Conference Workbook
27th Session of the Dakotas Conference The United Methodist Church October 10, 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION Section 1:
PAGE Legislation 1.1 Organizational Resolutions 1.2 Proposed 2021 Budget 1.3 Annual Conference Site Rotation
Section 2:
Section 3: Section 4:
Consent Calendar 2.1 Cabinet Resolutions 2.2 Equitable Compensation Schedule 2.3 Housing Allowance for Clergy, Staff and District Superintendents 2.4 Rental/ Housing Allowances for Retired and Disabled cCergy 2.5 Resolution to Affirm Reports Elected Leaders 3.1 Nominations Committee Report Conference Reports 4.1 Common Table 4.2 Conference Commission on Archives and History 4.3 Communications 4.4 Executive Director of Ministries 4.5 Higher Ground 4.6 Sessions 4.6 Developing Missional Leaders 4.6.1 Board of Ordained Ministry 4.6.2 Camp and Retreat Ministries 4.6.3 Conference Council on Youth Ministry 4.6.4 Lay Servant Ministry Report 4.6.5 United Methodist Women 4.7 Equipping Missional Congregations Link 4.7.1 New Church Development 4.7.2 Revitalization Existing Congregations 4.8 Extending Missional Impact Link 4.8.1 Bakken Oil Rush Ministry—Out in Faith 4.8.2 Bakken Oil Rush Ministry—Watford City 4.8.3 Disaster Response 4.8.4 HOPE Center 4.8.5 Open Door Community Center 4.8.6 Solar Oven Partners 4.8.7 Southeast Pierre Mission UMC and Community Center 4.8.8 Spirit Lake Ministry
4 4 5 11
12 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 27 27 27 28 29 29 30 30 31 31 33 33 34 35 35 35 36 36 36 37 38 38 38 39 39
Section 5
4.8.9 Tree of Life Ministry 4.9 Generating Missional Resources Link 4.9.1 Builders Club 4.9.2 Conference Council on Finance and Administration 4.9.3 Dakotas United Methodist Foundation 4.9.4 Human Resources Committee 4.9.5 Board of Pensions 4.9.6 Board of Trustees Agencies and University Reports 5.1 Africa University 5.2 Candler School of Theology 5.3 Dakota Wesleyan University 5.4 Duke Divinity School 5.5 St. Paul School of Theology 5.6 United Theological Seminary
40 41 41 41 42 43 43 44 45 45 45 46 47 48 49
Section 2: Legislation 1.1 Organizational Resolutions 1. The online agenda, published on September 14, 2020, is the official agenda. Adjustments are made throughout the session as necessary. All requests for additional items to be placed on the agenda shall be emailed to the agenda coordinator, Duane Coates (dcoates70@ yahoo.com), at least 48 hours before the start of Annual Conference session. 2. The session will be a webinar format. The boundaries of the Annual Conference shall be established through secure links provided for clergy and lay members to join virtually. Voting members log on through these links. During Plenary Sessions all non-voting persons, including spouses of clergy and lay members, will be able to view the session live on Facebook or through the Dakotas Conference website. Lay representatives from non-chartered new church starts, Elisha and Samuel Project interns (who are not lay members), retired clergy persons who have served churches of the Dakotas Conference but who are members of other annual conferences, and special guests of the Bishop will join via open livestream link. Any non-members participating at hosted sites shall not have voice or vote, except for those non-members whom the Sessions Committee has extended temporary speaking privileges. Those privileges shall be for the restricted purpose of making presentations on agenda items. 3. The District Superintendents shall receive and relay to the presiding officer all requests of members to be excused from the Annual Conference Session. Those names will be printed in the journal. 4. Voting will take place electronically through the polling feature, within the webinar platform. 5. Voice — To be recognized during plenary, members must seek recognition through the Q&A feature within the webinar platform. In doing so, please state the purpose of the request, such as to speak for a motion, against a motion, ask for a point of clarification or information, point of order, etc. The member recognized will then be asked to select the raise-your-hand feature to enter as a speaker. a. Moderators will bring questions to the attention of the presiding officer. b. When requesting recognition, please state the request concisely and clearly and refer to the agenda item, if applicable. c. If you are recognized to speak by the presiding officer, you will present with audio only— other people will hear you but not see you. 6. Floor speakers are requested to state name, church or organization, and relationship to the body for example, “Sally Jones, Sioux Falls First UMC, lay member." Floor speeches are limited to three minutes. 7. Requests for personal points of privilege shall be submitted to the agenda coordinator through the Q&A of the online platform. 8. The following persons shall be given the privilege of voice and vote during plenary session: a. Clergy and laity as defined in Par. 602 of the 2016 Book of Discipline and Rule 6.11 in the Dakotas Conference Rules and Policies found in the Conference Journal. b. Clergy from other denominations serving in Dakotas United Methodist Churches who have been granted voice and voting privileges by the clergy session per Question 25 in the Business of the Annual Conference. 9. Announcements shall be submitted through the Q&A of the online platform. They will be shared by the presiding officer or Conference secretary during the session if time allows or following the session through Conference communication channels. 10. All reports from conference and other related agencies are published in the conference workbook. Permission must be secured from the agenda coordinator at least 48 hours in advance of the Annual Conference session before any other printed materials may be distributed. Materials must be submitted in a digital format (pdf ). 11. The consent calendar shall be those items listed on the consent calendar Section 2 of the conference workbook. Requests to lift items from the consent calendar must be submitted to the conference secretary by e-mail (conference.secretary@dakotasumc.org ) at least 48 hours before the opening of session. In the request list the specific item number you are requesting to be lifted and the names and e-mail addresses of at least 15 voting members that agree with the request. 12. Any proposals to change legislation, such as amendments, must be submitted electronically to the conference secretary through the Q&A feature, using the strike through feature for removing information from the legislation and underlining new proposed language.
4
1.2 Proposed 2021 Budget 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET
2020 Apport.
2021 Budget
Apportioned
Foundation
Donations / Other
Budget
2021 Total Budget
Developing Missional Leaders
538,100
386,800
182,000
1,001,600
1,570,400
Equipping Missional Congregations
253,500
145,000
145,000
199,000
489,000
1,194,059
896,804
98,000
733,000
1,727,804
79,150
51,700
0
0
51,700
1,368,921
1,355,094
63,500
67,500
1,486,094
761,504
711,153
0
0
711,153
100,000 4,295,234
0 3,546,551
7,000 495,500
0 2,001,100
7000 6,043,151
0
0
0
932,784
932,784
2,845,965 2,845,965
2,759,534 2,759,534
14,000 14,000
14,000 946,784
2,787,534 3,720,318
7,141,199
6,306,086
509,500
2,947,884
9,763,469
Extending Missional Impact Generating Missional Resources Support Services Cabinet Savings Fund Subtotal Pension & Insurance Direct Bills to Churches Subtotal Total
Note: Foundation includes funds the Conference expects to receive as endowment distributions or withdrawal of accumulated investment earnings. Donations/Other is primarily made up of donations from individuals or churches but also includes grants, registration fees, and reimbursements. *Due to rounding, small discrepancies can by found in the totals.
5
Treasurer’s Discussion & Analysis Overview Being proposed is an apportioned budget 17.4% less than 2020. That is a very large decrease. Why the decrease? I detail those factors below. Some might ask, “Why not a larger decrease?” The Board of Pensions has setup a Transitional Reserve fund with over $1 million which has been and will be used to help the Conference transition as a denomination. There is an assumption that the UMC will have some kind of split as a result of the 2021 General Conference. •
Apportionment withholding: We have already had eight churches notify us that they are withholding apportionments because of the conflict over homosexuality. The amount that these churches would typically give towards apportionments is around $450,000.
•
Tough economy: With the pandemic and the poor agriculture prices, many churches will likely see a decline in giving. Aging congregants: Many churches have struggled to reach new people and especially young people. This is a trend hitting the entire church world in the U.S. Some encouraging signs have been seen as a result of COVID-19.
•
The majority of churches took big steps to bring church to people and are reaching many new people. We don’t know how committed the new people will be to being part of the church post-pandemic through their giving, service, and presence. Many churches also added electronic giving recently which should also help.
Where will the cuts come from? •
Travel: We’re expecting a continued decrease in the amount of travel as we rely more and more on video conferencing to meet and do business.
•
Apportionment neutral ministries: Camping, Solar Oven Partners, and Spirit Lake Ministry are all on a path to becoming apportionment neutral for their operations. This has been in the works for years and seems very timely as the Dakotas Conference may have less financial capacity to fully support these ministries in the future.
•
Grant reductions: A host of grants are being reduced mainly because we have seen and expect to continue seeing less demand. The largest grant reductions are in equitable compensation, college ministry, and new church development.
•
Staffing: Rebecca Trefz will continue to split time as Executive Director of Ministries and Southeast District Superintendent. Amber Laffey’s position as Higher Ground Coordinator will be covered by Deb Kjerstad, Director of Leadership Development. These two adjustments will save some money without significantly affecting services.
•
General Church apportionments: If we ever have a General Conference, these apportionments will be greatly reduced as the General Church continues to work on becoming more efficient.
•
Savings: In past years, we’ve budgeted $100,000 to put aside for a rainy day. As it appears to be raining, we will probably draw from this fund instead of adding to it.
Jeff Pospisil, treasurer
6
Apportioned Budget Detail Program/Pathway
2019 Actual
2020 Budget
2021 Budget
% Change
DEVELOPING MISSIONAL LEADERS MISSIONAL LEADER LINK
$ Change
0
1,500
500
-1,000
-66.7%
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
20,420
20,700
18,450
-2,250
-10.9%
BOARD OF ORDAINED MINISTRY
65,012
79,150
68,100
-11,050
-14.0%
MINISTERIAL EDUCATION FUND
28,196
43,850
15,000
-28,850
-65.8%
LAY SERVANT MINISTRY
2,384
8,250
2,500
-5,750
-69.7%
LAY LEADER
3,345
3,500
3,750
+250
+7.1%
19,126
18,850
19,550
+700
+3.7%
216,562
179,500
129,500
-50,000
-27.9%
YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
29,607
22,000
10,500
-11,500
-52.3%
COUNCIL ON YOUTH MINISTRIES
39,027
38,050
30,800
-7,250
-19.1%
YOUNG ADULT & HIGHER ED
75,609
119,250
86,250
-33,000
-27.7%
955
2,900
1,700
-1,200
-41.4%
0
600
200
-400
-66.7%
500,244
538,100
386,800
-151,300
-28.1%
CAMPING & YOUTH OFFICE CAMPING & RETREAT MINISTRIES
SAFE & SACRED PLACES NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE DEVELOPING MISSIONAL LEADERS
EXTENDING MISSIONAL CONGREGATIONS MISSIONAL CONGREGATIONS LINK DIRECTOR OF MINISTRIES OFFICE NEW CHURCHES
0
1,000
300
-700
-70.0%
7,168
11,700
10,700
-1,000
-8.5%
774
176,500
116,500
-60,000
-34.0%
LARGE CHURCH REVITALIZATION
(3,073)
32,500
(8,000)
-40,500
-124.6%
SMALL CHURCH REVITALIZATION
1,500
13,000
8,000
-5,000
-38.5%
TOOLS/TRAINING FOR CHURCHES
9,314
18,800
17,500
-1,300
-6.9%
15,683
253,500
145,000
-108,500
-42.8%
EQUIPPING MISSIONAL CONGREGATIONS
EXTENDING MISSIONAL IMPACT MISSIONAL IMPACT LINK GENERAL APPORTIONMENTS CONNECTIONAL MISSIONS CONFERENCE MISSIONARIES EXTENDING MISSIONAL IMPACT
176
800
300
-500
-62.5%
652,635
973,259
753,004
-220,255
-22.6%
32,559
57,750
26,500
-31,250
-54.1%
201,201
162,250
117,000
-45,250
-27.9%
886,570
1,194,059
896,804
-297,255
-24.9%
GENERATING MISSIONAL RESOURCES 817
3,750
1,000
-2,750
-73.3%
FINANCE OFFICE
7,129
26,400
25,700
-700
-2.7%
D&O; WORKER’S COMP COVERAGE
4,944
5,000
5,000
0
0.0%
EQUITABLE COMPENSATION
27,850
44,000
20,000
-24,000
-54.5%
GENERATING MISSIONAL RESOURCES
40,740
79,150
51,700
-27,450
-34.7%
COUNCIL OF FINANCE & ADMIN
*Due to rounding, small discrepancies can by found in the totals.
7
DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENCY SHARED EXPENSES
7,473
12,500
10,000
-2,500
-20.0%
NORTHEAST
134,826
147,776
144,861
-2,915
-2.0%
SOUTHEAST
134,395
146,576
133,661
-12,915
-8.8%
NORTHWEST
132,656
147,976
146,061
-1,915
-1.3%
SOUTHWEST
62,378
147,776
143,469
-4,307
-2.9%
CONTINGENCY FUNDS
21,579
20,000
20,000
0
0.0%
8,681
8,600
4,800
-3,800
-44.2%
124,899
126,000
105,000
-21,000
-16.7%
INTRODUCTORY MEETINGS MOVING FUND DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENCY COMMITTEE
484
1,000
500
-500
-50.0%
DISTRICT BUILDING & LOCATION
0
1,000
500
-500
-50.0%
RESPONSE TEAM
0
2,300
2,300
0
0.0%
627,372
761,504
711,153
-50,351
-6.6%
DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENCY
SUPPORT SERVICES COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
38,216
44,200
40,700
-3,500
-7.9%
UMCONNECT
45,836
37,000
37,000
0
0.0%
6,976
4,125
4,125
0
0.0%
CONF SECRETARY/JOURNAL TRUSTEES
127,967
155,560
156,310
+750
+0.5%
CHANCELLORS
13,434
10,000
10,000
0
0.0%
ANNUAL CONFERENCE SESSION
62,768
72,800
55,835
-16,965
-23.3%
8,435
25,000
11,200
-13,800
-55.2%
539
2,500
1,250
-1,250
-50.0%
COMMON TABLE HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE EPISCOPACY COMMITTEE ARCHIVES & HISTORY CONFERENCE CENTER OPERATIONS AREA OFFICE SUPPORT SUPPORT SERVICES
1,869
6,200
4,400
-1,800
-29.0%
39,434
44,000
37,970
-6,030
-13.7%
887,558
942,536
971,304
+28,768
+3.1%
21,315
25,000
25,000
0
0.0%
1,254,348
1,368,921
1,355,094
-13,827
-1.0%
0
-100,000
-100%
3,546,552
-748,682
-17.4%
3,546,552
-748,682
-17.4%
SAVINGS FUND WITH FOUNDATION
100,000
100,000
TOTAL EXPENSES OTHER UNRESTRICTED INCOME APPORTIONED INCOME
3,424,957
4,295,234
305,157 3,290,931
*Due to rounding, small discrepancies can by found in the totals.
8
4,295,234
Pension & Insurance Detail
1 HealthFlex Premiums - Actives
2018
2019
2020
2021
Actual
Actual
Budget
Request
1,804,754
1,329,494
1,371,216
1,325,622
571,260
588,427
660,806
665,784
Retiree Health Admin Expenses
10,625
22,402
11,000
22,000
Medicare Part B
61,865
72,834
75,000
75,000
7,000
13,000
2,448,504
2,013,157
2,125,022
2,101,406
(32,143)
-
-
-
-
(72,500)
(88,000)
(104,000)
(1,162,068)
(1,348,342)
(1,371,216)
(1,325,622)
Direct Bill Participants
(452,543)
-
-
-
CPP Redirect
(107,000)
(121,000)
-
-
Retiree Health Fund Transfer
(571,260)
(588,427)
(660,806)
(665,784)
(6,660)
(5,412)
(5,000)
(6,000)
(2,331,675)
(2,135,681)
(2,125,022)
(2,101,406)
116,829
(122,524)
-
-
Retiree HRA Contributions
Allowance for Uncollected (1%) HealthFlex Expenses Apportionments HF Reserve Transfer (Pre-82 in PY) Direct Bill Churches
Investment Earnings - Deposit Acct HealthFlex Offsets Expenses Less Offsets
2 Pension Program Premiums CPP
-
-
263,933
246,447
CRSP-DC
245,373
243,843
254,862
238,753
CRSP-DB
805,533
765,941
739,917
737,213
UMPIP - Parish Contribution
219,726
215,175
265,892
256,543
7,000
15,000
1,270,632
1,224,959
1,531,604
1,493,956
Direct Bill Churches
(1,440,550)
(1,369,207)
(1,474,749)
(1,433,912)
Conference Budgets
(47,112)
(43,847)
(42,855)
(45,044)
Endowment / Investment Earnings
(15,297)
(16,443)
(14,000)
(15,000)
(1,502,960)
(1,429,497)
(1,531,604)
(1,493,956)
(232,328)
(204,538)
-
-
Allowance for Uncollected (1%) Pension Expenses
Pension Offsets Expenses Less Offsets
*Due to rounding, small discrepancies can by found in the totals.
9
3 Benefit Grants
24,064
27,925
40,000
40,000
Program, Seminars, Stipends, Etc.
10,909
8,648
10,000
12,000
Benefits Office
90,365
93,974
104,000
108,000
125,338
130,547
154,000
160,000
(125,338)
(130,547)
(154,000)
(160,000)
Administration Expenses Transfer from Endowment Expenses Less Offsets
4 Retiree Health
(54,305)
Expenses Less Offsets
5 Board Expenses
5,045
5,404
10,000
10,000
Pre-82 Transfer
-
(5,404)
(10,000)
(10,000)
Apportionments
(6,265)
-
-
-
Expenses Less Offsets
(1,220)
-
-
-
Total Pension & Insurance Expenses
3,903,824
3,374,067
3,820,626
3,765,362
(4,020,542)
(3,701,129)
(3,820,626)
(3,765,362)
(116,718)
(327,062)
-
-
38,408
-
-
-
Direct Bill to Churches
2,602,618
2,717,549
2,845,965
2,759,534
Total to Churches
2,641,026
2,717,549
2,845,965
2,759,534
506,848
-
-
-
Total Offsets Balance Apportionments
54,305
Active Participant Contribution - 3%
HealthFlex Participant’s Share
*Due to rounding, small discrepancies can by found in the totals.
10
1.3 Annual Conference Site Rotation for 2021-2024 Due to the COVID pandemic in 2020, your Sessions Committee recommends shifting the rotation of our annual conference sites so that: Annual Conference for 2021-2024 would be held at the following locations: •
2021 and 2023 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the Sanford Event Center.
•
2022 and 2024 in Bismarck, North Dakota at the Bismarck Event Center.
11
Section 2: Consent Calendar 2.1 Cabinet Resolutions 1. WHEREAS the following congregations have voted to recommend dissolution as a United Methodist congregation; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that these congregations be recognized with thanks to God for their faithful service, and that they be officially discontinued under the provisions of The Book of Discipline, paragraph 2549 by the Dakotas Annual Conference: Northeast: Mission to Fargo (new church start) Northwest: Beulah Southeast: Egan Southwest: 2. THAT July 1, 2020, be designated as the beginning of all new appointments for 2020-2021, unless prior arrangements have been made. The moving pastor’s current charge shall pay the compensation, health, pension and other benefits through June 30, 2020. 3. THAT the moving schedule be flexible enough to consider the need of the pastors and the families, and that the parish would have sufficient time to prepare the parsonage for the arrival of the incoming pastor. Moves shall be scheduled to occur between June 15 and July 15. If a move is scheduled to happen prior to the last Sunday in June, compensation shall still be paid by the current charge through the end of the month. 4. THAT both congregations and pastors be sensitive and respectful as to the transition of pastoral leadership in a charge. Negotiations between the Staff-Parish Relations chair, and the incoming and outgoing pastor as to first Sunday and care for priestly functions shall be done on a case-by-case basis. July 1 shall be the start date for all incoming pastors unless other arrangements have been made. 5. THAT consideration be given by the congregation to the incoming pastor to have his/her first Sunday serve as a welcoming Sunday, and that formal preaching and worship leadership responsibilities begin the following Sunday. 2.2 Equitable Compensation The purpose of Equitable Compensation is to work with the District Superintendents in the effort to support congregations as they strive to become viable (Rule 1.4). This is done by A) providing salary support grants to churches/ charges served by a full-time United Methodist pastor and B) making an annual recommendation of the minimum compensation needed by pastors to allow them to focus their efforts on the ministry instead of seeking secondary employment. Annual Recommendations of Minimum Compensation 1. The Base Cash Salary for each year: 65% of the Conference Average Compensation for Full Connection Clergy; 62% of the Conference Average Compensation for Less than Full Connection Clergy. 2. The Base Cash Salary for both clergy groups listed in paragraph #1 shall include any personal tax deferred annuities, personal IRA’s paid by the local church, or personal pension plan in addition to the recommended contribution to the pension program (UMPIP). 3. The pastor shall receive the following in addition to minimum compensation. A) Pension Program Contribution (UMPIP) equal to 3% of the Denominational Average Compensation; B) Continuing Education Allowance (minimum of $150); C) Travel Allowance by voucher at the current IRS rate; D) Utilities paid in full (minimum of heat, electricity, local phone service, water, garbage service, and internet); E) Accountable Reimbursement Plan (minimum of $500).
