District Retirements

BISHOP FRANK BEARD
Bishop Beard, who spoke at our 165th anniversary worship, has retired on disability. As a result, for the next four years the Illinois Great Rivers Conference will be sharing bishops with the Michigan and Iowa Annual Conferences.
Bishops David Alan Bard and Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai will be installed as presiding bishops of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference on Saturday, September 28, 2:30 p.m. at Normal Calvary UMC.
Both bishops will begin serving the Illinois Area on September 1. Bishops Bard and Bigham-Tsai will also have additional oversight responsibilities. Bishop Bard also serves as bishop of the Michigan Area and Bishop Bigham-Tsai serves as bishop of the Iowa Area.
The Installation Service is a worship experience and the public is invited to attend.

CAROL CONOVER RETIREMENT
Carol Conover, recently retired (this month) from the Episcopal Secretary position in IGRC. Carol has been married for 36 years to her wonderful husband, Bill. They have two adult daughters who both live in Chicagoland. They are the grandparents of two Great Pyrenees dogs and one mix breed cat. Carol became a certified lay servant in 2005 and became a certified lay speaker in 2016. Carol has been the Director of the Sangamon River District (now Central District) Lay Servant Ministries since 2019.