Ministry Discernment Retreats

The Ministry Discernment Retreat is a one-day event, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CST) for those who are feeling CALLED to serve in ministry to others. The retreat is for anyone in the local church who would like to explore their calling. Participants will find where their gifts are best suited to serve the local church or to more intentionally serve beyond the churches four walls.  Here is a list of dates and places:

January 14, 2017--Aberdeen First, Grand Forks Wesley, Sioux Falls Asbury UMC

January 21, 2017—Rapid City Canyon Lake UMC

January 28, 2017—Valley City Epworth UMC

February 4, 2017—Mitchell First, Pierre First, Bismarck Legacy UMC

February 11, 2017—Fargo Flame of Faith, Aberdeen First UMC

Click here to register

2017 advanced lay ministry courses

Everyone is invited to participate in the 2017 advanced lay ministry courses.
Click here for a detailed description of the courses.

Cost for each course is $30 payable by check to the following address: Dakotas Conference Office, Attn: Taya Swanson, PO Box 460, Mitchell, SD 57301. Dependent on the course, participants books will be mailed to you from the Dakotas Conference Office.  If you have questions or need more information contact Taya Swanson by e-mail or phone 605-990-7796.

Click here to register for a course

Apportionments Due Jan. 12

The cutoff date for 2016 apportionments, direct bills and other offerings is Thursday, January 12, 2017. Any dollars for 2016 received after this date will show up on the 2017 statements as “prior year apportionments or direct bills.”

Click here to learn more about your church’s apportionments.

Holmes UMC visits communities

The Holmes UMC celebrated Advent and Christmas by presenting a live nativity program in several places.  On Sunday, Dec. 4th, they visited the Northwood Deaconess Health Center and the Hatton Prairie Village.  Chaplain Mark Ellingson narrated the Christmas story as various characters act it out; gifted members of the congregation sang solos and duets, and the angel choir provided the foundation for the congregations to join in with all the other carols.

On December 22 and 23 they presented the program in the barn of a local farmer with cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and a donkey.  Holmes UMC provided handicapped parking, sleigh/wagon rides, and hot cider for all the visitors during this 29th year the congregation has been presenting this Christmas nativity event. Hundreds of people came out to see the program, which truly brought Christ’s birth alive and was filled with the Christmas spirit.

Holmes UMC has posted more photos on their Facebook page. 

Winter Connection 2017

The Winter Connection event will be January 27-28, 2017.  Locations will be Brookings First UMC, Bismarck McCabe UMC, and Rapid City Canyon Lake UMC.  The theme this year is “Mission in Action”.  Throughout the event the discussion will be challenges to align conviction, passion, and call with the understanding that sometimes we don’t do enough as the body of Christ.

Discussion  will also include the importance of doing mission work within our local churches.  Each site will have their own unique local mission opportunity as well as their own worship leaders and guest speaker.

Registration and more information here.

Go! Get 'em!

Jesus said, “Therefore GO and make disciples in all the nations...”

Go! Get 'em! is a free workshop for all churches in the Prairie Hills District  and beyond to learn how to develop an outreach plan that will reach new people with the love of God.
January 14  Canyon Lake UMC     9am-1pm  
January 21  Pierre First UMC         9 a.m.  - 1 p.m.

Each church will:
Receive demographics on their community
Identify needs of their community
Develop a plan to reach people in their community

Register number of people attending by emailing  Kevin Kloster one week before workshop.

Click HERE to download a pdf flyer to promote this event at your church.