12
SALARY SUPPORT GRANTS 1) The following requests will be considered: • Strategic Appointment Grant – Available when a new appointment results in significantly increased costs to the church/charge. These increased costs will be so burdensome that it is unlikely that the Church/ Charge will have adequate resources available to take the necessary steps to becoming viable without outside assistance. The purpose of this grant is to assist the church/charge in its transition to being able to fully support the newly appointed pastor. The Church/Charge shall provide monthly written status reports to the District Superintendent and Conference Treasurer. Status reports shall at a minimum report progress towards benchmarks. • Discernment Grant – Available when a Church/Charge has declined in its ability to support a full-time United Methodist pastor to the point where it is unlikely to be able to provide the recommended minimum compensation. The purpose of this grant is to provide time for the Church/Charge and District Superintendent to evaluate the viability of the congregation and decide upon a ministry plan that is appropriate for the Church/Charge. The District Superintendent shall provide a report on the viability and the ministry plan at the next Equitable Compensation meeting. Depending on the ministry plan adopted by the District Superintendent and the Church/Charge, it may be appropriate for the Church/Charge to provide monthly written status reports to the District Superintendent and Conference Treasurer. • Emergency Grant – Available when a Church/Charge provides evidence that they will not be able to provide their full-time United Methodist pastor with the recommended minimum compensation. The purpose of this grant is to ensure that the pastor is properly cared for. 2) Churches/Charges shall pay their apportionments in full during the years they receive salary support grant payments. Churches/Charges that do not comply with this shall not be considered for a Salary Support Grant the following year with the exception of Emergency Grants. 3) The maximum amount to be paid for Strategic Appointment Grants and Discernment Grants shall be $5,400 annually. Grant payments to Churches/Charges shall be made monthly. A Church/Charge shall not receive Salary Support Grant payments for more than 36 consecutive months. 4) Salary Support Grant requests shall be submitted in writing to the District Superintendent and the Conference Treasurer. In order for Salary Support Grant payments to continue into a new calendar year, the written request must be updated and resubmitted. 5) The Churches/Charges receiving support will be listed in the Conference Journal. Equitable Compensation Calculation: The Commission calculates the Equitable Compensation amount based on the Conference Average Compensation. See calculations below: Year 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
Full Connection Clergy 68,424 x 65% = 44,476 67,573 x 65% = 43,922 66,035 x 65% = 42,923 63,616 x 65% = 41,350 62,799 x 65% = 40,819
Less than Full Connection Clergy 68,424 x 62% = 42,423 67,573 x 62% = 41,895 66,035 x 62% = 40,942 63,616 x 62% = 39,442 62,799 x 62% = 38,935
The charges which received Equitable Compensation support in 2019 were: Bottineau, Dell Rapids, Drayton/Pembina/Humboldt/St Thomas, Hurley, Kindred/Walcott, Milbank Parkview/ Tabor/Ortonville, Murdo/Draper, Parker, and Williston.
2.3 Housing/Parsonage Allowance for Ordained or Licensed Conference Staff and District Superintendents
WHEREAS, section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code permits a minister of the gospel to exclude from gross income the rental value of a parsonage furnished to the minister; 13
WHEREAS, a minister is also allowed to exclude from gross income the amount paid to him/her as a properly designated parsonage allowance to the extent used for actual expenses incurred in maintaining a parsonage; WHEREAS, a minister is also allowed to exclude from gross income the amount paid to him/her in lieu of a parsonage when properly designated as a housing allowance to the extent used for actual housing expenses not to exceed the fair rental value of the home (including furnishing and appurtenances such as a garage, plus the cost of utilities); WHEREAS the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church is the qualified organization for the designation of housing and parsonage allowances for all ordained or licensed persons who serve as District Superintendents, as paid officers of the conference or as members of the conference staff; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that of the cash salary paid to the following persons the following housing exclusions are hereby designated for the calendar year 2021 and for all future years unless otherwise provided:
• Michael Flowers - $7,000 • Ben Ingebretson - $33,500 • Paul Lint - $7,000 • Kris Mutzenberger - $1,500
• Bob Ruedebusch - $30,000 • Rebecca Trefz - $32,665 • Joel Winckler - $14,000
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in addition to cash salary, the following person(s) will be paid the following amount instead of being furnished a parsonage in which to live, and this additional amount is hereby designated as a housing allowance for the calendar year 2021 and all future years unless otherwise provided:
• Bob Ruedebusch - $24,402 • Rebecca Trefz - $24,402
• Joel Winckler - $24,402
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, during the interim between meetings, the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church authorizes the Conference Human Resources Committee to designate housing and parsonage allowances in accordance with section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code. Such designations are to be recorded in the official minutes of that Committee. 2.4 Rental / Housing Allowance for Retired and Disabled Clergy are found in the “Consent Calendar” section of the 2018 Journal, p. 32. The Board recommends adoption of the same resolutions for calendar year 2021. Submitted by Leana Stunes, Conference Benefits Officer 2.5 Affirmation of reports of the agencies, boards and committees for 2020 WHEREAS the Conference Secretary has called for each agency, board and committee of the Dakotas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church that performed duties throughout 2019-2020 as requested by the membership of the conference and 26th session of the Dakotas Annual Conference: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the reports submitted by such agencies, boards and committees are affirmed as listed in Section 4.
14
Section 3: Elected Leaders Committee/Agency
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
CONFERENCE THE COMMON TABLE (CT) (3 Lay, 3 Clergy)
Sheila
Dailie
2014
2022
Chair
605-949-0660
skdailie@gmail.com
Cody
Warns
2014
2021
Laity at large
605-480-0369
cwarns@hotmail.com
Steve
Behrens
2010
2022
Clergy at large
605-266-2135
steve.behrens50@gmail.com
Jeanne
Sortland
2020
2024
Clergy at large
701-320-1477
pastorjeannes@gmail.com
Ross
Reinhiller
2020
2024
Clergy at large
701-426-5456
pastorsplay@hotmail.com
To be filled - Laity at large Ex officio (with vote)
Ex officio (without vote)
Bob
Ruedebusch
2015
CCFA
605-484-1502
Bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Myrna
Hill
2016
Conference Co-Lay Leader
605-490-0109
myrnajhill@yahoo.com
Joel
Winckler
2020
District Superintendent
701-269-9960
joel.winckler@dakotasumc.org
Bruce
Ough
2012
Bishop
612-230-3334
bishop@dkmnareaumc.org
Trefz
2014
Executive Director of Ministries/ Cabinet Representative
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Rebecca CONFERENCE CHANCELLORS
Tim
Ottmar
2012
North Dakota
701-252-7229
tottmar@ottmarlaw.com
Nancy
Oviatt
2012
South Dakota
605-886-5812
nancy@grolawfirm.com
THE EXTENDED CABINET
Bruce
Ough
2012
Bishop
612-230-3334
bishop@dkmnareaumc.org
Rebecca
Trefz
2014
Exec. Director Ministries & SE DS
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Mutzenberger
2020
DS Northeast
605-228-5139
kris.mutzenberger@dakotasumc. org
Bob
Ruedebusch
2020
DS Southwest
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Joel
Winckler
2020
DS Northwest
701-269-9960
joel.winckler@dakotasumc.org
Ingebretson
2016
Area Director New Church Develop.
612-230-6124
ben.ingebretson@dkmnareaumc. org
Deb
Kjerstad
2016
Director of Leadership Development
605-990-7796
deb.kjerstad@dakotasumc.org
Keith
Shew
2016
Area Director Camp & Retreat Ministries
612-230-6130
keith.shew@dkmnareaumc.org
Sheri
Meister
2014
Dakotas UM Foundation Exec. Director
605-990-7790
sheri.meister@dakotasumf.org
Jeff
Pospisil
2009
Exec. Director Finance & Admin.
605-990-7786
jeff.pospisil@dakotasumc.org
Doreen
Gosmire
2010
Director of Communications
605-990-7794
doreen.gosmire@dakotasumc.org
Myrna
Hill
2016
Conference Co-Lay Leader
605-490-0109
myrnajhill@yahoo.com
Jane
Hincks
2017
Conference Co-Lay Leader
701-202-5456
janehincks@hotmail.com
Dailie
2018
Chair Common Table
605-949-0660
skdailie@gmail.com
605-775-2752
pastorclayumc@hotmail.com
870-219-6255
ervanmet@dwu.edu
605-880-4500
melissa.gall@hotmail.com
Kris
Ben
Ex officio (without vote) Sheila
DEVELOPING MISSIONAL LEADERS MISSIONAL LEADERS LINK (12 including standing committees)
Clay
Lundberg
2016
Chair
Eric
Van Meter
2018
2022
Melissa
Gall
2017
2021
Corey
Enfield
2018
2022
605-665-2991
cenfield52@gmail.com
Randy
Hedge
2019
2023
920-420-9901
madison.umc@midconetwork. com
Anita
Tulp
2019
2023
701-320-9058
crazy4bookslms@gmail. com
JoAnn
Hipple
2020
605-222-0357
joanne.hipple@outlook.com
Young Adult and Campus Ministries
SW Co-Lay Leader To be filled To be filled
15
Committee/Agency
Standing Committees (Membership with vote)
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
Kris
Larson
Board of Ordained Ministry
Jeff
Lathrop
Coordinator for CCYM
701-772-1869
pastorjefflathrop@gmail.com
Nicole
Clade
Camping Representative
605-237-6786
pastrixnicole@gmail.com
Ex officio (with vote)
Jane
Hincks
2017
Conference Co-Lay Leader
701-202-5456
janehincks@hotmail.com
Ex officio (without vote)
Rebecca
Trefz
2014
Executive Director of Ministries
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Deb
Kjerstad
2016
Director of Leadership Development
605-990-7796
deb.kjerstad@dakotasumc.org
Kris
Mutzenberger
2020
District Superintendent
605-228-5139
kris.mutzenberger@dakotasumc. org
2016
Area Director Camp & Retreat Ministries
612-230-6130
keith.shew@dkmnareaumc.org
Co-Director of Lay Servant Ministries
703-629-6709
BettyJ131@hotmail.com
Keith
Shew
Betty
Janke
STANDING COMMITTEES UNDER THE MISSIONAL LEADERS LINK BOARD OF ORDAINED MINISTRY (BOM) (Nominated by the Bishop)
Val
Reinhiller
2014
Chair & Dean of Licensing School
701-426-5456
vreinhiller@msn.com
Brandon
Vetter
2012
Vice Chair
701-223-4401
brandon@legacyumc.org
Katie
Ricke
2017
Secretary
605-763-2861
pastorkricke@gmail.com
Sara
McManus
2016
Registrar
701-282-5765
pastorsara@flameoffaithumc.org
Sharla
McCaskell
2014
Clergy
605-484-4588
knollwoodpastor@gmail.com
2008
Conference Relations Chair
701-500-0985
gbk@prairiescribbler.com
Gary
Ball-Kilbourne
Howard
Grinager
2013
Retired Liaison
605-297-1060
grinagerh@gmail.com
Michelle
Brennan
2010
Deacon Liaison
701-952-3718
michellebrennan#hotmail.com
Bruce
Forbes
2016
Extension Ministries Liaison
612-708-3419
forbes@morningside.edu
Ray
Baker
Northeast Committee Chair
701-220-4803
ray@fargofaithumc.org
Nancy
Manning
2019
Southeast Committee Chair
605-215-3429
nancyserving@gmail.com
DeAnn
Eidem
2019
Southwest Committee Chair
605-484-6041
deann.eidem@clumc.com
Mike
Flowers
2020
Northwest Committee Chair
701-799-1174
slministry@hotmail.com
Chang
Yi
2012
Clergy
701-772-1893
pastorchangyi@gmail.com
Kris
Larson
2010
Local Licensed Pastor Registrar
605-860-8781
krislarson1@msn.com
Marilyn
Spurrell
2017
Clergy
605-270-3185
carepastor@watertownfirst.church
Kyle
Reinhiller
Clergy
605-214-7474
burgpastor@hotmail.com
Jen
Tyler
Clergy
701-642-4439
pastorjent@gmail.com
Keith
Nelson
Clergy
605-630-6586
keith@downtownfirstumc.com
2018
To be filled - Clergy
Ex officio (with vote) Ex officio (without vote) COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS
Richard
Wahlstrom
2017
Lay
605-484-7761
rkw68@live.com
Tom
Dravland
2017
Lay
605-222-0579
dravland@pie.midco.net
Alisha
Vincent
2017
Lay
605-995-2937
alvincen@dwu.edu
Nancy
Trautman
Lay
605-484-1316
njt751@gmail.com
Randy
Meissner
2020
Lay
701-663-2305
randymeissguy@gmail.com
Kris
Mutzenberger
2020
NE DS - Cabinet Representative
605-228-5139
kris.mutzenberger@dakotasumc. org
Deb
Kjerstad
605-990-7796
deb.kjerstad@dakotasumc.org
605-360-2352
nghallenbeck@gmail.com
2016
Director of Leadership Development To be filled - Chair
Nancy
Hallenbeck
2015
2023
SE District
16
Committee/Agency
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
2019
Role
SE District & Conf. Secretary
Phone
605-990-7799
conference.secretary@dakotasumc. org
Amber
Laffey
Pat
Siefken
2011
2023 NE District
605-395-6626
lpksiefken@nvc.net
Sandra
Marquardt
2014
2022 NE District
701-265-4308
smarquardt3@gmail.com
To be filled - NE District Connie
Eichinger
2017
2021 SW District
605-787-5799
godaboveall@hotmail.com
Jeff
Adel
2018
2022 SW District
605-350-5159
pastorjeffa@gmail.com
Myrna
Hill
605-490-0109
myrnajhill@yahoo.com
Sharman
Zachrison
2016
2024 NW District
701-320-0463
sharman.zachrison@gmail.com
Anita
Tulp
2018
2022 NW District
701-320-9058
crazy4bookslms@gmail. com
2016
SW District & Conf. Co-Lay Leader
To be filled - NW District Ex officio (without vote)
Rebecca Deb
Trefz
2014
Exec. Director of Ministries
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Kjerstad
2014
Director of Leadership Development
605-990-7796
deb.kjerstad@dakotasumc.org
NON-PERMANENT STANDING COMMITTEES UNDER THE MISSIONAL LEADERS LINK CAMP AND RETREAT MINISTRY COUNCIL
Nicole
Clade
2016
2024
Chair
605-237-6786
pastrixnicole@gmail.com
Lyall
Workman
2012
2022
Lay
701-250-9379
lyall.workman@outlook.com
Kevin
Tulp
2019
2023
Lay
701-646-2123
office@epworthvalley.com
Tyrel
Schlecht
2017
2021
Lay
701-320-7636
tyman_nd@hotmail.com
Kris
Mutzenberger
District Superintendent
605-228-5139
kris.mutzenberger@dakotasumc. org
Ex officio (without vote)
Keith
Shew
2015
Area Director Camp & Retreat Ministries
612-230-6130
keith.shew@dkmnareaumc.org
Auxiliary/ Invited (without vote)
Christy
Heflin
2014
Site Director Lake Poinsett
605-983-5547
christy.heflin@dakcamps.org
Levi / Lara
Ziegler
2019
Site Directors Storm Mountain
605-343-4391
levi.ziegler@dakcamps.org, lara. ziegler@dakcamps.org
Paul / Brenda
Lint
2016
Site Directors Wesley Acres
701-733-2413
wac@dakcamps.org
Jeff
Lathrop
Conference Coord. Youth Ministries
701-772-1869
pastorjefflathrop@gmail.com
Brenda
Lint
NW District
701-733-2413
paulnbrenda@hotmail.com
CONFERENCE COUNCIL OF YOUTH MINISTRIES (CCYM) District Coordinators
2014 2016
To be filled - SE District John
Britt
2016
SW District
605-787-2414
pastorjohnbritt@gmail.com
Steve
Hilton
2018
SW District
605-390-1301
andone39@gmail.com
Jerry
Simmons
SW District
325-665-9273
youthpastorJDS@gmail.com
2018
NE District
701-261-6492
pastorquaya@arthurumc.org
Quaya
Ackerman
Melissa
Gall
2020
NE District
605-880-4500
melissa.gall@hotmail.com
Peggy
Hanson
2016
At Large
605-584-1328
pastor@leadtumc.com
17
Committee/Agency
District Youth Representatives
Last Name
Elected
Anna
First Name
Mutzenberger
2020
Class
NE District
Role
Phone
Camille
Zachrison
2020
NW District
Tyler
Rasmussen
2019
SE District
Alex
Jensen
2020
SE District
Paige
Lehrkamp
2019
SW District
Elisabeth
Ortiz
2019
SW District
Haley
Ferguson
2019
SW District
Chloe
Jacobs
2020
SW District
Emma
Isaacson
2020
SW District
Jordan
Kitzmiller
2020
SW District
Paul
Massingill
2020
Scott
McKirdy
2010
2022
Chair, Clergy
605-642-3457
scott.mckirdy@spearfishumc.org
John
Srstka
2010
2021
Laity
605-941-6048
J1srstka@aol.com
SW District
EQUIPPING MISSIONAL CONGREGATIONS MISSIONAL CONGREGATIONS LINK (12)
To be filled - Lay
Ex officio (without vote)
To be filled - Lay Zach
Kingery
Clergy
605-838-6303
zach.kingery@gmail.com
Kori
Lehrkamp
Clergy
605-430-4389
koriannlehrkamp@hotmail.com
Jenene
Earl
2010
2022
Clergy
605-720-5578
ljearl@outlook.com
Matt
Morrison
2018
2022
Clergy
605-366-5009
matt@sfasbury.org
Michele
Slott
2015
2023
Clergy
605-390-8757
mrvys1998@gmail.com
Cory
Thrall
2015
2023
Clergy
701-462-3220
thrallcory@gmail.com
Bruce
Ough
2012
Bishop
612-230-3334
bishop.ough@dkmnareaumc.org
Ben
Ingebretson
2016
Area Director New Church Develop.
612-230-6124
ben.ingebretson@dkmnareaumc. org
Rebecca
Trefz
2014
Executive Director of Ministries
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
EXTENDING MISSIONAL IMPACT MISSIONAL IMPACT LINK
To be filled - Chair Gail
Arnold
2014
2021
605-892-5007
gail.arnold.ga@gmail.com
Marty
Toepke-Floyd
2014
2021
605-472-0770
pastor.redfieldumc@midconetwork.com
Laura
Borman
2017
2021
605-321-5218
lborman@att.net
Karl
Kroger
2015
2023
605-787-4858
karlkroger@gmail.com
Leisa
Richards
2017
2021
505-228-1667
leisa@leisarichardslaw.com
605-695-9368
edmatimm@yahoo.com
To be filled To be filled Standing Committees (Membership with vote)
Marsha
Timm
United Methodist Women President To be filled – Conference Secretary of Global Ministries
Ex officio (with vote)
Ex officio (without vote)
Diane
Culver
UMW Mission Coord. Social Action
605-690-4443
quilter48@icloud.com
VirLyn
Hoff
UMW Mission Coord for Education
701-845-1727
virlynhoff@yahoo.com
Rebecca
Trefz
2014
Executive Director of Ministries
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Al
Roll
2020
Staff Representative
701-391-2015
al.roll@dakotasumc.org
18
Committee/Agency
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN (UMW)
UNITED METHODIST MEN
First Name
Marsha
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
Timm
2017
President
605-695-9368
edmatimm@yahoo.com
Glenda
Kluckman
2017
Vice President
605-941-1071
kluckmang@gmail.com
Robyn
Nadvornik
2018
Secretary
701-690-8958
robynandrich@ndsupernet.com
Brenda
Rekow
2019
Spiritual Growth
701-535-0109
bpets@drtel.net
Penny
Galinat
2019
Secretary of Program Resources
Dorothy
Collett
2019
Communications Coordinator
605-224-2479
dotlib@pie.midco.net
Joyce
Carter
2020
701-662-3248
joyce.carter47@outlook. com
Cheryl
McKnight
2022 Committee on Nominations
605-786-7424
johnsyellowrose@hotmail.com
Charlene
Koll
2023 Committee on Nominations
701-232-5457
Jan
Petersen
2023 Committee on Nominations
605-638-0922
jkpetersen@gmail.com
605-987-2569
BOMAR67@q.com
Committee on Nominations Chair
President Robert
Schultz
Treasurer
GENERATING MISSIONAL RESOURCES MISSIONAL RESOURCES LINK
Task force members to be named when called upon by the Bishop.
