THIS WEEK

Pray with us | March 23-29
   Lord, give us strength in our weakness. Give us faith in our fear. Give us power in our powerless. We are trusting you. We pray for all of God's people, but especially these persons. 

The Surprise of Easter |  Bishop Laurie Haller's Easter message 
   In our 2021 Lenten study from the book, Surprise the World by Michael Frost, we walked through the acronym BELLS—Bless, Eat, Listen, Learn, Sent. This week Bishop Laurie Haller shares a message of hope and calls each of us to live Easter each day by being open to hearing the good news of Jesus Christ. The surprise of Easter is not about one day but about how we live out our daily lives as Easter people. View the video and access resources. All of the videos are posted here to download or view. Small group study guides are posted here, as well as print copies of the messages. If you are looking for additional resources to supplement these, you can find more here.  View the message from Rev. Ben Ingebretson for chapter seven, Sent, and access resources for week six of the study.

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.

COMING UP

Call for AC 20201  resolutions, petitions, and award nominations | March 31 deadlline
    The 28th session of the Dakotas Annual Conference will be June 11-12, 2021, in a hybrid format. Drawing on our collective values of Jesus, mission, and connection, the theme of this year's annual conference session is "Jesus Waymaker.” We will explore ways in which we need to step out of our comfort zone and follow the path to living like Jesus in ways beyond our imagination. Lay and clergy are invited to submit petitions and resolutions to be considered at the 2021 Annual Conference by March 31, 2021. The Dakotas Conference Cabinet also invites nominations for several awards that will be a part of the session by March 31, 2021. 

REACH! MAKE MORE OF FALL 2021: Re-launching Post-Pandemic Public Worship with Purpose
     Join Rev. Ben Ingebretson on April 14, 2021, from 12 p.m. MDT, 1 p.m. CDT,  for a webinar to plan for your church to show radical hospitality and invitation to your community. Welcome Back Weekend training will provide a roadmap for your church to use as you prepare to engage new people in fall 2021!  Get the details and register here. 

Clergy Financial Well-Being Group #2 | Register now
    This new opportunity begins Thursday, April 15,  for eight weeks. Sessions will be held  for 90-minutes from 2:30 – 2:00 p.m.  CDT.  The leader and facilitator, Sarah Swantner, owner of Black Hills Integrative Counseling and Coaching, will lead you through an exploration of topics around cash flow, money mechanics, insurance and asset protection, wills and legacy planning, setting and adhering to financial goals and plans, money beliefs, money in relationships, financial alignment with personal values and life purpose, and ways to reduce financial stress and increase financial satisfaction. Swantner is a professional financial counselor(CFP) and has been working with our Area clergy in groups and individually over the last two years. Register now as space is limited. Contact Diane Owen with any questions.

Youthworker Academy | April 23 - Apr 25, 2021
    Join us for an amazing time of training, sharing, and connection for pastors and lay leaders that work with youth in churches across the Conference. Youth Worker Academy will be held at Storm Mountain Center on April 23-25, 2021. Our guest presenter will be Chris Hansen of Leadership Harbor. Find out more at leadershipharbor.com.  Check out all of the details and register now. 

Nonprofit Church Leadership certificate program for clergy | Application process open
   Clergy may apply for this year-long online graduate certificate program through Dakota Wesleyan University to increase leadership competencies.  View summaries of the applied projects presented by the participating pastors in 2019 and 2020. Applicants will need to ask the leadership team of their church to complete this Endorsement of Participation. Learn more about the program by viewing the application.  Contact Diane Owen for more information and any questions.

RESOURCES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Camp Sunday: Plan a special day set apart for your congregation to celebrate the ministry of camping together. Camp Sundays typically include camp style, themed worship with music, and testimonials on camps’ personal impact. In-person worship can consist of decorating the church in a camp theme, special snacks or meals, sharing information on registering, and getting local financial support—access 2021 Camp  Sunday resources.

Bishops cancel May 8 General Conference
 The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church met on Monday, March 22, 2021, in an additional meeting to consider pressing matters  related to the Council’s work.  After much conversation, the bishops reached a decision that, in the best interest of the church at this time, they would cancel the Special Session of the General Conference, which was set for May 8, 2021. Read the press release. Read a story by UM News Service.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Excellence in Leadership Scholarship | Apply by March 24
     The Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church and  Dakotas United Methodist Foundation is happy to partner with the General Board of Higher Education  and Ministry to offer matching dollars for this scholarship. This scholarship opportunity is designated for full-time students seeking a Master of Divinity degree and is enrolled at one of the 13 United Methodist seminaries or schools of theology.  Applications will be accepted through March 24, 2021; get the details here. If you have any questions, please contact Diane Weller.

Merit Scholarships | Apply by April 1
    The Dakotas Conference and Foundation support those entering their  call to ministry and invite seminary students to apply for a Merit Scholarship. Scholarships are awarded each year to seminary students showing exceptional promise or achievement in preparation for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church and connected to the Dakotas Conference. In previous years, close to $100,000 has been available for distribution. Scholarship amounts are dependent upon the number of applicants and funds available.  If you have any questions, please contact Diane Weller. Apply here. 

JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS

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.

Yankton First UMC | Praise Team Leader
     At First United Methodist Church in Yankton, South Dakota, the Praise Team Leader will provide vocal and musical leadership to the Sunday morning contemporary worship service. This position will be responsible for the planning, preparing, and coordinating of all aspects of music for the contemporary worship service. View a job description and application details here. 

FOR SALE

    Copier for sale: The United Methodist Church in Plankinton, South Dakota, has a copier for sale. It is a Toshiba e studio 356. It does black and white copies and has duplexing. The copier is in good working condition and has a total print count of 235,000.  The asking price is  $300.00, including two new in the box,  toner cartridges.  Contact Terry at 605-299-6450 or Tara at 605-682-8912. Please leave a message.