The 2018 budget was approved at the twenty-fourth session of the Dakotas Annual Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota June 8-10, 2017.  The 2018 budget amount of $4,418,773 was approved at a slight increase of 1.3% compared to the 2017 budget total of $4,361,252.

Photo: Members listen to discussion at the 24th Session of the Dakotas Annual Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota. Photo by Dave Stucke, Dakotas Conference Communcations.

There is a 5.4% decrease in the cost to the churches for pensions and insurance in the 2018 budget.  The overall budget for 2018 will see an expected decrease of 1.5% or $108,546. There are very few changes from 2017.

A four-year budget projection was also part of the 2018 budget presentation. The four-year projection creates a plan and serves to communicate more consistently future plans for the pathways and programs of the conference.

Highlights and changes in the 2018 budget include:

• Camp and Retreat ministry continues to work on moving towards a financial position where apportionment dollars will not be needed. Camping ended 2016 with an operating surplus of about $28,000. In 2016, Camping had a $10,000 decrease in apportionments. In 2017, there is a $24,000 decrease in apportionments. In 2018, there will be another $20,000 decrease. The apportioned budget continues to provide $115,000 for maintenance of the camp facilities as well as providing fully for property/liability insurance, property taxes, and the central office staff and operations. How has camping responded to this decrease in apportionment support? Camping is focusing on 1) providing a consistently excellent experience for campers, 2) improving on inviting people to give to and experience camp, and 3) operating in a smart and efficient manner. 

• Thrive fundraising has been a success of Thrive, $220,000 over and above the apportionment budget is available in 2018 to spend on establishing new churches ($155k), coming along side existing churches to enter a new era of growth ($32k), and raising up and developing leaders ($33k). 

• General Church apportionments continue to rise. General Church apportionments are increasing by 8% in 2018. In 2016, the decrease in apportionment income (noted early) resulted in the Dakotas Conference not being able to pay General Church apportionments in full. Hopefully this is an anomaly as well.

• The Board of Pensions has approved moving to the HealthFlex Exchange in 2019. This change will give pastors and lay staff the choice between six different HealthFlex plans as well as options to add dental and vision coverage. Prior to 2019, the Board of Pensions is working to establish Dakota Wholeness. What is Dakota Wholeness? The Lord laid a burden on the heart of Dr. Shawn Culey for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of our pastors. The health of a pastor not only affects the pastor’s ministry, but it affects the community. The Board of Pensions believe that Dakota Wholeness and the HealthFlex Exchange complement each other very well to help provide excellent health benefits at a more affordable cost. Why the delay until 2019? The delay is because many details still need to be worked out and refined before we are ready for full implementation. 

In other legislative action:

Approved a resolution in support of changes to the Articles of Incorporation for Tree of Life Ministry.Tree of Life is a ministry under the umbrella of the United Methodist Church and is seeking a separate non-profit corporation under the South Dakota Non-profit Corporation Act, and a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. This status move will allow Tree of Life to still function as a ministry of the Dakotas Conference but seek additional revenue sources.

Voted on the proposed constitutional amendments for the United Methodist Church.  The results of the voting will be reported in 2018.

Rule changes were approved that allow for: The Generating Missional Resources group to function as a taskforce, called as needed by the Bishop, not as a link. A 60-day application period clergy short-term leave.

Kristen Krogman was elected Conference Secretary for the remainder of the 2017-2020 quadrennial. Krogman will replace Christopher Hansen who resigned due to responsibilities with the national guard.

Laity elected new conference leadership, due to shifts of the current leadership to clergy, for this quadrennial including: Jane Hincks, co-conference lay leader and Annie Carlson was elected co-district lay leader for the Northwest District.

New names of the four districts of the Dakotas Conference were approved as with the entire consent calendar.  The four district names will be Northeast (formerly Eastern Sunrise), Northwest (formerly Sakakawea), Southeast (formerly Glacial Lakes) and Southwest (formerly Prairie Hills).