Illinois Great Rivers Conference 2025 Journal-Yearbook
Daily Proceedings Twenty-ninth Session of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference (202nd Session, Counting Antecedent Annual Conferences)
The Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church gathered in person and online June 5-7, 2025 at the Peoria Civis Center. The theme of the gathering was Rivers of Grace: Hope that Doesn’t Disappoint, based on Romans 5:5, the first of four themes focusing on the quadrennial theme Rivers of Grace . The session began with approximately 900 in attendance. Thursday, June 5, 2025 MORNING WORSHIP: Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, preacher. Text of her sermon can be found on pages 216-221 of the Journal-Yearbook. Offering was collected for Africa University: $4,809.91 CLERGY SESSION: The Clergy Session was held at 10:30 am. Bishops Bard and Bigham- Tsai presided. Actions taken by the clergy session can be found in Parts II and III of the Business of the Annual Conference on pages 162-188 of the Journal-Yearbook. LAITY SESSION: The Laity Session was held at 10:30 am. The session began with a video of the 2012 New Mexico Music Educators Association (NMMEA) All-State Mixed Choir singing “Take Me to the Water”. Lorene King, Conference Lay Leader, welcomed everyone, gave the opening prayer and introduced the guest speaker. Rev. Tanya Edwards Evans gave the address “Equipping Laity to Love, to Lead, and the Last”. Presentations were given by: • Jeff Thorton, United Methodist Men President • Curt Franklin, Coordinator of Camping and Youth Ministries • Nancy Lane, Coordinator of Camping & Retreat Ministries • Alice Staley, United Women in Faith President • Kim Wade, Lay Servant Ministries Conference Director • Ken Miller, North District Lay Leader spoke about the special offering for the John Kofi Asmah Maintenance Fund and an offering of $2,615 was received • Susie Wurth, Certified Lay Ministry Coordinator • Bishop Bard • Bishop Bingham-Tsai • Linda Albert, Central District Lay Leader • Mike Haerr, El Paso UMC, provided the Closing Prayer MEMORIAL AND CELEBRATION OF LIFE: Rev. John Macintosh, preacher. Recognition of 55 clergy and clergy spouses, and five lay members who have gone on to glory in the past year. Offering for Camp Scholarships collected: $6,124.77. CALL TO ORDER: The session was called to order at 3:30 pm by Bishop Bard. Secretary Hempstead shared announcements and prayer requests VOTING PROCESS: Secretary Hempstead reviewed the voting instructions for both the online voters and the in-room voters TEST VOTE: A test vote was held to check the technical connections. The question was, “Will anyone from the floor refer to Bishop Bard as Bishop Beard this session?”
58 Daily Proceedings
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