By Paul Black
SPRINGFIELD -- Annual Conference Secretary Ethan Carnes has announced that 198 congregations will have an additional lay member to annual conference to equalize the number of clergy and laity members for the 2022 Annual Conference session.
The equalization formula is set by the Standing Rules of the Annual Conference III.C. The purpose of equalization is to ensure an equal number of laity and clergy at the annual conference. Clergy members of the annual conference consist of all active and retired deacons and elders in full connection, provisional members, and associate members. Local pastors under appointment are included, as well. (2016 Book of Discipline, ¶32). Each charge in the conference elects one layperson for each pastor appointed to the charge.
Churches which paid 100 percent of their apportionments in the previous year (in this case, 2020) are to be granted one "equalization member.” Eligibility will be granted to the 198 largest churches according to membership who have paid 100 percent of their 2020 apportionments. Equalization members are elected to serve to the end of the quadrennium if the congregation continues to pay 100 percent of its apportionments.
"Please notify your district office if you have not filed your equalized member with your 2021 Charge Conference paperwork," Carnes said. "I have a Equalization Lay Member Change Form on my website: www.igrc.org/secretary. Please file this appropriately. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me."
Congregations that have been granted the additional equalization lay member are as follows:
Springfield: First -- Sangamon River District
Normal: Calvary -- Vermilion River District
Bloomington: Wesley -- Vermilion River District
Troy -- Mississippi River District
Belleville: St. Matthew -- Mississippi River District
Washington: Crossroads -- Illinois River District
Peoria: First -- Illinois River District
Charleston: Wesley -- Embarras River District
Normal: First -- Vermilion River District
Champaign: Faith -- Iroquois River District
Springfield: Laurel -- Sangamon River District
Macomb: Wesley -- Spoon River District
Morton -- Illinois River District
Canton: Wesley -- Illinois River District
Effingham: Centenary -- Embarras River District
Belleville: Union -- Mississippi River District
Taylorville -- Sangamon River District
Pontiac: First -- Vermilion River District
O'Fallon: First -- Mississippi River District
East Moline: Christ Multi-site -- Spoon River District
Pekin: First -- Illinois River District
Geneseo: Grace -- Spoon River District
Monticello -- Sangamon River District
Pana -- Sangamon River District
Marion: Aldersgate -- Cache River District
Danville: St. James -- Iroquois River District
Aledo -- Spoon River District
Carbondale: First -- Cache River District
Lincoln: First -- Sangamon River District
Pekin: Grace -- Illinois River District
Kewanee -- Illinois River District
Geneseo: First -- Spoon River District
Coal City -- Vermilion River District
Champaign: First -- Iroquois River District
Dunlap: Prospect -- Illinois River District
Dwight -- Vermilion River District
Gibson City -- Iroquois River District
Edwardsville: St. Johns -- Mississippi River District
Willow Hill -- Illinois River District
Mahomet -- Iroquois River District
Quincy: Vermont Street -- LaMoine River District
Jerseyville -- LaMoine River District
Mt. Vernon: First -- Kaskaskia River District
PIttsfield -- LaMoine River District
Chilicothe -- Illinois River District
Shelbyville: First -- Embarras River District
Sugar Creek -- Sangamon River District
Moline: Riverside -- Spoon River District
Tremont -- Illinois River District
Mackinaw -- Illinois River District
Peoria: University -- Illinois River District
Granite City: Nameoki -- Mississippi River District
Decatur: First -- Sangamon River District
Orion -- Spoon River District
Paxton -- Iroquois River District
Centralia: First -- Kaskaskia River District
Manteno -- Vermilion River District
Lexington: First -- Vermilion River District
Petersburg -- Sangamon River District
Metropolis -- Cache River District
Chatham -- Sangamon River District
Fairbury -- Vermilion River District
Carlinville -- LaMoine River DIstrict
Urbana: Wesley -- Iroquois River District
Galesburg: First -- Spoon River DIstrict
Monmouth: FIrst -- Spoon River District
Carterville -- Cache River District
Sparta -- Mississippi River District
Beardstown -- LaMoine River District
Paris; First -- Embarras River District
Vandalia: First -- Kaskaskia River District
St. Joseph -- Iroquois River District
Gillespie: First -- Mississippi River District
Highland: Hope -- Mississippi River District
Camp Point -- LaMoine River District
Mattoon: First -- Embarras River District
