About Us

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   In 1974, there were three Districts in the Illinois Conference: Des Moines-Quincy District, Rev. Richard D. Smith, Sr., Presiding Elder, Springfield District, Rev. Ernest P. Williams, Presiding Elder, and East St. Louis-Cairo District, Rev. Max F. Traylor, Presiding Elder.

   In 1976, a change was made to combine the Districts into two Districts along with the name change to adhere to the merging of the Districts. The two Districts were now known as Des Moines-Metropolis District, Rev. Richard D. Smith, Sr., Presiding Elder and Springfield-East St. Louis-Cairo District, Rev. Walter Walters, Presiding Elder.
  In 1979 again a decision was made to change the existing two Districts names to the North and South with a few minor adjustments in church assignments. In 1980, the two assigned District Presiding Elders were Rev. Richard D. Smith, Sr., North District Presiding Elder and Rev. Ivan J. Johnson, South District Presiding Elder.

   Other Presiding Elders assigned to the Illinois Conference District have included Rev. William B. Burnett, Rev. Henderson S. Davis, Rev. Charles C. Sanford, Rev. Lewis D. Grady, and Rev. Cornelius Hayes.

   The current Presiding Elder of the Illinois Conference North District is Rev. Tyson J. Parks.