5 reminders for AC 2017:

1. Register now at this link. You can avoid a late fee of $25 if you register before May 19.

2. View the detailed schedule here.  You will find lots of information about the how to contact speakers, moderators, photos, mapsm handouts and much more.  Click here for a video on how to utlize SCHED. You will be able to view this shedule on your phone, tablet, laptop and also print it if you wish. 

3. To get ready for the business sessions you will need access to the 2017 Conference Workbook.  Click here to view the Conference workbook on a mobile device here.  You can also download (click here) the Conference Workbook or print the doument as you needed. 

4. Decide how and what you will contribute to the 2017 Kids Count Miracle Offerring. All churches recently received a packet with materials (click to download: poster, pledge card, offering envelope, bulletin insert, letter from the Bishop) to help promote the Kids Count Miracle Offering to their congregations. If need any additional copies or otherresources please contact the Conference office. Please share this giving opportunity!

5. Become familar with the venues for this year's annual conference watch the video, Welcome to Bismarck! Read over the frequently asked questions here.  You will find questions people have been asking about this year's conference "Encounter the Spirit: Live expectantly!"

Mission u

Mission u be held July 13-16 at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD and July 20-23 in at the University of Jamestown in Jamestown, ND.  Click here for a registration form.

The theme for this year is: “Learning Together for Transformation of the World”

In-depth themes this year will be:

Living as a Covenant Community –Covenants are found in the Bible from the moment God created man and woman until the last page of Revelation. As we grow to understand the divine covenants made by God with our ancestors, and thus with us, our faith and our lives will transform. Through this study, we come to marvel at our covenant God, grow in our love for God, for each other, and for our neighbors near and far. Rev. Matt Richards will be the presenter

Missionary Conferences of UMC in USA–The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, Red Bird Missionary Conference, and the Alaska United Methodist Conference are a hybrid of home and internal missionary work. The aim of this study is to give an overview of these three missionary conferences in The UMC, the contexts out of which they grew, and their current engagements. Dawn Armstrong will be the presenter.

Climate Justice: Call to Hope and Action –This study will deepen your understanding and awareness of climate change and its impact on God’s creation. It offers participants biblical, theological and ethical insights as the basis of their advocacy on climate justice in churches and in the public sphere. Rev. Marty Toepke-Floyd will be the presenter.

Communication training available at Annual Conference 2017

There will be four communications training sessions presented by United Methodists Communications at this year’s annual conference in Bismarck, North Dakota on June 8 and June 9, 2017.  The training sessions will take place over the lunch break. You can register for a box lunch for a $10 fee and sign up to attend the training sessions when you register for Annual Conference 2017.  If you already registered or would like to attend and will not be registering for Annual Conference, contact Susan Punt by e-mail or call 605-990-7782.

Thursday, June 8 lunch and learn sessions:

Communicating faith in the 21st century—This session includes a boxed lunch and starts at 11:45 a.m.  Learn the importance of telling stories of faith and sharing individual messages in the public sphere.  Identify people and organizations with whom to build relationships via social media and other 21st century communications tools. Articulate and implement best practices for using 21st century communications tools to communicate faith.

Church Marketing:  How to effectively reach your community— This session includes a boxed lunch and starts at 11:45 a.m.  Church marketing is strategic planning for outreach evangelism. Your church wants to impact lives, helping people know Christ and engage them through Christian discipleship. One of the ways you can accomplish this is through your Church Marketing Plan. The creation of a strategic plan for your church helps improve how you communicate with and impact the people you want to reach for the Kingdom. During this workshop, we will cover the tools to plan.

Friday, June 9 lunch and learn sessions:

Your church website: Rethinking your new front door— This session includes a boxed lunch and starts at 12:00 p.m.  Your Church Website focuses on going beyond just having a church website to effectively implementing a broader online presence. We will cover the tools to plan, build, and launch a successful online strategy that helps people connect with your church in a new way. With people living a big part of their lives online, what does this transition to an online world mean for the church?

Facebook best practices for churches— This session includes a boxed lunch and starts at 12:00 p.m.  71 percent of online adults use Facebook. Learn how to get your church’s message in front of them. You can target people based on location, likes, life circumstances, age and more. Best of all, using Facebook is free so the cost is only in how much time you choose to invest.  

Summer youth mission opportunities

Impact Sioux Falls Sioux Falls First UMC invites all youth grades 6-12 to a weeklong summer mission opportunity serving various agencies in Sioux Falls, S.D.   Intentional Ministry Promoting Active Community Transformation (IMPACT) will take place June 18-23, 2017.

Registration is now open.
Contact Andrea Johnson at (605) 336-3652. 
Click here for more information from Sioux Falls First UMC.

2017 High School Mission Trip, Mission, TX Hello Campers and potential campers!!!  If you have not signed up yet but still want to go on this great adventure to Texas, GET YOUR PAPERWORK and payments in SOON.  Deadline is the end of May!!  So... if you have not registered yet and are planning on going, get your forms into the Camp Office along with $450 to cover the original deposit and the first installment!!  Click here for details

For those registered already, the churches should be receiving a bill this week for the $300 installment (and then you will receive another for the final $300 at the end of May).  Individuals coming along that are not part of a church youth group will receive a billing statement directly.

Again, all forms and payments will be due by the END OF MAY!! That will be the cut-off deadline for registrations and from there we will finalize travel accommodations, work teams...

More info coming soon!! Take care and God bless!!! - Rev. John Britt and Steve Hilton