Retirees

Mary Ann Bernard

“I love the United Methodist Church. My greatest gifts, as well as the greatest trauma in my life, came from it. God is good. I have been in ministry inside and outside the church, and my life in God continues and reaches far beyond my life in the church.”

These are the words of Rev. Mary Ann Bernard, who will retire after being in ministry for more than 43 years. God guided her ministry journey to serve beyond the local church in ways many of us have not experienced.

Mary Ann grew up in the church, attended Wesley Acres Camp, was on the CCYM, and attended Annual Conference as a youth. Also, at that same time, she was raped by her local pastor, one of many he abused. While experiencing a clear call to ministry in the United Methodist Church, supported and guided by many others—Rev.

Bill Bates, Bishop Jim Armstrong, and Rev. Duane Ewers, the struggle always was how to serve an organization that gave rise to the best experiences in her life and the deep traumatic wound of rape. It was a bumpy ride.

She completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of North Dakota and a Master of Divinity at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. She was Ordained in 1980 as a deacon and in 1984 as an elder. “The church, even this beloved conference, was a toxic and unsafe place for me. Yet, I followed God’s call,” said Bernard.

Pastor Mary Ann’s first appointment was to a threepoint charge—Elgin, Zoar, and Ebenezer UCC in North Dakota. She was then appointed to Vincent United Methodist Church in Minot, North Dakota, as associate pastor. Rev. Wayne and Char Brown were a great support, but she was restless being in this conference, which was still a very unhealthy place for her and others to be.

Bernard transferred to the Iowa Conference. Bishop Rueben Job was there, knew her, and was a person she trusted and cherished. After two appointments there, “it became clear that I needed to deal with the abuse issue. I took a leave of absence and went to Maine.”

In Portland, Maine, she directed the YWCA women’s residence. Bernard also worked with a multi-traditional spiritual group on a campus for a non-profit promoting relationship between Native and non-native people and worked for the post office. “It looks like I drifted in and out of the ministry. That is not true. I always was in ministry even when I wasn’t serving through a church,” said Bernard. She returned to North Dakota to again serve at Ellendale, North Dakota. During that time, the Cabinet was pursuing charges against the pastor who had raped her and abused others. The process did not ultimately hold him responsible. “I could see both the desire of people like Rev. Dwight Meier to bring justice, but the system failed again to do that.”

She married and moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, again taking a leave of absence from the UMC, working as an interim in a Presbyterian church, and also being a surrogate mom: giving birth to a child for her friends who were unable to conceive. She wrote a book about that experience titled The Gift of a Child.

The couple then headed to Hawaii, where Mary Ann worked in a program similar to Head Start. She found herself single again, and moved to Horsehead, New York, to work first as the director of a Head Start Program, then as a chaplain at Bethany Village. She built a ministry for 14 years with aging people, some dealing with severe dementia.

She sums up her ministry outside the local church this way. “Outside the structures of the church and the organization of the UMC, I found God moving in clear and vibrant ways. Scripture was clearer to me there. My call was as valid. I might never have ventured outside the denomination, but I was forced to by the unhealed trauma in me and in the church. Once outside, I discovered my faith being refined and strengthened. My relationship with God and my call to ministry were ever-present. I developed ‘outside the church’ ways to live out my call to ministry.”

She is the pastor at Evergreen United Methodist Church in Wahpeton, North Dakota. She will retire in Hawaii.

Neil Blair

“Being a clergy member of the Dakotas Conference feels like coming home,” said Blair. His connection to farming and the church, as well as the grace of the people, are reasons that Blair feels at home in the Dakotas.

Neil Blair grew up on a farm near Dayton, Iowa. His family was active in the United Methodist Church and in his community. His call to ministry came when he was young.

His call was nurtured as he furthered his education at United Methodist universities. He received an undergraduate degree from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. Neil obtained a Master of Divinity from St. Paul’s School of Theology in Kansas City.

He was commissioned as a deacon in the Iowa Conference. He served eight years in a Disciples of Christ Church in Missouri and received full ordination in that denomination.

Blair served 19 years as Vice President for Development at Saint Paul’s School of Theology from 1988 to 2003.

In 2009, he became a full elder of the Dakotas Conference. While serving as the Vice President for Institutional

Jerry Densmore

“Not many people can say that they are circuit riders, like the old guy [John Wesley]. I guess I haven’t ridden a horse but my motorcycle. I rode the circuit,” said Pastor Jerry Densmore, who will retire after serving eight years at Camp Crook United Methodist Church in northwest South Dakota.

Jerry Densmore entered pastoral ministry in 2015 after a 28-year career in the Air Force. He served at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Box Elder, South Dakota, for 12 years. While at Ellsworth, Densmore and his wife were involved with chapel programs.

“I wanted to start helping, but I didn’t like getting in front of people, believe it or not. So, I started reading scripture because you don’t have to look at the people. That helped me to get comfortable,” said Pastor Jerry.

He found himself working with the praise team, choir, and men’s group and enjoyed that. The military chapel programs gave Densmore experiences with different denominations.

“One nice thing about chapel programs is you get a lot of different inputs, everything from Baptist, Southern Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, Christian Science, the different levels of Lutheran and Mormon chaplains,” said Densmore.

Advancement at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, he transferred his orders to The United Methodist Church.

While serving at Dakota Wesleyan University, he lived with the late Senator George McGovern.

He was President of The Foundation for Evangelism of the UMC in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, from 2011-2016.

Rev. Neil Blair began his leadership as President of Saint Paul School of Theology, with campuses in Kansas and Missouri, on July 1, 2016, where he currently serves.

“I had the honor of staying at George McGovern’s home for a few months and we spent many enjoyable hours singing United Methodist hymns. He loved them, knew most of them by heart and had a wonderful singing voice. He also talked about the power of the United Methodist Church in serving the poor and that he was proud to be counted among their members,” said Blair.

Neil is the father of two sons, David and family live in Texas, and Ben and family live in Chicago.

Densmore recalls the exact moment he surrendered to God’s call for his life. It happened in 2006 while he was serving on temporary duty at a military base in Guam.

“I was over in Guam, sitting on a bench on a bluff about 600 feet above sea level near a place they call Pati Point. I was sitting up there looking toward the Islands of Rota and Saipan which you can see on a clear day, and I knew it was time to surrender to God,” said Densmore.

He did some exploring when he got back. Densmore talked with Pastor Jim Patrick and met with the district superintendent. He had completed the Certified Lay Speaker courses and led worship and also did some pulpit supply which included filling in at Camp Crook UMC in 2011. The final step was attending licensing school in 2014 to become a licensed local pastor.

“I guess I was taught that things happen in God’s time, not our time,” he said. In 2015, he accepted the appointment at Camp Crook UMC, Buffalo UCC, and the Harding

Community church. “The opportunity came up to serve at Camp Crook. I knew the people. It was a good fit.”

Growing up in Michigan, Pastor Jerry was familiar with rural life, dairy cows, and sheep. “I could identify with the people,” he said. “We connected, and one year we had three baptisms. There hadn’t been any baptisms in a while. One was a gal— who was over 40 years old, that was baptized.”

After serving eight years at Camp Crook and Buffalo, Densmore will retire. Baptisms and confirmations have been highlights of his ministry. Easter Sunday, three more youth were confirmed.

“You have to plan things around lambing, calving, branding, farming, etc.,” said Pastor Jerry. “They make a living by nature; nature dictates a lot. We planned to have confirmation on Easter, and it worked out. It fit with everyone’s schedule.”

Mark Elllingson

Rev. Mark Ellingson recalls his fifth-grade Sunday school teacher telling him to enter the ministry.

