DAKOTA CONFERENCE
It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …” —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities What the future holds, no one knows. But the church will push through. The church structure is being challenged and will be more, but God’s church— His people— can have confidence in the Lord.
14 OUTLOOKMAG.ORG SEPT 2020
s we look around the world, Dickens’ statement is as real today as it was when it was written in 1859. The Dakota Conference has not experienced the inner-city pain some conferences have, but we are well aware of the times in which we live. In the last 15 years, we have experienced the best of years and, more recently, the worst of years.
in tithes and offerings as floods destroyed Dakota’s harvests. While we were hoping 2020 would be a more normal year, COVID-19 and a divided nation with protests and riots brought a realization that mission and ministry may never be the same. By God’s amazing grace and the support of dedicated Adventist members in the Dakota territory, we move forward in the call of Matthew The best of times 28 to spread the Gospel. Is it easy? Not at all. The good times with Reductions include an increase in tithes and employee numbers in every offerings allowed for new area of the conference and ministries, updating of trimmed travel budgets. It is building infrastructure, a time of prayer and seeking starting of new elementary God’s leading. schools and assembling of an Dakota Conference, with amazing team of people who its agrarian landscape, love Jesus. has allowed for natural personal distancing, open The worst of times church services, baptisms, on-site youth camps and a During the worst of times, delayed but in-person camp most recently 2019, the conmeeting. Dakota Adventist ference realized a downturn Academy—allowed to
remain open by the governor—will start school again this fall on schedule. What the future holds, no one exactly knows. But the church will push through. The church structure is being challenged and will be challenged more, but God’s church—His people—can have confidence in their Lord and Savior. Neil Biloff is retiring as president of the Dakota Conference in September. Courtesy Dakota Conference
challenged
A
