July 2016 • Vol. 20 No. 13
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JULY 2016 • VOL. 20 NO. 13 JOHN 4:35 INSIDE THIS ISSUE News from the Episcopal Office 1 Events & Announcements 2 AC Coverage 2016 3-16 Opening Worship 3-4 Memorial Service 8 Retirees 9 DCM/Laity/Cabinet Address 10-11 Missions/Legislation/Awards 14-16 Appointments 17-21 Ordination & Commissioning 22 NCJ 2016 24-25 22 The Current (USPS 014-964) is published Send materials to: monthly by the Illinois Great Rivers P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207 ON THE Conference of The UMC, 5900 South or tel. 217.529.2040 or fax 217.529.4155 Second Street, Springfield, IL 62711 [email protected], website www.igrc.org An individual subscription is $15 per year. Periodical postage paid at Peoria, IL, and COVER The opinions expressed in viewpoints are additional mailing offices. Photos of the 2016 Annual Conference those of the writers and do not necessarily were taken by Brian Caughlan and Paul POSTMASTER: Please send address reflect the views of The Current, The IGRC, changes to Black. Copies of these and others are or The UMC. available on the IGRC website. The Current, Illinois Great Rivers Communications Team leader: Paul E. Conference, Black Team members: Kim Halusan and P.O. Box 19207, Springfield, IL 62794-9207 Michele Willson Pulling out all the Stops for 2016 Illinois Great Rivers Conference Church Organ Network of Effingham, IL, will be providing the Allen Digital Computer Renaissance Organ, featuring sampled pipe voices of the greatest Pipe Organs of the World. Piano Gallery of Peoria, will be providing Yamaha’s newly designed C6XPE series Concert Artist Polished Ebony Grand Piano. Churches, Schools, or Individuals searching for a Church Organ, Grand or Upright Piano, or Clavinova are invited to contact Church Organ Network, 902 S Willow, Effingham, IL 217.342.2207 email [email protected] or Piano Gallery of Peoria, 4640 N Brandywine, Peoria, IL 309.966.0434, PianoGalleryofPeoria.com News From The Episcopal Office 1 THE CURRENT Appointments In consultation with the Cabinet of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton appoints the following: Joe Tomich to Paris First, Embarras River District, effective July 1. NEWS Sue Trexler to Jacksonville Wesley Chapel, LaMoine River From The Episcopal Office District, effective July 1. Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton Stacy Tomich to Marshall Trinity-Dunlap, ¾ time, Embarras River District, effective July 1. Michael W. Fender to Decatur First, lead pastor, Sangamon River District, effective July 1. David Estep to Greater West Frankfort Parish (Antioch- Central), Cache River District, effective June 1. The parish is now LookingFour years ago, we arrived dead tired. Moving from the Weback laughed. We worked. We debated and hopefully, two churches as West Frankfort First closed effective June 1. capital city of Michigan to the capital city of Illinois was a chal- emerged the better for it. At our last Annual Conference, we lenge. Packing the house, leaving our two daughters behind, didn’t complete our goal of raising $1 million for the Africa Brad Fausnacht to Chaplain, United Methodist Village, saying goodbye to the good folks in Michigan, embracing our University Endowment Fund. We had hoped, worked, prayed Kaskaskia River District, effective May 24. new leadership role in IGRC, moving in the Springfield resi- and begged to make it happen. While the 2016 Annual confer- Linda Harris-Cosby to East St. Louis Trinity, ½ time, dence, etc., left our energy reserves virtually depleted. Once ence was not able to have a corporate celebration acknowledging Mississippi River District, effective July 1. Trinity becomes a again, we obeyed the call trumpeted anew in the theme of the the completion of our goal, IGRC will raise $1 million to educate single-point charge having previously been yoked with Granite 2016 General Conference, “Therefore Go.” eight students annually till Jesus comes. It's when not if. City Niedringhaus. Retired Bishop Charles Wesley Jordan had been “part Our retirement celebration brought delight, joy, fun, hap- instigator” in my last assignment. Four years ago, I informed piness and surprise to IGRC and my family and friends. You Brad Curtis to Lincoln First, Associate Pastor, ¼ time, Bishop Jordan that I was thinking about retiring. With the really blessed us. To put it in a playful way that may get me Sangamon River District, effective July 1. speed of light and profound clarity, the bishop said, “You can’t in maternal trouble, “I was not only pleased, but overjoyed.” Lenny Summar to Hindsboro, ¼ time, Iroquois River District, retire.” His lightning quick response struck a nerve in my (Smile, someone will have to tell you the story). Most impor- effective July 1. spirit. It threw me into an unexpected period of deep discern- tantly, we could not have been sent to a better place from which ment and prayer. Ultimately, I decided that God used Bishop to retire. Larry Bricker to Okaw River Parish, associate pastor, ¾ time, Jordan as a divine