STANDING COMMITTEES UNDER MISSIONAL RESOURCES LINK CONFERENCE COUNCIL ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Jeff
Adel
2009
2021
605-350-5159
pastorjeffa@gmail.com
Ruth
Barrett
2013
2021 Secretary, Executive Team
605-348-5045
rvbarrett@rap.midco.net
Jennifer
Erickson
2018
2022
605-254-5780
jennifer@jefinancial.net
(CCFA)
Arlyn
Coalter
2010
2021
605-929-5727
revac54@hotmail.com
Geoff
Hilton
2017
2021
701-721-7313
velvaumcpastor@yahoo.com
Mary Lee
Nielson
2017
2021
701-845-5717
marylee@quiltedceiling.com
Josh
Willprecht
2017
2021
605-254-2545
jjwillprecht@hotmail.com
Mark
Johnsen
2016
2024
605-424-2080
pastormarkjohnsen@gmail.com
Bruce
Ough
2021
Bishop
612-230-3334
bishop@dkmnareaumc.org
Rebecca
Trefz
2014
Executive Director of Ministries
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Jeff
Pospisil
2009
Treasurer
605-990-7786
jeff.pospisil@dakotasumc.org
Sheri
Meister
2014
Dakotas UM Foundation Exec. Director
605-990-7790
sheri.meister@dakotasumf.org
Eric
Walth
2011
Board of Pensions Representative
701-220-6331
eric@rock30games.com
Bob
Ruedebusch
2020
Cabinet Rep., Executive Team
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Elaine
Roberts
2011
Chair
605-331-5788
ejroberts@sio.midco.net
Anne
Osborne
2012
Vice Chair
701-368-9815
osborne@daktel.com
Eric
Walth
2011
Recording Secretary
701-220-6331
ericwalth@gmail.com
Don
Armstrong
2009
605-271-8846
donanddawn@sio.midco.net
Jack
Erickson
2014
605-448-2900
jack@venturecomm.net
Ex officio (without vote)
BOARD OF PENSIONS AND HEALTH BENEFITS (BOPHB)
Chair, Executive Team
19
Committee/Agency
First Name
Al
Ex officio (without vote)
BOARD OF TRUSTEES (BOT)
Ex officio (without vote)
HUMAN RESOURCES (HRC)
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
Roll
2014
701-391-2015
al.roll@dakotasumc.org
Roy
Caudill
2015
605-362-1812
roybcaud@aol.com
Shawn
Culey
2015
605-360-8352
Shawn.Culey@dakotasumc.org
Debra
Coalter
2015
605-929-5446
dcoalter@hotmail.com
Valerie
Hummel LaBounty
2017
605-660-5419
ladypastorvalerie@gmail.com
Steve
Ottmar
701-320-9470
sottmar@ottmarlaw.com
Cynthia
Nelson
605-351-2818
cynthianelson1@sio.midco.net
Michele
Slott
605-390-8757
pastormich.sd@gmailc.om
Diana
Fuhrman
2020
701-820-0473
gdfuhrman@mlgc.com
Dayne
Zachrison
2020
701-840-7294
pastordayne@gmail.com
Leana
Stunes
Conference Benefits Officer
605-990-7785
leana.stunes@dakotasumc.org
Jeff
Pospisil
Treasurer and SD Registered Agent
605-990-7786
jeff.pospisil@dakotasumc.org
JoAnn
Schlimgen
Assistant Treasurer
605-990-7787
joann.schlimgen@dakotasumc. org
Howard
Grinager
BOM Representative
605-297-1060
grinagerh@gmail.com
Bob
Ruedebusch
2020
Cabinet Representative
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Dennis
Holm
2018
2022
Chair-Lay man
605-324-3674
djh@venturecomm.net
Kathy
Mah
2018
2022
Lay woman
605-360-6421
Kathy@ameri-star.com
Deb
ND Registered Agent
Mack
2012
2021
Clergy
605-448-5357
ndmack@venturecomm.net
Bill
Bates
2016
2021
Clergy
605-610-6209
igtwlb@vastbb.net
Boyd
Blumer
2013
2021
Clergy
605-995-1961
besquare@mit.midco.net
Marvin
Winstryg
2012
2021
Clergy
701-516-7407
mwinstryg@yahoo.com
Mark
Stearns
2012
2021
Lay man
Merril
Knodle
2009
2021
Lay man
701-799-9833
merrilkno@aol.com
Kristi
Barber
2018
2022
Lay woman
605-343-2015
kristibarber37@gmail.com
Al
Goehring
2019
2023
Lay man
701-269-2968
agoehri@daktel.com
Joyce
Carter
2017
2021
Lay woman
701-740-5795
joyce.carter47@outlook.com
Jeff
Pospisil
2009
Treasurer
605-990-7786
jeff.pospisil@dakotasumc.org
Tim
Ottmar
2012
Conference Chancellor ND
701-252-7229
tottmar@ottmarlaw.com
Nancy
Oviatt
2012
Conference Chancellor SD
605-886-5812
nancy@grolawfirm.com
Bob
Ruedebusch
2020
Cabinet Representative
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Barry
Whipkey
2010
2022
Clergy - Chair
605-270-2332
pastorbarry55@gmail.com
Laura
Borman
2015
2024
Clergy
605-338-4562
lborman@att.net
Nancy
Bohlen
2013
2021
Laity
605-692-7744
nbohlen@swiftel.net
Sheila
Mennenga
2016
2024
Laity
605-881-2159
csmennenga@gmail.com
Rebecca
Trefz
2014
Executive Director of Ministries
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Clay
Lundberg
2016
Missional Leaders Representative
605-775-2752
pastorclayumc@hotmail.com
Scott
McKirdy
2010
Missional Congregations Representative
605-642-3457
scott.mckirdy@spearfishumc.org
To be filled - Missional Impact Rep.
Ex officio (without vote)
Jeff
Adel
2020
Missional Resources Representative
605-350-5159
pastorjeffa@gmail.com
Steve
Behrens
2010
2024
Common Table Representative
605-266-2135
steve.behrens50@gmail. com
Bruce
Ough
2012
Bishop
612-230-3334
bishop@dkmnareaumc..org
Jeff
Pospisil
2009
Treasurer
605-990-7786
jeff.pospisil@dakotasumc.org
Bob
Ruedebusch
2020
Cabinet Representative
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
20
Committee/Agency
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
SUPPORT SERVICES COMMISSION ON ARCHIVES AND HISTORY (CAH)
Duane
Coates
2006
2021
605-695-5561
dcoates70@yahoo.com
Tom
Thaden
2009
2023
Chair
605-624-3286
tommy123@vyn.midco.net
Sheri
Fadley
2014
2021
701-213-9344
sherifadley@gmail.com
605-949-1742
djacres@q.com
701-595-6258
tannerc9@gmail.com
To be filled - Clergy Devern
Schwenn
Tanner
Carlson
2020
2023
Laity To be filled - Lay
Cheryl
Finney
Conference Historian
605-332-9959
fcheryl6@aol.com
Laurie
Langland
Archivist
605-995-2134
LaLangla@dwu.edu
Pat
Breidenbach
Archivist emeritus
605-996-9230
breidenbach@mit.midco. net
Stephen
Perry
Historical Society Chair
763-427-6080
historian@centurylink.net
Kay
Braun
2016
Chair
701-232-1915
braunk@cableone.net
Bruce
Ough
2012
Bishop
612-230-3334
bishop@dkmnareaumc.org
Rebecca
Trefz
2014
Exec. Director of Ministries/ Host DS
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Jane
Hincks
2017
Conference Co-Lay Leader
701-202-5456
janehincks@hotmail.com
Sara
Nelson
2020
Host Team
605-261-6444
pastorsara@sfumc.org
Kip
Roozen
2020
Host Team
605-645-9630
kip@sfasbury.org
Charlie
Moore
2020
Host Team
605-270-3945
pastorcharlie@sunnycrest.org
Taylor
Johnson
2020
Host Team
605-413-8851
johnsont@sfumc.org
Nancy
Hallenbeck
2020
Host Team
605-360-2352
nghallenbeck@gmail.com
Val
Melmer
2020
Host Team
605-280-4035
valmelmer@hotmail.com
Bea
Stucke
2014
Site Coordinator
605-990-7791
bea.stucke@dakotasumc.org
Lou
Whitmer
2016
Worship Coordinator
605-226-1279
pastorlou@nvc.net
Doreen
Gosmire
2010
Communications Coordinator
605-990-7794
doreen.gosmire@dakotasumc.org
Duane
Coates
Agenda Coordinator
605-695-5561
dcoates70@yahoo.com
Deb
Kjerstad
BOM Representative
605-990-7796
deb.kjerstad@dakotasumc.org
Dayne
Zachrison
At Large
701-845-0340
pastordayne@gmail.com
ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE (2017-2020) – Clergy (nominated by the Bishop)
Stephen
Perry
Chair
763-427-6080
historian@centurylink.net
Gary
Rae
605-940-7865
gary.w.rae@gmail.com
Jeff
Adel
Alternate
605-350-5159
pastorjeffa@gmail.com
COMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATION
Doug
Diehl
Clergy
605-431-1123
dugdeal@gmail.com
Jenene
Earl
Clergy
605-720-6389
ljearl@outlook.com
Penny
Eberhart
Clergy
605-310-8504
ebhartp@gmail.com
Kim
Callies
Laity
605-270-2327
birdiecallies@yahoo.com
Joanne
Ottmar
Laity
701-252-7229
jottmar@ottmarlaw.com
Terry
Pendergast
Laity
605-351-6934
tpendergast@gra.midco.net
Jerry
Bass
Clergy alternate
701-775-5696
jerry.bass@gra.midco.net
Ex officio (without vote)
ANNUAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS COMMITTEE
(appointed by the Bishop)
2014
Laity alternate COMMITTEE ON EPISCOPACY (COE)
Jennifer
Larsen
2010
Laity - Chair
605-359-6682
jlarsen@hwalaw.com
Myrna
Hill
2016
Conference Co-Lay Leader
605-490-0109
myrnahill@yahoo.com
21
Committee/Agency
RECORDS, RULES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE
CONFERENCE DISASTER RESPONSE
DAKOTAS UNITED METHODIST FOUNDATION BOARD
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
Jennifer
Tyler
2016
Member appointed by Bishop
701-642-6202
pastorjent@gmail.com
Al
Roll
2015
Member appointed by Bishop
701-391-2015
al.roll@dakotasumc.org
Keith
Nelson
2017
Member appointed by Conference
605-630-6586
keith@downtownfirstumc.com
Ryan
Mutzenberger
2017
Member appointed by Conference
701-232-4416
ryanmutzenberger@gmail.com
Rebecca
Trefz
2012
Member NCJ COE
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Jodi
Cataldo
2016
Member NCJ COE
701-378-2327
jodicataldo@yahoo.com
Trefz
2014
Exec. Director of Ministries, Chair
605-990-7791
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Member
605-695-5561
dcoates70@yahoo.com
Rebecca Duane
Coates
Amber
Laffey
2019
Conference Secretary
605-990-7799
conference.secretary@dakotasumc. org
Lisa
Johnsen
2019
Conf. Disaster Response Coordinator
605-440-3200
lisaraejohnsen@gmail.com
Mark
Ellingson
Planning
218-779-5707
mellingson56@gmail.com
Linda
Baldock
Planning
605-786-2262
lindambaldock@gmail.com
Jim
Unkenholz
Operations
701-667-2050
junkenholz@aol.com
Mike
Flowers
Operations
701-799-1174
Childharvest@msn.com
Libby
Flowers
Operations
701-799-1174
Spiritlakeministry@outlook.com
Linda
Kropenske
Training
605-371-1205
lkropenske@yahoo.com
Nancy
Trefz
At Large
605-765-4335
trefzponyexpress@hotmail.com
Connie
Eichinger
605-787-5799
godaboveall@hotmail.com
Jim
Eichinger
At Large
605-787-5799
godaboveall@hotmail.com
Jeff
Pospisil
Administration and Communication
605-990-7786
jeff.pospisil@dakotasumc.org
Al
Roll
Staff Representative
701-391-2015
al.roll@dakotasumc.org
Doreen
Gosmire
Administration and Communication
605-990-7794
doreen.gosmire@dakotasumc.org
Jeff
Nelson
Chair
605-376-5388
jeff@605advantage.com
Sharla
McCaskell
Vice Chair
605-343-7145
knollwoodpastor@gmail.com
Sheri
Meister
President/CEO
605-990-7790
sheri.meister@dakotasumf.org
Jeff
Pospisil
Treasurer
605-990-7786
jeff.pospisil@dakotasumc.org
Jerry
Stravia
720-985-7845
straviaj@gmail.com
Richard
Platt
605-996-4488
richard.platt@bankwestsd.com
Dave
Page
605-432-7874
D.DPage@outlook.com
Scott
Jones
605-224-9346
scottddp@yahoo.com
Bob
Ruedebusch
605-336-3652
pastorbob@sfumc.org
Steve
Pietila
605-760-4916
spietila@firstdakota.com
Richard
Wahlstrom
605-484-7761
rkw68@live.com
Eric
Walth
701-220-6331
ericwalth@gmail.com
Bruce
Ough
612-230-3334
bishop@dkmnareaumc.org
At Large
Bishop
22
Committee/Agency
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
DISTRICT NOMINATIONS To be filled - Co-Lay Leader
NORTHEAST DISTRICT (NE) NE District Committee on Ordained Ministry
NE Building and Location Committee
NE Superintendency Committee
To be filled - Co-Lay Leader Ray
Baker
Chair
701-220-4803
ray@fargofaithumc.org
Steve
Olson
Clergy
701-742-2925
norskie@drtel.net
Jerry
Bass
Clergy
701-775-5696
jerry.bass@gra.midco.net
Mark
Gronseth
Clergy
605-359-9480
markgronseth@gmail.com
Rob
Salmonson
Clergy
605-933-0077
robsalmonson@hotmail.com
Lou
Whitmer
Clergy
701-240-5346
pastorlou@nvc.net
Becky
Holten
Clergy
605-770-6184
beckyrholten@gmail.com
Don
Miller
Laity
701-885-9082
donald.miller@und.edu
Kris
Mutzenberger
District Superintendent
605-996-6552
kris.mutzenberger@dakotasumc. org
Mark
Ellingson
Clergy
218-779-5707
mellingson56@gmail.com
Thom
Bowsher
Clergy
605-432-4766
pastorthom@milbankcentral.org
Kris
Mutzenberger
District Superintendent
605-996-6552
kris.mutzenberger@dakotasumc. org
Jessica
Zerr
Laity (Chair)
Dave
Motta
Clergy
701-232-5650
dave@calvaryfargo.com
Mark
Britton
Clergy
701-240-4939
mark_softball34@hotmail.com
Rick
Pittenger
Clergy
701-680-9879
mwsumc@gmail.com
Melanie
Reiners
Clergy
605-432-4796
mmreiners@itcmilbank.com
Kris
Mutzenberger
District Superintendent
605-996-6552
kris.mutzenberger@dakotasumc. org
605-395-6656
lpksiefken@nvc.net
Clergy
701-265-4308
smarquardt3@gmail.com
NE Committee on Nominations
Pat
SOUTHEAST
Nancy
Hallenbeck
Co-Lay Leader
605-360-2352
nghallenbeck@gmail.com
Val
Melmer
Co-Lay Leader
605-280-4035
valmelmer@hotmail.com
Nancy
Manning
Clergy - Chair
605-215-3429
nancyserving@gmail.com
DISTRICT (SE) SE District Committee on Ordained Ministry
Sandra
Marquardt
Ron
Johnson
Clergy
605-665-2991
revron24@gmail.com
Laurie
Kidd
Clergy - LLP
605-376-0752
wagtynumc@hcinet.net
Roozen
Clergy
605-645-9630
kip@sfasbury.org
Kip Dustin
Strande
Laity
605-359-0007
dstrande@americanchurchgroup.com
Troy
Hansen
Laity
605-263-3104
ethansen@iw.net
Val
Melmer
Laity
605-280-4035
valmelmer@hotmail.com
Connie
Smith
Laity
605-363-5097
cmsmith@siouxvalley.net
Laity
605-360-2352
nghallenbeck@gmail.com
District Superintendent
605-990-7781
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Nancy Rebecca SE Building and Location
Siefken
jessmzerr@gmail.com
Hallenbeck Trefz
Gary
Rae
Clergy
605-940-7865
gary.w.rae@gmail.com
Keith
Nelson
Clergy
605-630-6586
keith@downtownfirstumc.com
John
Claggett
Laity
605-770-7248
johnclaggett@mit-tel.net
Cortland
Carnes
Laity
605-763-5427
Rebecca
Trefz
District Superintendent
605-990-7781
23
rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org
Committee/Agency
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
SE Superintendency
Nancy
Hallenbeck
Co-Lay Leader
605-360-2352
nghallenbeck@gmail.com
Committee
Diane
Kisch
Laity
605-665-1500
dkischfumc@gmail.com
Charles
Schnabel
Laity
605-692-5655
cvschnabel@brookings.net
Laity
605-270-2327
birdiecallies@yahoo.com
SE Nominations
Kim
Callies
Kyle
Reinhiller
2020
Clergy
605-214-7474
kwrein@hotmail.com
Teresa
Person
2020
Clergy
605-691-2070
pianoperson@live.com
Arlyn
Coalter
Clergy
605-929-5727
revac54@hotmail.com
Sara
Hock
Laity
605-427-0209
hockssd@iw.net
Nancy
Hallenbeck
Laity
605-360-2352
nghallenbeck@gmail.com
Marilyn
Stroh
Laity
605-366-1870
mjstroh516@gmail.com
Joanne
Hipple
Co-Lay Leader
605-222-0357
joanne.hipple@outlook.com
Richard
Wahlstrom
Co-Lay Leader
605-484-7761
rkw68@live.com
SW District Committee
Deann
Eidem
Clergy - Chair
605-484-6041
deann.eidem@clumc.com
Julia
Jones
Laity - Secretary
605-280-2670
juliajonesaud@gmail.com
on Ordained Ministry
Peggy
Hanson
Clergy
605-584-1328
pastor@leadtumc.com
Greg
Kroger
Clergy
605-224-5939
gregscot@gmail.com
Jenene
Earl
Clergy
605-720-5578
ljearl@outlook.com
Sharla
McCaskell
Clergy-LLP
605-343-7145
knollwoodpastor@gmail.com
Barry
Whipkey
Clergy
605-270-2332
pastorbarry55@gmail.com
Alsup
Laity
605-390-4296
ashleyalsup@hotmail.com
Ruedebusch
District Superintendent
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Clergy
605-343-7145
knollwoodpastor@gmail.com
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT (SW)
Ashley Bob SW Building and
Sharla
Location Committee
Gordon
Higgins
Clergy
605-499-8757
higgins557@msn.com
Jeff
Adel
Clergy
605-765-9702
pastorjeffa@gmail.com
Darwin
Kopfman
Clergy
605-673-3473
drkopf@goldenwest.net
Robert
Puffer
Laity
605-745-4819
puffer@gwtc.net
David
Bonde
Laity
605-280-9680
Eileen
Wilson
Laity
605-673-3401
pew@gwtc.net
Bob
Ruedebusch
District Superintendent
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Richard
Wahlstrom
Co-Lay Leader, interim chair
605-484-7761
rkw68@live.com
Co-Lay Leader
605-222-0357
joanne.hipple@outlook.com
SW Superintendency Committee
SW Committee on Nominations
JoAnn
McCaskell
Hipple
Ashley
Alsup
Laity
605-390-4296
ashleyalsup@hotmail.com
Greg
Kroger
Clergy
605-321-3342
pierre1umc@mncomm.com
Sharla
MCaskell
Clergy
605-343-7145
knollwoodpastor@gmail.com
Janelle
Jones
Laity
605-722-5911
jljones@midco.net
Clint
Vanneman
Laity
Connie
Eichinger
Clergy
605-787-5799
godaboveall@hotmail.com
Jeff
Adel
Clergy
605-765-9702
pastorjeffa@gmail.com
701-269-4483
morningjoyfarm@hotmail.com
Co-Lay Leader
NORTHWEST DISTRICT (NW)
cvannman@gwtc.net
Annie
Carlson
Co-Lay Leader
24
Committee/Agency
NW District Committee on Ordained Ministry
NW Buildings and Location Committee
NW Superintendency Committee
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
Mike
Flowers
Chair
701-269-9960
SLMinistry@hotmail.com
Perry
Schnabel
Secretary
701-255-4281
pastorperrys@msn.com
Jane
Hincks
Laity
701-202-5456
janehincks@hotmail.com
Annie
Carlson
Laity
701-269-4483
morningjoyfarm@hotmail.com
Joel
Winckler
District Superintendent
701-269-9960
joel.winckler@dakotasumc.org
Rick
Craig
Clergy
701-329-1810
imrickcraig@icloud.com
Cory
Thrall
Clergy
701-319-1137
thrallcory@gmail.com
Dayne
Zachrison
Clergy
701-840-7294
pastordayne@gmail.com
Annie
Carlson
District Co-Lay Leader
701-269-4483
morningjoyfarm@hotmail.com
Jane
Hincks
Conference Co-Lay Leader
701-202-5456
janehincks@hotmail.com
Randy
Meissner
Laity
701-663-2305
randymeissguy@gmail.com
Marvin
Winstryg
Clergy
701-516-7407
mwinstryg@yahoo.com
Ross
Reinhiller
Clergy
701-426-5456
pastorsplay@hotmail.com
To be filled - Laity To be filled - Laity
NW Committee on Nominations
Joel
Winckler
District Superintendent
701-269-9960
joel.winckler@dakotasumc.org
Sharman
Zachrison
Laity
701-320-0463
sharman.zachrison@gmail.com
Anita
Tulp
Laity
701-320-9058
crazy4bookslms@gmail. com
RELATED AGENCIES TREE OF LIFE MINISTRY
Ex officio
OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY CENTER – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dennis
Unkenholz
Member
605-280-4581
dgu47@aol.com
Jo
Watkins
Vice President
605-665-4681
pastorjowatkins@hotmail.com
Jason
Christensen
Appointed to White River/ Mission
605-490-2601
springer96@msn.com
Tom
Gilmore
President
605-665-8303
tojan41@yahoo.com
Jeanine
Carpenter
Member
605-987-5110
umwjeaninec@hotmail.com
Bruce
Millikan
Secretary
605-366-4675
stilladamsdad@hotmail.com
Randy
Burnison
Member
605-350-6978
rgburnison@santel.net
Linda
Garriott
Executive Director
605-856-4266
treeoflife@gwtc.net
Bruce
Ough
Bishop
612-230-3334
bishop@dkmnareaumc.org
Bob
Ruedebusch
District Superintendent
605-484-1502
bob.ruedebusch@dakotasumc.org
Al
Roll
Missional Impact Link Rep.
