’s tariffs are just one of many topics investors will have to monitor over the coming weeks and months. Investors will also have to navigate sweeping changes in immigration policy, budgetary frameworks, regulatory environments and geopolitical relationships. To prevent this blog from becoming unwieldy, we will keep the focus on the potential impacts the tariff could have on investors. Here are five things to monitor: 5 POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON MARKETS AND INVESTORS 1. Political and Cultural Tensions • The tariffs risk creating significant political backlash and straining international relationships. • Trump originally campaigned on lowering costs for Americans, riding a wave of voter anger over inflation. These tariffs appear to directly contradict his campaign promise, potentially increasing consumer costs and undermining economic appeal. • Public sentiment about the U.S. is shifting, with 50% of Canadians now viewing the U.S. as "unfriendly" or an "enemy." • There is the potential for long- term damage to Trump's economic credibility, which is key to his brand and central to his campaign platform. 2. Market Volatility • Immediate stock market reactions to the tariffs enforced on goods imported from Canada and Mexico include: o The S&P 500 dropped 1.7% on March 3—its biggest daily dip of

Civil rights trip traces the historic struggle

ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 A nine-day journey exploring significant sites of the Civil Rights Movement across Tennessee and Alabama. Through guided tours, group discussions, and personal reflection, participants will engage with this crucial history and its contemporary relevance. Read more by visiting: https://www.igrc. org/calendardetail/18995126 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

Enlarge, inflame, and fill my heart With growing, boundless love divine, So shall I all my strength exert, And love all with a zeal like thine.

Early Methodism existed for the purposes of God’s mission of love in the world. We pray, “All day long, great God of light, you are working for good in the world.” The refreshed church will partner with God in God’s good work and be noted for this. The primary practices associated with this exciting aspect of our discipleship are acts of compassion and justice. We have no mission but to serve in these ways. A refreshed church seeks to care for all and spread the word of liberation to those oppressed and abused. The rise of xenophobia, nationalism and nativism in our nation and world will call upon our steadfast proclamation of God’s love for all people in Christ. We will need to be those in the world who transform hostility into hospitality. We will bear witness to the extravagant, unconditional and unbounded love of God. These characteristics of a refreshed church represent what John Wesley simply called the recovery of true religion. “What is true religion?” he asked. It is neither more nor less than love. Love more than anything else characterizes the refreshed church. True religion is the love of God and every human being, and even more, the love of the whole creation. If this love rules the life of our whole church, shaping all our attitudes and actions, what an amazing force for good we will be in the world. God is calling the refreshed United Methodist Church to be a people of wide embrace, Christlike practice, Scriptural dynamism, spiritual growth, missional character and deep love. Nothing stands in the way of our being known as the most loving family anyone has ever experienced. (Rev. Dr. Paul W. Chilcote is a research fellow at Wesley House in Cambridge, England. He was a keynote speaker at the 2011 Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference.)

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HIGHER EDUCATION NEWS

LOCAL CHURCH NEWS

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17 students receive United Methodist scholarships

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry has awarded 17 students from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference a total of $36,850 in scholarships for the 2024-25 school year. GBHEM strengthens the educational mission of the Church by fostering environments of intellectual development alongside spiritual growth. Through GBHEM programs, such as Clinical Pastoral Education, the Course of Study, the Central Conference Theological Education Fund, the Black College Fund, and robust scholarship programs, GBHEM supports Methodist scholarship and leadership around the world. Alleviating student debt through financial support remains a priority. GBHEM awarded over $3.7 million in scholarships to 2,165 students in 2024, including students from 51 annual conferences in the United States and 28 annual conferences in the central conferences. In addition, GBHEM stewarded the distribution of roughly $17.4 million in grants to United Methodist ministries. Because of your generous support, approximately $6.4 million is apportioned annually for the 11 historically black

