(from the July 6, 2018 edition of the UMNS Weekly Digest) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Bishops Frank J. Beard (Illinois Great Rivers Conference) and Sally Dyck (Northern Illinois Conference), who lead the United Methodist conferences in Illinois, state their concerns on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision clearing the way for states to legalize sports betting. “Our concern for Illinoisans is the seduction of an easy way out of our state’s financial mess with unfunded pension liabilities and a backlog of unpaid bills,” the bishops write. Read statement