By Rev. Eric Van Meter*

If you’re going to celebrate shared ministries, why not have a real party?

This was the thinking behind the Ministry Festival, held on Thursday evening of Annual Conference. After the conclusion of the business sessions, conference attendees gathered to eat, play games, and celebrate some of the most vital shared ministries of the Dakotas Conference.

“I love the Ministry Festival!” Director of Ministries Rebecca Trefz said. “I feel like it embodies who we are—people who are doing great ministry together, but also people who love to be together and talk and laugh and eat good food.”

Photo: Rev. Rebecca Trefz prays over the Elisha interns at the Ministry Festival. Photo by jlynn studios.

After an hors d’oeuvres supper and music from One Way Up (Canton UMC), ministries with youth took center stage. Camping, youth, and CCYM (the Conference Council on Youth Ministries) presented various awards and told stories about their work.

Rev. John Britt, who will serve in Winner, SD, beginning in July, found the camping presentation on point.

“It’s such an important time away for the kids,” said Britt, a long-time youth worker who has three children that have grown up in camping ministries. “They are free to explore their faith and ask tough questions—away from mom and dad.”

The Festival also featured much about youth and young adult ministry, including new partnerships among churches with in the Conference. Deb Kjerstad, Director of Leadership for the Dakotas Conference, spoke about the importance of the conference efforts to work with young people as a part of the journey toward vitality.

“We want to do two things,” she said. “We want to help create a culture of call, which begins with youth. To do that, we need to train youth workers the very best we can. And we need to work directly with youth to raise up the next generation of leaders within the Annual Conference.”

Conference youth leader Jeff Lathrop sees the success of DakYouth and the new partnership with Ministry Architects’ Stephanie Caro as key pieces of that effort.

“We’re really doing this to help churches build better systems,” Lathrop said. “We want to lay foundations among those who are the most consistent influences on youth lives, which isn’t necessarily the pastor.”

Sara McManus lifted up college ministry within the Dakotas, noting several churches and campus ministries that are extending the work of the church to campus. The presentation also highlighted the remarkable success Charlie Moore (Madison UMC, SD) has had in developing a college outreach at Dakota State. Through connections with the football team, Moore has found doors opening across campus that have disicpled students in connection with his local church.

The key to his success, Moore said in a video, is listening.

“I’ve backed away from preaching, and found that listening is so, so important. Just meeting people where they are makes a huge difference.”

The celebration of ministry concluded with connectional presentations, including one from Bill Gran and Stephanie Baxa about Devozine. The gathering also took time to pray for Elisha interns, who are exploring a call to ministry as young adults.

The evening ended with more fun and games. Representatives from the different districts of the Annual Conference competed in minute-to-win-it games such as “Cookies on the Forehead” and “Straws and Skittles.”

Photo: Contestants concentrate as they participate in the apple stackin competition at the 2016 Annual Conference.

Other highlights from the evening included the following:

• “S’mores and Spirit,” which told the story of how Highmore, Harrold, and Blunt UMCs worked to raise camping scholarship money for children and youth.
• Recognition of those who have made special contributions to youth ministry in the Dakotas, including Kris Mutzenberger, Brenda Swanson, Kori Lehrkamp, and Tracie Haley.
• Information about youth ministry cohorts, set to begin August 6 at Dakota Wesleyan University.
• JibJab videos showing off the “athletic” prowess of several Annual Conference personnel.

*Eric Van Meter is the campus pastor at Dakota Wesleyan University.