colleges and universities (HBCUs) related to the Church through The Black College Fund. The funds enhance capital improvements, provide scholarships, and support the work of faculty and staff. There are approximately 13,534 students at BCF-supported HBCU’s; 70 percent receive Pell Grants The IGRC students that have been awarded scholarships include: • Nolan Armstrong, Mt. Vernon: First UMC, Rend Lake College • Quinn Butler, Normal Calvary UMC, Illinois Wesleyan University • Enrico Micah Esguerra, Bradley Wesley UMC, Olivet Nazarene University • Marie Adelaine Esguerra, Bradley Wesley UMC, Olivet Nazarene University • Taylor Frick, Glen Carbon New Bethel UMC, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville • Abigayle Gehrs, Edwardsville St. Johns UMC, Southeast Missouri State University

• Ryan Haas, Normal First UMC, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary • Emily King-Nobles, Normal First UMC, Olaf College • Aidan Kostbade, Coal City UMC, Millikin University • Myeonghwan Lee Myeong, Jesus-Love UMC, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Doctorate program • Avery Meade, Nashville Grace UMC, Grand Valley State University • Murphy Mccool, Rossville UMC, Spring Arbor University • Mackenzie Mercer, Mossville UMC, Illinois State University • Michelle Petty, Mahomet UMC, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary • Rachel Schlueter, Cantrall UMC, Illinois State University • John Taliwaga, Effingham Centenary UMC, Enrolled In Advanced Or Clinical Pastoral Education Training • Jack Van Gorkom, Trenton First UMC, Greenville University

Harrisburg First UMC celebrated Palm Sunday with a very lively, spirit-filled worship service. Following the service the church held their annual Soup and Pie Auction with proceeds going to the church’s Caring for Kids program. The fundraiser netted $10,295 – funding that will provide two months of ministry for the program. The church’s Grover Dickerson Fund matched the fundraiser total, providing the ministry with $20,590.

Photos courtesy of Harrisburg First UMC

Murphysboro UMC hosted the 2025 Prentice Sermon which included the dedication of a grave marker for a pioneer circuit rider. Rev. Philip Davis, (1797-1841), whose ministry mainly took place in Missouri, settled in Murphysboro. His wife, Margaret Logan Davis (1802-1891) was the half-sister of Civil War General John A. Logan. Pictured at the grave marker dedication, representing those who donated to the cost of the marker, included from left, Nancy Fager chair of the church’s Memorial Committee; Sharon Jones whose donation was in memory of her husband, P. Michael Jones; Rev. Keith Anderson, executive director of Preachers’ Aid Society and Benefit Fund; Dee Blakely, member of the IGRC Commission on Archives and History; and Rev. Stan Irvin, South District Dist. Superintendent and Prentice Sermon speaker. Several direct descendants of Rev. Davis were on hand for the

Esguerra passes state CPA exam

McKendree receives grant to develop chaplain intern program

BY MARDENE HINTON Kankakee St. Mark UMC

LEBANON – McKendree University’s campus ministry was recently awarded a two-year grant totaling in nearly $39,000 from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) to foster leadership for communities of faith. A program of the Council of Independent Colleges supported by Lilly Endowment Inc., NetVUE is a nationwide network of more than 300 colleges and universities formed to support and enrich vocational exploration and discernment among undergraduate students. The grant will allow for the expansion of the university’s chaplain intern program with various faith community partners. Currently, McKendree has eight chaplain interns who serve seven communities of faith in Lebanon, Troy, Edwardsville, O’Fallon, Belleville, and others. “There are about 150 to 200 people per community, and all of those lives are touched each week by these chaplain interns,” said the Rev. Dr. Beverly L. Wilkes-Null, McKendree’s university chaplain. “When these students come to McKendree, we try to match them to what they’re already familiar with, and they have a say in where they’d like to serve. If they aren’t local, they are invited to explore a few

