As the United Methodist Church waits for the next gathering of the global denomination in 2024, many are looking for answers about what may happen and the impact on their local church. The Dakotas Conference is committed to providing resources to help all congregations navigate this time of discernment and to provide care and support for pastors, congregations, and individuals as they go through this process. The Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church also has a vision for the church going into the future. Check out the #BeDakotasUMC page to find resources. New resources will be added as they become available.

#BeDakotasUMC

Join the #BeDakotasUMC, a grassroots movement to live out our beliefs, vision, values and our connection as United Methodists in North and South Dakota. Congregations and people across the Dakotas are living out their faith, celebrating what draws us to be The United Methodist Church. Here some resources to join the movement. Access grahics, or tell us your story. 

Dakotas Conference Resources

Give us your input on the Vision and Values Statement. At Annual Conference this year, the Bishop’s Task Force on the Continuing Dakotas United Methodist Conference shared the initial draft of the Vision and Values document they had been working on for the past year. Since Annual Conference, we have made a few small editorial changes and wording adjustments for more clarity. View the updated doument.  As was shared at Annual Conference, now we want to hear from you!  We invite you and your church leadership to read through this document and discuss it together considering these questions on this survey.

Address the misinformation. Rev. Kris Mutzenberger, who serves as the dean of the Dakotas Conference Cabinet, and members Dakotas Cabinet have heard so much misinformation surrounding The United Methodist Church, they decided to set the record straight, to help answer your questions, and make things clearer for our local churches and pastors. Rev. Mutzenberger addresses seven myths or statements of misinformation in this video.

Host a Values Discernment Workshop. If someone were to ask 5-10 people in your local congregation to name the church’s top 3-5 core values, how many answers do you think you’d get? Would there be some similarities? Differences? The Dakotas Strategy Team has developed a 4-hour workshop to assist churches in discovering and defining their core values. Your congregation can request a workshop. Get the details. 

Denominational Resources

Join the People of God #BeUMC Campaign: The People of God campaign celebrates the core values that connect the people of The United Methodist Church. We are faithful, Jesus-seeking, missional, committed, spirit-filled, deeply rooted, connected, resilient, justice-seeking and diverse people of God

Be UMC Worship & Preaching Resources: Incorporate the #BeUMC campaign into worship services with the help of this sermon series developed by Discipleship Ministries.

Ask the UMC: Ask The UMC,has been answering an increasing number of questions from congregations wondering about the future of The United Methodist Church and whether they should consider disaffiliating from it. Among these have been some recurrent questions that reflect misperceptions or misinformation that some congregations are receiving as they are discerning their next steps. Is The UMC really...?, is a series of articles that offers accurate responses to such misperceptions or misinformation. Part one focuses on matters relating to theology, pensions, and benefits. Part two focuses on matters relating to human sexuality. The third article is based on a variety of questions we have received multiple times through email, phone calls, and live chat. 

Follow the Judicial Council: Decision 1449: Paragraph 2548.2 establishes a process for the limited purpose of deeding and transferring church property to another denomination but does not apply to the membership of a local church.

Book of Discipline, paragraph 2553: The General Conference enacted paragraph 2553, with the express purpose of “Disaffiliation of Local Churches Over Issues Related to Human Sexuality.” Under Paragraph 2553, congregations can leave with property and members if they meet certain financial and procedural obligations.

Bishop urges end to falsehoods, pivot to future:  Council of Bishops President Thomas J. Bickerton called on fellow bishops and church members to begin pivoting The United Methodist Church toward a hope-filled future. He specifically disputed claims that United Methodist leaders are abandoning the denomination’s doctrinal standards in the Articles of Religion, that they do not embrace the primacy of the Bible and that they do not believe Jesus Christ is the son of God.