“I remember one of my Sunday School teachers, Mrs. Johnson, told me I should be a pastor because I had a good voice. I have always had opportunities placed in my life to be a leader at church, in youth group, and at school. I even preached in the pulpit of my local church,” says Rev. Ellingson. “My call did not come at one point and time. It was something that just happened through God’s guidance.”

Ellingson will retire after 41 years of ministry this year. His call to ministry was something that became obvious over time.

Growing up Presbyterian, on a farm near Breckenridge, Minnesota, Ellingson spent a lot of time in various leadership roles. “I started to notice I never could miss the leadership positions,” Ellingson said. “You end up being the president of the youth group, the president of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship at Moorhead State University, and similar opportunities.”

God’s call became clearer while seeking his degree in journalism from Moorhead State University. “It was really in college that I realized that’s probably the direction I was going. I was working on a journalism degree at the time, a great undergraduate degree for anybody going into ministry— to learn about asking questions, writing, and communicating. I just knew that this was what God would have me do. So, I headed off to Asbury Seminary in Kentucky,” said Ellingson. He says that being a very shy person, he was amazed God would call him to be a preacher.

Another highlight for Densmore is playing guitar on music Sundays with area Lutheran congregations. People gather and bring their instruments and voices to sing the old hymns. In addition, Camp Crook UMC is involved in parades and other community events.

“We are the only church in town, so people look to us and know us,” said Pastor Jerry. “We have a bazaar in October which is supported by the entire community, and we support other functions. I mean, everybody knows everybody and the way they support each other regardless of denominational belief is what I think Jesus wants us to do.”

In retirement, he will continue living in Rapid City and will work with the district to serve others as needed. The Densmores look forward to spending more time with their girls and their families in the St. Louis, Missouri area.

He married Betty during his last year at Moorhead State University, and the couple moved to Kentucky for seminary. Pastor Mark was exposed to different types of ministries at seminary, including working in a chaplaincy setting for people dealing with disabilities at a hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. “It was an extraordinary experience to figure out how one communicates,” he said.

After seminary, his first appointment was a four-point charge at Bowbells, Coteau, Donnybrook, and Kenmare in North Dakota. “I spent two years in my first appointment. I was there with Pastor Ed Werner, who was retired,” said Ellingson. “I loved the people and the setting. I liked serving small, rural churches.”

In 1984, Ellingson was appointed to Holmes and Thompson in North Dakota. For the next 27 years, Pastor Mark served Holmes, Thompson and later Lutheran congregations in the same area. The church and the parsonage were in the country.

“I remember Cecil Miller called the people of Holmes ‘the salt of the earth.’ Even though there were a lot of changes throughout the years, their faith was firm and consistent,” said Ellingson. “It was a wonderful place to raise our five kids out in the country. I have always been attracted to rural ministry.”

In 2007, a tornado hit the nearby community of Northwood. Ellingson ran across a Lutheran disaster response team and began working with them. “I spent my time ministering to people and working with people who were not my parishioners. That’s kind of the definition of chaplaincy— you’re working with someone in a special situation who are not your parishioners. I found that I liked it and that I had some gifts for doing that.”

He began completing 400 hours of training to become a certified chaplain. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training is about preparing for ministry with people who are not your parishioners for a specific length of time and a particular purpose.

Leading a local congregation was rewarding for Ellingson, but chaplaincy work has become his passion. While completing CPE, Ellingson became a chaplain for Hospice of the Red River Valley. After a few years, he moved to Altru Health System as the manager of the chaplain program.

“One of the holiest times for me is at the end of life. It is a time when someone is at a place where their house and what they own doesn’t matter anymore. The thing that matters is God and their family. I’ve more than once been singing a hymn to somebody, and they died while I was holding their hand,” shares Pastor Mark. “While there’s a tremendous sadness with death. I’ve seen this as a holy, special, set-apart time.”

In 2020, Ellingson was suddenly laid off from his job as Chaplain Manager at Altru Health System along with dozens of others. LifeSource was not looking for a chaplain specifically, but the position of Clinical Hospital Coordinator for western North Dakota was open. Ellingson went to work

Mike Flowers

“I’ve never really sat down and tracked how many people have come out here, but it’s in the thousands. I never counted how many wheelchair ramps were built, roofs replaced, or houses painted. Instead, I kept track of the relationships that were built between the two cultures,” said Pastor Mike Flowers. Mike and his wife, Libby, serve as the co-directors of Spirit Lake Ministry Center. Mike and Libby retired on May 31, after serving the people of the Spirit Lake Nation for 16 years. It is all about relationships and trust.

Mike Flowers grew up as a child of an Air Force family. His family ended up in West Monroe, Louisiana. Libby Flowers lived in the same community in northeast Louisiana all her life. They met in 1976 and were married in 1978.

Mike entered the Air Force, and the couple headed to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. The next stop was Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. Then they headed to Yokota Air Base in Japan. After Japan, they were stationed at Minot Air Force Base in Minot, North Dakota.

In September of 1994, Mike retired from the Air Force. Both ended up working in retail. “I had a job on the base where I worked three days on and six days off. I needed something to do on my days off. So, I started working at WalMart part-time, where Libby was working,” said Mike.

with 32 hospitals across the western two-thirds of North Dakota to support staff and help families. In the last year he has become the Liaison at Altru in Grand Forks (where he was a chaplain for several years) and 26 other hospitals in North Dakota.

For 17 years of his ministry, Ellingson served as the Dakotas Conference Secretary. “I ended up becoming the journal editor and then the conference secretary. I got to have connections with a lot of different people in a lot of different ways. I had fun with the role at the annual conference. When I started doing the journal, I would ‘cut and paste’ pieces of paper and paste them with rubber cement. Today it is all digital. Cutting and pasting changed its definition for me over the course of time,” recalls Ellingson.

In retirement, Pastor Mark plans to continue living in Grand Forks and working in his current position with LifeSource. He will also continue providing pulpit supply at Holmes UMC and surrounding churches.

When Mike announced his retirement from the Air Force, Wal Mart hired him as a district manager in Fargo. It was in Fargo, at First United Methodist Church, where they found their church home.

Mike was raised United Methodist, and Libby grew up in the Catholic denomination. “I was raised United Methodist, but after we got married, we quit going to church. So, for 17 years, we didn’t go to church,” said Mike. “God called us back to the church in 1995. We were involved in almost everything at Fargo First, including substitute preaching.”

The first time they attended worship at First UMC, they heard terrific music and met many people. After that, they got hooked in a ministry called Shoebox Christmas.

“Some people from Children of the Harvest ministry came to First UMC and talked about Shoebox Christmas. For the next two years, we led the Shoebox Christmas ministry from Fargo First,” said Pastor Mike.

In 2007 they responded to God’s call to serve at Spirit Lake Ministry Center. “We were both praying the same thing and didn’t realize it. We prayed that God would show us what he wanted us to do—where he needed us,” Pastor Mike said.

“We both loved our jobs in retail. Then we talked to Bishop Deb [Kiesey]. We asked her how to tell the difference between a call and our want. She said there are three signs, ‘First, if you go to bed at night and wake up in the morning and that’s what you’re thinking about. Second, if other people tell you that that’s what you should be doing without you even telling them that that’s what you’re thinking. Third, you know you can’t do it by yourself, that you can only do it with God. Then you are being called.’ So those three things that Bishop Deb told us were the three things that happened. We were called to serve at Spirit Lake.”

The Flowerses stepped into a different culture to build relationships and establish trust with the people of Spirit Lake Nation. Getting to know the families and the people has been critical and rewarding. “The people of Spirit Lake are resilient. You learn to look at their faces. Sometimes that’s all they have is the expression on their face. People are people. There may be different cultures, but we are all God’s children,” Mike said.

