THIS WEEK

Pray with us | June 22-28
   Dear Lord, Help me remember what a difference it makes when I make time with You a priority in my morning. Awaken me in body and spirit each day with a desire to meet with You and to hear You speak words of affirmation, assurance, and wisdom over my heart as I prepare to go into my day.  We pray for all of God's people but espcially these persons.

Soul Fill-up | Wednesdays 8 a.m. mountain time, 9 a.m. central time 
    Soul Fill-up is a mid-week time for church leaders to slow down. Let us pour into your soul and refill your cup during guided scripture reading, prayer, and meditation led by the Higher Ground program's spiritual directors. There is nothing to do or prepare—just set this 30-40 minutes aside for yourself and join us! Click here to join, Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. central time, 8:00 a.m. mountain time.

2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESOURCES 

AC 2021 | 4-minute wrap-up video
    It is a wrap! On June 11-12, 2021, we celebrated with inspiring  worship where we heard Bishop Laurie Haller's Episcopal Address, received the 2021 Miracle Offering,  marked the milestones in the lives of clergy, and remembered our baptisms. We discussed our perspectives, voted on resolutions, and came to know each other better. We heard inspiring calls to ministry and evangelism, and passionately petitioned Jesus, our Waymaker, to help us see the way forward so we can effectively live out God's call to grow in love of God and neighbor, reach new people, and heal a broken world.

2021 Annual Conference |  Highlights to share
    The twenty-eighth session of the Dakotas Annual Conference was held June 11-12, 2021. On Friday, June 11, people gathered in-person at McCabe United Methodist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, First United Methodist Church in Fargo, North Dakota, First United Methodist Church in Rapid City, South Dakota, and the Convention Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Saturday, June 12, participants joined in-person at the Sioux Falls Convention Center or virtually on their individual devices. More than 400 United Methodists from North and South Dakota experienced inspiring worship, meaningful learning, and conducted business. Here are some of the highlights.

Thank you to our 2021 Annual Conference sponsors
    Thank you to the Dakotas Conference Board of Pensions and the Dakotas United Methodist Foundation for sponsoring our breaks during the 2021 Annual Conference,  on Friday, June 10. Your kindness did not go unnoticed!

2021 Miracle Offering | Feeding the Dakotas
   Our 2021 Miracle Offering, Feeding the Dakotas is an effort to help feed 150,000 people who face hunger daily in the Dakotas. So far we've collected $40,000. We are more than half-way to the finish line. Help us reach our goal of $75,000 to be shared with the Great Plains Food Bank in North Dakota, Feeding South Dakota, and grants to local hunger ministries.  Access resources for the 2021 Miracle Offering.  

COMING UP

Builders Club | Last Call for Journey at Spirit Lake 
     Builders Club supports the building projects of four churches each year through the donations of hundreds of people across the Dakotas Conference. Builders Club's goal is to assist churches in need of financial support for their building, remodel, or expansion projects. Providing support for churches’ building projects allows them to grow current or begin new ministries.  The Builders Club call, which ends June 30, asks individuals and congregations to support the Journey at Spirit Lake.  Join | Donate online

Mission u 2021 | Bearing Witness in the Kin-dom, July 15 - Jul 17, 2021
    The Mission u team made up of Deans, Cindy Yeager and Emma McKirdy-Wilsey, and Assistant Deans, Bonnie Ostenson and Connie Smith, along with our study leaders, Pastor Michelle Brennan of First UMC Jamestown, North Dakota, and Pastor Nancy Ellis of Faith UMC, St. Anthony, Minnesota, are looking forward to sharing a Zoom  Mission u experience with you. Pastor Michelle will be teaching based on the book, Bearing Witness in the Kin-dom: Living into the Church’s Moral Witness Through Radical Discipleship by Darryl W. Stephens. Her Zoom class will be July 15-17, 2021. Zoom sessions will be held on Thursday, July 15, and Friday, July 16 at 7:15-9:00 p.m., CDT, and also on Saturday, July 17 at 10:00-11:45 a.m. CDT. The deadline for registration for this class is July 8th.

Breaktrough Ministry Grants | Applications due July 31
    Apply for a grant to reach the next person for Jesus. Breakthrough Ministry Grants include outreach ministries, church/school partnerships, young adult/campus ministries, and culture of call.  The next grant application deadline is July 31.  Get the application and instructions here. For questions about the application process, contact Diane Weller in the Foundation office.

