Latest Church Communication

January 18th Newsletter

Hello Church Family,

It’s good to be back after a long break. The week didn’t go exactly as planned. I had to buy a new car battery right after replacing my windshield a week earlier. It’s been quite the start to 2026! Even so, the time away was good. While I didn’t travel anywhere, I did get some much-needed rest and feel ready to dive back in.

This week, I’m back at it with Youth Group in Auburn and helping to plan a Lenten study at Cotton Hill before turning my attention to my continuing education plan for the year. A big thank-you to Keith Baker, Del Pancake, and Rhyan Sorensen for preaching while I was away. I’m grateful for their willingness to step in and for the way both congregations continue to care for one another.

This Sunday, we’ll begin our new sermon series, When Fear Replaces Discipleship. We’ll look at Psalm 46, where the psalmist boldly declares that even if the world as they know it falls apart, they will not be afraid. That’s quite a statement of faith and trust in God’s presence. The psalm is only eleven verses long, so I encourage you to take a few minutes to read it before Sunday.

Be sure to check the updates below. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call or text me at 217-848-0342. See you on Sunday!

-        Pastor Michael Madden

Weekly Updates

Leadership Dinner and Meetings – On Thursday, January 22, the Administrative Council, the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, and the Trustees will hold their first meetings of the year. Pastor Michael and Ashley (mostly Ashley) will provide dinner that evening, starting at 5:30 pm. Anyone is welcome to attend the dinner. Meetings will begin at 6:00 pm.

Church Audit Information – The church will conduct its annual financial audit in February. Those who manage a church account should turn in checkbooks and bank statements to the church office by the end of January. 

See all the People Workshop – The Central District is hosting a conference-wide event on building relationships with your congregation, neighbors, and strangers. The single-day event will be held on Jan. 31 at Mascoutah Bethel UMC, from 9:30 am to noon, and on Feb. 1 at Clinton UMC, from 2 to 4:30 pm. Rev. Ashlee Alley Crawford from Discipleship Ministries will be the guest speaker for this event, which will include workshops. Visit igrc.org for more information.

Happy January Birthdays To: Troy Tomlin-01, Mark Dudley-04, Ted Megginson-09, Steve O’Dell-10, Ashley Megginson-15, Judy Dodd-17, Michael Madden-17, Michelle Dufour-19, Ashley Madden-20, Tom Wodruff-25, Mark Kessler-26, Jodi O’Dell-29