The ministry reaches hundreds of families annually by meeting their basic needs through the food pantry and Community Children’s Fund. “I remember Maxine,” said Mike. “Maxine came into the food pantry and tried just to take everything there. She believed we might not be there the the next time she needed something. Finally, we built trust with Maxine. She told everybody else we would be there if people needed something. Maxine became our friend and invited us into her house to pray.”

Shoebox Christmas continued and grew to serve 6,000 children. Gifts were distributed to eight reservations in the Dakotas Conference and the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota. The gifts provide the children with the story of Jesus’ birth, warm hats, scarves, mittens/gloves, and fun toys.

Sidewalk SONday School morphed into the only faith-based summer day camp on the Spirit Lake reservation. Children come to the Summer JAM, a fast-paced Vacation Bible School experience. Monthly, families enjoy games, movies, and meals at Spirit Lake Ministry Center.

The Flowers brought the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission program to Spirit Lake. Teams come from all over the country to repair homes, build wheelchair ramps, or paint houses. The construction ministry helped build homes and relationships. “It’s important to be able to get into your

Mark Gronseth

I went to seminary in my fifties. It was really God’s timing. It was perfect,” said Rev. Mark Gronseth, who will retire after 36 years of full-time ministry. He served as a full-time church musician for 22 years and as the pastor of a congregation for 14 years.

He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, with a house. It’s important not to have a leaky roof. But, you know, the most important thing was the relationships. We have witnessed spiritual growth and the connections in families and the teams that traveled here,” said Mike.

A worshipping community sprouted. The Journey is now a congregation that worships each week, has small group Bible studies, and does community outreach and youth and children’s ministry. Mike attended licensing school and completed the Native American Course of Study program in 2011. He is affectionally known as Pastor Mike.

After an extensive seven-month remodel, a 53-year-old Quonset hut became the new worship center and dining facility for the Spirit Lake Ministries. The new worship space, a dream of Mike and Libby Flowers, became a reality after a successful fundraising campaign. With the help of donors from all over the country, many having volunteered on the reservation, and two significant donations, the dream became a reality.

“What happened was that we were connecting with people all around Spirit Lake Nation through our work with Volunteers in Mission (VIM) teams,” says Pastor Mike Flowers, pastor of The Journey. “People started asking, ‘Do you have worship?’”

In 2021, Mike was appointed to serve at The Journey at Spirit Lake and First United Methodist Church in Devils Lake, North Dakota. It became a partnership that brought vitality to both congregations.

“The partnership has made us stronger and both congregations stronger. First UMC is supportive of the Ministry Center. It has been a great partnership,” said Pastor Mike.

In retirement, Mike and Libby will travel in their motorhome to visit with children and grandchildren and vacation. They plan to take their grandchildren on vacation to Virginia Beach. Mike and Libby will go to Destin, Florida, to assist with a ministry by Christmas. They will continue their journey by doing ministry on the road.

Bachelor of Arts degree in music and no teaching credentials. “When I first started college, I thought I was going to be a band director, and that just kind of went sour,” said Pastor Mark.

After college, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do. With no teaching degree, he instead began working at a number of places in Fargo-Moorhead. He married his wife, CoCo, in 1979, and eventually landed a full-time job at the Fargo-

Moorhead Community Theater (as their casino auditor) and was also organist on Sundays at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Moorhead.

“I would head to the church on Sunday. On Monday, I would count casino money,” said Gronseth. “At one point, my wife and I had, between the two of us, five part-time jobs. My music career wasn’t really coming together until 1986 when I began to really listen to God’s call. Then God helped get things organized. He always had a plan. Unfortunately, for too many years, I wasn’t listening to His voice.”

Gronseth’s journey toward ordained ministry began with music. For years, he served as a church musician at churches in Michigan, Kansas, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was a vulnerable, full-time position that often fell prey to budget cuts.

“It took me almost ten years to realize that God was calling me into a church music ministry,” said Gronseth. “The first music job was at a United Methodist Church in Livonia, Michigan. Finances got tight, so they cut the musician. I spent a year looking for another church music job and ended up in southwest Kansas. After nine years in that position, the same thing happened–money. So I ended up moving to Sioux Falls to take a position at First Presbyterian Church.”

He was consecrated as a diaconal minister of music. The United Methodist Church used to have a lay office called Diaconal Minister; some are still in active ministry. The UMC no longer consecrates new lay diaconal ministers.

His job at First Presbyterian was cut due to a lack of funding. That was the third occurrence. Pastor Mark knew that God was up to something.

“I had lunch with Greg Kroger. He was the district superintendent in the Sioux Falls area. We talked about pastoral ministry because I had been kind of feeling a little more of a tug toward that area. Greg said, ‘Well, we have this situation in DeSmet, South Dakota,’” said Pastor Mark. “It

Sarah Herman

“I accepted Jesus Christ when I was five years old; when I was 16, I came to understand what it meant to not only be saved but to live a life completely surrendered to Jesus Christ. During this time I felt called into ministry,” said Rev. Sarah Herman, who is retiring after 24 years of service in the Dakotas Conference.

Growing up in Kankakee, Illinois, she served at her home church throughout high school, teaching Bible studies and leading Bible school.

was a combined assignment for someone to serve at the UCC and United Methodist churches. Greg said, ‘We don’t have anybody in place. So, how about if you give that a try?’”

Three days each week, Gronseth headed to DeSmet. He stayed in the parsonage and served the two churches. The role lasted until the end of the year, and he found himself back in Sioux Falls again, where he served at Wildflower Presbyterian Church.

“They needed a pastor. I needed a job. I served there January through May and got some more hands-on experience,” said Gronseth. “Then I went to licensing school in the summer at Dubuque, Iowa, and headed to Sioux Falls Seminary in the fall.”

While in seminary, Mark and CoCo served the United Methodist congregations at Wakonda, Irene, and Viborg. Pastor Mark was ordained an elder in the Dakotas Conference in 2013. He was then appointed to serve at Breckenridge, Minnesota, and Fairmount, North Dakota.

He is one of the few individuals consecrated as a diaconal minister, ordained a deacon, licensed as a local pastor, and ordained an elder in The United Methodist Church.

His wife CoCo has been a ministry partner throughout the years. As a vocal and piano teacher, she would give lessons and lead music at the congregations and communities they served.

“I would usually come home and take care of the boys. Then she would head to work and teach lessons,” said Pastor Mark. “Throughout the years, we would play together. She would play at the church I served or another church in the community. She still plays for the church here. We still minister together.”

In retirement, the couple hopes to find a home in Wahpeton, North Dakota, or Breckenridge, Minnesota. They will spend time with their two sons, daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Sarah’s faith and call to ministry grew as she entered North American Baptist College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Sarah shared that after her first year in college, she was privileged to travel with a gospel team called “God’s Volunteers,” for a year, sharing her faith in Jesus Christ, along with 14 other team members. “We traveled all over the USA and Canada. This was an outstanding experience.”

After receiving her undergraduate degree, she married Elmo Herman. The couple had two children. Ike, who is married to Rebecca, and Nate, who is married to Stephanie. They have two grandchildren, Aidan and Emily, who are both in high school.

“I served alongside Elmo while we raised our children,” Sarah said. “It was such a joy for me to be able to raise our children and be part of Elmo’s ministry. When our son Nate was a junior in high school, the Lord began to open doors for me in full-time church ministry.”

Sarah went to licensing school during her time in the UCC. She moved to Alpena, South Dakota, to serve the United Parish of Alpena part-time. This was a joint parish–both UCC and United Methodist and was her first experience serving Methodists.