701-391-2015
al.roll@dakotasumc.org
Steve
Van Dyke
Chair
701-426-8662
stevevandyke@lignite.com
Phil
Sjursen
Secretary
701-751-1338
psjursen@yahoo.com
Derrick
Hobein
Treasurer
701-258-5716
dhobein@bepc.com
Jolene
Puhalla
Director
701-222-3004
opendoor@midconetwork.com
25
Committee/Agency
First Name
Last Name
Elected
Class
Role
Phone
MaryLee
Steele
Trustee Representative
mlsteele47@hotmail.com
Jim
Unkenholz
Member
701-667-2050
junkenholz@aol.com
Randy
Meissner
Member
701-663-2305
rmeissner@nd.gov
Kenneth
Hogue
Member
605-255-1014
Jerry
Suko
Member
jsuko@midco.net
Mary
Carter
Member
dmcarter1969@hotmail.com
Brandon
Vetter
Member - Clergy
701-223-4401
brandon@legacyumc.org
Bruce
Adams
Member - Clergy
701-663-8909
bruceadams2261@yahoo. com
Jennifer
Hallenbeck Orr
Member - Clergy
701-255-1160
jhallen03@yahoo.com
Karl
Kroger
Member – Clergy
701-255-1160
pastorkarl@mccabeumc.com
Ex Officio
Joel
Winckler
District Superintendent
701-269-9960
joel.winckler@dakotasumc.org
SOLAR OVEN PARTNERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Phil
Lint
President and Southeast District
605-363-3470
pmllint@goldenwest.net
Marjorie
Evans-de-Carpio
Director & Communications Team
612-226-6556
director@solarovenpartners.org
(SOP)
Gene
Bethke
Northeast District
605-233-0168
gbethke@itctel.com
Dave
Silbernagel
Northwest District
701-425-1382
silbernagel.dave@yahoo.com
Gloria
Borgman
Southwest District
605-642-5321
ron.borgman@yahoo.com
Karen
Workman
Expertise Gifts Processing and Communications, NW District
701-214-2234
Klworkman1@outlook.com
Connie
Smith
Communications Team
605-270-1097
cmsmith@siouxvalley.net
Donna
Fisher
Communications Team
605-391-9733
dmfisher@wildblue.net
Deb
Holland
Communications Team
605-431-1973
Holland@rushmore.com
Jay
Niedert
Conference At Large Member
605-270-9259
niedertj@yahoo.com
Emily
Warns
Conference At Large Member
605-480-4264
eswarns@hotmail.com
Ariana
Arampatzis
Conference At Large Member
605-216-5933
Ariana.arampatzis@dwu.edu
Ex Officio
Al
Roll
Cabinet Staff Representative
701-391-2015
al.roll@dakotasumc.org
SPIRIT LAKE MINISTRY CENTER ADVISORY BOARD
Jerry
Bass
President
701-775-5696
jerry.bass@gra.midco.net
Kathy
Hammond
Member
701-833-5357
hammond@min.midco.net
Gary
Osborn
Member
701-474-5783
Kenny
Baker
Member
Valerie
Luick
Member
kennybaker_02@hotmail.com 701-640-9923
valerie.luick@hotmail.com
To be filled - member To be filled - member Ex officio
Mike
Flowers
701-799-1174
SLMinistry@hotmail.com
Libby
Flowers
701-799-1174
SLMinistry@hotmail.com
26
Section 4: Conference Reports 4.1 Common Table The Common Table continues to partner with the Extended Cabinet in stewarding and implementing the vision of the Dakotas Annual Conference. In the past year, our conversations and decision-making have centered around several topics and areas of focus. Our Fall Leadership Event has been a key strategy of the Common Table to energize and focus our efforts going into a new year. In September 2019, the various ministry groups met in Mitchell for a day of combined worship and small group discussion of issues facing our conference. Team building activities helped people speak and listen to others as we focused on the themes of Jesus, Mission, and Connection. In the spring of 2019, we raised the question about the financially responsible way to prepare for the challenges facing us following decisions made at General Conference which was planned for 2020. Following this conversation, a fund was established for contingencies. When the Coronavirus changed the plans for churches, Annual Conference and General Conference, the Dakotas Conference had funds in place to help these unprecedented times. The Common Table joined the rest of the Conference in conversations around a Way Forward for the United Methodist Church. Breakthrough Prayer continues to be a ministry of the Dakotas Conference with lay leaders Myrna Hill, and Jane Hincks. We continue expanding our Breakthrough Prayer training efforts utilizing the resources from Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey. As we look to 2021 and the transition of leadership from Bishop Ough to a new bishop, a task force has been put together to better help us prepare for these transitions and help ensure systems are in place to help us navigate the change. Though plans to celebrate Bishop Ough’s ministry, as well as the collaborative work with the Minnesota Conference that has developed under his leadership, had to be deferred due to Covid-19, we look forward to listening to the Spirit of God as we share the vision of the gospel with a focus on Jesus, Mission and Connection. Submitted by Sheila Dailie, chair, Common Table 4.2 Conference Commission on Archives and History (CAH) “To encourage and assist the local churches in preserving their records, compiling their histories and celebrating their heritage,” is one of the many functions General Conference insists each annual conference perform in support of our disciple-making, world-transforming vision. Until such a small thing as a virus was able to shut down a nation, perhaps it was difficult to see how a small agency such as Archives and History could equip discipleship. But we strive to do this by encouraging and assisting the conduct of a wholistic ministry of memory in every local church. “Such a holistic program permeates the entire congregation, giving the people a sense of their heritage and the legacy they intend to pass on to the rising generations,” writes Dr. Richard Stowe, historian of the Indiana Conference and author of the forthcoming Local Church Historians School. “In this kind of church, even newcomers sense the heritage and feel themselves becoming a genuine part of it.” Furthermore, Stowe suggests that pastors who creatively conduct a ministry of memory “shape the message the church transmits to the outside world, helping to make disciples for the transformation of that world.” That’s because in every place where a United Methodist church exists, there were people in the past who had a zeal to meet people’s ministry needs. By preserving that history, we can have it accessible when we need a reminder of the missionary zeal that formed our local churches. This fall, the General Commission on Archives and History (GCAH) will offer Stowe’s 12-week comprehensive course free to any person who may wish to take it. The course will cover the details of how best to collect and preserve local church history (which is also connectional church history) as well as how to tell the story in order to equip discipleship. Earlier versions in 2015 and 2017 have proved quite effective for hundreds of participants. To register for the course, which starts September 14, 2020, go to www.gcah.org. To equip local churches in their historic-preservation tasks, we offer guidelines on which artifacts, records and/or documents to preserve and for how long. Those are accessible here: https://www.dakotasumc.org/media/files/old/00/Conference/Finance/Legal/RecordRetention.pdf for a summary related to some of the more common records. For a more extensive listing, see http://s3.amazonaws.com/gcah.org/Resources/ Guidelines_Publications/Local-ChurchSched-2017.pdf Our conference’s items of historic significance are maintained in a high-quality archival space within the George and Eleanor McGovern Library on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D. To appropriately archive those materials and assist researchers in accessing them, your conference apportionments fund half the cost of employing the archivist we share with DWU, Dr. Laurie Langland. These two items, archives and personnel, consumed 92.2.% of our 2019 apportionment expenditures and represent 98% of our 2021 apportionment request. That represents a $6,030 decrease in funding from 2020. That amounts to a 13.7% decrease from our 2020 allocation and a 14.7% decrease in two years. If we can meet that budget, we will have spent $536 more than we spent in 2019, which, at a 0.68% expenditure increase per year, doesn’t keep pace with inflation. So, if you pass this budget as recommended by CCFA, there will be certain ministries of memory we will be able to afford. Considering the ministry limited by smaller budgets, I hope you all have examined your hearts to consider whether you are giving all that God would want you to for the advancement of God’s kingdom. Remember, apportionments allow us to follow the aspiration codified in
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our conference rules empowering us to do ministry better together. I’m hoping after a period of conscious examination, in future years, your Commission on Archives and History (CAH) will once again be able to afford equipping local churches to preserve our common history. So, if you had been thinking about applying for a conference grant to assist with preserving and making accessible your disciple-making historic materials, please do so before the end of this year. The link to apply is: https://www.dakotasumc.org/media/library/fluid-modpage/137/documents/Kuhler-Grant-Application-2017-081916.pdf Your CAH participates in the conference mission of “providing a connection beyond the local church” through its involvement in both the Historical Society of The United Methodist Church (HSUMC) and the North Central Jurisdiction Commission on Archives and History (NCJCAH). HSUMC is a 30-year-old organization promoting interest in the study, preservation, and dissemination of the history and heritage of The United Methodist Church and its antecedents. It also publishes Methodist History, a quarterly peer-reviewed journal. Dues are $50/year. For more information see www.umchistory.org. The NCJCAH comprises members of the GCAH from this jurisdiction as well as three additional voting delegates from each of the jurisdiction’s ten annual conferences. It meets annually at a site which rotates each year among the jurisdiction’s episcopal areas. Among its purposes are to promote historical projects within the jurisdiction and to set collection policies for the jurisdictional archives. At each meeting, each conference commission reports on how its mission is fulfilled there. GCAH staff also make live reports. I am in my last year as NCJCAH chair, giving me an ex-officio seat on GCAH. I could serve another four years on GCAH, if elected. This past year, I was also elected to HSUMC’s board. Your CAH, comprising seven voting and two non-voting members, met three times in the past year (once in person and twice by conference call) in pursuit of our 12 mandated Disciplinary provisions. (¶641) At each meeting, we tithe our time in prayer and devotions. One exciting activity this past year has been providing some of the funds necessary to digitize all the conference journals of our antecedent annual conferences from 1940 to 1968. Having these digitally available greatly enhances the research capability of our project historian, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Perry. He is in his 17th year of researching and writing an update to our conference history 1861 to 2012. He has posted a draft of the fourth chapter of an expected seven-chapter book we hope to publish by 2024. To read that and/or previous draft chapters, see https://dakotahistorianblog.wordpress.com/. Here are some of our other activities during the past year: Jubilee Clergy: We designate those clergy members of our conference with 50 years or more of pastoral service as “jubilee clergy.” We collect short essays from recipients describing their lives and ministries since retirement. The following persons are 2020 jubilee clergy: Bill Bates and Bill Gran. If your clergy service record doesn’t reflect your years of Christian service, such as internships or years as a missionary, please see one of the commission members to correct your jubilee year. Grave markers: From a supply purchased more than a decade ago, CAH provides the Cabinet with clergy grave markers presented at individual memorial or funeral services of our deceased clergy. We hope the supply holds out through the end of 2021, because there is nothing in the recommended apportionments budget to resupply these. North Central Jurisdiction: I chaired, in person, the annual meeting of the NCJCAH in Mankato, Minnesota, on July 8-11, 2019. Submitted by R. Duane Coates, chair, Dakotas Conference Commission on Archives and History 4.3 Communications The Dakotas Conference communication team continues to tell the story of the ministries of the Dakotas Conference. The website—www. dakotausmc.org— serves as the home base for all communications and grew in usage and efficiencies. Weekly e-newsletters are sent including Mondays @ Dakotas—e-news featuring stories of vitality sent every Monday, and This Week @ Dakotas—weekly announcements, sent out every Tuesday, bothhave grown in distribution numbers. Social media communiation has become a vital and inspiring tool, as well as video story telling. The conference website, www.dakotasumc.org, is the place where you will find all news, events, and announcements. The website is a partnership with camping—www.dakcamps.org, foundation— www.dakotasumf.org, and youth—dakyouth.org. There are daily updates with an emphasis on visuals, including photos, graphics, and video. The result is increased traffic of 15%. Mondays @ Dakotas remains popular for sharing the ministry and telling the story of the Dakotas Conference. Mondays @ Dakotas continues to reach an average of 1,800 viewers per week. This Week @ Dakotas weekly announcements provides a venue to share upcoming events, ministry announcements, and resources with local churches. Each week, there is an average of 2,500 viewers through the website, e-mail, or on social media. The social media presence of the Dakotas Conference continues to grow. Engagement has increased by 10% through shares on Facebook and retweets on Twitter. Facebook is the most popular channel with 730 average daily views. Video contributes to telling the ministry story. This past year, the communications team produced more than 65 hours of video for the Dakotas-Minnesota area with more than 42,000 shares and views.
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UMConnect continues to be a resource and tool for Conference ministries and churches. Enhanced features include the ability to join from any computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Video conferencing is used an average of 40 hours each week with more than 100 users per week. The Dakotas-Minnesota communication team of Doreen Gosmire, Karla Hovde, Christa Meland, and David Stucke received 8 awards from the United Methodist Association of Communicators. For the past eight years the two conferences have collaborated to create a communication team that produces excellence telling the story of Dakotas and Minnesota United Methodists. The communication team is thankful to tell the story of United Methodists across the Dakotas who are passionate about making disciples. Submitted by Doreen Gosmire, director of communication 4.4 Director of Ministries Report Although the modes and methods of implementation and delivery have greatly shifted since the March 2020, the mission and purpose of the Dakotas Conference continues to be the same—to support and equip pastors and local churches so they can accomplish the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We are fueled by our core values: JESUS as Lord and Savior as our foundation, our call to the MISSION of sharing the Good News and making disciples, and the importance of being in CONNECTION with one another for support and accountability. Our key strategies to accomplish that (listed below) are overseen by our Missional Links and CCFA and are implemented by Conference staff and leadership. Key activities and outcomes of 2019-2020 include: Discipleship is leadership development. It is also about helping every person identify God’s call on their life and be equipped and empowered to live out that call. Some of the ways in which conference leadership has partnered with local churches this past year to do this included: •
Inviting 10 churches to participate in the 4th year of our Children’s and Youth Ministry Cohort with Stephanie Caro and Ministry Architects
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Providing a camping ministry that continues to be a place apart for children, youth and adults to hear God’s call (see camping report)
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CCYM-led event to connect youth and youth leaders from across the connection (see CCYM report) Taking four young adults to Exploration as a way to help them discern their call to vocational ministry Creating places for three Elisha interns and one Samuel Intern to explore pastoral ministry
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Launching a Residency Partnership pilot with Embrace to provide an intensive 6-9 month ministry experience Recruiting 14 new clergy into ministry in the Dakotas
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Leading 25 pastors through Clergy Leadership Academy (a 3-year process). This year’s sessions covered Passionate Worship and Authentic/Healthy Living.
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Inviting NW pastors to participate in a district sermon series planning retreat in Bismarck.
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Offering a webinar on Virtual Worship with Jason Moore from Midnight Oil Productions to help pastors adapt to changes brought on by COVID-19
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Committing to coming alongside clergy at different junctures in ministry to help them focus on total wellbeing—mental, physical, spiritual, social and financial—as well as grow in areas of personal and/or professional development through our Higher Ground Initiative. Thirteen clergy participated in the year-long retreat track and an additional 20 received direct coaching.
Submitted by Rebecca Trefz, executive director, Ministries 4.5 Higher Ground Higher Ground—A sacred time for clergy to experience renewal and transformation. The 2016 Book of Discipline set forth requirements that each Conference provide a process for each clergy to complete at the 8-year junctures in their service of ministry. This directive, combined with the need we saw for clergy to have access to “coaching” (e.g. counseling, spiritual direction, health coaching, technical and/or leadership coaching, etc.) for personal and professional development was the inspiration for the Higher Ground Initiative. Our first year cohort invested in 13 clergy who began their journey with a week at Terra Sancta Retreat Center in July 2019, followed by a year of personal and group coaching addressing opportunities for personal and/or professional development as well as overall wellbeing in the five critical dimensions of mental, physical, spiritual, financial and social. This process is overseen by an advisory council of clergy and lay from the Dakotas Conference and funded by a Thriving in Ministry Grant from the Lilly Endowment. The retreat was led by a team consisting of physician Dr. Shawn Culey, Spiritual Directors Lin VanHofwegen and Dr. Susan Reese, Financial Therapist Sarah Swantner, Avera Health Coach Cheryl Pitzl, Lilly Grant Program Assistant Amber Laffey, and Director of Leadership Development, Deb Kjerstad. The retreat was a time for of intentional learning and discerning focused on looking back at their spiritual timelines and ministry journey, looking inward and around, and looking forward by setting goals for the next season of ministry. Additionally, it was a time of rest and relaxation, worship and devotions, hiking and yoga, and nourishment for body, mind, and spirit. It was a renewal for their calling, knowing they have resources, tools and persons prepared to help and support them along the way.
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The second component of the Lilly Grant provided an additional group of clergy personal coaching for a year. We had 20 clergy receive funding for support and development—many of these individuals were invited after One on One conversations with the DS, and some were personal requests. Please refer to our page on the website under Clergy Total Well-being for more information or to request resources. Due to the impact of COVID 19, an in-person retreat to kick off the 2020-21 cohort was not possible this summer. Our team worked to reinvent the process with the same mission and outcomes. A new cohort of 14 individuals will be beginning their journey in September 2020 with monthly calls designed to create a community of support for the nine months leading up to a retreat at Terra Sancta in July of 2021. The goal will be to create space in their life for personal wholeness and engage with each other to create that bond of trust prior to coming to the retreat and set the stage for a deeper dive during the retreat which then will be followed by a year of personal coaching. We are immensely grateful to the work of Amber Laffey as our pilot year program assistant. Due to her answering her own call to pastoral ministry, she completed licensing school, began Kairos, and was appointed to Flandreau UMC. She has set up our team well to continue in this good work, and Deb Kjerstad will be taking over the daily oversight of this Lilly Grant funded program. Submitted by Rebecca Trefz, executive director, Ministries 4.6 Sessions Committee The Sessions Committee worked with the Minnesota Conference to plan their 2020 overlapping Annual Conferences scheduled for June 10-13, 2020 in Sioux Falls, SD. The Host Team from Sioux Falls was an integral part of the process. These Annual Conferences were cancelled by the Dakotas and Minnesota Cabinets and respective Sessions Teams because of COVID-19. Various alternatives were planned as the COVID situation changed. A virtual Clergy Session was held June 11, 2020. Voting was through the webinar platform. Host sites were available for those who had limited internet access or were concerned about technical challenges. A virtual annual conference date is Saturday, October 10, 2020. Voting will take place Zoom webinar platform. Host sites are available for those who had limited internet access or were concerned about technical challenges. Those voting needed their own device. Virtual preconference gatherings are being held in September. The Celebration of Life in Ministry Service will be held on September 18, 2020 and live streamed. The service will be re-broadcast on Octoberber 9, the evening before Annual Conference 2020. The Sessions Committee revised the 2021 Annual Conference budget so that it would meet the reduced 2021 Conference budget. The Memoirs Policy was reviewed. Planning is underway for annual conferences in the next quadrennium. The 2021 Annual Conference will be held June 10-12 in Sioux Falls, SD. Submitted by Kay Braun, chair, Sessions Committee
4.6 DEVELOPING MISSIONAL LEADERS Developing Missional Leaders Link Like many ministry areas across our Conference, 2020 was a weird year in the life in the ministry areas of the Missional Leaders Link. Despite this, there are several highlights to share about our year in ministry. Camp and Retreat Ministries celebrated great successes in 2019-2020 before the pandemic hit. Storm Mountain earned full accreditation by the American Camp Association, which means that all six camps across our Episcopal Area are ACA accredited. Despite flooding and storm damage at Lake Poinsett and Storm Mountain, volunteers from across the Conference gave hundreds of hours in volunteer time to ensure that the camps were usable for the 2019 camping season Our camps also started and completed major projects, including a new maintenance shop at Lake Poinsett and major facelifts to popular spaces at our campsites. All this combined to reach and impact nearly 3,000 campers of all ages who were able to experience Christ, Creation, and Community through our camping ministry. While we are heartbroken that the 2020 camping season could not happen as it was regularly scheduled, we understand the hard decisions that were made that prioritized camper safety. It is the hope of the Missional Leaders Link that the fundraising effort of our camping ministry, Keep Our Campfires Glowing, will overcome the hardships our camping ministry is facing during this uncertain time. Please prayerfully consider being a part of our camping ministry’s effort and future work. DWU Campus Pastor Eric Van Meter tells us that, “College ministry is always an improvisational act, but never more so than in 2019-20. DWU Campus Ministry continued a solid outreach, with 150 students involved and 39 student leaders. Our freshmen ministry had a banner year, as is reflected in the 17 new leaders added to Student Ministry Council for this coming fall. We worked with two Elisha interns, one of whom (Luke Wodahl) is now enrolled with Kairos. In addition to weekly worship, Bible studies, and service projects, we have led events for area youth groups and sent students into local churches to lead music and to preach. When the world went all wompy-jawed in March, we shifted to online ministries, which have continued throughout the summer. We are approaching the coming fall with the vigilance of a prairie dog and the tenacity of a squirrel on a bird feeder, trusting that God will lead us through to a time of rest and more coherent metaphors.”
