Pray with us | November 9-16
    Guide me, Lord, you are my heart you are my strength, you are my hope. Teach me Lord, and guide my way I love you more each passing day. We pray for all of God's people but especially these persons.

Phishing alert | e-mail scams
    Just a reminder to be diligent about responding to e-mail requests. A “phishing” attempt came in today from various clergy and Bishop Haller making an unusual request. Note invalid “From” lines, where the name and actual address don’t match. 
The bishop and clergy will never ask you for gifts, your password, or other personal information via e-mail.

Dakotas Connection Initiative | Rural Ministry Fall Gatherings - Nov. 14
    The Dakotas Annual Conference is hosting fall gatherings for rural ministry churches in each of our four districts in the upcoming weeks. These gatherings are part of our million-dollar Dakotas Connection Initiative, a rural ministry grant from the Lilly Endowment. Gatherings are designed to connect with rural churches with the intention of creating innovative and collaborative ways to structure ministry functions to effectively and efficiently allocate ministry resources. Each four-hour session is free of charge, each church attending will receive several resources designed to spur on innovation in rural ministry and a stipend to help offset travel costs. Join us November 14 in Iroquois, South Dakota. View a  list of the dates, times, locations and register. 

Shoebox Christmas DELIVER DATE IS NOV. 12 | Additional Drop-off site
      Aberdeen North Highland UMC is also a drop-off site, and has been added to the list. Spirit Lake Ministry Center coordinates Shoebox Christmas gifts to over 6,000 children across the reservations of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Please deliver Shoebox Christmas gifts by November 12, 2021 to one of the sites listed here. Call ahead to the drop off location to let them know when you plan to drop off shoeboxes to be sure someone is there to receive them. 

DakYouth 2021 | Nov. 12-14
    DAKYOUTH, an event for middle and high school students, is happening this weekend, November 12-14, 2021, at the Recreation and Culture Center in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The theme is “Bent, not Broken.”  The scripture focus is 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out.  Register today.

Soul Fill-up | Wednesdays 8 a.m. MT, 9 a.m. CT
    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. CT, 8:00 a.m. MT.

COMING UP

Feeding the Dakotas Hunger Grants | Applications accepted through November 15
    Applications are now being accepted for hunger / feeding grants from funds collected during the 2021 Miracle Offering.  The application deadline is November 15.  Grant awards will be made by November 30.  Grants will be capped at $1,000 per applicant.  Applications must come from a UMC church or organization but can be partnered with local community programs.  Applications are available here.

Dakota Wesleyan University Nonprofit Church Leadership | Nov. 18 webinar
    Over the last three years, nearly 100 pastors and their churches have benefited from the NPCL program. NPCL is a 21 graduate credit hour, online, certificate program for working ministry leaders that builds acumen in financial development, governance, talent management, project management and communications, while offering yearlong professional coaching and executing a major church project that leads to significant ministry impact.  An informational webinar about NCPL program will be held on November 18th at 10 AM CT. Download the informational flyer for more information, including details on how to RSVP for the event.

Health benefits for full-time and three-quarter time clergy | Register November 3-18
    Attention full-time and three-quarter time clergy.  It was announced at Annual Conference this year that starting in 2022, it will be mandatory for all full-time and three-quarter time clergy to be on the conference health insurance unless they opt-out. Details here.

2021 Thanksgiving Offering | Feeding the Dakotas 
   The 2021 Bishop's Thanksgiving Offering is "Feeding the Dakotas." Bishop Laurie Haller invites all congregations to prayerfully consider a gift to help fight hunger throughout North and South Dakota. Your gifts will be distributed to Feeding South Dakota, Great Plains Food Bank, and local hunger ministries. Bishop Laurie writes, "Jesus instructs us to 'Let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven' (Matthew 5:16)." The 2021 Thanksgiving Offering provides the opportunity for us to be light and living hope for those crying out for love, compassion, justice, and grace in their lives."

UMC Student Day | November 28, 2021
    Gifts to UMC Student Day fund scholarship programs for promising United Methodist students. This includes programs like the Rev. Dr. Karen Layman Gift of Hope Scholarship. It is a scholarship designated for undergraduates with at least three years of membership in The United Methodist Church. Click here to access resources for UMC Student Day.

A Very Dakotas Christmas 2021 | Available December 20
     The Dakotas Conference Cabinet is preparing an online worship service, "A Very Dakotas Christmas 2021," for congregations to use December 26 or on another day. The service will be available on December 20. Clergy will receive an e-mail notification that the service is ready for download. This service will be casual, with United Methodists across North and South Dakota leading the worship. We invite you to enjoy worship at home from the homes of others!

Bible Land Exploration | Departing February 1, 2022
    Join Bishop Laurie and Rev. Gary Haller along with others from the Dakotas  and Iowa Annual Conferences on an 11-day Bible Land Exploration, starting at $3,996 from Bismarck and Fargo, ND or Rapid City and Sioux Falls, SD departing on February 1, 2022. Journey to places such as Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Temple Mount, Garden of Gethsemane, Jericho, Bethlehem, Galilee, and much more!

Best of Italy and the Oberammergau Passion Play | Departing on August 15, 2022
    Join Bishop Laurie and Rev. Gary Haller along with others from the Dakotas and Iowa Annual Conferences for 12 days in Germany, Austria, and Italy. You'll explore Innsbruck, have the opportunity to see the Oberammergau Passion Play and spend time in Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. Pricing starts at $5946  from Bismarck, Fargo, ND,  Rapid City, SD, or Sioux Falls, SD departing on August 15, 2022.

RESOURCES 

2021 Journal | Available online and for download
     The 2021 Journal of the Dakotas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church is now available online and for download. The Journal includes the business for the 28th Session of the Dakotas Annual Conference, held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and virtually. A link to order printed copies is coming soon. 

Advent resources from UMC | Download here
    Books and studies for Advent: The United Methodist Publishing House and the Upper Room have produced books and resources to help churches and individuals prepare for Advent in a spirit of hope during this unprecedented year of uncertainty and anxiety. The resources cover a variety of topics and themes for individual or small group study or in classrooms.  Access list here.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS | View all Ads 

Jamestown First UMC | Director of Discipleship
    This position at Jamestown First UMC, in Jamestown, ND, will assist the Senior Pastor and the Education Committee in developing and implementing special projects or formation events. They will also coordinate Christian Education and recruit and supervise teachers and volunteers, and more. See the complete posting for this full-time position here.