Sarah enjoyed working with the Alpena Church. During her last two years at Alpena, she entered seminary, a long-time dream. “I spent six wonderful years serving at Alpena. Then Elmo and I joined the Dakotas Conference, and we began our ministry with the Dakotas in North Dakota, where I served in Wimbledon and Kensal. Those were great ministries. I enjoyed our time together,” said Rev. Herman.

She was ordained an elder in 2015 while serving at Napoleon and Lehr in North Dakota. After a realignment in 2018, she

Juwle Nagbe

Rev. Juwle Nagbe, will enter a retirement relationship with the Dakotas Conference this year. His journey in ministry spans 40 years and reaches from West Africa to North Dakota.

“I have gone through a lot of trials many times,” said Pastor Juwle. “I was arrested by the rebels many times. They tried to kill me. But God, for some reason, protected me. They never killed me,” he said.

Born in Liberia, Nagbe became a teacher and principal. He felt an urge to do something more. Juwle made his way to Duke University in the United States and earned a Master of Divinity. He started his quest for ordination in 1987, while he was in Liberia as a United Methodist minister. Liberia is his faith home. On Christmas Day 1989, civil war broke out. The war claimed more than 200,000 Liberians in a nation of 2.1 million people and displaced millions of other citizens. One of those displaced citizens was Juwle Nagbe. The ordination process halted.

“I was in the Nimba County when rebel rule took over and divided the country into two sections, the North-Eastern ruled by the rebels and the West ruled by Samuel Doe’s government.” said Rev. Nagbe. “Some of my family escaped to Sierra Leone, but I had no idea where they were. I went to Cote d’Ivoire as a refugee; and while I was there, I began was appointed to serve Streeter and Napoleon, also in North Dakota.

“I truly loved all three of these ministries,” said Pastor Sarah. “We enjoyed the people of North Dakota. We did feel the urge to return to South Dakota to be closer to our children.” to search for my family. Not knowing where some of them were, I was able to leave to go to school in the United States at Emory University.”

In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, the couple moved to South Dakota. Pastor Sarah was appointed to serve at Burke and Herrick United Methodist churches. Her husband, Elmo, serves the nearby Gregory United Methodist Church.

Pastor Sarah has a love for missions. She loves to encourage churches to reach out to their community, to the state they live in, and to the United States and the world. “This is based on the Great Commission in Matthew 28. When churches get a vision for missions, it is such a joy,” she said.

In retirement, she will continue to serve the Lord. “I know that God wants me to continue to preach and share the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Pastor Sarah.

Juwle completed his studies at Duke School of Theology in 2000. He continued in the Clinical Pastoral Education program at Candler School of Theology, located on the campus of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He contacted the North Georgia Conference to seek ordination as an elder in The United Methodist Church. Because Juwle entered the U.S. on a student visa, the conference could not process his ordination. He needed to become employed in the U.S. or become a United States citizen.

While going through all that, Juwle was still searching through UNHCR’s records for the Liberians who were being resettled from Africa to the United States to see if he could find his sister’s name. Then it happened. Juwle learned that his sister was resettled from the hottest spot in Africa (Ghana), to the coolest spot in the United States at Fargo, North Dakota. Upon connection by phone, his sister, Maude Thomas, decided to go to find Juwle in Georgia first.

After the visit Pastor Juwle said, “I told my sister, ‘I will come to you.’ So, I traveled from Atlanta for a visit,” he said. “I was planning to go back to Atlanta. But she said, ‘Brother, think about the years we were separated. We have lost our mother and father. Do you really want to be separated again?’ We prayed that God would open doors for us.”

By June of the same year, he was employed as a chaplain with Sandford Health, which was the beginning of Juwle’s stay in North Dakota.

Pastor Juwle, who attended Flame of Faith UMC in West Fargo, noticed that several Liberian refugees had no place to worship. So, with the support of the congregation and Rev. Mina Hall, he started a worshipping community for those that made their way from West Africa to North Dakota.

“I knew that God must have brought me to North Dakota for a reason. Mina Hall and the people at Flame of Faith were so open. She encouraged me to start the ordination process here,” said Pastor Juwle. “But the ordination process did not move along because I was not a citizen of the United States.”

In 2012, Bishop Bruce Ough became the resident bishop for the Dakotas-Minnesota Area of The United Methodist Church. At the Northeast District welcoming and installation service, held at First UMC in Fargo, Pastor Nagbe was asked to read scripture (John 21:15-19) in his dialect at the request of Bishop Ough. Why Bishop Ough would ask someone to read that passage in his dialect, and why it was Juwle Nagbe to be called upon to read that in his dialect is still a mystery to Pastor Juwle. But that was the beginning of his connection with the Dakotas Conference.

A few months later, there was a need of a pastor at Lisbon/ Enderlin charge. According to Rev. Marilyn Spurrell, the Northeast District Superintendent, Bishop Ough asked,

Randy Phillips

“I am thankful for the privilege to have been in ministry at Mayo Clinic-Rochester,” says Rev. Randy Phillips, a Dakotas Conference elder. “I constantly remind myself that whatever is going on, God is present. God is at work.”

Rev. Randy Phillips is retiring after 27 of ministry as a pastor in a local church and as a staff chaplain at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

At Mayo, he worked with a team of 24-27 chaplains to provide care on the Mayo Clinic-Rochester, St. Mary’s and Methodist campuses to show the love of Jesus to persons at the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

“My primary workplace was the Mayo Clinic HospitaRochester, St. Mary’s campus,” says Rev. Randy Phillips. “The COVID-19 pandemic altered and increased my workload significantly, visiting patients and their families throughout

“Who was that man who read that scripture?” Pastor Juwle shared, “I do not know if he understood what I read in my dialect, but he remembered the man who read the Scripture. Only God could work those things out.”

Rev. Spurrell approached Pastor Juwle to serve three churches—two United Methodist congregations and one Presbyterian congregation—at Lisbon and Enderlin, North Dakota. “I said, ‘Sure if they can understand me,’” said Pastor Juwle.

“In 2013, I was appointed. The thing I loved about serving there was the openness, the love of the people, their readiness,” said Pastor Juwle. “We just got connected—our hearts, our spirits—just got connected, and that was just by the grace of God. We all grew so much together.” the hospital in times of need.”

In 2014, Rev. Nagbe was commissioned as an elder in the Dakotas Conference. He was ordained as a full member in 2019. Juwle’s wife of 37 years—Martha, his two sons, daughter, and three grandchildren attended the ordination service. His sister, who currently works as a nurse and lives in Bismarck, attended with her daughter and granddaughter.

In 2020, Rev. Nagbe was appointed to serve at Streeter and Napoleon in North Dakota. He will be living in Streeter and continue serving the congregations in retirement.

He grew up in rural Nebraska, attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, graduating with a master’s degree in counseling. Phillips began his career as a counselor in a Nebraska state prison. During that time, he experienced his mother’s death from ovarian cancer, a life-changing faith experience.

“My faith has always been important to me. I wrestled a lot with God during the time of my mother’s illness and death,” he says. “I found my faith increased. I spent a lot of time at the hospital, and I saw and experienced God. So, I headed to seminary.”

Graduating from seminary, he desired to be a chaplain, but the process for chaplaincy did not fall into place at the time. Phillips found himself serving the Church of God in Grand Forks, North Dakota. There he met Rev. Harry Williams, a Dakotas Conference elder, who invited him to explore his call in the Dakotas Conference with The United Methodist Church.

He accepted the call to serve the Dakotas Conference at McLaughlin, South Dakota, and at Cando and Minot Faith in North Dakota.