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Other areas of ministry, like our young adults’ ministries and lay servant ministries have been affected by COVID-19 and typical events that are vital to their regular work had to be laid aside for a season. We are looking forward to 2021, as are many of you, and we are looking expectantly into the future. One of our goals in 2021 is to work toward building a leadership pathway that helps us lift leaders through generations. How does a member of CCYM get connected to a campus ministry where she goes to college? How does a recent college graduate who was a part of that campus ministry get hooked up with a local church when he moves to a new town for his job? How does a pastor with a great college-age student who is not interested in ordained ministry ensure that she does not fall off someone’s radar? We will be working to develop systems to ensure that these pieces are in place for the future. This fallow time is a great time to do this hard work. Submitted by Clay Lundberg, co-chair, Developing Missional Leaders Link 4.6.1 Board of Ordained Ministry The Board of Ordained Ministry (BOM) is intentional about our work and mission. We are disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. God is moving in the hearts of people of all ages. We are assisting people as they answer God’s call We as a Board are blessed with the task of building a culture of call throughout the Dakotas. We nurture people through the candidacy and ordination process. We train new clergy and lay leaders in the Dakotas Conference. We maintain standards for clergy effectiveness throughout a clergy member’s life of service and honor the service of our clergy members at pivotal transition points. We take this task seriously. We pray and seek God’s guidance as we work with each person. As we live in an uncertain world, it is no different in the United Methodist Church. The Board of Ordained Ministry is grappling with the uncertainty. We seek direction for the Board and our processes. We look for ways to help and guide ministry candidates through this uncertain time. Please pray for our church and the BOM as we work through these times together. We are excited to offer the Elisha and Samuel Projects. College students may apply to participate in the Elisha Project. A team of clergy and laity select interns for host churches from the pool of applicants. We offered scholarships to 4 college students—two at Dakota Wesleyan and two remote internships in churches as well as one Samuel Internship to a senior in high school to intern in their home church prior to college. BOM is honored to provide funding to fully pay these internships to continue to grow our Culture of Call. We offer events and opportunities in the Dakotas Conference—Licensing School and Certified Lay Ministry School (virtually in 2020), preconference gatherings for seminary students and young adult members of the Annual Conference, facilitate groups at the various denominational events, such as Exploration; and facilitate the Clergy Leadership Academy (CLA) gatherings for Provisional Members and Licensed Local Pastors. We urge all clergy and churches to prayerfully consider God’s leading and be aware of God’s call on people’s lives. Each Christian has a call and ministry which is God-given. Some have a call to pastoral ministry (whether Licensed Local Pastor or Ordained Clergy). If you have a call to pastoral ministry, please seek out your pastor or District Superintendent and share your call. Submitted by Val Reinhiller, chair, Dakotas Board of Ordained Ministry 4.6.2 Camp and Retreat Ministries Koronis Ministries is celebrating over 14,000 camper days. That is the highest in 13 years, representing a 63% increase in three years. In the summer of 2019, there were 373 campers at Camp Koronis cabin camp. The second highest attendance in 38 years; just 25 campers below record attendance. Camp Koronis reinvested over $80,000 in repairs and facilities upgrades including a new water slide, a disc golf course, a new (used) 12-passenger camp van, electrical and RV-site upgrades in our campground, significant renovation work in cottage #62, and new eco-friendly LED lighting throughout camp. A year-end fire destroyed the camp kitchen and significantly damaged Lakeview Lodge from smoke. The building was fully insured. KoWaKan Adventures served over 90 campers in ten groups throughout the summer, down 13 from previous years. The team ran another successful and full KoWaKan Teen Trek for 13 to 17-year-old campers. There was an upgrade to the canoe fleet with the purchase of three used Kevlar Canoes (one a 3-person canoe). A $15K, 24’ diameter Yurt was purchases, with donated and foundation funds, and will serve as a central meeting space. A platform,to receive the Yurt, will be built in the spring of 2020. Wesley Acres is celebrates relationships with campers, volunteers, and staff, embodying what we do best. The camp purchased an upgraded pickup and plow, and a new roof on Invitation Cabin. Lake Poinsett Camp had an amazing response of volunteers, more than 100, help with fill and place 10,000 sandbags for potential flooding at camp. LPC is blessed to have a maintenance endowment fund to help cover nearly $90,000 of required shoreline restorations caused by flooding. The camp broke ground for a new maintenance building to be completed by spring 2020. The leadership at LPC celebrates hardworking and dedicated staff that stepped up to prepare for summer camp. Storm Mountain Center celebrates the accomplishment of American Camping Association— ACA Accreditation. Much extra work went into making sure that Storm Mountain is complying with best practice standards. Accreditation will strengthen our ministry moving forward. Volunteer support assisted with so many environmental interruptions to operations: flooding causes more than 100 trees fall down, and the road to road washed out. The camp was blessed by 200 plus volunteer hours to clear trails, clean up camp, and keep things running smoothly. It was exceptional. in 2019, there were literal mountain-top experiences with campers at the summit of Storm Mountain. Staff was always
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encouraging campers who really thought they could not make it. Many campers were amazed/proud/uplifted to reach the top. That moment came up a few times in camper surveys and encapsulates so much of the spirit of camp. Northern Pines had a new program coordinator, and a very cohesive, creative summer staff that did some amazing worships, campfire times and activities. The Susanna North and South facilities were upgraded with new bunk beds and innerspring mattresses. These cabins were used often over the winter of 2019-2020 for retreat groups. Northern Pines purchased a new water trampoline and water mat for the swim area, new plow for the truck and a refrigerated salad bar for the dining service. One of the camp activities in 2019 was making Peace Poles. Poles were donated to Riverside UMC, Park Rapids, Hubbard UMC, Champlin UMC, Minnesota Conference office, and one remains at the camp. There were staffing transitions and celebrations. We said goodbye to Eric Reshley the Maintenance and Facilities Director at Koronis Ministries, and welcomed James Coblantz as the Maintenance and Facilities Director at Koronis Ministries. Ryan Bjorklund was welcomed as theMinistry Assistance at Lake Poinsett Camp. We ended the operations, for 2019, in the black. - For the fifth year in a row in Minnesota, and for the fourth year in a row in the Dakotas, your camp and retreat program ended financially in the black. Your camping leaders continue to be good stewards of the financial resources entrusted to them. The camp ambassador program and outreach grew in 2019. In March of 2019, the area camping ministry hired Beata Ferris as Area Marketing and Outreach Coordinator. Beata works in collaboration with camping central office staff, campsite directors, and the Area Camp and Retreat Ministry Director, to lead and implement an updated and enhanced outreach that helps identify and strengthen relationships with local church representatives (Camp Ambassadors) who encourage their churches and communities to attend an area United Methodist Camp. With the timing of Beata’s hire, our outreach to Camp Ambassadors was later than anticipated. However, Beata is quickly making up for lost time and has been connecting with our local church leaders. Updates and Reminders: Shared Area Mission, Core Values, Outcomes - Mission: Helping campers and guests to experience Christ, Creation, and Community through camp and retreat ministries. Core values: Providing sacred places apart, nurturing Christian faith and discipleship, teaching creation care and appreciation, partnering with United Methodist churches and agencies, extending Christian hospitality and community, developing principled spiritual leaders, and inspiring and equipping lives for love and justice. Outcomes: Disciples and leaders who hear and respond to God’s call to share their faith, love, and accept everyone, serve others, and trust God Site Advisory Teams - Campsites continue to develop and strengthen their site advisory teams/councils These teams allow volunteers an opportunity to participate in the camping ministry in the areas they love most, provide direct feedback to our site directors and staff, and extend the reach of each site. People interested in serving on a site team should contact the director of the site Dakotas-Minnesota Area Alignment - All Dakotas-Minnesota staff, including site directors and central office staff, continue to meet and plan consistently together. Governance - Since 2016, the Dakotas and Minnesota conferences’ camp and retreat ministries have combined their strengths and leadership and have come together to form a joint governance council. This arrangement expands the camping-related offerings for United Methodists in each conference as well as sharing of best practices to create the strongest possible area camp and retreat ministry. The Camp and Retreat Council is made up of equal representation from each conference and meets quarterly. In addition, since 2017 Dakotas-Minnesota Camp and Retreat Ministries has served our area churches, clergy, and staff through a centralized administration office. Dakotas - Living into a Sustainable Operating Model. Apportionment neutral in camp operations - Dakotas Camps are committed to becoming apportionment neutral, in the funding of the camping operations only, by 2021. Camps will continue to receive apportionment support in the areas of capital development and maintenance, central office staff support, property taxes, and insurance. Annual Fund Development - The camp and retreat ministry has partnered with the Dakotas Foundation to develop an annual fund campaign to provide financial support and long-range sustainability with a goal of increasing giving as apportionment funds are reduced. Fee/Rate Review – A comprehensive review of all fees and rates for camps and retreats was completed in 2016. A phased multi-year plan to adjust rates was implemented in 2017. Financial Policies/Controls - Each site develops a monthly spending plan based on prior year’s actuals. Monthly conversation and review of any variances on established spending plans helps ensure real-time management and course correction as needed with a goal of no new deficits. American Camp Association (ACA) Accreditation - Dakotas and Minnesota staff regularly review every facet of camp programs and operations to ensure a safe and quality camp experience for all participants. Each of your six sites across the Dakotas and Minnesota are fully accredited operations through the American Camp Association, the national accrediting body for camping programs. To earn accreditation, camps must comply with hundreds of health, safety, and program quality standards. Only one in five camps nationwide achieves this distinction. Current Staffing - Dakotas: Christy Heflin - Director, Lake Poinsett Camp; Levi and Lara Ziegler – Co-Directors, Storm Mountain Center; Paul and Brenda Lint - Co-Directors, Wesley Acres Camp. Minnesota: Leslie Hobson - Director, Northern Pines Camp; Dan Ziegler - Director, Koronis Ministries and Kowakan Adventures. Central Camping Office - Stacey Edwards - Camping Coordinator; Linda Bowers - Camping Assistant; Beata Ferris - Marketing and Out-
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reach Project Coordinator; Mary Hovden - Camping Accountant; Keith Shew – Area Executive Director of Camp and Retreat Ministries Thank you for your continued support of your camp and retreat ministries in the Dakotas and Minnesota Annual Conferences. Thank you for making sure that the children, youth, families, and adults in your church and community know about camping opportunities. Your support and encouragement help ensure that Lake Poinsett, Koronis, Storm Mountain Center, Wesley Acres, Northern Pines, Kowakan, and many off-site programs and events can continue to be places where God meets with people. An experience at one of your Dakotas and Minnesota United Methodist Camps has changed the lives of generations of our Annual Conferences’ leadership. Thank you. “Camp Gives Kids a World of Good!” American Camp Association Submitted by Keith Shew, area director, Camp and Retreat Ministries 4.6.3 Conference Council on Youth Ministry The Dakotas Conference Council on Youth Ministry continues to refine and adapt to the many changes we find in our world today—especially when it comes to youth ministry program in the Dakotas Conference. While the pandemic has changed our ability for in-person interaction, other resources, like Zoom have enabled churches, youth ministries, and confirmations to continue. Your CCYM has had to do the same when it came to meetings and elections. God continues to move in our midst friends. DAKYOUTH 2019 was hosted, once again, at the Aberdeen Recreational and Cultural Center. We had another 400 participants and our hope is to offer something for the youth of the Dakotas despite the pandemic. We plan to improve our overall engagement throughout the Conference and hope that churches will continue to adapt and engage their youth and the youth in their community as they are able. Training, supporting, and equipping the paid and volunteer youth workers across our conference is a recognized and valuable part of our ministry. Youthworker Academy 2020 – Our annual training event, at the end of April, for pastors and youth workers was cancelled due to the pandemic. We hope to have Chris Hansen back in the spring of 2021. For those who don’t know, the Dakotas Conference CCYM continues to offer a resource(s) that you may find beneficial for your local church in the areas of youth ministry, children’s ministry, and young adult ministry. Please contact Pastor Jeff Lathrop for more information. Our CCYM election process has solidified this past year. Applications were made available online back in January with a deadline of May 30th. Due to the pandemic, CCYM leadership met via Zoom in June and selected participants based on their gifts and potential to serve within the Conference. We sent off our seniors and Diane Kisch (after 12 years of service) with well wishes and words of support as they take those next steps beyond CCYM. Leadership Training Camp was cancelled due to the pandemic, but that didn’t stop Peggy Hansen, the dean, and Stephanie Caro from creating an opportunity for the Dakotas youth to connect via Zoom for that week. Each day there would be a theme and a time for checking in as we reminisced about our camp experiences at LTC. We are blessed to have Stephanie Caro willing to hang out with us online. We continue to promote our events through the Mondays at Dakotas email list, Facebook, text, paper mailings and continual revisions and additions to our website: www.dakyouth.org To receive text updates text “DAKYOUTH” to 40650. Your Dakotas CCYM continues to be an important area in which young leaders discern a call to the ordained ministry. As leaders, we take this responsibility seriously, as well as the responsibility to educate and nurture leaders for the future of the church. As we continue to work more closely with the Board of Ordained Ministry, we hope to strengthen their process of encouraging and connecting with those discerning a call into ministry, both as laypersons and as clergy. Our CCYM continue to be a blessing to the Dakotas Conference as we seek to empower, adapt, equip, and encourage our young people for the transformation of the world! Submitted by Jeff Lathrop, coordinator, Conference Council on Youth Ministry 4.6.4 Lay Servant Ministry The Dakotas Lay Leaders are uniquely called to proclaim the mighty acts of God who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light! Myrna and I are honored to serve as your conference co-lay leaders alongside our gifted district co-lay leaders: Annie Carlson, Nancy Hallenbeck, Julia Jones, Val Melmer, Barb Owen, Steve Schlasner, and Richard Wahlstrom; and Lay Director Betty Janke. We thank you for your dedication to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We have several of these elected leaders whose terms are coming to an end at this year’s annual conference. We are so grateful for their time and commitment to service in our districts and conference. We will miss serving with them, but we put hope and trust in Jesus that the Holy Spirit has been stirring in the hearts of others to step up to the calling of lay leader. Since last year’s report, two Congregational Care Workshops were offered in North and South Dakota where Karen Lampe from the Church of the Resurrection guided participants in a team approach to minister to those in need of help as they move through life’s challenges. From this training, we were given tools to bring hope and assurance of Jesus into our complex world.
