The Dakotas and Minnesota Conferences will celebrate eight years of shared ministry together by holding a joint Annual Conference Session in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, June 10-13. It is going to be a jam-packed, joy-filled, inspiring few days!. Here are a few things to look forward to:

The theme for the Dakotas and Minnesota Annual Conferences' sessions is "Be the Light: Live Hope!"

Schedule: View the schedule here.

• Thursday, we'll gather with the Minnesota Conference for worship, teaching time, lunch-and-learns and networking, and worship service to celebrate those being commissioned, ordained, and licensed as local pastors.
• Friday will feature an area missional report, Bishop Ough's Episcopal Address, and a party to celebrate Bishop Ough's ministry with us and send him and Char off into retirement. We will conclude at 2:30 p.m.
• Friday afternoon, we will say goodbye to our Minnesota colleagues and conduct the business of the Dakotas Conference in plenary session. 
• Saturday morning, there will be morning devotions followed by continuing business. We will end with a worship service to remember our baptisms.

Thomas Kemper, chief staff executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, speaks at a commissioning service for new United Methodist ministries. A UMNS photo by Paul Jeffrey.

Speakers: 

• Rev. Thomas Kemper, general secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries, will bring greetings at our Thursday morning worship in which we'll celebrate 200 years of Global Ministries and 80 years of UMCOR, and lift up this year's Annual Conference theme of "Be the Light: Live Hope!"
• Rev. Rudy and Juanita Rasmus from St. John's UMC in Houston, Texas will be our teachers on Thursday. They have a powerful, dynamic ministry that is diverse, reaching people who have been challenged by addiction and poverty, and building a community of transformation and possibility. 
• Bishop Ough will preach at the Thursday evening worship service in which we will commission and ordain new clergy and recognize those who have been approved for licensing.
• Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey will preach at the Friday evening worship service, at which we'll celebrate our retirees and remember the ministry of the saints who have died in the past year.

Attendees at the 2019 Annual Conference discussing considerations. Photo by jlynn studios.

Lodging, registration, and venues: 

• We have blocks with enough rooms for all participants at hotels near the convention center. Book your room now. Get the details here. 
• Registration for the Annual Conference Session itself will open March 1! The fees will be similar to what they were last year.
• Annual Conference 2020 will be held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center, 1201 N West Ave, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104.
• Child care will be available at Asbury UMC in Sioux Falls. 
• First UMC in Sioux Falls will host the Friday night worship service. 
• Asbury UMC, First UMC, Sunnycrest UMC, will host pre-conference meetings and special events. 

Legislative items and award nominations:

• All proposals for petitions and resolutions for the 2020 Dakotas Annual Conference Session must be submitted electronically to Rev. Rebecca Trefz, by March 30, 2020. 
• Items should be created using the Petitions and Resolutions form. 
• If you have questions about resolutions and petitions, you may contact Rebecca by e-mail or phone 605-990-7791. 
• The Dakotas Conference Petitions and Resolution Committee will review submissions before being placed on the agenda for consideration at the 27th Session of the Dakotas Annual Conference.
• Nominations are now open for the following awards. More information on each award and nomination forms are here.
  • Denman Award for Evangelism 
  • Francis Asbury Award 
  • Streams of Justice  Award 
  • Youthworker Hall of Fame 
  • Darrell Leach Youth Worker of the Year Award 
  • To nominate an individual, please submit your nominations to Rebecca Trefz via e-mail here by March 30, 2020.

We look forward to seeing you in June, and are excited to dream and pray about what God might have for us next as we continue to...  Be the Light: Live Hope!

Welcome to Sioux Falls for AC 2020