Investing in Leaders Grant | Apply by August 1
     The Investing in Leaders Grant is part of the Financial Well-Being Initiative funded through a Lilly Endowment Grant. This $5,000 annual grant to reduce educational debt is open to all active clergy in the Dakotas-Minnesota Area. Applicants must complete a course of personal financial education.  Learn more about the grant by viewing the application.  Contact Diane Owen for more information and any questions.

Mission u | Pushout, August 12-14, 2021
    The Mission u team made up of Deans, Cindy Yeager and Emma McKirdy-Wilsey, and Assistant Deans, Bonnie Ostenson and Connie Smith, along with our study leaders, Pastor Michelle Brennan of  First  UMC Jamestown, North Dakota, and Pastor Nancy Ellis of Faith UMC, St. Anthony, Minnesota, are looking forward to sharing a Zoom Mission u experience with you. Pastor Nancy will be teaching based on the book, Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Morris.  Her Zoom class will be August 12-14, 2021. Zoom sessions will be held on Thursday, August 12, and Friday, August 13 at 7:15-9:00 p.m. CDT, and on Saturday, August 14, at  10:00-11:45 a.m. CDT.  Register by August 5th for this class.

RESOURCES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rural church grants | $500 grants
  The United Methodist Rural Advocates are offering (10) Emerging /Impactful Ministry Awards to United Methodist  rural and town and country churches that are responding to specific needs in their communities. Applications must be filled out by a leader of the program and signed by the pastor and district superintendent and can be completed and returned electronically by October 15, 2021 or postmarked by the same date. Recipients of the awards will be notified by December 1, 2021. Apply here.

Dakotas Conference Strategy Team | Values Workshop
  The Dakotas Strategy Team has developed a 4-hour workshop to assist churches in discovering and defining their core values. The workshop uses videos, personal refection, small group discussion, and large group conversation and consensus to help a congregation define their core values. This workshop is free and available to each congregation. A trained facilitator will come to the church to lead the workshop.  Details here

Zoom license reduced fee | Get the details
    If your church isn't already using Zoom or currently has a month-to-month Zoom plan, you can be a part of United Methodist Communications’ group Zoom Enterprise-level web conferencing license through April 19, 2022! There are reduced-cost and no-cost options.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS | ADS

Southern Hills UMC | Administrative Assistant and Director of Worship
   Southern Hills Church in Sioux Falls, SD is accepting applications for an Administrative Assistant. The Administrative Assistant is responsible for general office support as well as worship support, handling church communication, and maintaining church records. This is a 24 hour a week position. A full job description can be found at https://www.sohillsumc.org/employment.htm Inquiries and resumes should be sent to Mike Hahn at mlhahn@sio.midco.net, or Don Vanderlip at don.vanderlip@sohillsumc.org.

    Southern Hills Church in Sioux Falls, SD is accepting applications for a Director of Worship. The Director of Worship is responsible working with the Pastor in providing leadership in weekly praise team rehearsals and worship for the Sunday morning contemporary service, as well as playing piano for the traditional service. This is a 6 hour a week position. A full job description can be found at https://www.sohillsumc.org/employment.htm Inquiries and resumes should be sent to Mike Hahn at mlhahn@sio.midco.net, or Don Vanderlip at don.vanderlip@sohillsumc.org.

Dakotas Conference | Church Planter-New Congregation Developer
     The Dakotas Conference is seeking a planter/new congregation developer!   The opportunity exists in a college town in partnership with a center city UMC church that seeks to form a relevant new worship and discipleship community for young adults and new people.  Best applicants have entrepreneurial gifts, disciple making experience and an evangelistic heart.   For details, please contact ben.ingebretson@dkmnareaumc.org.

Mitchell Downtown First | Family Ministries Coordinator
    Job description: In this full-time role, the Family Ministries Coordinator will oversee all discipleship ministries for birth through young adult; reach out to families both within the congregation as well as those in the surrounding community; and recruit, train and deploy volunteer discipleship staff for Children’s and Youth ministries. We are looking for someone who will consider this a ministry and not just a job. Access details

Canyon Lake UMC | Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
    Canyon Lake UMC in Rapid City is seeking a full-time director of youth & young adult ministries.  Come join our generous, fun, collaborative team in the beautiful Black Hills!  Click here for job description and more info.  Contact Pastor DeAnn Eidem at deann.eidem@clumc.com. 

Asbury UMC | Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
    Asbury United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is currently accepting applications for a Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. The Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries develops, directs, and evaluates the youth/young adult education program with the goal of making disciples for the transformation of the world at Asbury United Methodist Church. This is a 20-hour per week position. A full job description can be found here: http://sfasbury.org/about-us/staff-openings. Please email a resume to info@sfasbury.org or mail it to the church at 2425 S Western Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57105.