2019
Dare to Reach: Love Boldly
Missional Report
Dakotas Conference The United Methodist Church
Here’s a brief look at how the Dakotas Conference is living into this year’s annual conference theme.
Dakotas United Methodists are DARING to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We are embarking on a Journey Toward Vitality and following four pathways to accomplish our mission: • developing missional leaders • equipping missional congregations • extending our missional impact • generating missional resources We DARE to believe that we can raise up and recruit the next generation of gifted, effective leaders by helping them embrace a call to ministry in the Dakotas Conference. In the past eight years, 107 individuals have stepped into vocational ministry in the Dakotas. Of those:
50% 22%
made a second-career step to answer the call to ministry.
11%
have been recruited from beyond our United Methodist connection, other faith traditions.
65%
are laity from one of our local congregations across the Dakotas, who took a step of faith.
have joined our ministry team from beyond the borders of the Dakotas, and even the United States.
We are DARING to engage in a bold new collaboration that allows church leaders to serve in ministry while obtaining the education needed to become an ordained elder or deacon in the church: The Kairos Project is a master of divinity for students already actively engaged in ministry. Through a partnership between Sioux Falls Seminary and Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, a pilot cohort of 20 United Methodist students is participating in this master of divinity distance learning program. “I have been working in a ministry setting for more than 17 years. If I had to go the traditional route of attending a seminary program out-of-state and on campus, I am not sure I would have considered ordained ministry.” –Pastor Matt Morrison We are DARING to invest in churches that have kingdom potential and capacity and are ready to create a new life cycle and reach new people for Christ. Through coaching and consultation processes such as the Missional Church Consultation Initiative and Journey Renewal Partnership, churches enter a new season of fruitfulness and growth. Plankinton UMC, a Journey Renewal Partnership church, is focused on four areas: experience new life in prayer, first impressions, loving our kids, and conquering financial fears. “I feel like I am part of the church now,” said member Angela Bosworth. “I feel like I am part of making things better and that we are really trying to meet the needs of people around us.”
We are REACHING new people for Jesus by launching new sites, restarting churches, starting new services, and planting new churches across the Dakotas Conference.
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churches have created a new campus to reach people in different locations. churches are rebooting with a new look in worship and passion serving others. new worship services have been started to invite people to know Jesus. new worshiping communities are having weekly worship and small groups. Legacy South, a second campus of Bismarck Legacy UMC, meets in a dance studio and has about 70 people in worship each week. “I went to church as a child, mostly because my parents made me go,” said one member. “I come here because I feel the love flowing from everyone. I truly feel like people care and that Jesus loves me because of what I experience here.”
We hosted a two-day Dakotas-Minnesota Area REACH event that inspired and equipped nearly 500 clergy and laity to reach new people for Christ.
We are REACHING and discipling young people by providing faith-bu life-changing experiences at our conference camps—Lake Poinsett Mountain, and Wesley Acres. In 2018:
141 1,623 155 32
churches sent kids to camp people attended camp (up 1.8 percent from 2017) non-United Methodists attended camp (10 percent of total campers) campers received a scholarship that enabled them to attend camp
“I was asked at camp: Have you ever thought of becoming a pastor? I didn’t know how to answer it because I have never thought about it. As the week went on, it felt like I was called to be a pastor.” –Alex Jensen, Beresford Zion UMC
We are REACHING new followers of Christ across cultures, with new ministries designed specifically for people in the African, Hispanic and Native American communities, among others. The Journey at Spirit Lake in Sheyenne, North Dakota is reaching out to Native American families across the Spirit Lake Nation. Worship takes place every Sunday evening, with average attendance of 45. “I am happy that I can come to a church where I can be Indian and Christian too,” said one woman.
• Cu cle “We a with th person and be d organizat —Rev. Reb
uilding, t, Storm
We LOVE our youth and young adults by helping them grow in their faith and giving them opportunities to serve others.
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young adults, in the past seven years, explored their call to vocational ministry through the Elisha Project, an internship program for college students that gives participants an opportunity to try on ministry at host churches and learn from clergy mentors.
59
youth and adults traveled to Racine, Wisconsin in 2018 to assist with flood recovery efforts and work with local relief and poverty agencies to share God’s love with those impacted by flooding.