”I rediscovered the possibility of chaplaincy and headed to Mayo in Rochester for a year of training. From there, I went to Erie, Pennsylvania, and served as a hospital chaplain for two years,” says Rev. Phillips. “I came back to Mayo when there was an opening, and I have been here ever since.” Chaplains have the opportunity to come alongside patients and families, to listen and learn of the situation and the sometimes-insurmountable challenges before them. Chaplains reach out to all people regardless of their faith, religion and/ or beliefs, meeting them where they are in their life and situation, honoring their faith or belief system, helping as

Ross Reinhiller

“The conference has always given me that opportunity to not only share but also to live out my call. I started preaching at Camp Crook and Buffalo, South Dakota, when I was in college. When I was 20, Dick Fisher asked me to serve there in the summers. He trusted me. God has been good,” said Rev. Ross Reinhiller, who has served the Dakotas Conference for more than 40 years and has entered a retirement relationship with the conference.

Ross Reinhiller grew up in southwest North Dakota and northwest South Dakota. His parents were teachers and moved to different communities in his early years. “I was blessed having a mom and dad that took their faith seriously,” said Rev. Reinhiller.

His call to ministry came in those formative years when he was in kindergarten. The Reinhiller family lived in Lemmon, South Dakota, and attended the Methodist Church. The pastor at that church was Rev. DeVern Schwenn.

“My kindergarten year was my traumatic year. I was 21 days in a row late for kindergarten because I didn’t know that you had to go at a certain time. My freedom was gone. Pastor DeVern preached something that year that spoke to me. He asked if I wanted Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I remember going into my bedroom and just praying. That was the beginning of my journey. By spring of kindergarten, I had my call,” describes Pastor Ross.

Pastor Ross experienced a variety of pastors that encouraged and listened to his call. Revs. Art Scanson and Warren Wenzel invested in him. In addition, Ross served on the youth council at his church and for the conference.

they are able. The chaplaincy team at Mayo works together to see as many patients as possible and provide them some comfort in isolation. That may look like sitting in silence with someone, connecting them to family members using technology, or praying with or for them.

“Chaplains have the opportunity to honor the situation and to invite a broader reality that may give them hope or strength,” Phillips says. “This may invite remembering and naming meaningful resources and hope, for the moment and eternity. Patients may affirm their faith in God, support from their family and loved ones. Reminders of a broader reality often change how they feel—realizing hope and a calm that is bigger than this situation, this world, even this life.”

He said, “I lived a long way from any camp. I grew up with the things that people grew up with—ministry on the radio, Bible class, and things available in the seventies. Then Art Scanson and Warren Wenzel, those United Methodist pastors, invested in me.”

After high school, Pastor Ross attended Dickinson State University, graduating with a degree in education. After earning his undergraduate degree, he attended Asbury Seminary in Kentucky.

“I attended seminary when I was 21 years old—quite young. I thought I was going to be a church history professor. My master’s degree is in church history and historical theology, kind of an academic and professional degree,” he said.

After seminary, Rev. Reinhiller held a couple of teaching positions. He felt he needed some experience as a pastor at a local church.

“I thought I needed to know what my students were going through to teach effectively. I was appointed to Ashley and Forbes in the North Dakota Conference. Rev. Norm Neumann was the Eastern District Superintendent in North Dakota at the time. He told the churches, ‘You’re getting a young fellow right out of school. He will be very enthusiastic and think this is the best thing in the world. You’re either going to make or break his ministry. If you break his ministry, he won’t have the good sense to quit, but he will struggle all the rest of his ministry.’ So those two little churches decided they were going to make my ministry, and they really did,” said Pastor Ross.

Rev. Reinhiller returned to teaching at the Biblical seminary in Medellín, Colombia. “When I returned to Colombia, I returned as a pastor rather than a teacher.”

While serving at Union Church in Bogota, he realized he had fallen in love and eventually married Rev. Val Reinhiller, who was back from seminary and was serving at First United Methodist Church in Bismarck. Ross was serving at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Mandan. Ross and Val got to know each other but never dated. However, they remained friends in conversation across the miles when Ross headed to South America.

“I went to South America. God got ahold of me and reminded me that there’s somebody that I really do love back home. So, I came back to the annual conference in Fargo and proposed. She said, ‘Yes.’ I went back to South America and came back in September, two days before the wedding. We got married, and we’ve been together ever since. We never kissed until after we were engaged. So, I tell my youth group, don’t kiss until you’re engaged. It worked for us.”

The couple headed back to Bogota, Columbia, in service together. “She married into that. It was the first time we were in ministry together as a couple. We served on staff in South America,” said Pastor Ross.

They returned to the United States and served a three-point charge at Faith UMC in Williston, North Dakota, Grenora UMC in North Dakota, and Bainville UMC in Montana. During that time, two daughters were born into the family.

“I got a fellowship for pastors’ training at Asbury Seminary in Kentucky,” said Pastor Ross.

Marlin Sapp

“I always say God had a sense of humor by making me a pastor. I’m probably the least likely person to do it because, you know me, I’m a troublemaker,” said Rev. Marlin Sapp, who will enter a retired relationship with the Dakotas Conference this year after serving 16 years as a licensed local pastor.

Many would ask Marlin Sapp throughout his life, “Why aren’t you a pastor? You should be in ministry full-time.”

Marlin Sapp grew up in Hazen, North Dakota. His mother was not a regular attendee at church, and his stepdad was Catholic. Nevertheless, Marlin was welcomed by Hazen United Methodist Church, formerly an Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) Church.

He recalled that Rev. Peter Ackerman encouraged Sapp and two other young people to consider entering the ministry.

Returning from school, the bishop appointed the couple to serve at Winner, South Dakota. “That was just a great place. You know, the church went from 170 to 400 in worship,” said Rev. Reinhiller. “We were the right people at the right time.”

From there, Rev. Reinhiller went to Bismarck, North Dakota. He served as the superintendent of Shiloh Christian School. “We went to Shiloh to focus on their plan, mission, and finances.”

He was then appointed to Southern Hills UMC in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Pastor Val served at Sunnycrest UMC in Sioux Falls at the same time. First United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota, was the next appointment where they served together as a couple. Today they serve at Faith in Williston, North Dakota.

“I don’t know that we would have picked any of the churches we served, but we couldn’t have served better churches,” said Pastor Ross. “We’ve had the opportunity in every church to do just basically two things. One is to call people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and the other is to grow them deep at every church we’ve served. That’s been exciting because Valerie and I have dedicated ourselves to helping people find and fulfill their calls.”

In retirement, Revs. Ross and Val Reinhiller will continue serving and living in Williston, North Dakota. “I am retiring and serving alongside Val. So, we are kind of switching our roles,” said Ross.

“He thought there were three of us that should become pastors—myself, Rick Loewen, and Steve Stanley,” Marlin recalled.

After graduating from high school, he headed to Illinois to work. Then he returned to the Hazen area, where he worked as a carpenter, painter, and in retail. Pastor Marlin met and married Carol at his grandma’s farm just outside Great Bend, North Dakota. The wedding took place on the weekend, away from their Hazen and Golden Valley hometowns.

“I called my grandma and said it’s time to call your pastor so we can get married,” said Pastor Marlin. “The UPS driver delivered a package and said to Carol, ‘You came back from being away for the weekend, and here you had a different last name.’ I am thankful my grandparents were in good standing with the church and the pastor would marry us.”

Marlin and Carol became active in the United Methodist Church, serving on committees and teaching Sunday School. He taught Sunday School for 25 years and spent much of his time at the church.

“I thought I was doing enough by teaching Sunday school for over 25 years, but then I was asked to fill in and lead worship,” recalls Sapp. “Then I took courses to become a certified lay minister. I took courses and was encouraged by Revs. Dave and Don Andrews.”

For several years, he filled in for worship at Hazen, Beulah, Golden Valley, and other places in North Dakota. Pastor Marlin filled the pulpit for congregations that were United Methodist, Lutheran, and other denominations.