congregations before committing themselves to their assignment.” These students, who devote extra time to their faith during their college career, dedicate at least 60 hours of volunteer time each semester to these local congregations. This can include volunteering at Lenten fish fries, leading praise and worship, teaching Sunday school, and more. “Our ultimate goal is to help congregations see themselves as partners with our student interns. They learn from our interns, and our interns learn from them,” said Rev. Dr. Wilkes- Null. In a time in which church attendance has overall declined since the pandemic, NetVUE is seeking ways to increase leadership in communities of faith. The grant given to McKendree will help students interested in religion and other vocations discern their purpose, grow their relationships with their communities and one another, and foster leadership with their communities of faith, all while strengthening McKendree’s ties with these communities. For more information, please visit NetVUE at https://www.cic.edu/networks/netvue

KANKAKEE – The members of Kankakee St. Mark UMC celebrated the accomplishment of Henrick Esguerra who passed all four sections of the Illinois Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam. This accomplishment was made within a 9-month period. It required a great deal of study time, good study methods, and of course retention of all the things studied. It is not an easy feat!! The CPA exam is one of the most respected and challenging professional exams. Passing it sets

service and grave marker dedication. Photo courtesy of Murphysboro First UMC

you apart as a highly skilled and qualified professional in the world of accounting. The rigorous standards set by the Illinois Board of Examiners ensure that only the most competent candidates become licensed CPA’s. Henrick was granted scholarships from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference (IGRC), the General Board of Higher Education, and the Ministry of the UMC, all of which he and his family were very thankful for. He graduated with dual degrees from McKendree University in Lebanon, in 2024: a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems with highest honors. His parents are Rev. Dr. Enrico R. and Myra Esguerra. As Henrick awaits his license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, there is no doubt that in the future he will make significant contributions to the accounting firm in which he is employed. We are very pleased to have him as a member of our church family and wish to thank him for all the talents he shares with us here at Saint Mark. We now look forward to watching him grow professionally as well.

Photos courtesy of Kumler Outreach Ministries Springfield Kumler UMC was the site of Feeding Springfield One Lasagna at a Time’s Bunny Bash. The church’s parking lot was converted into a play area for the neighborhood children with a parked fire truck, cotton candy, hot dogs and various games. The Easter Bunny also made an appearance and attendees learned about community organizations and the work of Kumler Outreach Ministries. The day ended with bicycles donated by the Midwest Mission Distribution Center finding new homes.

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THE CURRENT | MAY 2025 | 5

NAT I ONAL NEWS

NAT I ONAL NEWS CHURCHGOERS RALLY AGAINST GOVERNMENT OVERREACH

The John Henry Ensemble, led by the Rev. John Henry on trombone (left), plays a jazz concert on the evening of April 5 during the Peace Conference in Lake Junaluska, N.C. Henry, a United Methodist pastor and director of the music program at A&T University in Greensboro, N.C., also sang and played trombone during the conference’s worship service. Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, who leads the Iowa Conference and co-leads the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, preaches April 4 at the opening service of the Southeastern Jurisdiction's Peace Conference at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center in western North Carolina. She preached on the theme of the gathering, "Breaking Down the Dividing Walls."

John and Erika Lusk, members of University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, also joined in the rally. “I’m not particularly progressive. You don’t have to be progressive to have an opinion about this,” John Lusk said. He wore a green T-shirt displaying the Wesleyan quadrilateral for illuminating the Christian faith of Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience. “You can just be, like, the middle of the road and say, ‘You know what? This is just wrong.’ There’s lots and lots of progressive Methodists and lots and lots of conservative Methodists, and The United Methodist Church itself sort of stands astride this fracture line in politics right now. That’s why it’s important for us to speak up.” His wife, Erika, said if not for the Peace Conference, she likely would have attended the rally in D.C. or in Raleigh, North Carolina.

