Deadlines/Reminders
Deadlines and reminders
No pre-conference meetings
Because the Omnibus report is not being used as part of the organizational plan for annual conference, pre-conference meetings were not necessary.
Special offerings
IGRC congregations are invited to participate in the special offerings of the annual conference session by taking up a special collection and sending it with their pastor and clergy member to conference.
A farewell gift, honoring Bishop Sharon A. Brown Christopher, will be collected at Wednesday’s opening worship. Funds from this offering will be used to establish an education fund in Liberia that will provide scholarships and funds for building of schools. An endowment goal of $150,000 has been set to fund 150 scholarship into perpetuity. Funds can also be sent directly to the Conference Treasurer and designated for Fund 6995 – Liberia Education Fund.
Conference Lay Leader Rhonda Whitaker has also challenged lay members to annual conference to contribute $20 each to provide $20,000 to build a school in Monrovia that currently meets for half-days sessions at the John Kofi Asmah UMC. Half of the 720 students crowd into the sanctuary for morning classes while a second set meet in the afternoons. Funds can also be sent directly to the Conference Treasurer and designated for Fund 6990 – John Kofi Asmah School.
The Africa University Task Force will also be taking a special offering on Thursday morning that will be used to provide a scholarship for a Liberian student to attend Africa University. Fund 0073 – Africa University.
The Tom Brown Scholarship Fund will be the recipient of Friday morning’s special offering, affirming our long-standing ties with the historic Black College. Brown, a pastor in the former Central Illinois Conference, served as a college trustee. Fund 0055 – Tom Brown Scholarship, Wiley College.
The Ordinands will also be taking a special collection at Friday’s Ordination service, which will provide funds for them to travel to Liberia on a work mission trip next spring. The Conference Board of Ordained Ministry is also assisting in this effort by hosting a luau at Peoria First UMC on Wednesday evening. Tickets can be ordered on your special meals form. Fund 6640 – Ordinands’ Mission Trip.
A final special offering will be taken Saturday morning for the Global AIDS Fund, aim at eradicating this global disease. Fund 3115 – HIV/AIDS Fund.
Mission projects
The Midwest Mission Distribution Center will be collecting flood buckets and flood bucket supplies to replenish their stock after hundreds of buckets were sent to the Watseka and Pontiac and to Southern Illinois this spring. A list of materials for flood buckets are found elsewhere on this page.
A canned food drive for Harvest, a local food pantry, will be held during Annual Conference. Canned goods and other non-perishable items will be accepted.
The Annual Conference blood drive will be held on Thursday, June 5, from noon to 5 p.m. in fellowship hall of Bethel UMC, 210 N. Richard Pryor Place in Peoria. This is just a few blocks south of the Civic Center. Annual conference members will be able to go over during their lunch break on that day. Shuttle service will be available for those not wishing to walk.
As an added perk, a representative from the Joseph & Hishon Chiropractic Office in Peoria will be there to offer a 5 minute massage to anyone who donates blood.
Memorial service names
The memorial service includes both clergy and lay members to annual conference who have died in the last year. Names of lay members to annual conference can be submitted to Conference Lay Leader Rhonda Whitaker at whitakers@mchsi.com for inclusion in the service.
Housing registration
Each person is responsible for securing their own housing. A chart of hotels that have reserved blocks of rooms for the Illinois Great Rivers Conference has been sent to lay and clergy delegates. Reservations must be made prior to May 15 in order to get the block rate. Contact
Nancy Patton at 217-529-2040 if you need phone numbers, room rates or a map showing locations.
Special meals
The special meals that have been scheduled were mailed out with the Conference Registration Form. Ticket sales will be handled by the Conference office. A list of speakers, provided by special meal hosts appear
elsewhere on the Annual Conference page.
Media/Advertising information
The Daily Current will be distributed each day at the Annual Conference session. On Wednesday, June 4, the June issue of The Current will be available with information on the annual conference. Subsequent issues will be published on June 5, 6 and 7. Persons may purchase space for a black-and-white ad in the June 4 issue. Payment and copy (text/graphics) must be received no later than May 9 for inclusion. Graphics should be submitted as .jpg with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Send email or requests for additional information to
Michele Willson by calling 217-529-3122. The ad rate is $20 per column inch, $240 for a ¼-page ad or $480 for a ½-page ad. These ads will also be posted to the IGRC website.