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Prayer to open the floodgates of heaven with God-sized possibilities was the theme of Breakthrough Prayer workshops we offered in both North and South Dakota this year where attendees from several congregations took part. We discovered ways to launch congregations into the kind of church wide breakthrough prayer initiative that fuels the atmosphere of possibility, and the entire focus begins to shift from inward to up-and-outward. We offer a special thanks to Pastor Sue Nilson Kibbey for continuing to partner with us and offering opportunities to partner with pastors outside the Dakotas. Approximately 80 participants took part in these four above mentioned equipping events. Please let us know if you would like to partake in future offerings of these trainings or if you would like to see other training opportunities offered. The Certified Lay Minister (CLM) process through Be A disciple is now fully an online certification process. We are always open to new ideas and participation to meet your evolving needs. Our goal is to equip, support and encourage laity to step into their calling. If you and your church would like to host Explore Your Call: Uncovering Spiritual Gifts Workshop, which is the first module in attaining a Lay Servant certification, you may contact Susan Punt or Deb Kjerstad at the conference office. We could not have done any of this without their exceptional talents and time. Let us spread the theme of this year’s conference to ‘Be the Light, Live Hope’ as we return to our communities. I pray that God will breakthrough by igniting a new passion within in each one of us to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we serve and love one another with Christlike love. Submitted by Myrna Hill and Jane Hincks, co-lay leaders, Dakotas Conference 4.6.5 Dakotas United Methodist Women United Methodist Women is the official women’s organization of the United Methodist Church. Membership is voluntary and open to all women committed to and engaged in mission who affirm the purpose. We collaborate with organizations worldwide that address the condition of women, children, and youth around the world. Our 2019 theme was “Celebrating 150 Years of Sisterhood." United Methodist Women of today have received a rich legacy of bold faith, radical action and great gifts from women who stood together, united for change. We told old stories, we learned new stories; we realized that our stories are God’s stories. This entire year we celebrated that history, we celebrated our sisterhood, and we pledged to continue the mission by taking God’s story out into the world for women, children, and youth. The 150th Anniversary of the founding of United Methodist Women (or predecessor organizations) was March 23, 2019. Many Local Units, Focus Areas, all four Districts, and the Conference held 150th Anniversary events during 2019. The Dakotas Conference Mission Team met three times during the year. A team planning meeting was held in Selby, SD during January 2019 to get to know each other and to plan the upcoming year. The second meeting was a conference call in early August. The final meeting was held prior to our Annual Celebration in October. Each of the four districts tried to hold Focus Day events in April. These day meetings were planned and presented by teams of Conference and District Officers. It offers an opportunity to fellowship with area women in worship, to hear about the mission studies, to learn about social action concerns, and to rediscover how our UMW organization works for women, children, and youth worldwide. The social action priority issues for the quadrennium include climate justice, maternal and child health, criminalization of communities of color, and economic inequality. The UMW Committee on Racial Justice (and friends) presented a program during the UMW Breakfast at Annual Conference in Bismarck in June 2019. Mission u was held on consecutive weekends in July: first at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell SD (southern site) and then the University of Jamestown in Jamestown ND (northern site). Mission u is an opportunity for women, men, children and youth to study current issues in society. The studies in 2019 included “Practicing Resurrection: The Gospel of Mark and Radical Discipleship," “Women United for Change-150 Years in Mission” and “What about Our Money?”. Missions for Me Children Camp encouraged both their education and participation. All four of the districts held Annual Meetings/Retreats in September. The women of the districts met for business, programs, worship and fellowship. The local organizations are recognized during this time for their Mission Today, Five Star Giving and Reading Program Participation. Beyond our conference borders, the Dakotas are represented by two very dedicated women. Bobbi Larson functions as the Committee on Nomination Chair of the North Central Jurisdiction Leadership Team. Dawn Armstrong serves on the UMW National Program Advisory Group. Her duties include the Legacy Fund Steering Committee. Both women serve as another communication line between the wider organization and the Dakotas. The Dakotas Conference UMW Annual Celebration was held in October 4-5 at First United Methodist in Pierre,SD. Thursday evening a few ladies participated in mission work by filling backpacks with food for the school children at the Food Pantry and assembling hygiene kits for the Domestic Violence Center in Pierre. Friday morning and afternoon were filled with committee meetings and counterpart training. Friday evening, Kimberly Zachrison from the SD Attorney General’s Office alerted us to signs of elder abuse in our communities. We also enjoyed “Fashions through the Decades," a historical style show. That evening ended with our Happy 150th Birthday to UMW Party complete with parlor games, a photo booth, birthday cake and ice cream. Saturday morning speaker was Bobbi Larson. She shared insights on the upcoming North Central Jurisdiction UMW Quadrennial Meeting. Fifteen Love Ribbon grants were awarded for a total of $4336. The New Opportunities Grant was awarded to Courtney Reile of Valley City, ND. Saturday’s schedule also included worship, reports, skits,
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the business meeting, and fellowship. The day ended with closing worship and communion. The 2020 Annual Dakotas Conference UMW Celebration is scheduled for October 2-3 at Jamestown St Paul’s, Jamestown, ND, with the theme “Let Your Light Shine." 2019 was a notable year for United Methodist Women, for our beloved United Methodist Church, and for our nation. But there is still much work to do. Just as in 1869, today’s women are still marginalized; today’s women, children, and youth still need education and affordable health care; and women still need to organize for mission. Join us as we “Let Our Light Shine.” Submitted by Marsha Timm, president, Dakotas Conference United Methodist Women
4.7 EQUIPPING MISSIONAL CONGREGATIONS Equipping Missional Congregations We continue to explore ways to come alongside existing congregations and/or apostolic leaders who are called to respond to a new movement of the Spirit. Here are some of the ways that has born fruit in the past year: 4.7.1New Church Development Starting new service, new sites, new solo starts up congregations are proven ways to reach new people making them disciples of Jesus Christ. The Spirit is moving, and we are following with a wide range of new initiatives to reach new people. Germinating: New starts that have not yet (re)launched public worship: Dell Rapids, SD: Josh Willprecht is preparing the soil for an Embrace network church. Fargo, ND: Mission Fargo, Rev. Jason Mehring was working on missional engagement to launch in 2020 but due to the need to relocate because of family needs, has had to terminate that project. Hartford, SD: Starting a second service to reach new people led by Rev. Seth LaBounty. Hurley, SD: Re-starting this ministry with Rev. Ron Olson. Madison, SD: Re-starting second service with Rev. Randy Hedge. Parker, SD: Re-starting this ministry with Rev. Rick Andrus. Plankinton, SD: Renew plant partnership with Sioux Falls Sunnycrest and Herman Perez. Rapid City, SD: The Road Recovery congregation of Canyon Lake UMC led by Jeff Hauser. Redfield, SD: Hispanic pre-launch evangelism led by Michael Sanchez. Sprouting: Starts that have begun public worship: Aurora, SD: Rev. Donna Kuper has launched them as an Embrace network in a new outreach effort. Bismarck, ND.: Rev. Andy Early leads Legacy South that has launched in south Bismarck. Bismarck, ND.: Rev. Chris Chase leads Celebrate Grace Recovery that has launched in Bismarck. Burke, SD: Rev. Clay Lundberg started a new service to reach new people midweek. Fargo, ND: Rev. Tamba Clark leads Calvary African that is nested at Fargo Calvary. Gettysburg, SD: Rev. Jeff Adel leads a new service to reach new people on Sundays. North Sioux City, SD: Rev. Christine Cappetta leads ARK as Embrace network reaching new people. Sioux Falls, SD: Rev. Taylor Johnson leads The Light at Sioux Falls First UMC. Sioux Falls SD: Sunnycrest Renew Hispanic church. Spirit Lake, ND: Rev. Mike Flowers and Libby Flowers lead this new start as part of their mission work. White, SD: Pastor Mary Morgan leads an Embrace network church reaching new people. Sustaining: Starts that have become self-sustaining Mitchell, S.D: Fusion UMC Salem, S.D: Salem Unite Church Sioux Falls, S.D: Embrace, Sertoma Campus 4.7.2 Revitalizing Existing Congregations Hub-City Initiatives – Bishop Ough and Ben Ingebretson, along with District Superintendents, gathered pastors from churches in our larger, “hub” cities in N.D. and S.D. respectively to encourage and equip them to think about strategic ministry that would partner with and resource churches/communities around them. Rural Ministry Initiative – Fueled by the work of Journey Renewal Partnership, sparks of revitalization in some of our rural churches and a Fall Leadership Event focusing on trends in rural America, the Missional Congregations Link has been working towards creating a Rural Ministry Strategy. This work was the basis for the vision and plan articulated in our application for a Lilly Grant for Thriving Congregations. Whether we receive funds from Lilly or not, this vision and strategy is one that we will look to implement in the coming years. SE District Equip Church Conference – Rev. Roger Spahr embraced the call to equip missional congregations by holding two large
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equipping gatherings in lieu of typical charge conferences. Breakthrough Prayer Workshops – The movement of Breakthrough Prayer continues to sweep across the Dakotas as trained laity utilizes the materials from Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey—Director of MCCI—to facilitate these trainings. Congregational Care Certification – Karen Lampe from the UM Church of the Resurrection led 75 clergy and laity in these trainings held at Storm Mountain Center and in Bismarck, ND. Submitted by Rebecca Trefz, executive director, Ministries and Ben Ingebretson, area director, New Church Development
4.8 EXTENDING MISSIONAL IMPACT Beyond our Conference Mission Ministries in the Bakken, at Tree of Life and Spirit Lake, and through Solar Oven Partners, one of our most effective strategies in Extending Missional Impact is seen through the innovative ministries supported by our Breakthrough Ministry Grants. These grants are meant to be seed money for new ministries that are: 1. Outward-focused (reach beyond the existing membership of the church); 2. Create opportunity for relationship building; and 3. Move people closer to a connection with Christ and the church. 2019-20 grants helped start ministries such as: After-school program at Sturgis UMC Children’s Ministry Safety Technology and Diaper Ministry at Watertown First Campus Ministry at Brookings First Culture of Call Youth Led worship at Canyon Lake UMC Food Pantry at low-income housing development near Knollwood Heights UMC Church-School Partnership in Plankinton UMC Community movie night with Medina UMC Financial Peace University at Stickney UMC Community Kids ministry at Aurora Impact and Mission Fargo New Wednesday worship at North Sioux City The ARK Circle of Friends Ministry at Rapid City Open Heart Community Preschool at Blunt UMC Easter and Christmas VBS at Brandon Celebration Young Adult Ministry Intern at Mitchell Fusion Technology for the Hope Center in Rapid City Technology upgrades at these local churches—Fargo Faith, Harrisburg, Virgil, SF Wesley, Bismarck Calvary, Kensal, Elk Point UMC, Piedmont Grace, Sioux Falls Asbury, Woonsocket Spirit of Faith Submitted by Rebecca Trefz, executive director, Ministries 4.8.1 Bakken Oil Rush Ministry – Out In Faith Out in Faith is in the business of finding lost sheep. Matthew 18:14 says that our Heavenly Father is unwilling that any should perish. Finding lost sheep involves finding the felt need of those who wander. By meeting felt needs like a meal, diapers, a safe place to stay. Out in Faith builds relationships that allow us to speak to the deeper needs of each person, a relationship with the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through you the lost sheep of God find their felt need met. We served over 3500 meals in 2019 and gave out thousands of dollars’ worth of diapers and formula to over 150 families. We provided food boxes and Christmas boxes containing hygiene items and hats and gloves to 180 people. We continue to offer transportation assistance and phone cards. Our GIFT (God in Faith Tonight) meal and worship averaged 66 people with our highest attendance at our holiday meals. Thank you, Dakotas Conference for all you do to make this ministry possible. Lives are changed and lost children found. Submitted by Rev. Ross Reinhiller, pastor, Williston Faith UMC 4.8.2 Bakken Oil Rush Ministry – Watford City, N.D. What an amazing first year as the director of Bakken Oil Rush Ministry. God has moved powerfully and proven repeatedly the vitality and significance of this amazing ministry and the purpose He has for Dwayne Keener as the director. Mid-2019 was a time of transition for Keener’s wife and him as he retired from the United States Air Force on June 30. On July 1, Keener took over as the director following Jim and Kathie Konsors' retirement on June 30. In 2019 we helped individuals and families over 7000 times with clothing, winter wear and household goods to include furniture. This number is how many purchases were made in the Thrift Store. And many of these folks bring at least one friend or family member with them so the number could easily double to over 14,000. The 2019 numbers have clearly increased over 2018 numbers which tells us the need for this ministry is still great and word is spreading about what we provide. Our intentional focus on publicity in 2019 may have helped. We purchased a banner to display at event tables, updated our brochures and purchased personalized pop sockets, ink pens and magnets with the ministry’s information on them. We also renovated and upgraded our
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website at www.oilrushministry.com to include the capability for folks to donate securely by credit or debit card, even from a smart phone. We also have an ad in the McKenzie County Farmer newspaper and occasional radio interviews and advertisements. Additionally, to help increase interest in volunteer opportunities, we began a Volunteer Incentive Plan. Churches, scout groups, corporations or individuals who want to complete a community service project or just want to invest their time in this ministry are welcome. Those who do not mind having their volunteer hours tracked are rewarded with Bakken Oil Rush Ministry “Bucks." Folks may use the ministry “Bucks” to shop in the Thrift Store. They are awarded the “Bucks” after every 20 hours of volunteering. Then, at 100 hours of volunteer service, each volunteer receives a $50 gift card. We continue to partner with the Salvation Army, the Family Crisis shelter, Social Services, and the prison chaplains providing needed items in a crisis or referring folks to these organizations. For example, in addition to those who purchased items in the Thrift store in 2019, we also gave away needed items to 36 people last year. Some of them were men who had just gotten out of prison and only had the clothes on their back when they were released from prison. We also gave away 97 coats at the annual fall coat giveaway. Unfortunately, our coat donations were lower in 2019 than 2018, but rest assured that everyone who requested a coat received one free of charge. Also, Keener continued community connections as a member of the Rotary Club, McKenzie County Cares committee, the Watford City Chamber of Commerce, the local Minister’s Association and by speaking at churches. We also continued most of the Konsors' legacy programs. In Keener’s first year as director, we began having the Gathering Place functions quarterly to put an intentional focus on significant events and to recognize our dedicated volunteers. On Nov. 15, we held the fourth Annual Comedy Café fundraising event. It was well attended, and we added a silent auction and an angel tree as new ways for folks to invest in the ministry. We were also thrilled that the Konsor’s were able to join us for this event. Very soon after the Comedy Café, on Nov. 21, we held the Thanksgiving Gathering Place event. Anticipating larger participation, we moved the event to the Watford City Community Center. Thankfully, we made the right decision as over 130 people attended, more than double the number that attended in 2018. We gratefully received a gift of four large turkeys from the National Wild Turkey Federation which turned out to be just enough for all who attended. We also received a generous gift of home-made desserts from the CrossPoint Church in Watford City. Keener also shared a devotional focused on “Thanks-living”. We received many comments of gratitude that evening for providing the free meal and fellowship. Some folks who attended shared how they felt isolated and were grateful for an opportunity to meet new people. Following the Thanksgiving Gathering Place event, we held the annual Christmas event and Toy Mall on Dec. 7. This year 60 children and their families attended along with about 20 volunteers. Our numbers were lower this year as Watford City had a lot of activities scheduled that evening. Regardless, the donations of gifts were so generous each child received two free, unwrapped gifts this year instead of one. Keener read the Christmas story from a children’s Bible and we had the traditional carols, goodies and releasing of balloons at the end of the evening. At this point we may recall the Konsors' report last year when they said, “Just because we deal in used clothing and furniture doesn’t mean we need to look ‘used’ as a property”. We are continuing the Konsors' passion to improve and renovate the property. Not only do we want our buildings and property to look nice, the renovations are important to help increase productivity and quality of life for our staff and volunteers. Also, renovations will help us serve the community better. Therefore, as of Feb. 2020, we began a renovation campaign raising funds and looking for volunteers to help us upgrade the Thrift Store and quonset. Currently the quonset does not have running water even though we have staff and volunteers who complete at least 200 man-hours of work weekly in the quonset. To use the restroom, they must walk out in the weather to the Thrift Store. In addition to restrooms, we also have a goal to install a large capacity washer and dryer for convenient cleaning and sorting of clothing in the designated work area. Currently, the store manager takes large loads of clothing and bedding to the local laundromat which takes additional time and money. Also, in the Thrift Store we strive to have plumbing installed for a sink with running water in the kitchen. Currently, our only running water is in the Thrift Store bathroom which is a combined laundry room and sink for washing dishes. Additionally, we plan to install flooring, put a fresh coat of paint on the interior walls and new shelving, which will help. Finally, we feel blessed, honored, and thankful for the continued investment in the ministry by the Dakotas Conference and numerous United Methodist churches through prayers, letters, donations of clothing and other items, and financial gifts. You bless us beyond measure with your faithful support. I believe God is glorified by your investment in the ministry and the people of Watford City are edified through your consistent giving. Thank you and God’s richest blessings to you. Submitted by the Reverend Doctor Dwayne W. Keener, director, Bakken Oil Rush Ministry—Watford City, N.D. 4.8.3 Disaster Response There was severe flooding throughout South Dakota in 2019. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation was hit especially hard. The Conference was able to respond quickly with an UMCOR grant for $10,000. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Emergency Management Office used the funds to help purchase equipment that was used to rescue people stranded due to muddy, washed out roads and high water. Lake County was also hit hard with a rain event. 12 inches of rain fell between September 10-12, 2019. Madison and Montrose SD UMC Churches both responded in amazing ways. Montrose UMC opened its doors as a temporary shelter for displaced families, and Madison SD put together a fund to help families recover. Madison UMC received a grant from UMCOR to help with the cost of replacing water heaters, winter clothing and other things destroyed by the flood. hey also provided much needed counseling and emotional support for the community.
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UMCOR requires volunteers to be certified when responding to disasters. Two Early Response Training (ERT) Classes were held for volunteers. Classes were led by Linda Kropenske of Sioux Falls. The trainings were held at First United Methodist in Sioux Falls and Yankton, SD. These volunteers are now UMCOR-certified for Early Response to Disasters in the Conference and around the country: Merle and Judy Brandt, Julie Moderegger, Karen Miller, David Holzwarth, Bruce Feistner, Pastor John Britt, Charles Cunningham, Robert Petersen, Marsha Stacey, and Nancy Olsen. We are grateful to Linda Kropenske for her work and dedication to Disaster Relief and the Dakotas Conference. Response Trailers have been set up with tools and supplies for teams of volunteers from the Dakotas Conference who are called to respond when disaster strikes. Contact the Dakotas Conference Office 605-996-6552 or Lisa Johnsen 605-440-3200 if you wish to be ERT UMCOR-certified. Submitted by Lisa Johnsen, coordinator, Disaster Response in the Dakotas Annual Conference 4.8.4 HOPE Center The HOPE Center began in 2010 as a vision of the First United Methodist Church in downtown Rapid City, SD. At that time, church leaders saw the need to provide services to the homeless and those living in poverty that would have a long-term impact. In 2014, the HOPE Center obtained its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with the mission of: “Putting God’s love into action by enhancing dignity and hope as we build bridges out of poverty.” As the only day center in the Rapid City area, the HOPE Center offers its guests a safe environment where they can get off the streets, while receiving supportive service. In 2019, the following services were provided to those in need: 4,000+ guests requested to use the HOPE Center as their address,;our free laundry facility was utilized 1,852 times; staff advocated for guests 2,563 times; 3,480 referrals were made to community resources; staff assisted 247 individuals in receiving their identification; and 6,100+ hygiene kits were provided to guests. Our main objective at the HOPE Center is to establish relationships with the disadvantaged in our area, provide them with a respectful environment, and be a source of encouragement to those who often experience times of instability. We build trust with our guests, offer a lot of grace, and support them as they work through the crisis of poverty and homelessness. Submitted by Melanie Timm, executive director, HOPE Center 4.8.5 Open Door Community Center The Open Door Community Center is now in its second year as a stand-alone UMC mission based in the lower level of the McCabe United Methodist Church. The pre-school moved to a new location in August 2018 to reduce overhead costs and keep the mission afloat. After nearly two years, the relocation has proven to be successful. Currently, we have the maximum of 22 children enrolled in the pre-school. The location of McCabe is in central Bismarck and adjacent to the North Dakota capital complex. While children come from different areas, the central location does make dropping off and picking up children easier. McCabe also increased security at the church this past winter, and parents have key fobs that allow entry before and after normal church hours. Prior to the move, Open Door struggled financially. After putting pencil to paper, it appeared that Open Door could “live” cheaper if it was housed at McCabe. From McCabe’s point of view, the day care has the potential to be a new ministry that could lead younger families to Christ. We think this arrangement is a “Better Together” moment both for Open Door and McCabe UMC. The Open Door Community Center was first established in 1976 to serve families with a special focus on assisting families in economic need. The Open Door is a Dakota’s Conference mission project of the United Methodist Church and is incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit. The Open Door is governed by a volunteer board of directors representing all four UMC churches in Mandan and Bismarck. The mutual goal of Open Door and McCabe UMC is to provide preschoolers with a high quality, Christ-centered program at an affordable price. The Open Door Board of Directors remains separate from McCabe and we hope that all our many supporters throughout the conference continue to give to this mission. The tuition that we charge families covers only the salaries of the teachers, aides, cook and janitor. It is through donations that we can provide hot meals, snacks, educational materials and replace used and broken equipment and furniture. Submitted by Steve Van Dyke, chair, Open Door Community Center 4.8.6 Solar Oven Partners With the help of donors, volunteers and ministry partners, Solar Oven Partners manufactures, ships, and distributes solar ovens to the three locations where we have ministry partners: the Dominican Republic, the Navajo Nation in Arizona and Sierra Leone. In those nations we conduct solar cooking seminars which culminate in the distribution of the ovens. By sharing solar cooking in communities that live with the post-colonial burdens of poverty, disease, and environmental degradation, we share a means of reclaiming a part of sovereignty in the simple yet elemental daily necessity of cooking family meals. Not beholden to gas companies, nor dependent on cutting trees, people with a solar oven can cook using free sunlight. Cooks and their children no longer have to inhale smoke with every meal prepared, thus reducing lung and eye disease. The decision to pasteurize milk and water no longer has to be weighed against the cost of cooking fuel to do so. By reducing the need for trees cut in pursuit of cooking fuel, solar cooking reduces deforestation and its devastating consequences, which include soil depletion, flooding, mudslides, and desertification.
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At the same time, Volunteers In Mission become witnesses, not only to the burdens faced by people in the communities where we distribute ovens, but also to the strength, ingenuity, courage and compassion with which they live their lives. They return a witness and become an advocate to what God is doing in another part of the Body of Christ. Since we last met in annual conference session, the reflector manufacturing workshop in Zeeland, ND, has been vacated in preparation for a move to Open Heart UMC in Rapid City. We thank God for the faithful and skillful service of Dave and Renae Silbernagel over the years. Dave invented a lot of the machines used to manufacture the reflectors and has developed the procedures followed by volunteers. He and Renae have given generously of their time and talents, making reflectors themselves and teaching teams of volunteers the process. They originally hosted the workshop in their outbuilding in Moffit, ND. When they moved to Zeeland, ND, they moved the workshop to a back room of their business. That business is growing, and the space is needed. So, with immeasurable gratitude for all the Silbernagels have given, we move to a new phase. Volunteers on the western side of our Annual Conference will now have what they have long been asking for: an opportunity to volunteer at a Solar Oven Partners workshop on their end of the conference. We believe that the larger population of Rapid City and the surrounding area will be a volunteer-rich environment. Now it is up to you to prove this to be the case. The board has decided that it is time to hire a director of the ministry in Sierra Leone, like we have in the Dominican Republic. At the time of this writing, the trip to hire and orient the new director is postponed due to COVID-19. As soon as travel is safe, we will re-schedule. An in-country director will have responsibility to make arrangements for teams, including preparing the host-sites and making sure the local church host does the necessary publicity ahead of time as well as the logistics for transporting the ovens and team members, meals and lodging. A month or two after a distribution, the director also conducts follow-up visits to make sure oven recipients are successfully using their ovens. Having a dedicated person in Sierra Leone will enable increased distributions while also ensuring greater oven use rates. Changes in leadership at the Navajo Nation have caused a pause in distribution there while we establish connections with new leaders and share the ministry concept with them. Dave and Renae Silbernagel travel to Arizona and have volunteered to meet with our partners and the new leaders there. Having distributed over 1,680 ovens in the Dominican Republic, we have contracted a Dominican sociologist to conduct a scientifically valid survey of oven recipients. This will provide us with information regarding rates of usage and how ovens are being used (e.g. frequent meal preparation, softening beans, pasteurizing water, small retail endeavors, etc.), rates of use in different geographical locations, effect of seminar attendance on relationship to church and more. In addition, the sociologist will also give us a narrative report with recommendations for the future of this ministry. Finally, we are striving to reduce the amount of plastic garbage we leave behind in the countries where we distribute ovens. We thank our sewing volunteers for the cloth pouches that have replaced the plastic bags in which the measuring cups and spoons used to be packaged. Because we can now include four small accessories in the cloth pouches instead of only the measuring cups, these pouches have not only reduced our plastic waste, and given the oven recipients a nice little pouch to keep, but they also make distributions simpler. Jesus was constantly telling people who thought they had no power to get up, and they got up. He shared with his followers’ bread and wine as a sign of our sharing in his death and resurrection. How beautiful that the cooking of ordinary meals through this ministry becomes a way for burdened people to get up. Submitted by Marj Evans-de-Carpio, director, Solar Oven Partners 4.8.7 Southeast Pierre Mission UMC and Community Center The Southeast Pierre Mission United Methodist Church has worship on Sunday led by the Leadership Team. Each member of the team has a turn in participating in worship. Communion elements are blessed by Pastor Greg Kroger from Pierre First United Methodist Church. Communion is normally held the first Sunday of the month. We have an average attendance of 14-16 each Sunday. A big part of our ministry is enjoying fellowship over coffee and a treat after church. We have 8 adults who attend a regular Bible Study on Wednesday afternoons. In 2019, the Community Banquet, the largest mission of the Community Center was served on Thursday evenings from 5-6:30pm. The meals were planned, prepared and served by churches, businesses and service groups from Pierre and the surrounding area. We served from 200-225 meals each week. If extra food was available, a meal to take home was offered to any guest who wanted. We also have partnered with the Pierre School System to pick up food, they have left over and cannot reuse, and package to give to anyone to use. We also work with Feeding South Dakota as a senior box distribution center. The boxes are available monthly for seniors over 60 with limited income. Three afternoons a week we have had an afterschool program where the children of the neighborhood can come after school for help with homework, reading, snacks, games, and other activities with adults, many of the adults being retired teachers. The children love one on one attention with an adult. The Community Center is a safe place for anyone to come and be welcomed. Submitted by Barb Lindbloom, treasurer, Southeast Pierre UMC 4.8.8 Spirit Lake Ministry The Spirit Lake Ministry Center food pantry operates year-round for emergency needs. The food pantry meets the needs of more than 250 people per month in and around the Spirit Lake Nation. The food pantry depends on the funds from the Spirit Lake Ministry Center, donations from churches and individuals, and food drive items. Recipients of the food pantry receive more than just physical sustenance. They are given the opportunity for prayer and fellowship. This helps grow the faith community of The United Methodist Church on the reservation. We depend on The Tribal Council, Tribal Social Services, the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Dakota Prairie Community Action Organization, and local churches for referrals of persons in need.
