2025 Journal-Yearbook

Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook

Constitution of the United Methodist Church (hereinafter referred to as the “Constitution”) and/or The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, current edition (hereinafter referred to as the “ Book of Discipline ”), the provisions of The Constitution and The Book of Discipline shall prevail, to the extent consistent with the law of Illinois, and this document shall be considered as amended from time to time where necessary for compliance with The Constitution and The Book of Discipline . Article II – Offices Section 1. Principal Office: The principal office of the Corporation in the State of Illinois shall be located in the City of Springfield, County of Sangamon. The Corporation may have such other offices, either within or without the State of Illinois, as the Corporation may determine or as the affairs of the Corporation may require from time to time. Section 2. Registered Office and Registered Agent: The Corporation shall have and continuously maintain in the State of Illinois a registered office and a registered agent, whose office is identical with the registered office, as required by the GNFP Act. The registered office may be, but need not be, identical with the Corporation’s principal office in the State of Illinois, and the address of the registered office may be changed from time to time by the Corporation’s Board of Trustees (hereinafter referred to as the “Board of Trustees”). Article III - Members Section 1. Members: The Members of the Corporation shall consist of those clergy and lay persons designated by the Constitution, The Book of Discipline , and the Standing Rules of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference (hereinafter referred to as the “Standing Rules”). Section 2. Voting Rights: Each member shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the membership at a membership session; provided, however, only members designated as “clergy members” by the Constitution and The Book of Discipline may vote on measures concerning the granting or validation of local pastors’ licenses, ordination, reception into full conference clergy membership or any question concerning the character and official conduct of ordained clergy; and, provided further, that clergy members and members designated as “lay members” by the Constitution, The Book of Discipline , and/or the Standing Rules shall vote separately in elections of delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences and in other matters, if so provided by The Book of Discipline . Only members who have registered to participate in the membership session may vote. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed. (Amended Aug. 15, 2020). Article IV - Sessions of Members Section 1. Annual session: The annual session of the members, known as the “annual conference,” shall be held at such time as the bishop having residential and presidential supervision over the corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “bishop”) shall designate for the purpose of electing trustees and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the session. The place of the annual session shall be designated by the membership but may be changed when necessary by a majority of the corporation’s district superintendents, with the consent of the bishop. The order of business for the annual session of members shall be as prescribed in the Book of Discipline and the Standing Rules. Section 2. Special Sessions of the Membership: Special sessions of the membership

Historical and Official Information 299