He became dean at a camp with Rev. Bruce Adams. “Bruce invited me to lead a camp with him at Lehr Camp. After awhile, we moved to Storm Mountain Camp. We led camps for twenty years,” said Pastor Marlin. “It was a camp for kids in grades four through six. We called it ‘Treasure Seekers.’ We taught the kids that they needed to seek the treasure of God. We also found a way to share treasures like the old gold mine at the camp.”

Carol and Marlin were also active Conference Council of Youth Ministries (CCYM) leaders. Some of the youth that Carol and Marlin worked with are now pastors in the Dakotas Conference and beyond—Paul Lint, Robbie Salmonson, Cody Schuler, John Telenga, Brandon Vetter, and William White, to name a few.

“Carol was great at getting youth involved. She helped with CCYM, and you will find her name on the Youth Worker Hall of Fame plaque,” shared Pastor Marlin.

Solar Oven Partners has been a part of Sapp’s ministry journey. He served on the board and traveled with teams on two mission trips to Haiti with solar ovens. “I spoke at 20 or more churches on solar ovens,” he said. “People loved to learn about the project.”

These experiences set the foundation for becoming a pastor. “I think all of this gave me a better foundation to become a pastor,” said Pastor Marlin. “My eyes were opened, and I

Dean Trapp

Rev. Dean Trapp was called to ministry when he was a junior in high school. He will retire this year after serving 34 years in ministry.

Growing up, Rev. Dean Trapp had Sunday school teachers and his great aunts tell him, “I think someday you are going to be a pastor.”

When he was in confirmation at Central United Methodist Church in Milbank, South Dakota, Rev. Sam Graf asked Dean what he wanted to be after high school and college. Dean told him, “I think I want became more empathetic.”

The turning moment was when his daughter Dawn asked him, “Dad, why don’t you go into ministry full-time? You know you like it, and then you’d like your work instead of going from here to there.”

He finally surrendered to God’s call. “It happened one night going to a PPR [Pastor Parish Relations] meeting. On the way over, I just realized I could probably do as good as a pastor as all those I had filled in for,” said Pastor Marlin. “Ray Baker was the district superintendent at the time. He encouraged me to become a licensed local pastor.”

In 2007, Sapp headed to licensing school in Fort Scott, Kansas. He was appointed to serve at Stickney UMC in Stickney, South Dakota. Later, Mount Vernon United Methodist Church was added to his charge.

“We followed people like Kermit Culver, Don Lagge, and Dave Motta at Stickney,” he said. “After three years, Mount Vernon was a new alignment.” to be an attorney.” Graf said, “It would be good to have an attorney who is a Christian. But I think God is calling you into ministry.”

Each summer, Pastor Marlin headed to Garrett-Evangelical Seminary to complete his course of study as a licensed local pastor. “There was not an online option at that time. So, each summer, I would travel to Garrett to complete the coursework,” he said.

In 2014, Carol and Marlin moved to Linton, North Dakota, to serve the United Methodist congregations in Linton and Sterling. There have been several improvements made to the church and parsonage, even adding some aesthetics by making flower boxes out of the brick from the old church, which was struck by lightning.

In retirement, Carol and Marlin will continue living in Linton, North Dakota, and serving the congregations at Linton and Sterling.

Rev. Trapp remembers the exact moment that he knew that God was calling him into pastoral ministry. “I was in my bedroom doing my devotions. I was reading a passage about the differences between Adam and Christ. I felt God say at that moment, ‘Dean, I want you to preach this.’ I knew I was called,” said Pastor Dean.

Throughout his years at Central UMC as a youth and young adult, he sang in the choir and was involved with the youth group. Rev. Dave and Mary Motta led the youth group.

Pastor Dave and Mary took Dean on a tour of Westmar College. Then, he headed to Westmar for a bachelor’s degree in religion and sociology.

After graduation from Westmar, Pastor Dean attended St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. “I was challenged by the liberal theology being taught at St. Paul’s. At times I felt very uncomfortable. But I was not the only evangelical student there. I became friends with some of the other evangelical students. We met together for prayer and Bible study and mutual support. And that helped me make it through my studies. Being at St. Paul’s and having the experience I did only made me stronger in my faith and helped me realize I was on the right path,” he said. Upon graduation from seminary, Rev. Trapp entered his first appointment at Conde and Andover, South Dakota. “When Susie and I went to visit the church and parsonage, we couldn’t get into the parsonage. At the time, they had no pastor so there was no one living in the parsonage. It was February. It had just snowed 10-12 inches on top of what they already had earlier in the winter. The snow had not been removed all winter. So, they just told us what the parsonage looked like,” said Rev. Trapp. “It was a great place to start. We still have some friends that we keep in contact within those communities.”

In 1990, Dean and Susie moved 21 miles north to serve a two-point appointment at the United Methodist Church in Groton and the United Church of Christ in Columbia, South Dakota.

After five years, there was a realignment. Rev. Trapp served

Barry Whipkey

Throughout his life, Rev. Barry Whipkey has grown in his love of Christ, people, and agriculture. He spent several years working in various agricultural jobs. But God had a different plan.

“I had been in agriculture all my life, but I knew God had called me to pastoral ministry in high school. I went to college for a short time and just was drawn back to the farm. And so I married, farmed, and went into the ag business with Dekalb/Monsanto for many years,” said Whipkey.

Pastor Barry grew up on a farm outside Flandreau, South Dakota, and married his high school sweetheart. Barry attended college for a bit. Then, the couple returned to Flandreau and farmed for 13 years.

Debbie and Barry moved to Parker, South Dakota, where Barry worked for Dekalb/Monsanto in the southeast district of South Dakota. Two of their three children graduated from high school in Parker.

the United Methodist Churches in Groton and Conde. “It was great to serve the people of Conde again. It was like we never left,” he said.

In 1996, he was appointed to serve the United Methodist congregations in Yankton and Gayville-Volin. In about 2005, Gayville-Volin was realigned to be served by the pastor at Vermillion. But Dean and his family served the Yankton Church for a total of 14 years. “It became known as home to our three children. They spent most of their school years there,” said Pastor Dean. “It was a wonderful time for our family and ministry.”

The next stop in Trapp’s ministry journey was Sunnycrest United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, before moving to Huron to serve at Riverview and Virgil United Methodist Churches.

“Every place we have been in ministry, we have been blessed. I give thanks for that,” said Pastor Dean.

“We tried to inspire the campers by reliving God’s dream for Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. I played Moses, and we would climb to the top of Storm Mountain for the Sermon on the Mount and receive the Ten Commandments. It was a wonderful experience,” recalled Pastor Dean.

In retirement, Dean and Susie will continue to live in Sioux Falls, where they currently live. Dean will continue to work at Walmart as a Customer Host/Greeter. He will go from full-time to part-time, working two days a week beginning in June.

“We lived in Parker for ten years; two of our kids graduated from high school there. Then, the company moved me to Milbank,” said Barry. “In hindsight, it was a real God thing that we ended up there.”

Raised in a little Baptist church in Trent, South Dakota, Barry and Debbie continued attending the American Baptist Church until they moved to Milbank, South Dakota, in 1999. A friend invited them to attend Central United Methodist Church, and the congregation became their new church home.

“They put me into just about any and every position you could possibly imagine. I was on the leadership council. I taught some Sunday school. I did all the things that one would normally do as a layperson,” said Pastor Barry. “Debbie was very involved also.”

Then in 2003, his dad passed away. Rev. Mark Holland, who was serving as the pastor at Milbank Central United Methodist Church, and Rev. Deborah Ball-Kilbourne, district superintendent, invited Barry into ministry.