BY HEATHER HAHN

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (UMNews) — Peace and justice go hand in hand. To pursue both, a number of United Methodists at the April 4-6 Peace Conference joined in a nearby rally to tell the Trump administration to take its hands off government services. The protest outside the courthouse in Waynesville, the seat of rural Haywood County, was among more than 1,200 Hands Off! demonstrations organized April 5 in all 50 states. Demonstrators across the U.S. voiced anger over the administration’s moves to fire hundreds of thousands of federal workers, effectively shut down entire agencies, close Social Security offices, deport immigrants, target transgender people and cut funding for health programs such as medical research, Medicaid and veterans’ care. The Waynesville event drew some 1,000 people to a town with a population under 11,000. Rally-goers represented a cross-section of people — veterans,

Photo by Crystal Caviness, United Methodist Communications.

Building peace in a dangerously polarized U.S.

Lake Junaluska first hosted a Peace Conference in 2009. The gathering, organized by longtime peace activists, was both interfaith in nature and focused on the wars then raging in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Peace Conference continued annually through 2019, which the original organizers saw as a good endpoint. Now the circumstances have changed, Crissman said, but the need to foster peace has not. So, she and other leaders in the Western North Carolina and neighboring North Carolina conferences got to work designing a new conference. The intent, she told United Methodist News, is “to reclaim our call as ambassadors for peace, particularly in our highly polarized political environment, which also impacts our churches as we have seen even within our own denomination.” The Rev. Jonathan Marlowe, co-senior pastor of Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Cornelius, North Carolina, attended the first conference as well as the most recent one. “This Peace Conference is more holistic in terms of bringing in aspects of racism that were not much talked about at that earlier one,” he said. As a bishop, Bigham-Tsai told those gathered that she will pastor all people, but not the walls they erect to hold others back. “I am not the pastor of anyone’s racism. I am not the pastor of anyone’s misogyny. I will not pastor anyone’s homophobia or hatred and disrespect toward immigrants,” she said. Instead, she said she looks for the divine within everyone she meets: “I will pastor and seek to grow the Christ within you — the God that I know is in all of us. And I will do that by challenging you to love across barriers of difference and to break down walls.” Polarization erodes democracy and makes violence more likely, said Kristen Wall. She has experience addressing global conflicts for think tanks and the U.S. Institute of Peace, now being dismantled by the Trump administration. “When there is significant polarization, it’s harder to communicate and coordinate to solve shared problems. Grievances accumulate, creating an opening for political leaders who exploit feelings of abandonment or frustration through wedge issues,” Wall said. “Partisan gain becomes more important than playing by the rules. This breaks down an interest in sharing power, which is the bedrock of a democratic system.” Anyone familiar with U.S. history will know such disunion is not unprecedented in a nation still struggling with the legacy of enslaving Black people and brutalizing

Native Americans, said Derrick Scott III. He is a longtime campus minister and co-lay leader of the Florida Conference. In Luke 4, Scott said, Jesus was confronting historic hostilities when he preached good news to the poor and ended up angering everyone in the synagogue. “One of the things I think is happening in Luke 4 is the recognition that if we bypass history, if we don’t confront the historic hostility, we cannot have unity,” said Scott, a history major. He urged his audience not to get too caught up in comparing one group’s suffering with another. Such comparisons without acknowledging people’s different stories, he said, can lead to “the kind of cheap solidarity that runs away when privilege is threatened.” The Rev. Ismael Ruiz-Millán, the North Carolina Conference’s executive director of connectional ministries, was inspired by Scott’s talk. He cautioned white people not to rush to relieve their guilt about the sin of racism by silencing people of color. He said he has often seen white people interrupt a lament by calling for prayer around the person sharing their pain. “We need to be careful of using means of grace as a means of oppression, as a weapon to silence the lament of the oppressed,” he said. The Rev. Gary Mason — a Methodist minister known to many United Methodists — talked about the threat of Christian nationalism. He spoke from experience in working to end Northern Ireland’s 30-year-long civil war known as the Troubles. About a decade ago, Mason heard a quote from a Japanese scholar on Shinto nationalism that he thinks applies to both his homeland and the U.S. “An incomprehensible act becomes comprehensible when told in conjunction with religion,” he recounted. “It’s that ‘God-is-on-our-side’ mentality.” Addressing toxic religion, he said, will require United Methodists to take their ministry outside church walls. He also suggested United Methodists be willing to talk to men with guns in their hands, including Proud Boys and One Percenters. He stressed that engagement is not endorsement, but relationships are key to changing hearts and minds. “I would say to all of you that even if you feel that America may be in despair, don’t give up,” Mason said. “The oxygen of hope is one of the most essential mechanisms the Christian church can actually bring.” (Hahn is assistant news editor for UM News)

