Char Ough, center, helps register attendees at the 2018 annual conference. Photos by Joni Rasmussen.

The three-day conference session is a time for Dakotas United Methodists to worship and enjoy fellowship, learn from teaching sessions, seek God’s guidance as we make decisions about ministry direction, determine budgets, ordain and commission clergy, and receive the bishop’s clergy appointments. Annual conference is not just for clergy and lay members; it is for anyone who would like to attend as a guest. Here are seven things you will not want to miss.

Sched is an app that allows us to publish an electronic schedule with details, including contact information for speakers, presenters, coordinators and moderators, handouts, directions, maps, and photos for each session.  Click here to go to Sched for the 2019 Annual Conference. If you would like to receive updates and changes, sign up as an attendee, and encourage others to do the same. You will be able to save the schedule to your home screen (the icon at right will appear on your mobile device), and you can also receive up-to-date schedule information as a text or e-mail. Learn more about Sched here. 

Attendees at the 2018 annual conference listening, laughing, and learning.

Pre-Conference Workshops —Six different 90-minute workshops are being offered on Wednesday, June 5 at 1:30 p.m. and at 3:15 p.m. Workshop titles are: Creating a missional culture, New worship styles to reach new people, Reach! Replay – A Learner's Guide to Evangelism, Reach! Replay – Revitalizing the rural church, Reaching the next generation, The power of Breakthrough Prayer.  Click here for details.

Rev. Mark Teasdale— Rev. Mark Teasdale will be our teaching pastor at the Dakotas Annual Conference. He will present on Friday, June 7 at 10:30 a.m., and at 1:45 p.m. Rev. Dr. Mark R. Teasdale, E. Stanley Jones Associate Professor of Evangelism at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary. Dr. Teasdale shares that he loves teaching evangelism. Church leaders are often bombarded with material that hints it is only by the human effort the church will be effective. The study of evangelism starts with the assumption that God is active and that our efforts are only to participate in what God is already doing. Dr. Teasdale says, "Our job is not to generate a mission, but to look to God through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, expecting miraculous power to burst forth as God moves to accomplish God’s purpose—the redemption of all creation!"

Festival at the Park — A time of fellowship and fun will happen on Thursday evening at Sertoma Park. Food—brats, hot dogs, and more—will be provided. This year’s “competition” fun event at the Celebration in the Park will feature a 64-team corn-hole tournament. The sign-up sheet will be available at the Bismarck Event Center on Wednesday. The tournament will feature 16 teams from each District, and the winning team will be crowned that evening.

Gina Mueller— Gina Mueller, regional director, 3dMovements will present, "living the Ways of Jesus," at the laity session, Thursday, June 6, 8:30 a.m. This session will start with what it means to grow a Jesus-shaped life of Up-In-Out. Mueller will give additional focus to out, helping attendees understand and unpack a key strategy - people of peace. You will hear stories and learn steps to take in your neighborhoods and relationships to make disciples for Jesus.

Opening worship at the 2018 annual conference.

Opening Worship: A Baptismal Remembrance Service—United Methodists across the Dakotas will remember their baptisms during the opening worship service on Thursday, June 6, at 11 a.m. Bishop Bruce Ough will share how we dare to reach and love boldly, in the Episcopal address, “Thirsty again?” Music for worship and throughout the conference led by Dan Wiegel, worship coordinator at Legacy UMC in Bismarck, North Dakota. 

2019 Miracle Offering: Lead Boldly #fillthegap—You will not want to miss Rev. Katie Ricke’s sermon, on Friday, June 7 at 8:30 a.m. The 2019 Miracle Offering will happen at this worship. This year’s offering, “Lead Boldly #fillthegap," provides an opportunity to come alongside and support persons answering God’s call to ministry through a monetary offering. The offering will be equally divided between the Endowment Fund for Theological Education in the Central Conferences and a Dakotas United Methodist Foundation Scholarship Fund for undergraduate students planning to prepare for pastoral ministry and individuals training to be licensed local pastors in the Dakotas. There will be an opportunity for a commitment to reach someone who does not know Jesus as part of the offering.  Get all the details here. 

Celebration of Life in Ministry Service— On Friday, June 7, at 7 p.m., in a Celebration of Life in Ministry Service, we will remember United Methodist friends and colleagues who have died over the past year, honor clergy who are retiring and celebrate those who are entering ministry as a licensed local pastor, being commissioned and ordained. The service will be held at Legacy United Methodist Church in Bismarck. Bishop Ough is preaching, and the Legacy UMC worship team will lead music.

Closing worship with communion—The 2019 Annual Conference will close with worship at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 8. The worship will include communion, the fixing of appointments and an inspiring message to send us out from Rev. Brandon Vetter, who serves Legacy UMC in Bismarck, North Dakota. 

Come to Bismarck and connect with United Methodists from across North and South Dakota and beyond. The fee to register on site as a visitor is $15 per day.