But, in the middle of Barry’s discernment, Holland left his appointment at Milbank Central UMC to serve a congregation in Iowa, and Rev. Dwight Meier stepped in, assisting Barry in becoming a licensed local pastor.

“Dwight led me into all of this. When I was finalizing all my stuff, Bishop Coyner asked me to get licensed before the annual conference in 2004. He said, ‘Go anywhere you can. Get that done before the annual conference.’ So I did some searching and ended up in licensing school at Duke in North Carolina,” said Barry. “I went off for three weeks to Duke, so, I can claim that I am a Duke graduate.”

Pastor Barry began serving as a licensed local pastor in 2004 at a three-point charge in Larimore, North Dakota, serving the United Methodist Church, Arvilla Presbyterian Church, and Emerado Presbyterian Church.

“It was the most wonderful appointment we could ever have imagined coming into ministry—three little churches that loved us and taught us. We loved them. It was just a phenomenal first appointment for us!” said Pastor Barry.

Lou Whitmer

“In life there are bad times, there can be lots of pain, but there was good work that began in me when I was baptized. I had two great-uncles who were Methodist pastors. One of them baptized me when I was six months old,” said Lou Whitmer who has been in ministry for 47 years, serving as a pastor of churches for 16 years. Whitmer retires this year.

Lou Whitmer grew up in Hettinger, North Dakota, where she attended the local Methodist Church and remembers being a part of the worship service celebrating the creation of the United Methodist Church. She was confirmed at Hettinger UMC, as were many of her family members before her. In 1907 her great-grandparents and grandfather were charter members of the little white Hettinger Methodist Church.

Her grandparents gave Lou’s family a piano that had belonged to their great-grandmother and paid for piano lessons. Then Lou became the church pianist.

“I started playing piano out of necessity at church when I was in the sixth grade. My pay was a box of stationary at Christmas,” said Whitmer. “I remember enjoying it, but I’m also very glad there are no recordings of the services,” she said. A vital memory is that same year she attended camp. “The first time I really understood God’s love for me was at Wesley Acres Bible Camp.”

In 2007, Pastor Barry was appointed to Riverview UMC and Virgil UMC in Huron South Dakota, a two-point parish where he served for six years.

During the summers, Pastor Barry attended Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City to complete the classes for the licensed local pastor course of study.

“I completed that in 2010. I graduated with two great colleagues–Laurie Kidd and Sharla McCaskell,” said Barry. “It was an expensive process. Randy Cross served as a mentor and helped us with financial support, so we came out of that without any debt. That was a blessing.”

In 2013, he was appointed to serve at Madison United Methodist Church in South Dakota. Then in 2019, Barry and Debbie moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, to serve First United Methodist Church.

In retirement, the Whipkeys will move to a home in Avon, South Dakota, to live close to their daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren.

Her church family was and continues to be a support system. “My mom died when I was 15. I remember the church being there for us.”

Family roles changed. Lou became a parent figure to her siblings and a support to her father. She recalls reading the book Motherless Daughers by Hope Edelman.

“I became what I read: I got the grocery list and the car keys. I became the cook and cared for my younger brothers. I had a lot of responsibility. My dad and grandparents were in deep grief. I ended up getting a two-year degree rather than a four-year degree. There was a lot of pressure to get done with college, move back home, and continue to be the caregiver,” said Lou.

She attended North Dakota College of Science in Wahpeton, earning an associate degree in business. Lou did not return home. She worked and lived in Fargo. Like a lot of young adults, she stepped away from the church.

“Then I went to this Bible study with a friend, and asked the pastor, ‘If God loves us, why did my mom die?’ He answered, ‘Lou, God punishes those whom he loves; what did you do?’ It was such a horrible thought that I was somehow responsible for my mother’s death,” she said. “Those words ringing in my ears began to shape my theology for the better,” said Whitmer, “and to this day I am very sensitive of how damaging scripture used flippantly as easy answers truly is for people.”

After a few years in Fargo, Lou ventured to Minot. An invitation from a beloved pastor, Rev. Jim Pomeroy, who would become her mentor, brought her back to church. “I met Jim Pomeroy, and he got me back on track. I got involved again at Trinity United Methodist Church in Minot, where I started playing piano and taught confirmation,” said Lou. “Jim asked me to consider the ministry way back then.”

She became the organist and music coordinator at Vincent United Methodist Church in Minot for the next 31 years. Playing organ and helping with music kept Lou involved in church.

“I was really feeling a call periodically to do more. Jim had left and was a district superintendent. He would mention ministry or the gifts he saw in me every time I saw him. I got very involved with life. When the feeling crept up that there should be more, I would kind of push it down. I thought I was doing enough.”

Lou continued her work at Vincent UMC. She owned a gift shop for several years. People would come in to visit and she would listen. “It was kind of a social service agency because people came in all the time for everything but for buying gifts,” said Lou.

She started working at Minot State University, when God’s call became clear. “I still remember standing in front of the printer one day. It was in the summer. There wasn’t anybody else around. I said out loud, ‘I’m going to seminary.’ It was just this overpowering feeling. I called Deborah BallKilbourne, and we had a long conversation.”

Lou thought maybe she would finish her bachelor’s degree and then head to seminary. Then she heard about another ministry path, licensed local pastor.

Candidates

Recognition of Orders

Andrea Johnson

Andrea Johnson has found a home in The United Methodist Church. She completed her ordination in the Evangelical Covenant Church and is transferring her orders.

Andrea grew up in Minnesota. As a freshman in high school, she attended youth group and knew there was something different about kids

“I went immediately into ministry. I attended licensing school in Kansas and then was assigned to be the pastor at Kimball, South Dakota, at Kimball Protestant Parish,” said Pastor Lou. “The timing was right. My guiding scripture is, ‘I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ [Philippians 1:6].’ It was just the right time for me. Kimball was a great appointment for me.” involved in the church who were connected to God. It was there that she realized God’s love for her. Andrea felt God might be calling her into ministry.

While in Kimball, she worked with the church, which was part of three denominations—Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Presbyterian Church (USA), and United Methodist, to streamline their governance and finance structures. They were functioning in one building, but they still were trying to keep it as three denominations.

In 2011, she was appointed to serve as the associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Mitchell, South Dakota. After Mitchell, Pastor Lou was appointed to serve at North Highland United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 2013.

In retirement, Lou plans to live in and look for ministry opportunities in Bismarck, North Dakota.

She expresses gratitude for a joyful journey. “There’s more joy to this journey than we sometimes give credit. There are so many things that can make ministry hard. When you stop and look back, you can see all the sparks of brightness. You can get really mired down in the denominational stuff and the difficult people. But when I step back, I can see so many bright spots of joy and surprise in all of that,” said Pastor Lou.

She attended Minnesota State University in Moorhead, Minnesota, where she studied speech and theater education. In college, she got involved in Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU), worked at a mission ministry in Yellowstone National Park, and met her husband, Sam.

Later Andrea earned an undergraduate degree in management at the University of Sioux Falls. She completed her Master of Divinity at Sioux Falls Seminary in 2012.

While in seminary, Andrea served as the worship coordinator and assistant pastor at Living Springs Church in Brandon. She serves as the Next Generation pastor at First United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls. She will serve North

Provisional Membership and Commissioning Donald Dinger

Don Dinger spent 22 years in the North Dakota Army National Guard as a Religious Affairs Specialist (chaplain’s assistant). Born and raised in Minnesota, his faith is part of his identity. He is being commissioned as an elder.

When he was 16 years old, he accepted Christ in his life. Don knew he was called to be a pastor after attending Bible camp during his senior year of high school. He ran from God’s call on his life while he got a college education and started a family. Finally, after two deployments in the Army National Guard and some life struggles, Don surrendered to God’s call.