BY HEATHER HAHN LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (UM News) – One thing Americans of all political stripes can agree on is that the people of the United States are deeply divided. In fact, “polarization” was dictionary Merriam-Webster’s choice for its 2024 word of the year. All too frequently, Christianity has contributed to this polarization — erecting barriers between Americans and fueling mistrust. Yet, Christians in general — and United Methodists specifically — also can heal the fractures and help those most likely to be hurt by the nation’s brokenness. That was the overall message of the Peace Conference on April 4-6 at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. Some 200 clergy and laity, including college students, attended the gathering. The event’s theme drew from Ephesians 2:14: “For Christ is our peace … and he has broken down the dividing walls, which is the hostility between us.” Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, who leads the Iowa Conference and co-leads the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, expanded on that theme during opening worship. “All around us, people are building walls — walls to keep immigrants out, walls to keep people of color in their place, walls to hem in the LGBTQ community, walls to shut out the poor. These walls are being built through restrictions on health care, through layoffs and attacks on funding, through violent and dehumanizing speech. These walls are being built through fear.” However, she said, Christ shows another way. Jesus broke down walls throughout his earthly ministry — healing on the Sabbath and eating with tax collectors. He also spoke up for the oppressed and marginalized.

Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News Cheryl Lowe (left) and Andrea Gauldin-Rubio, both United Methodists, hold their signs based on Scripture and the teachings of John Wesley at the Hands Off! rally on April 5 outside the courthouse in Waynesville, North Carolina. They were among many United Methodists who used their lunchtime during the nearby Peace Conference to attend the nonviolent rally decrying government overreach. Lowe is a member of Mt. Pleasant United Methodist in McLeansville, N.C., and Gauldin-Rubio is the director of Christian education at Bunker Hill United Methodist Church in Kernersville, N.C.

The Rev. Beth Crissman, the conference director, told those gathered that the Waynesville protest from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. just happened to coincide with the day’s lunch break. She encouraged conference participants to carpool to the nonviolent rally if they wanted to join in. Among those addressing the rally was Kristen Wall, a native daughter of Haywood County, who also spoke and led workshops at the Peace Conference. Until the night of March 28, she worked at the U.S. Institute of Peace, which is currently being dismantled by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. The independent nonprofit was established by the U.S. Congress in the 1980s to provide research, policy analysis and training in international peace efforts and conflict resolution. Wall noted that the Institute of Peace’s entire annual budget of $50 million is significantly smaller than just one of Musk’s SpaceX contracts, which average $212 million per launch. Among the organization’s now- cancelled projects were monitoring human-rights abuses and protecting journalists in Afghanistan and deterring extremist recruitment in Nigeria and Kenya. “I want us in this country to pursue peace and democracy and to support it — not just for some, but for all,” she said to applause from the crowd. “We cannot work for our own enrichment, satisfied in a private kingdom of safety and comfort, surrounded by a sea of deprivation. Our humanity is large enough for all of us.” Meeting Wall at the Peace Conference helped bring home the reality of what’s happening to federal workers to the Rev. Cole Altizer, pastor of Bryson City United Methodist Church in North Carolina. “But you know with all the programs that we have in Bryson City, they’re all going to be affected by many of these cuts,” he said. “Our work is to be with the people in the margins. This is how I do that today.”