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The Spirit Lake Ministry provided Shoebox Christmas gifts for 5,459 children in poverty and need in 2019. The Shoebox gifts were distributed to eight reservations in the Dakotas Conference and the Red Lake Reservation in MN. The gifts provide the children with the story of Jesus’ birth, warm hats, scarves, mittens/gloves, and fun toys. The gifts share the love of Jesus Christ and plant seeds of faith with the children who receive them. Shoebox Christmas gifts are donated by churches from around the country and within the Dakotas Conference. The Community Children’s Fund provided emergency clothing and temporary housing for 55 children affected by life-changing events. The Community Children’s Fund is used to purchase winter coats, hats, gloves, blankets, clothing, toys, and other items lost in fires or any other major event that occurs in the child’s life. We take items from the food pantry when available, but on most occasions must purchase these types of items. The program depends on funds from the Spirit Lake Ministry Center, churches, and individuals to help defray the cost of these items. This year we hosted a faith-based summer long day camp. The day camp begins with a hot meal for the children and continues with Vacation Bible School with stories, songs, crafts and skits and supervised play. We can begin and reinforce basic spiritual learning to children on the reservation. Day camp averaged 45 children each day and many of those children now attend Sunday School during our worship services. This year the Ministry hosted 480 Volunteers in Mission from across the country. Volunteers built wheelchair ramps and decks, roofed houses, painted houses, painted or stained wheelchair ramps, rehabbed the POW WOW grounds, and provided spiritual fellowship to untold numbers of local residents. The focus of our teams is to build relationships that are meant to last a lifetime. We are building a faith community that allows the local residents to regain trust in the church and to bridge the gap of cultural differences. We focus, not on the differences, but on the similarities of our cultures, those being our faith and trust in God. The ministry provides a place for children and adults alike to come and feel comfortable. We sponsored and hosted the annual Culture Camp, health fairs, and the Wellness Ride. These three programs brought more than 350 children and adults to the ministry over the year. We hosted a back-to-school bash for the children on the reservation and a backpack give away sponsored by the Arthur United Methodist Church which provided over 400 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in need in our community. We continued our children’s and youth night out with an average of 35 children and youth attending events including movie nights, pizza parties, game nights, and spiritual conversations. Family night continues to be a success with an average of 40 persons attending this monthly activity. This year we hired a youth leader to help guide the pre-teens and youth on their journey to know Jesus better. With his guidance and energy, we have seen growth in both programs. Worship services at Spirit Lake Ministry began in Arthur Hall on Easter Sunday 2016, with worship and a meal. This year we named our congregation “Wanagi Canku” or “The Journey." We begin worship at 5pm. The worship services, without a meal, began with an average attendance of eight and in just three years, our congregation has grown to 52 worshippers with an average of 40 on a regular Sunday and over 50 during our monthly meal. Worship this year has seen two professions of faith, two adult baptisms, three children baptisms and four weddings. Our congregation has a heart for mission in its local community and around our state. For Thanksgiving, we baked cookies and delivered them, along with handmade blankets, to the elderly centers on the reservation and in the city of Devils Lake. Christmas found us again at the elderly centers for Christmas caroling and another round of blankets for the residents. The Jesus and Me (JAM) children’s program meets at the back of Arthur Hall during worship with an average of 25 children in attendance. The JAM session begins with a children’s teaching moment and crafts that follow the outline of the weekly worship message. Our Bible studies host an average of 15 adults and 5 youth. The pre-teens meet at the same time and average 7 in attendance each week. God is truly moving on the Spirit Lake Nation and within the Spirit Lake Ministry. This worshipping congregation is a catalyst for sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the peoples of the reservation. Submitted by Mike and Libby Flowers, co-directors, Spirit Lake Ministry Center 4.8.9 Tree of Life Ministry We are the working hands and feet of God to the Lakota Nation residing on the Rosebud Reservation serving body, mind, and soul. The board and staff at Tree of Life have been dreaming and planning big. We are trusting and believing for the expansion of the thrift store and a new building for the soup kitchen, creating a one stop service center for our community. We ask for your prayers. The Soup Kitchen continues to grow in partnership with Native American Heritage Association (NAHA). We were able to distribute turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as hams for Easter dinner. Through our partnership with Feeding South Dakota we distributed elder boxes and provide food through our food pantry. We strive to produce one day 25% of our own produce used in the kitchen. With local revenue from thrift store and dollar store and financial donations we can buy and pay for everything else it takes to run a great kitchen. Thrift Store: For 2019 we received 188,527 lbs. of donations for our thrift store. We get donations from men and women of God from all over the Dakotas and beyond and with the help of nonprofit organizations we have provided household goods, furniture, and appliances, gently used and new clothing for babies, children, teens, men and women. This gives a family, a mom or dad an opportunity to buy at a very low cost and have the pride of knowing they have provided for themselves (a hand up, not a handout). We serve an impoverished community with high unemployment and few resources to meet their very real needs. With that in mind we are expanding one more time to provide three times the inventory needed to get supports out. We continue to go out, into one of the 20 communities, with our box truck.
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Construction Projects: Working on homes that need repair, related to health and wellness issues has been a blessing to us. You truly cannot out-give God. Volunteers in Mission: We had six South Dakota groups and 27 out-of-state groups serve the Lord us this year. Together we are making a difference toward the Kingdom of God, project by project. Our VIM dorms are updated, comfortable, and safet. We provide a cross-cultural experience second to none and continue to add new and exciting activities and adventures for VIMs. We would like to see more men and women of God visit us so they can experience the magnificence culture of the Sicangu Lakota Nation and to be a part of and witness the redeeming power of God to a nation. Every prayer and donation are vital to this ministry; thank you for your prayers and support. Submitted by Linda Garriott, executive director, Tree of Life Ministry
4.9 GENERATING MISSIONAL RESOURCES LINK 4.9.1 Builders Club Builders Club is about doing ministry together to support the building projects of four churches each year through the donations of hundreds of individuals, organizations, and churches across the Dakotas. The goal is to help churches grow their current or new ministries to reach people in their communities by providing financial support for their building, remodel, or expansion projects. In 2019, almost 500 individuals, organizations, and churches have partnered together and provided over $43,000 to help fund churches in their building projects. The following churches have benefited from the generosity of our members: The leaders of Trinity UMC in Lead, SD realize the future of the church lies in the next generations. To invest in their youth, the church was able to remodel and move offices to the Christian Ministry Center building next door to the church and redevelop the current office space to provide a designated space for youth ministry. Beresford Zion UMC is on a journey to improve their presence and witness in Beresford, SD. With this grant, they were able to purchase and install a new electronic sign that has helped to expand their presence beyond their doors and share the love of Jesus throughout the community. Attendance has doubled and activities are thriving at Northwestern UMC in the small town of Mellette, SD. To keep up with the growing number of members and all the exciting things happening at the church, church leaders completed many updates, including repainting, adding new shingles, replacing the air conditioner, installing new carpet throughout the church, and repairing the foundation. Holmes UMC is a rural church near Reynolds, ND that is dedicated to transforming lives and creating new disciples. Through a Builders Club grant, the church was able to make some needed updates to the parsonage, which allows their pastor to fully immerse his time, energy, and resources into building up this rural ministry. If you would like to join Builders Club or would like to apply for a Builders Club grant, please visit the Builders Club page on our website: www.dakotasumf.org or contact our office at 605-990-7797. Submitted by Sheri Meister, president/CEO, Dakotas United Methodist Foundation 4.9.2 Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CCFA) The mission of The United Methodist Church and the Dakotas Annual Conference is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. As a Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CCFA), we take seriously our responsibility in making the mission happen through our apportionment dollars and other assets. Over the past 7 years we have continued to create a budget that has continued to live into our Journey Toward Vitality. We have focused on Developing Missional Leaders, Equipping Missional Congregations, Extending Missional Impact (which includes our financial commitment to the General Church), and Generating Missional Resources. The role of the Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CCFA) is the oversight of the finances of the Dakotas Annual Conference. This includes recommending an annual budget to the Dakotas Annual Conference Session and setting policies and procedures for the stewardship and the use of the funds raised through apportionments and other assets. We continue to examine our apportionment formula of using 16% of offerings received by each local church. As always, we must stress that this formula works well if each congregation remits their amount each month instead of waiting until the end of the year. Upon review of our tithing model, it is difficult for us to drop the percentage amount because we still see a shortfall of full congregational participation in the apportionments that help us in our Journey Towards Vitality. We invite Annual Conference members to help us in achieving our missional goals by encouraging your pastor and finance committee to create a plan to meet your apportionment tithe each month and remit in full each year. Over the past 6 years we have averaged a shortfall of receiving apportionment dollars of approximately $400,000 per year. Not receiving this amount makes it more difficult to continue to advance our mission for God’s kingdom here in the Dakotas.
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As we all know the year 2020 has been an unprecedented year. In light of the pandemic of COVID-19, the call to erase racial injustice, and our on-going conversations around human sexuality anxiety has brought into our world and system. In the face of this anxiety we call each of us to know of the power of God in Jesus Christ. We pray that God’s spirit will reduce our anxious hearts and help us overcome our fear. In light of all this, we as the CCFA have adjusted the 2020 budget to help our churches and pastoral leaders. We have adjusted our original 2020 budget amount of $4,295,234 and have lowered it to $3,374,526. We were able to reach this new budgeted amount through lower expenses and targeted cuts to the budget. We want to thank each church who in this time continues make the effort to continue our work and mission through our Annual Conference. As we look to 2021, we want to recommend to the Annual Conference a 2021 budget amount of $3,546,552. Jeff Pospisil, our Conference Treasurer will explain our proposal and the rationale behind it. Please read the materials presented for our Annual Conference Session. We will continue to monitor our financial picture as we journey through this season. The Audit report is available in the Dakotas Annual Conference Finance Office. Lastly, we want to thank the staff: Jeff Pospisil, Treasurer, JoAnn Schlimgen, Assistant Treasurer, and Dana Bassett, Accounting Clerk. We are grateful for their hard work and wonderful ministry in helping all of us reach our mission! THANK YOU! This is my last Annual Conference as Chair of the CCFA. It has been a pleasure serving in this capacity and I am excited for my friend and colleague Jeff Adel who will be leading us into the next years. Submitted by Bob Ruedebusch, chair, Dakotas Annual Conference Council on Finance and Administration 4.9.3 Dakotas United Methodist Foundation Mission Statement: *developing relationships * cultivating resources * embracing ministries This past year was one full of new opportunities, partnerships, and continued ministry. In July of 2019, we entered a management agreement with the Minnesota United Methodist Foundation and Sheri Meister became the Executive Director of both Foundations. This joint collaboration has opened many new opportunities for both the Dakotas and Minnesota Foundations. We hit a new milestone of $30 million invested with the Foundation. This has allowed us to distribute a record breaking high of funds for ministries throughout the Dakotas United Methodist Conference. Seminary Scholarships – The Foundation knows that the future of our church lies in our upcoming leaders. By financially partnering with our seminary students, we can ensure that our future church leaders have the opportunity to answer their call. Eleven students were awarded a total of $90,200 in 2019: Bryce Blank, Natalie Buck, Thanael Certa-Werner, Christine Cappetta, Don Dinger, Veronica Fleming, Jason Martens, Matt Morrison, Teresa Person, Derek Runge, and Teresa Whetsel. Breakthrough Ministry Grants offer churches an opportunity to fund their new or expanding ministries as they find creative ways to reach out into their communities with Christ’s love. In 2019, over $40,000 was awarded to 26 different churches who launched 28 new ministries in the Dakotas. Projects supported through Breakthrough Ministry grants include outreach ministries, church/school partnerships, young adult/campus ministries, culture of call, technology, and hunger programs. The application can be found online at www.dakotasumf.org. Application deadlines are January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31. Endowments, investment accounts, charitable gift annuities, legacy giving, or direct giving, are a few of the many ways for individuals and churches to partner with the Foundation. The Foundation also has many tools and resources available for churches as they navigate stewardship and generosity within their own congregations. 2019 by the numbers: 6 new endowments totaling $574,376 4 new investment accounts totaling $860,294 Total Distributions $981,621 Thrive $296,200 Group Endowments $31,700 Named Endowments $351,458 Builders Club $41,500 Giving Back Appeal $8,273 Passthroughs $79,884 (Camp, Spirit Lake, Tree of Life, Solar Oven Partners, Local Church, DWU; (includes stock gifts) Individuals (includes Charitable Gift Annuities and Trusts) $172,364 As we move forward into 2020, we are excited about the many partnership opportunities that come with doing ministry together across the Dakotas Conference. Submitted by Jeff Nelson, chair, Board of Directors, and Sheri Meister, president/CEO, Dakotas United Methodist Foundation
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4.9.4 Human Resources Committee The Human Resource (HR) Committee continued to work with Jeff Pospisil, Rebecca Trefz and Bishop Ough to assure our staff was aligned properly within our mission. The HR committee held conversations with Bishop Ough and Rebecca on personnel changes that began on July 1, 2020. These changes have been announced to the conference, and our prayer is for God’s blessings as we enter a new season of ministry together. Bishop Ough shared his evaluation of staff, and we are grateful for a strong and faith-filled staff who continues to lead us in these uncertain times. With the retirement of several District Superintendents and Bishop Ough, our focus has been on helping put together a strong new leadership team. Submitted by Barry Whipkey, chair, Human Resources Committee 4.9.5 Board of Pensions The Dakotas Conference Board of Pensions (Board or BOP) administers the pension, health care and other benefit programs available to clergy and lay employees of United Methodist institutions (local churches, annual conference, and other UM related entities). The purpose of the Board is to wisely provide pension and health care benefits for its clergy, lay employees and their families so that they can more freely equip the local church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. (See Para. 639.1 in the 2012 Book of Discipline). A summary of our work over the last year includes continuation of Wespath HealthFlex Exchange which began on January 1, 2019, continuation of Medicare Part B premium grants for surviving spouses as those rates continue to increase each year, continuation of no apportionment dollars. Clergy Medical Leave: Clergy members Glen Sayler, Howard Baird and Robert Duemig are approved to continue medical leave and to receive CPP Disability Benefits for the conference year of July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021. The Pre-82 (Past Service) Annuity Rate: The Board recommends that the 2021 Past Service Annuity Rate (effective 1/1/2021) be set at $752 for each year of pre-82 service in the Dakotas Conference. This is a 2.31% increase over 2020. Updates on the Healthflex Program: HealthFlex is offered to Annual Conferences through Wespath. This plan is specifically designed for active and younger than age 65 retired United Methodist clergy and lay employees. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the health insurance carrier which administers the plan and processes claims. The HealthFlex insurance plan has strict guidelines regarding payment of premiums. Beginning in 2019, we moved to Wespath HealthFlex Exchange giving active participants more coverage options. There are six plans to choose from along with dental and expanded vision coverage. The default plan for 2021 will be the C3000. The participant’s share calculations will no longer be based on participant’s total compensation. There will be a Premium Credit set for each type of coverage. For the Conference to have some perspective on the actual health insurance bill for our participants, the following numbers are the actual cost for each category of participant enrolled in HealthFlex Exchange for 2021: Actives Single 2 Party Family H3000 Plan $7,500 $14,256 $19,500 H2000 Plan $8,604 $16,356 $22,380 H1500 Plan $9,504 $18,060 $24,708 C3000 Plan $8,496 $16,140 $22,092 C2000 Plan $9,756 $18,540 $25,368 B1000 Plan $10,164 $19,308 $26,424 *Default plan –C3000 Plan The conference will provide a Premium Credit of the following: Single Coverage $7,320 2-Party Coverage $13,908 Family Coverage $19,032 Eligibility to participate is specified in the HealthFlex Plan Documents and Conference Policy. Premiums will be paid in accordance with Conference policies regarding such payments (see Policy section of the 2020 Journal). For 2021, the annual Direct Bill to churches will be 75% of the total active 2020 C2000 HealthFlex premium. Updates on VIA Benefits for Retirees: The average HRA to a participant for 2020 was $3,180. 61% of all our retiree HRA accounts had funds roll over from 2019. Of those accounts 74% rolled over a minimum of $1,000.
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Update on the Retireee Health Liability Funding Plan and New Information on a Retiree Health Funding Plan / Health Reimbursement Accounts: To fund the Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) contributions, the Board uses funds accumulated in the Retiree Health Fund invested with Wespath as well as the Frank Lynch Trust and Georgia Lynch Trust invested in Union Bank. In 2019, all the stipulations within the Lynch Trusts were fulfilled to allow the funds to be transferred to the Retiree Health Fund. As of December 31, 2019, the Frank Lynch Trust was transferred to the Retiree Health Fund to bring that balance to $14,177,895. The Georgia Lynch Trust still needs to be transferred with a balance of $2,098,611. It is the policy of the Board to manage these funds like an endowment so that 4.5% of the average balance is made available for HRA’s. By managing the Retiree Health Fund in this manner, the Board intends to grow the balance of this fund as well as the amount contributed to HRA’s. Regarding Corpus Amounts Endowment and Trust Fund: The corpus was established at $1,000,000 for the merged Dakotas Conference as of 1/1/1994. Additions since merger total $84,646.59. The Corpus of the Endowment is $1,084,646.59, as of 12/31/19. The Corpus is not viewed as a “target balance.” It is the “foundation” of all Dakotas Pension and Health Plans and cannot be expended for any reason. The Board has adopted a strategy of “reserve savings” with accompanying policies endorsed by the Conference Council on Finance and Administration which will enable the Dakotas Conference to “weather” large increases in health insurance premiums, secure the Ministerial Pension Plan and the Pre-82 Plan, and provide funding for CRSP liabilities. Reports of the amount of this “reserve savings” and its use will be reported to the Annual Conference upon request. Administration of all plans and work of the Board: The Board recommends that the following be authorized to sign necessary documents relative to the Dakotas Board of Pensions for 2020-2021: Board Chair, Conference Benefits Officer and Treasurer of the Board. Pension Payments and Rental/Housing Allowance: This document has been updated for 2021 and can be found in the “Annual Conference Minutes” section of this Journal. Dakotas Annual Conference 2020 Comprehensive Benefit Funding Plan Opinion and Summary may be found on the Dakotas Conference website. Submitted by Leana Stunes, Conference Benefits Officer 4.9.6 Conference Board of Trustees This report is being brought to the Conference, keeping in mind the three-fold ministry of the Conference Trustees to care for the property of the Conference (making it available for the agencies of the Conference), maintaining the parsonages owned by the Conference (keeping in mind the needs of the families that live in the homes), and investing funds so that the proceeds can be used to fund several committee ministries. Below is a report of the properties of the Dakotas Conference: Property
Date Acquired
Cost
Storm Mountain Center (1)
Insured Value 4,501,000
Lake Poinsett Camp (1)
1946
5,736,000
Wesley Acres Camp (1)
2,672,000
Northwest Parsonage (2)
2/27/2009
289,032
328,000
Conference Center (3)
2/23/1970
127,639
843,000
Spirit Lake Nation 4/14/2006 311,409 1,255,000 *Includes only the amount provided by Trustee Funds or Apportionments for maintenance.
Responsible For Upkeep Camping Council Board of Trustees SL Ministry
2019 Maint* 115,000 412 5,803 0
1. $28,750 was transferred to each camp. The Camp & Retreat Ministry Council holds $28,750 in reserve for large and unexpected maintenance that requires immediate attention.
2. The NW parsonage was sold for net proceeds of $348,040.89. $4,600 was spent to prepare the house for sale. The proceeds will be invested with the Foundation so that the earnings can help offset the cost of the Cash Housing Allowances provided to District Superintendents and Executive Directors.