We LOVE seasoned clergy by connecting them to helpful resources and social networks, and helping them increase their personal and professional sense of well-being. A $925,000 Lilly grant to the Dakotas Conference is funding the Higher Ground Initiative, which has two components:
• A retreat experience and nine-month process for clergy to participate in every eight years of their ministry that enables them to spend time in meaningful reflection and relationshipbuilding with other pastors, and to develop a vision and goals for continued growth. ustomized individual or group coaching support that addresses each ergy’s specific development goals based on annual assessments. are committed to coming alongside our pastors and partnering hem in ways that are beneficial to them professionally and nally. We believe this will help equip them to lead their churches disciples who make disciples through healthy systems and tions.” becca Trefz, Dakotas Conference executive director of ministries
400
youth and adults from 53 churches gathered in Aberdeen, South Dakota for DakYouth to reflect on Romans 15:5-6 and learn about how they are all essential members of God’s team and can work together to be one voice for God. “DakYouth is a great experience! It is an opportunity of a lifetime…I am never going to forget it.” –Dustin Gilseth, DakYouth participant, Langdon UMC Dakotas United Methodists show their LOVE by living generously and supporting a wide variety of ministries. In 2018: • The Dakotas United Methodist Foundation helped create six new endowments totaling $102,917 and seven new investment accounts totaling $345,547. • Dakotas United Methodists gave $755,000 through “second-mile” giving over and above churches’ apportionments. A portion of that amount went to key initiatives in the Dakotas Conference, including Bakken Oil Rush Ministries, Solar Oven Partners, Spirit Lake Ministry Center, and Tree of Life Ministry. • Four churches—Grace UMC in Marion, North Dakota; Sunnycrest UMC in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Milnor UMC in Milnor, North Dakota; and Open Heart UMC in Rapid City, South Dakota—received grants from The Builders Club to undergo building, remodeling, or expansion projects. Builders Club funds come from the generosity of Dakotas United Methodists.
We are BOLD in our efforts to equip clergy with stronger financial literacy skills and provide debt-relief so they are poised to lead imaginatively and prepared to foster a culture of generosity in their congregations. Over the past year and a half, with the help of a $1 million Dakotas-Minnesota Area Lilly grant: We are BOLD in our efforts to raise up and support the next generation of clergy leaders. • The Dakotas Conference ranks second among U.S. annual conferences in the percentage of young clergy—those under age 35. • In 2018, through the Dakotas United Methodist Foundation, the conference distributed $103,000 in grants and scholarships to 13 seminary students. • The Samuel Project is a 10-week summer internship program that takes place at the intern’s home church. Since 2017, three high school students had an opportunity to experience what a calling into ministry might feel and look like, prior to beginning higher education. The Samuel Project is a bold building block in creating a culture of call throughout the Dakotas Conference. “Since eighth grade I have felt a call to ministry. I have been uplifted and encouraged. It really opened my eyes to what being a pastor is. This experience has changed me and opened me up to God.” –Synnova Geranen, 2018 Samuel intern at First UMC in Watertown, South Dakota
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Dakotas pastors increased their business acumen and administrative effectiveness by participating in a new, yearlong Nonprofit Church Leadership Certificate Program at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota; another 13 will begin the program this summer.
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Dakotas clergy reduced outstanding student loans from their seminary education thanks to a $5,000 student debt-reduction grant; another round of grants will be distributed this summer.
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Dakotas clergy received personal financial education materials to free them up to lead from a place of financial stability. Dakotas clergy received a $1,000 “Seed and Save” grant after completing personal financial education and saving $1,000 of their own funds. Rev. Sara McManus, who serves Flame of Faith UMC in West Fargo, North Dakota, received a debt-reduction grant. With its help, she’s now debt-free—which has changed her life. “When someone comes to me to talk about the debt they are facing, how can I help them if I am struggling myself?” she said. “Being debt-free is huge for my family and me.”
We are living into a BOLD goal to grow our multiplication efforts to reach an annual multiplication rate of 3 percent by 2025. There are about 250 churches within the Dakotas Conference, so growing by 3 percent of that number annually would translate to starting roughly seven worshiping communities each year. • In 2017, the Dakotas Conference had been reproducing (or launching new projects) at a rate of less than 1 percent annually. • In 2019, 18 new multiplication efforts are underway, thus exceeding the ambitious 3 percent target. Three more church starts have become self-sustaining.
DARE REACh to
Love Boldly!
Dakotas Conference The United Methodist Church