Decatur: Grace -- Sangamon River District
West Frankfort: Trinity -- Cache River District
Sherman -- Sangamon River District
Wesley Chapel -- LaMoine River District
Kankakee: St. Mark -- Vermilion River District
Leroy -- Vermilion River District
Clinton -- Sangamon River District
Havana: First -- LaMoine River District
Tuscola -- Iroquois River District
Arthur -- Iroquois River District
Harrisburg: First -- Cache River District
Savoy -- Iroquois River District
Trenton -- Mississippi River District
Carthage: First -- LaMoine River District
Casey -- Embarras River District
Delavan -- Illinois River District
Cambridge -- Spoon River District
Momence -- Vermilion River District
Springfield: Douglas Avenue -- Sangamon River District
Rantoul -- Iroquois River District
Sullivan -- Iroquois River District
Colona -- Spoon River District
Salem: Grace -- Kaskaskia River District
Arcola -- Iroquois River District
El Paso -- Vermilion River District
Galva: First -- Spoon River District
Spring Bay: Rivers Edge -- Illinois River District
Cerro Gordo -- Sangamon River District
Bradley: Wesley -- Vermilion River District
Maryville: St. Lukes -- Mississippi River District
Tolono -- Iroquois River District
Streator: First -- Vermilion River District
Manito -- Illinois River District
Abingdon -- Spoon River District
Moweaqua -- Sangamon River District
Pinckneyville -- Cache River District
Marshall: First -- Embarras River District
Champaign: New Horizon -- Iroquois River District
Watson -- Embarras River District
Greenville: First -- Mississippi River District
Heyworth -- Vermilion River District
Neoga -- Embarras River District
Living Faith -- LaMoine RIver District
Elmwood -- Spoon River District
Mt. Sterling -- LaMoine River District
Winchester -- LaMoine River District
Mansfield -- Iroquois River District
Columbia: Bethany -- Mississippi River District
Newton: Grace -- Embarras River District
Fairview Center -- Spoon River District
Lewistown -- Illinois River District
East Peoria: First -- Illinois River District
Barry -- LaMoine River District
Virginia -- LaMoine River District
Reynolds -- Spoon River District
Nashville: Grace -- Mississippi River District
Elwin -- Sangamon River District
Roseville -- Spoon River District
Tonica -- Vermilion River District
Warsaw: Trinity -- LaMoine River District
Peoria: Bethel -- Illinois River District
Robinson: First -- Embarras River District
Bradley: Epworth -- Illinois River District
Beulah -- Kaskaskia River District
Macon -- Sangamon River District
Flora; First -- Kaskaskia River District
Countryside -- Iroquois River District
Mt. Carmel: Evangelical -- Kaskaskia River District
Washington: Evangelical -- Illinois River District
Preemption -- Spoon River District
Port Byron: First -- Spoon River District
Hoopeston -- Iroquois River District
Villa Grove -- Iroqouis River District
Shields Chapel -- Illinois River District
Arenzville -- LaMoine River District
Eureka -- Illinois River District
Toulon -- Illinois River District
Fisher -- Iroquois River District
Bement -- Iroquois River District
Stronghurst -- Spoon River District
Caseyville -- Mississippi River District
Brighton: St. Paul -- Mississippi River District
Armstrong -- Embarras River District
Mossville -- Illinois River District
Hamilton -- LaMoine River District
Hennepin -- Vermilion River District
Oakford -- LaMoine River District
Bridgeport -- Kaskaskia River District
Springfield: Grace -- Sangamon River District
Carmi: Emmanuel -- Cache River District
Homer -- Iroquois River District
Sidell -- Iroquois River District
Rock Island; Two Rivers -- Spoon River District
Knoxville -- Spoon River District
Moline: Bethel Wesley -- Spoon River District
Murrayville -- LaMoine River District
Sunfield -- Cache River District
Roanoke -- Vermilion River District
Peoria: Northwest -- Illinois River District
Hudson -- Vermilion River District
Colchester -- Spoon River District
Glen Carbon: New Bethel -- Mississippi River District
Springfield: Kumler -- Sangamon River District
Albion -- Kaskaskia River District
Urbana: First -- Iroquois River District
Fithian -- Iroquois River District
Henry -- Illinois River District
Princeville -- Illinois River District
Hillsboro -- Embarras River District
Riverton: First -- Sangamon River District
Saybrook: Wesbein -- Ver,milion River District
Galesburg: Faith -- Spoon River District
Downs -- Vermilion River District
Alpha -- Spoon River District
Louisville -- Kaskaskia River District
Morrisonville -- Sangamon River District
Goreville -- Cache River District
Chrisman -- Iroquois River District
Sandoval -- Kaskaskia River District
Saunemin -- Vermilion River District
VIrden: First -- LaMoine River District
Divernon -- Sangamon River District