Illinois Great Rivers Conference Ministries

12/31/2025

Ryan Russell new Little Grassy Camp leader

The IGRC Commission on Camping and Retreat Ministries is excited to welcome Rev. Ryan Russell as the new Site Manager for Little Grassy Church Camp. Ryan comes with a long history of service in camp and mission ministries and an extensive network of connections through the United Methodist Church. Ryan will join the camp in January and take leadership of the new efforts to establish youth mission trip camping as a major ministry of Little Grassy Church Camp.

Rev. Russell shared, “Camp has been one of the most formative experiences in my life. I am so excited to join the Little Grassy team to provide that same spiritual experience of God in nature I had at camp as a kid!”

Summer camp registrations, RV site reservations, and retreat scheduling for Little Grassy Church Camp are available at www.littlegrassycamp.org. Little Grassy Church Camp in a ministry of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference and is located just outside of Carbondale Illinois.

12/09/2024

In order to continue to connect people with God through outdoor experiences, Little Grassy Camp will continue to operate, host retreat groups, and plan for youth and children church camps in 2025.

Little Grassy Camp is located on the shores of Little Grassy Lake, which is part of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. On Dec. 5 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that Little Grassy lake will be completely drained starting in December. This is part of a longer-term plan to repair the dam that created Little Grassy Lake. At this time, it’s not clear how long the lake will be drained, but it is clear that swimming, boating, and waterfront camping experiences will be significantly impacted or several seasons. You can learn more about changes to our retreat and camp experiences at www.littlegrassycamp.org

Rev. Nancy Lane, Director of Camping & Retreat Ministries for the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United Methodist Church, responded to the recent announcement by saying, “The summer of 2025 looks to be a memorable year at Little Grassy Camp and Retreat Center. Brochures highlighting camp offerings and registration details for families, and children entering first – 12th grade will arrive in homes and churches by mid-January. While the draining of Lake Little Grassy will bring temporary change, the Little Grassy staff is excited to explore and offer a front row seat to the anticipated ecosystem changes in our environmental education offerings. Whether one arrives as a summer camper, or as a year round guest who joins us for a retreat, hobby or interest group get-a-way, a family reunion, or in your own RV, we’re confident that Little Grassy Camp and Retreat Center will continue to be a place to connect with people, nature, and Christ in 2025.”

Little Grassy Camp will continue to offer the beauty of its hill-top sites as places of retreat, reflection, and recreation. Our year-round facilities include Masada Retreat Center with motel-style rooms for up to 46 people, Mt. Tabor Lodge with a capacity of 40 people, and Cedar Lodge full-service dining facility. Planning is easy with Little Grassy. Retreats can include everything your group needs to have a successful ministry event; lodging, meeting space, dining, and recreation. Let us know what you are looking for, and we will get back to you with availability and rates for your event. To book a retreat, please get in touch with the camp office at 618-457-6030 or [email protected]

Little Grassy Camp is operated by the Commission on Camping & Retreat Ministries of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of The United Methodist Church. The Commission will be meeting and reviewing the impact of the draining of Little Grassy Lake on camp operations and developing a longer-range plan. If you have questions, please reach out to IGRC Coordinator of Camping & Retreat Ministries, Rev. Nancy Lane at [email protected].

12/03/2024

This Giving Tuesday, consider donating towards mattresses for camp!
Mattresses play an important role in camp experiences for campers, counselors, and guests. A good nights rest means energy for growing, learning, connecting, and laughing!
Use the link to donate today:
https://igrc.brtapp.com/page/donate/mattress-fundraising-campaign
How to Give
Your gift, no matter the size, makes a difference:
$150 provides one twin-size mattress
$225 provides one double-size mattress
$2,000 furnishes an entire cabin with new mattresses
Any amount helps us toward our goal!

11/25/2024

Help Our Campers Rest Easy
Give a Camp Mattress this Year!

This Giving Tuesday through Christmas, you can help make a lasting difference in our church campers' comfort and well-being. We're launching a special campaign to replace our mattresses at East Bay Camp and Little Grassy Camp, ensuring every camper gets the restful sleep they need for energetic days of activities and spiritual growth. We hope to raise enough funds through you and your local church’s generosity to provide over a hundred new twin and double sizes mattresses to our camps.

