Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook
WHEREAS, the CCFA of the IGRC has chosen to recommend a reduction in Annual Conference apportionment funding for camping ministries; WHEREAS, Little Grassy is located in the southern half of our conference providing easier access to camping and retreat ministries in the southern part of Illinois; WHEREAS, Little Grassy UM Camp is strategically located in the heart of some of the poorest regions of the state, making long-distance travel to East Bay UM Camp (Bloomington) a challenge. WHEREAS, providing increased support for operations at Little Grassy camp could be achieved through financial support from local churches for less than $10 per week per congregation; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that additional budgeted funding for an amount of $300,000 annually be provided for the camping ministry at Little Grassy for a period of time through December 31, 2027, to be either direct billed to churches or assigned through the apportionment system. Legislative Item 116: Support for Ethnic Pastors and Cross Cultural/Cross Racial Appointments Subject: Ministry Support for Ethnic Pastors and those in Cross-Cultural/Cross Racial Appointment Submitted by: Rev. Tanya Edwards-Evans Estimated Financial Impact: None WHEREAS, in Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul wrote, “He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity,[e] to the measure of the full stature of Christ,” and in Proverbs 27:17, Solomon wrote, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” and WHEREAS, in ¶ 140 in the Book of Discipline 2020/2024, “We recognize that God made all creation and saw that it was good. As a diverse people of God who bring special gifts and evidences of God’s grace to the unity of the Church and to society, we are called to be faithful to the example of Jesus’ ministry to all persons; and WHEREAS, in ¶ 425.3-4 in the Book of Discipline 2020/2024, “The United Methodist Church promotes and holds in high esteem the opportunity of an inclusive church (¶ 4. Article IV) with the formation of open itineracy (¶ 425.1).” “Cross-racial and cross-cultural appointments are made as a creative response to increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the church and in its leadership. Cross-racial and cross-cultural appointments are appointments of clergypersons to congregations in which the ma- jority of their constituencies are different from the clergyperson’s own racial/ethnic and cultural background. Annual conferences shall prepare clergy and congregations
Legislative Items 123
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