instrument. His three little words helped me Will the Keatons leave Illinois Great Rivers Conference effective July 1. decide whether I should retire in 2012 or 2016. You know now “dead tired?” YEP!! But we’ll leave IGRC happy and blessed by Roberta “Bobbi” Blackard to Farmersville, ¼ time, what I discerned. precious memoires that time cannot wash away. Sangamon River District, effective July 1. Had Beverly and I retired in 2012, we would not have been In you, we saw and experienced the goodness of God. Delbert Essen to Webb’s Chapel, less than ¼ time, Cache River around to experience the joy and blessing of mission and min- Our time in Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference can be istry in Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference. Excerpts can’t summed up in three little words. “God Is Good.” District, effective June 1. He previously served Dale and Webb’s do justice to the joy of serving but they’ll have to do: Chapel. Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton • A beautiful and spacious Episcopal Residence Steven Barrow to Three Rivers Parish Associate Pastor • Spacious conference center (Ellsworth, Cropsey, Colfax and Pleasant Grove), ½ time, • A gifted Cabinet, Area and Conference Staff Vermilion River District, effective July 1. • IGRC's focus on Mission in Liberia, San Pedro Sula, the A statement and call Bill Ramsdale to Beason-McLean-Waynesville, Sangamon Philippines, etc. River District, effective July 1. • Our five childcare agencies and hundreds of other places locally, nationally and globally to prayer following Terri C. Haas to Salem Trinity-Iuka, Kaskaskia River District, • The raising of $2.7 million for Imagine No Malaria, effective July 1. oversubscribing our goal Orlando shooting Status change • Tornados in Washington, Coal City and numerous towns in between Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton has asked that the Jon D. Carrell to Belleville St. Matthew: Associate Pastor, • Pilgrimages to the Holy Land with Ordinands and oth- Illinois Great Rivers Conference join him in prayer Mississippi River District, effective July 1. ers for the people of Orlando, Fla. He writes the Paul E. Black, discontinuation of supply appointment, • A 2013 visit to Africa University for her 20th Anniver- following: Sangamon River District, effective June 30. sary celebration Supply or assigned not appointed • Schools of Christian Mission/Mission U “The prayers of Illinois Great Rivers Conference • Meeting hundreds of IGRC folk at local churches, mis- go out to the victims, their families and the city Roger Czaia to Rosedale, 1/4 time, LaMoine River District, sion events, and four Annual Conferences. of Orlando, Florida in the wake of the largest effective July 1. You made our Annual Conferences great times to be together. mass shooting in American history. May God Diane Schulte, certified lay minister, to Bunker Hill, ¼ time, We focused on themes such as the Laity, Native Americans and lead us to beat our swords into ploughshares-to Mississippi River District, effective July 1. Disabilities. We experienced powerful worship services. Men, study war no more- to embrace love not hate.” David Cogdill, certified lay minister, to Pinkstaff-Chauncey- women and children came forward responding to the call of Jesus Landes, ½ time, Kaskaskia River District, effective July 1. He Christ. previously served Chauncey-Landes only. obituaries/Larry-Olson-2/ had dedicated her professional life to helping those Keith Blankenship, certified lay minister to Deer Creek, ¼ Deaths Mary M. Luke, 99, widow of the Rev. Thomas J. with disabilities as well as encouraging others in time, Illinois River District, effective July 1. Retired pastor Larry Arden their walk with God. Olson, 78, died June 12 in Iowa. Luke, died June 11 in Indiana. Eugene Seals to Pleasant Grove (Lancaster) and Adam’s She and Rev. Luke were married in 1993. He had A full obituary may be found at the following Corner, Kaskaskia River District, effective July 1. These are two He served local churches in the website where condolences can be left on a tribute former Central Illinois Conference retired from Springfield First UMC in 1978. separate appointments each less than ¼ time. wall: http://www.sunsetfuneralhome.com/ and in the Illinois Great Rivers Condolences may be sent to a daughter: Elaine Sims, obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=961380#/ Katherine Newman to Bonnie, less than ¼ time, Kaskaskia Conference, retiring from Albion- 613 Crescent Drive, Greencastle, IN 46135 celebrationWall River District, effective July 1. Bethel in 2002. IGRC pastor Jennie Chin, 66, of Eleanor S. Cox, 92, widow of the Rev. J. Henry Cox, Corrections Condolences may be sent to his wife, Phyllis Olson, Champaign, died June 8. died June 3 in Champaign. Matthew Stevens to Prairieview Parish, Associate Pastor, ¾ 618 Cottage Grove Av SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403- Rev. Chin served five years as a 1807. She and her husband served several churches in time, Sangamon River District, effective July 1.