Why Mattresses Matter
Quality sleep is essential for our campers to fully engage in daily activities, build meaningful relationships, and grow in their faith journey. Our mattresses are specially constructed for the rigors of church camp and designed to last through many seasons of robust use. Your donation will directly impact the comfort and rest of countless campers for years to come.

How to Give
Your gift, no matter the size, makes a difference:
$150 provides one twin-size mattress
$225 provides one double-size mattress
$2,000 furnishes an entire cabin with new mattresses
Any amount helps us toward our goal!

Your Impact
Together, we can ensure that future generations of campers have a comfortable place to rest after days filled with adventure, friendship, and spiritual discovery.

Use this link to make your gift today and help our campers dream bigger tomorrow!
https://igrc.brtapp.com/page/donate/mattress-fundraising-campaign
Or contact use directly to consider a larger gift or arrange a conversation about planned giving to support our camps: [email protected] or 309-365-7531.

08/25/2022

Reach 1000 Event registration deadline extended until Sept 2. You can learn more about the event and register here: https://www.igrcreach1000.org/2022

08/22/2022

We're hiring! Is this position for you or someone you know? Come and work with our amazing team: Administrative Assistant to Connectional Ministries and Congregational Development.

Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church

05/22/2022

Want to come work with our awesome IGRC team? We’re looking for an exciting and innovative leader to help us launch a new generation of disciple making faith communities. Is this you or someone you know?

The Director of Congregational Development for the Illinois Great Rivers Conference will be responsible for developing strategies and resources for ...

05/03/2022

Skills for Bridging our Divides Workshop

Saturday, May 21, 2022 - Online!

An online workshop for liberals and conservatives who want to communicate better with friends, family, and co-workers on the other side.

The ability to talk to people who disagree with us is vital to our democracy and our congregations, essential to critical thinking and peaceful relations, and crucial to a life connected to others. Yet we may live in the most divisive time since the 1850s. Conversations across the political divide have become treacherous, with many people avoiding them or regretting them afterwards. Some family members and friends stop talking to each other altogether. In this workshop you’ll learn skills for communicating effectively and respectfully with friends, classmates, co-workers, neighbors, and loved ones who strongly disagree with you.

You’ll practice ways to map differences accurately rather than based on stereotype, while searching for common ground, and affirming the importance of the relationship. This will be a lively, intense, and fun study that will leave you feeling more confident about engaging in difficult discussions productively without igniting open hostilities.

This online Braver Angels Workshop has two parts. Register now to reserve a space, and then the week before the event you will receive a link for a self-guided 40-minute eLearning course on the Braver Angels website. You will also receive the link for the interactive online skills practice Zoom webinar to be held on Saturday morning, May 21, 2022 from 10-12:00. Register here: https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/SkillsforBridgingourDividesIRD

If you have registration questions, contact Christy Blickensderfer at [email protected]. If you have event content questions, contact Curtis Brown at [email protected].

09/09/2021

Both/And Worship Workshop
To Be Continued

After over 18 months of doing our best to live into BOTH/AND, many churches are feeling a mixture of exhilaration and exhaustion when thinking about the continuation of hybrid worship. While many have seen their reach extended, some have begun to lose their passion and resolve for creating truly hybrid worship experiences. As in-person numbers have increased, more and more churches are asking, “can we stop doing online now?” If that’s you, don’t give up! Now is the time to re-new and re-energize your passion for BOTH/AND. It’s making a difference.This webinar will include:
• An invitation to determine your WHY for BOTH/AND worship
• 13 reasons why BOTH/AND must continue
• Answer to the “what if they don’t come back to the building” question
• How to create a BOTH/AND Think Tank at your church
• How to build an intentional chat strategy in order foster real relationships
• BOTH/AND pro tips
• Q&A

Registration link for new participants:
https://igrc-reg.brtapp.com/BothAndContinued

06/21/2021

Have you checked this out?

You don't want to miss this. Exciting opportunity to join a cohort to Reboot your youth ministry! IGRC Youth Ministries is partnering with Perkins School of Youth Ministry Reboot is a program designed

06/07/2021

Reboot Youth Ministry

You don't want to miss this. Exciting opportunity to join a cohort to Reboot your youth ministry! IGRC Youth Ministries is partnering with Perkins School of Youth Ministry Reboot is a program designed