North Highland UMC in Aberdeen, S.D. Photo by Bruce Blumer.

“My first meeting with the congregation, the people mentioned the need to get the young people at the college involved with the congregation,” said Rev. Andrea Johnson, North Highland United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota. 

She immediately went to work connecting Northern State University students with the congregation she serves.  

“I have a natural in with my son on the football team,” said Pastor Andrea. “He is a freshman this year. I got to know the coaches through the recruiting process and early in the football season. Last fall, we did a team meal for 120 coaches and players at North Highland. I made chicken alfredo. People from the congregation made and donated cookies and bars. It was a joy to serve the team.” 

North Highland UMC is on a mission to continue to build relationships with the university community.   

“We have had the defensive group of the football team for meals. Our goal is to connect monthly, but student-athlete schedules are busy,” Pastor Andrea said. “We are trying to find a time for a monthly meal and worship. Five or six football guys play instruments and talk about providing some music.”  

Recently, NSU held a pickleball tournament on campus. North Highland UMC sponsored the gifts for first and second place. 

“It was another way to build connections. We were able to get to know those people and build relationships,” shared Pastor Andrea.  

Another step North Highland is taking in therelationship with NSU is filing paperwork for an on-campus presence.  

Graphic created by Anna Mutzenberger.

“If you want to do things on campus, the Student Activities Board must officially recognize you. We hope to be able to do things like have a table in the student center. Get announcements in the communications on campus. Part of the process is identifying an on-campus advisor. Somebody in our congregation who works on the campus is willing to be the advisor,” explains Pastor Andrea. 

The choir director at North Highland is a student at Northern State University. Pastor Andrea describes how it works.  “We started up the choir again. We had a director who graduated mid-year. He continued directing for the remainder of this year. We look forward to getting another student to direct and continue to build connections. People really enjoy having a choir again and a student director,”  she said.

North Highland UMC has a strong outreach to the Aberdeen community and beyond. Annually, the Coats for Kids project collects and distributes winter coats and other winter gear to hundreds of children in the community. The congregation gathers Shoebox Christmas gifts and brings over 100 gifts to Enemy Swim Day School near Waubay, South Dakota.  

“Getting the football players involved in those two projects would be awesome. It would be another outlet for the team and a connection with congregation members,” Pastor Andrea said.  

As the 2023-24 academic year ends, plans are underway for next fall. “By the fall, we hope to be an official student organization. We want to kick off monthly gatherings with a student band and worship. We know that God will take the lead,” Pastor Andrea said.