“But I’m glad we’re able to be here at this gathering and be a part of it,” she said. “I just think one of the things that’s been a reoccurring theme this weekend is we need to be outside of our churches, not just in our church on Sunday mornings. We need to be bringing the word by speaking out against what’s wrong and standing up for the least of these.” The Rev. Rhonda Grant Jordan, director of peace building and outreach ministries for the North Carolina Conference, said so many concerns drew her to the rally, including the effort to eliminate the Department of Education and threats to Medicaid. “I have to be here because, as a Christian, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I am concerned about the least of my brothers and sisters. I’m concerned about them no matter who they are. And it’s my responsibility as a Christian, as a minister, to do anything I can to support God’s people … Jesus tells us to care about each other.” A number of signs at the rally proclaimed Christ’s call to love our neighbors. That message was also shared throughout the Peace Conference, including at its closing worship the day after the Hands Off! rallies. “Justice alone cannot fix injustice. Hearts must be transformed and love should empower all Christians to struggle for the self-affirmation that is intrinsic to the struggle for justice,” preached Bishop Robin Dease in the closing sermon. Dease is bishop of both the North Georgia and South Georgia conferences. “Justice without love is just merely self-righteousness, and love without justice can become nothing but mere sentimentality,” she said. “Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. … They draw on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring Christ’s love and mercy, forgiveness, strength and wisdom to the conflicts of daily living.”

nurses, teachers, office workers and pastors. Some of those in attendance had brought their children with them. Among those at the protest was Western North Carolina Conference Bishop Ken Carter. “There’s so much at stake for the community in terms of children and nutrition and young people’s education and older adults,” he said. He distinguished between policy objections and partisanship. “To me, this is not anti-person, but it is saying that there are policies that do real harm to real people,” he said. “It’s just encouraging. Mountain people care about each other, and they are resilient. And that’s what you see here.” Whenever drivers passing by the rally registered disapproval by revving their motors or flashing hand gestures, the protesters would respond in good Southern fashion: shouting “Bless your heart.” Carter had been one of the organizers of the Peace Conference at Lake Junaluska — planned long before the April 5 protests.

Christ demonstrated, the bishop stressed, that peacemaking does not mean keeping silent or accommodating injustice.

Bigham-Tsai and other speakers at the conference were addressing an audience mostly from a region still reeling from the fallout of church divisions. From 2019 to 2023, more than 7,600 U.S. congregations left The United Methodist Church — prompted largely by conflict over LGBTQ inclusion. About half of those disaffiliations were in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Those disaffiliations as well as current U.S. political strife played a role in this year’s revamp of the Peace Conference, said the Rev. Beth Crissman, the conference’s director. Crissman is a district superintendent and director of peace building ministries in the Western North Carolina Conference.

Federal judge ruling allows immigration enforcement at houses of worship WASHINGTON, D. C. — A federal judge ruled April 11 that immigration agents are allowed to conduct enforcement operations at houses of worship for now, despite a lawsuit filed by religious groups over the new policy.

the legal right to sue, since only a handful of immigration enforcement actions have been conducted in or around churches or other houses of worship and that the evidence at this point doesn’t show “that places of worship are being singled out as special targets.” The plaintiffs are reviewing the decision and assessing their options, said their lead counsel, Kelsi Corkran.

Photo by Crystal Caviness, United Methodist Communications Kristen Wall speaks April 4 about finding understanding through recognizing our common humanity. Wall worked at the U.S. Institute of Peace before Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency fired the board of the congressionally funded agency, which led the way to Wall and other staff being let go. The takeover of the institute and its building is currently the subject of litigation.

U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich refused to grant a preliminary injunction to the plaintiffs, finding that the more than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans lacked standing or

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