3. Mostly just regular maintenance. The large ticket item was $1,436 to fix a damper issue with our HVAC system. In addition to our work in caring for Conference property, we also worked on advising and inspecting the construction of a shed at Lake Poinsett Camp (which was completed this spring), managing rental farmland lease agreements, and reviewing and updating the Cash Housing Allowance amount (to increase from 25% of Base Salary to 30% in 2021). Submitted by Jeff Pospisil, Board of Trustees
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Section 5: Agency and University Reports 5.1 Africa University
In 2019, Africa University’s story was one of resourcefulness, investment and ministry growth. The university community continues to celebrate God’s amazing grace with thanksgiving. Africa University extends its thanks and appreciation to Bishop Bruce Ough, the Cabinet and the committed lay and clergy leaders who inspire vitality within the local congregations of the Dakotas Conference. The congregations of the Dakotas Conference continue to lead in giving to address ministry needs in Africa, through Africa University. The gracious support of the Dakotas Conference resulted in a 100% investment in the Africa University Fund (AUF) apportionment in 2019. Thank you, Dakotas Conference, for your prayers and gifts which affirm our United Methodist connection and global mission. The generosity of Dakotas United Methodists helps Africa University to prepare leaders who think for themselves, are contextually relevant and have a passion to serve. Since opening in 1992, Africa University has trained more than 9,000 graduates who lead and serve across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. These young people are equipped to be ethical, responsible and responsive in bringing hope, wholeness and stability to their communities. Institutional Update: Africa University has an annual student enrollment of more than 2,800. There are 25-30 African nations represented in the student body each year. The university’s three colleges operate as centers for teaching, research, innovation, community engagement and enterprise development. By embracing new technology, Africa University leads as the only university in Zimbabwe accredited to offer online degree programs. Students, faculty and alumni contribute effective solutions to Africa’s current challenges. Their interventions include graduate programs in migrant and refugee protection—articulated by refugee students— as well as doctoral level training for military chaplains in Africa. Africa University is increasing its use of solar energy with the support of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. A residence hall for women and a new wing of the student union building. The buildings—constructed with a gift to the university from the Dallas, Texas-based Highland Park United Methodist Church—will be the first solar-powered facilities on the campus. Africa University affirms its commitment to The United Methodist Church, its Cross and Flame, and the denomination’s global mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, in every season and despite a shifting social landscape. Through its faithfulness, the Dakotas Conference invites new partners to join in the mission and change the world. Thank you for your ongoing engagement and generosity. Submitted by James H. Salley, associate vice chancellor, Institutional Advancement, Africa University Development Office jsalley@gbhem.org, 615.340.7438 5.2 Candler School of Theology–2020 UMC Annual Conference Report Since our founding in 1914, Candler School of Theology at Emory University has educated more than 10,000 students, shaping thoughtful, principled, and courageous leaders who are dedicated to transforming the world in the name of Jesus Christ. This is especially important to note amid the current shifts in our denomination. It is an honor and a privilege for Candler to be one of 13 official seminaries of The United Methodist Church. Yet true to the Methodist tradition of ecumenical openness, Candler has enthusiastically welcomed the entire Wesleyan family to our community for generations. Faculty, staff, and students from the AME Church, the AMEZ Church, the CME Church, Free Methodists, Nazarenes, and others have worked, worshiped, learned, and prayed alongside United Methodists and have been a vital part of shaping Candler and our mission. This diversity has been a wonderful gift and a rich blessing. As we move forward, we will continue to invite and welcome those from all expressions of the Wesleyan tradition. Indeed, we will continue to welcome all those who follow Jesus Christ. This year Candler has continued to strengthen our deep commitment to alleviating student debt and promoting financial literacy. In 20182019, we awarded $6.3 million in financial aid, with 100% of master of divinity (MDiv) students receiving support and financial coaching. In fall 2019, we announced a major expansion of our financial aid program to include full-tuition scholarships for all MDiv students who are certified candidates for ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church and new merit scholarships covering 75% of tuition for qualifying MDiv students who identify as pan-Wesleyan, and those pursuing chaplaincy through Candler’s new chaplaincy concentration. In addition, all incoming students in the master of divinity, master of theological studies, and master of religious leadership programs will receive awards covering at least 50% of tuition. This year also saw the launch of two pilot “formation communities,” off-campus student housing that focuses on intentional living and spiritual formation. Students from multiple degree programs applied to take part in these pilot groups. At the start of the year, the housemates created a “rule of life” to guide their days together, emphasizing prayer, fellowship, and celebration. A house chaplain—a Candler faculty
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member or church leader—supports them and shares in the journey. The ten students who took part this year describe feeling a richer sense of community and deeper connections to God and one another in the midst of their busy lives. It is clear that this fulfills a need for our seminarians, and we eagerly anticipate the program’s growth in the coming years. Candler’s student body continues to reflect the diversity and breadth of the Christian faithful, with an enrollment of 470 from 12 countries and 38 states, with 40 percent people of color (U.S.) and a median age of 27 among MDivs. Students represent 42 denominations, with 45% of all students and 50% of MDivs coming from the Methodist family. We offer six single degrees and ten dual degrees pairing theology with bioethics, business, international development, law, public health, and social work. Our Doctor of Ministry degree is 90 percent online, so students can remain in their places of ministry while completing their degrees. Candler draws strength and inspiration from its relationship with The United Methodist Church. Our ability to fulfill our mission of educating faithful and creative leaders for the church’s ministries throughout the world depends upon your prayers, partnership, and support. Thank you for the countless ways you advance this vital ministry in the life of our denomination. We invite you to visit us in person or online at candler.emory.edu. Jan Love, Candler School of Theology Dakota Wesleyan University Intentional faith exploration is at the heart of a Dakota Wesleyan University education. Proudly rooted in our Methodist heritage, we commit to fostering a safe environment where students and staff alike can ask the tough questions and to a community that upholds strong, moral ethics and John Wesley’s Christ-centered model of uniting knowledge, reason and vibrant faith in all that we do. We empower and encourage our students to become the hands and feet of the church through genuine service and striving to become difference-makers. Although our academic year has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still optimistic about the future and success of our students. This year, DWU will graduate a multitude of accomplished and career-ready young adults who will start careers in education, business, communications, criminal justice, healthcare, ministry and nonprofit administration. Several will go on to graduate school, law school or medical school. In addition to Dakotas Annual Conference funding of $85,000, Dakota Wesleyan’s financial commitment to United Methodist higher education is significant. $198,500 in scholarships were exclusively dedicated to supporting United Methodist student leaders. $95,000 supports a full-time United Methodist faculty member in religion. This individual introduces all students to John Wesley through the general education program. $148,500 supports campus ministry. This commitment includes one full-time and one part-time campus pastor, as well as programming. Programming includes bringing national speakers to campus, supporting internship opportunities for students in ministry, and providing supplies for our justice ministries, Bible studies, small groups and mission trips. $20,000 was in-kind support for the Fusion United Methodist Church. $4,000 funded one intern for the Elisha Project. The interns served as a key leadera in student ministry and had some involvement in Fusion UMC and Mitchell FUMC to learn about vocational ministry. Campus Ministry at DWU continues to prosper. Approximately 175 students are regularly involved with ministries, such as chapel, life groups, service projects and Freshmen Ministry. This year, 30 students received Christian Leadership Awards (CLA) to help make college more affordable. These students commit to being involved in chapel, small groups and at least one service project per year. Many of them also take part in Freshmen Ministry, which develops mentoring relationships between upperclassmen and incoming students that help in their transition to college. 35 students committed to Student Ministry Council leadership in 2019-2020. This group meets Sunday nights to pray, worship and plan the weekly ministries. Many of these leaders have strong influences in other clubs and organizations, including residence life, choir, athletics, band, McGovern Engagement Group and several others. This academic year DWU campus ministry welcomed one intern through the Dakotas United Methodist Church’s Elisha Project. Zach Gors (senior, Tea, SD) met weekly with DWU Campus Pastor Eric Van Meter to discuss various aspects of ministry and leadership. Designed as part book study and part practicum, the internship grants the present-and-future church leaders the opportunity to think about ministry in an intentional way and then apply what they learned to their context as SMC leaders. Campus ministry continues to emphasize the importance of Christian leadership not only with ministry-related activities, but all facets of life. We are focused on developing natural talents, supporting achievement and preparing students for success.
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After the Mitchell community and surrounding areas saw the devastating effects of the September flooding, the DWU student body, including several student ministry students, assisted in flood relief, sandbagging and tearing up carpet in flooded homes. “As John Wesley states, ‘Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.’ It has been my greatest hope in expressing the love of Christ to people on our campus, in the Mitchell community, as a camp counselor in the Black Hills, or even while doing mission work in Uganda,” said Zach Gors, Elisha intern. “My experience as an Elisha intern has allowed me to be shaped and used by Christ for the betterment of His kingdom. As disciples we are called to expand God’s work well beyond the walls of the church and each of these experiences has allowed me to do so.” DWU is now in its second year of offering a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Church Leadership. The flexible, one-year program provides ministry professionals an opportunity to enhance their skills and experiences through project-based coursework. The program is a 21-graduate credit-hour program, that can be applied toward an M.B.A upon completion. Pastors are also paired with a professional coach who assists with applied-project implementation for the duration of the program. Participants are seeing immediate impacts and, in some cases, significant increases in giving and attendance in addition to substantial improvements in human resource management, communications and governance. DWU continues to create a place where students can grow and apply their own innate strengths. Instead of just talking about our values of learning, leadership, faith, and service, we purposefully and authentically live them out in the classroom, the field, the community, and in our everyday lives. By equipping our students with the skills, knowledge and practices they need to enter fulfilling careers, live meaningful lives and become the hands and feet in serving others, we are building on the foundation upon which our founders envisioned a place where lives can be changed for young adults. Submitted by Jan Larson, director of marketing and communication, Dakota Wesleyan University 5.4 Duke Divinity School The Duke Endowment awarded Duke Divinity School a $12 million grant in support of DDS’s three core priorities and traditions: thriving communities enlivened by healthy congregations and gifted pastors, embodied wisdom through rigorous intellectual vitality, and creative institutions that inspire imaginative and transformative leadership including the Thriving Communities Fellowship program, which will provide 52 new full-tuition scholarships over the next four years. Duke Divinity School launched the Duke Divinity: Black Pastoral Leadership Collaboration which will draw on original research in Black church traditions and historical examples of effective Black church leadership to train and build networks of effective leaders for the Black church of today and the future. The collaboration will be led by the Rev. David Emmanuel Goatley, research professor of theology and Black church studies and director of the Office of Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School. In 2019, Duke Divinity School welcomed 215 new students from 33 different states and seven other countries, including Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Zimbabwe. The Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) and Master of Arts in Christian Practice (M.A.C.P.) degree programs received record enrollments of 35 students and 22 students respectively. The Master of Theology (Th.M., 14 students), Doctor of Ministry (D.Min., 20 students), and Doctor of Theology (Th.D., 4 students) all had strong enrollment. The D.Min. program was named the top online program by TheBestSchools.org. Duke Divinity’s new Certificate in Theology and Health Care will enroll 8 students, all of whom are fellows with the Theology, Medicine, and Culture (T.M.C.) Initiative at the school. The M.T.S. program also includes 8 students who are T.M.C. fellows, for a record year of 16 total fellows. The M.Div. degree program gained 110 new students, with minority students comprising more than 32 percent of the incoming M.Div. class, and Black students comprising 18 percent of the incoming M.Div. class. Female students made up 44 percent of incoming M.Div. students, while males were 56 percent. Two new faculty members, Brent Strawn and Brett McCarty, joined the DDS faculty in July 2019. Strawn, Professor of Old Testament, is an ordained elder in the North Georgia Conference. Strawn has a secondary appointment as a Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law. Prior to joining the Duke faculty, Strawn taught at Candler School of Theology at Emory University for eighteen years. McCarty, Assistant Research Professor of Theological Ethics, is a theological ethicist whose work centers on questions of faithful action within health care. He is Aassociate Director of the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative at Duke Divinity School, and he holds a joint appointment in the School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health Sciences. Randy Maddox, William Kellon Quick Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies, general editor of the Wesley Works Editorial Project, and elder in the Dakotas Conference, retires at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. United Methodist faculty member Brittany Wilson received tenure and promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. The Hispanic-Latino/a Preaching Initiative is currently in its fifth year of providing high quality theological education to current and aspiring Hispanic-Latino/a ministers. Twenty-one students from multiple denominations are taking courses with us this year. Tito Madrazo joined the administrative leadership of the Divinity School as Senior Strategist for the Hispanic House of Studies. He will also serve as a consulting faculty member. The Duke Endowment has also awarded Duke Divinity School a grant of $5.5 million over five years to cultivate meaning and purpose across diverse professional schools at Duke. The Lilly Endowment has also awarded grants to Duke Divinity School to coordinate initiatives on “Thriving in Ministry” and “Thriving Congregations” across the United States.
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Duke Divinity School has a partnership with Huntingdon College and Virginia Wesleyan University to create a streamlined admissions process and private campus events in order to better equip students from those institutions with a calling to serve the church. In an effort to expand access for quality theological formation to students, pastors, and lay leaders in the Nashville Episcopal Area, DDS is also partnering with the Turner Center at Martin Methodist College to offer theological training for innovative and entrepreneurial ministries. Submitted by L. Gregory Jones, Dean of the Divinity School 5.5 St. Paul School of Theology Saint Paul School of Theology, a seminary of the United Methodist Church, is committed to the formation of people for innovative, creative ministry. We are one institution with campuses in Kansas and Oklahoma. During the 2019-2020 academic year, the seminary enrollment in master and doctoral degree programs increased by 11%. Saint Paul School of Theology began the 2019-2020 academic year with the addition of Dr. Casey Sigmon in her new role as Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship, and Director of Contextual Education. Dr. Sigmon has also made innovative changes to the weekly worship service as Chapel Coordinator. Saint Paul also welcomed Dr. Anne Walker as the new Executive Director of the Oklahoma Campus. With the addition of Dr. Walker to Saint Paul came a new webinar offering titled “Explore Calling: A Guide to Helping Others Answer the Call.” Offered complimentarily, the webinar provides a resource for anyone looking to nurture a culture of call in their congregation, including meeting one-on-one with congregations looking to reach out to their community. Dr. Walker also launched the Vision OK Advisory Committee to serve the purpose of gaining support for and assisting in the development of the Oklahoma Campus. Similarly new this year, Dr. Melissa Pearce along with Dr. Walker hosted Listening Sessions to learn more about the challenges pastoral leaders face and dream together about how theological education might meet the changing demands of their ministry. This March, Saint Paul marked its 60th anniversary with a celebration featuring keynote speaker Past President Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., honoring 60+ years of theological education. Students, alumni, faculty, and the entire Saint Paul community came together for dinner, reminiscing and looking towards the future. During the celebration, Rev. Dr. Lois V. Glory-Neal was recognized as the 2020 Distinguished Graduate Award winner. In 1989, Rev. Dr. Glory-Neal of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference became the first Native American woman to be ordained elder. She became the first Native American district superintendent in 1992. Saint Paul also presented Ms. Sally Firestone with the Board Lifetime Achievement Award for her years of service. Saint Paul’s staff and faculty continue to contribute to academy, church, and society. Dr. Anne Walker worked along with co-writer Dori Grinenko Baker on TRU Colors, a guide for assisting young adults in exploring ministry as a career. TRU Colors, from Discipleship Ministry, was published in March 2020. Dr. Casey Sigmon wrote the sermon “The Fruit of Self-Control” in the published book, Preaching to Teach: Inspire People to Think and Act. Additionally, as part of the 2019 Lectionary Commentaries on the website workingpreacher.org, Dr. Sigmon and Dr. Israel Kamudzandu contributed commentaries. Also, Dr. Sigmon recently published “Homiletical Possibilities and Challenges in Colossians” in The Review & Expositor journal from November 2019. In September 2019, Saint Paul Board of Trustees added four new members to their ranks: alumna Rev. Jennifer Ahrens-Sims of St. Stephen’s UMC, Mrs. Dana Aldridge of SS&C Technologies, Mrs. Linda Shipman with Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., and alumnus Rev. David Wiggs with Boston Avenue UMC. In addition, earlier in the year faculty emeritus Rev. Dr. Tex Sample became Board Chair. Saint Paul is financially sound and is operating with a balanced budget. The changes made throughout the past few years have established a solid financial foundation for years of sustainability. With the Board’s assistance, the seminary continues to focus on its mission and works to continuously enhance and evaluate the strategic plans in place to guide us into the future. Saint Paul held several events and forums this year beginning with hosting an Overland Park Chamber of Commerce Wednesday Wakeup where Overland Park business members and community leaders started their day on the Kansas Campus with coffee, networking, and learning more about the seminary’s mission. In November, Saint Paul was the host location for the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (MORE2) Faith and Democracy Prayer Breakfast. MORE2 and Church of the Resurrection are partnering with Saint Paul in the recently launched Doctor of Ministry focus, “Spiritual Leadership in Unsettled Times.” Throughout the year, students on both campuses participated in educational forums with discussions on a myriad of topics such as, “Sustaining Pastoral Leadership Through Personal Wellness," “Transgender Day of Remembrance," and “The Enneagram and Your Spiritual Growth.” Saint Paul was blessed to have many alumni return to lead worship in the weekly chapel services. Rev. Shannon Hancock, alumna and Director of Admissions, brought the message on the Kansas Campus during the MLK Jr Worship Celebration while alumnus Rev. Bryan Lampkins preached on the Oklahoma Campus. This past January, Saint Paul was proud to host the United Methodist Theological Field Educators Meeting on the Kansas Campus. This year’s theme was “Vicissitude: Navigating Call and Mission as Contextual Educators in 2020." In April, the Evangelical Society hosted a lecture featuring Dr. Kimberly Alexander, author of Pentecostal Healing: Models of Theology and Practice and co-author of Women in Leadership: A Pentecostal Perspective and What Women Want: Pentecostal Women Ministers Speak for Themselves. Honoring Saint Paul’s longstanding commitment to praxis learning and ministry, part of the 2019-2020 curriculum included practicums which are workshop-style seminars that teach ministry skills. For Spring 2020 FOCUS Week, Alumnus Rev. Dr. Emanuel Cleaver III, Senior Pastor of St. James UMC, taught the course "Urban Church in the 21st Century," which explores the urban church and its context in relation to ministerial practices and theological understandings.
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For the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Saint Paul Course of Study (COS) School educated 265 individual students with a total registration of 650 classes; offering a total of 53 courses located in Leawood, KS; Hays, KS; Oklahoma City, OK; Columbia, MO; and Springfield, MO. Saint Paul is in the second year of offering a hybrid (online and on-campus) schedule for six courses during the Winter term. Plans to increase the number of hybrid course offerings are in development. Saint Paul launched a part-time, accelerated pilot COS satellite program (PML) in Columbia, MO in 2018 and added a second track in 2019. Comprised of nine courses in practical theology, this COS option is designed specifically for part-time local pastors or certified lay ministers entering ministry following completion of the Missouri Conference Licensing School. The PML satellite program is a collaborative program of Saint Paul Course of Study Regional School with the Missouri Conference. Since September 2018, COS has offered six courses and enrolled 30 individual students in the PML satellite program. Saint Paul School of Theology is blessed to be in ministry in the name of Jesus Christ and to help others respond to God’s call. We are a seminary that offers classes and experiences to folks from many denominations and faith walks. Our work as faculty and staff is to provide excellence in theological and practical education for ALL persons called and capable to attend. Remember: “Where two or more are gathered” Christ is there with us. Rev/ Neil Blair, president, St. Paul School of Theology 5.6 United Theological Seminary For nearly 150 years, United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH, has been preparing faithful, fruitful leaders to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Students In the fall 2019 semester, United equipped 459 women and men for leadership in the church, including 272 masters’ students and 187 doctoral students. An ecumenical community of many denominations, races and nationalities, United welcomed students from 11 countries, 42 states, and 37 denominations, with the student body comprised of 49% African American, 42% Caucasian, and 10% ethnic/racial minorities. The Seminary prepared 165 Course of Study students and served 36 students through the Hispanic Christian Academy, a 3-year Spanish online course of ministry program for Hispanic/Latino lay pastors and leaders. Altogether, approximately 660 students followed God’s call through United Theological Seminary. Alumni/ae United graduates are making an impact in their communities as they spread the Good News. Eighty-eight percent of alumni/ae are currently employed in or retired from ministry. Seventy percent serve in local parishes. Rev. Dr. Brad Kalajainen (DMin ’99) received the 2019 Effective Ministry Award for his transformative leadership of Cornerstone UMC in Grand Rapids, MI. Rev. Dr. James Bushfield (MDiv ’79, DMin ’92) received the 2019 Distinguished Alumnus Award for his leadership and ministry in the Indiana Conference of The UMC. Rev. Dr. Sandra Coley (DMin ’14) received the Outstanding Doctor of Ministry Award for her advocacy of organ donation among African American communities. New at United United introduced a 36-hour Master of Arts (MA) degree, designed for those who wish to earn a degree while completing the requirements for Advanced Course of Study in pursuit of ordination in The United Methodist Church. The MA program is available fully online, oncampus or in a combination. United continues to offer innovative learning through its Live Interactive Virtual Education (LIVE) environment introduced in 2018. In the first year, 59 students participated in LIVE courses, connecting with classmates on campus in Dayton, OH, and across the country by attending classes in real-time via simultaneous webcast. Becoming Debt-Free United remains committed to becoming debt-free by the seminary’s 150th anniversary on October 11, 2021. Thanks to the support of generous donors, United has received more than $2.5 million toward its goal of raising $4 million to “burn the mortgage.” Becoming debt-free as an institution will enable United to focus on generating income for scholarships that lighten the load of student debt for seminarians. In Romans 10:14, St. Paul writes: “How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER?” For 150 years, United has been preparing faithful and fruitful Christian preachers and leaders who proclaim the Good News of God’s unconditional love which has come to us in Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God! Dr. Kent Millard, president
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