Krista Ducker

Krista grew up in Ohio attending church and in the children’s choir, adult choir, and youth group. She distinctly remembers asking Jesus into her heart at a young age. Her dad worked as a Christian radio host, which fostered her faith and love for music. Her mom, an avid singer with a deep curiosity and love of learning, grew in Krista a similar desire to learn, grow and mentor others. Krista is being commissioned as an elder.

She traveled to England in her twenties and began to discern a call to vocational ministry. Unfortunately, life events and the tragic loss of family members paused her discernment. However, over time her call to vocational ministry materialized. Krista found that her gifts in leadership as a worship director and pastor flourished in the opportunity to serve The United Methodist Church.

Highland United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Andrea and her husband Sam have one son, Isaac. She enjoys watching and supporting her son’s many activities and is looking forward to continuing to cheer him on as he plays football and sings in the choir at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

He attended North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, and received an associate degree in architectural drafting. Don obtained an undergraduate degree in Bible studies and youth ministry at Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, North Dakota. In 2022, he completed his Master of Divinity from Kairos University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Don served as the administrative pastor at Legacy United Methodist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota. He currently serves at the United Methodist Churches in Steele and Tuttle, North Dakota.

He is married to Stessa, and they are currently raising a daughter and a son. Together they have four adult children and four granddaughters. He relaxes by doing woodworking and restoring old furniture.

She received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in theology at Durham University in the United Kingdom. Krista graduated with her Master of Divinity from Kairos University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She has served as the pastor at Southern Hills United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls, and as the associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Brookings, South Dakota. Krista currently serves Ben Clare United Methodist Church in Valley Springs, South Dakota, and as a chaplain at Avera McKennen Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Krista is married to Jim and has one son, Lucas. She enjoys music, reading, puttering in the kitchen and long walks in the woods.

Amber Laffey

Amber has always gone to church and loved Jesus. Throughout her life, she has been actively engaged in worship, music, youth activities, Bible studies, and attending church camp. Her parents, siblings and extended family are committed followers of Christ and showed her how to do the same. Her brother is an ordained clergy member in the ELCA. Amber is being commissioned as a deacon.

Her call started as a youth when she attended a church conference where she felt God’s call, perhaps to be a youth pastor. After marrying and starting a family, Amber served in many volunteer roles at the churches she attended. During that time, it became clear that raising her children to have an active faith life was essential. Amber landed at Fusion United Methodist Church in Mitchell, South Dakota, serving in many areas of ministry; and her family engaged in mission projects. God nudged her in her calling to become a staff member at the Dakotas Conference office. While working at Annual Conference, she answered God’s call to professional ministry during the Celebration of Life in Ministry Service. Amber attended Midland and Bellevue University in Nebraska and earned an undergraduate degree in marketing management. She graduated with her Masters of Divinity from Kairos University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Amber has served as the pastor at Stickney United Methodist Church and Flandreau United Methodist Church in South Dakota. She currently serves the United Methodist Church in Alexandria, South Dakota.

She is married to Tyler. They have four children, three girlas and one boy, ranging in age from 5 to 15 years. She enjoys traveling, volunteering in the community and supporting her children’s activities.

Full Membership and Ordination Matthew Morrison

Matt grew up in Iowa and The United Methodist Church. His family has always had an active part in the life of the churches where they attended. When he was confirmed, Matt recalls praying a prayer of surrender, asking Jesus to take over his life. He is being ordained as an elder.

His call to ministry became apparent while pursuing a career in music education. Matt had completed his master’s degree and was applying for teaching jobs. Sunday at worship he heard the question during the message, “God may be calling. Are you listening?” He pursued a call in Indiana, serving as a worship arts director. He moved to Sioux Falls, closer to home, expanded his ministry roles, and knew God was presenting him with new opportunities.

He attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, earning a bachelor’s degree in music education. He later earned a master’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Northern Colorado. He graduated with his Master of Divinity from Kairos University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Matt has served at Embrace Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fusion Church in Mitchell, South Dakota. He serves as the associate pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls.

Matt is married to Amy. They have two children, Xander and Maia. His hobbies include cycling, bike repair, acting, and all things music.

Welcome to this significant service of worship and celebration of ministry. We pray you may participate fully in offering praise and thanksgiving to our God for the work of the Holy Spirit.

IN ORDINATION, the Holy Spirit acts to maintain the priority of the gospel by setting apart men and women called to leadership as apostles.

The pattern for this response to the call is provided in the development of the early church. The apostles led in prayer, teaching, and preaching; ordered the spiritual and temporal life of the community; established leadership for the ministry of service; and provided for the proclamation of the gospel to new people and in new places. The early church, through the laying on of hands, set apart people with responsibility to preach, to teach, to administer the sacraments, to nurture, to heal, to gather the community in worship, and to send them forth in witness. The church also set apart other people to care for the physical needs of others, reflecting the concerns for the people of the world.

Ordination to this ministry is a gift from God to the church. In ordination, the church affirms and continues the apostolic ministry through people empowered by the Holy Spirit.

ACTS OF ORDINATION AND COMMISSIONING are anchored in the sacrament of baptism and the ministry of the baptized. All baptized Christians respond as “the priesthood of all believers,” and so, as we begin, we reaffirm our baptism together.

COMMISSIONING may be compared to the experience of the early church in Antioch as the Holy Spirit instructed the community to “set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2, NRSV). As provisional members are commissioned, we acknowledge and affirm God’s call and the individual’s response, gifts, and training for leadership in the local church and community. We offer our support for their continuing formation as each one journeys toward ordination and full membership in the conference.

ORDINATION is understood as the act of the Holy Spirit and, as a liturgical rite, the culmination of a process in which representatives of the whole church discern and validate the call, gifts and effectiveness for ministry. Ordination of deacons and elders is both to an office and for a lifetime. Ordination confers a new identity in the life of the church as well as authority for ministry. This identity is claimed in relation to Christ and his call to leadership and service with the baptized for the life of the world. Upon ordination, deacons and elders become accountable to the whole church, to the community of the ordained, and to the order of deacons or elders of which they are a part.

THE LAYING ON OF HANDS, referenced in II Timothy 1:6, indicates the sign of calling on God’s Holy Spirit to bestow the gifts of grace for ministry. Commissioned people are blessed on the shoulders as a sign of being sent into ministry for a specified period of time. They kneel facing the congregation as a sign that they are sent into the congregation for continued formation and service before ordination. In ordination, a bishop lays hands on the head of the candidate as a sign of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for a lifetime of ministry. The ordinands kneel facing the bishop as a sign that they are sent and supported by the congregation into a lifetime of service. The whole church affirms together with “Amen” to indicate recognition, gratitude, and commitment to the work of the Holy Spirit. The privilege of sharing in ministry with all in Christ’s holy church is celebrated by the inclusion of an ecumenical representative to share in the laying on of hands.

INSTRUMENTS AND SYMBOLS for the ordering of ministry are represented for the distinct orders. The Bible is common to all orders of Christ’s ministry. Commissioned ministers wear no stole. The ministry of the deacon is symbolized by the basin, pitcher, and towel, representing servant ministry. The deacon’s stole, worn over the left shoulder, across the body, symbolizes the servant’s towel. The ministry of the elder is symbolized by the chalice (cup) and paten (plate), representing the sacrament of Holy Communion. The elder’s stole, yoked at the neck, hanging straight down, symbolizes the yoking with Jesus Christ. The bishop’s instrument of ministry is the crozier, or shepherd’s staff, symbolizing the pastoral leadership of Christ and his flock. Like all Christians, licensed local pastors may wear a scapular, which represents the servant’s apron, and a pectoral cross.

OFFERING taken this evening will support the Ministerial Education Fund, which provides scholarships to seminary students and continuing education funds for clergy.