Sioux Falls First United Methodist Church directed its Christmas Eve offering to the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, a new ecumenical ministry for the homeless, a change from past procedure.  The result was a donation of just over $31,000.

Generally, the church has used its holiday offering in-house, said senior pastor the Rev. Bob Ruedebusch. Last fall, the church council and finance committee agreed with his proposal to donate it to the new homeless shelter. Photo: Chad Campbell, executive director of the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, accepts a check for more than $30,000 January 14, 2015, from First United Methodist Church associate pastor Sara McManus and the Rev. Bob Ruedebusch.(Photo: Elisha Page / Argus Leader)

It all began with prayer

The outreach effort of First UMC is the result of months of prayer.  In February 2014, the church council began with a prayer walk.   Rev. Ruedebusch and council members walked around the church and prayed.  The group circled the church in prayer seven times. 

Soon after that, the church received a call from a nearby property owner.  It was a property the church had been eyeing for a while.  However, previous efforts by First UMC to obtain the property failed. The price was out of reach for the church and the owner seemed unwilling to lower the price. 

That call changed everything.  First UMC obtained the property for a sum that was equal to an amount they had sitting in a fund.  “Maybe our prayer had something to do with this,” remarked one of the church council members.

The simple prayer effort by Ruedebush and the church council led to other small groups doing prayer walks.  Through Lent 2014 people were walking the sanctuary and praying.  The church engaged themselves in study groups using the book “Circle Maker”. Photo: Sioux Falls First UMC exterior (Courtesy SFUMC.org).

7:12 came to be

Members at First UMC have engaged in an prayer initiative called 7:12.  At 7:12 a.m. or p.m. members are encouraged to set an alarm on their phones, computers, or clocks and stop and prayer. 

“Oftentimes when I am in a meeting at 7:12 p.m. there a lot of phones that start making sounds, reminding us it is time to stop and pray,” said Rev. Ruedebusch.  “It is awesome!”

7:12 continues to grow at First UMC.  For this past Advent Pastor Bob wrote a prayer and distributed cards to everyone, encouraging them to stop and say the pray at 7:12 a.m. or p.m.

“Our mission now is to be a sanctuary of Christian hope, love and encouragement in the heart of Sioux Falls,” Ruedebusch said.  “The Advent prayer was an effort to ask God to breakthrough for First UMC to live out the mission.”

Gift surpassed expectations

First UMC is one of the congregations involved in the Missional Church Consultation Initiative (MCCI) of the Dakotas Conference.  As part of the effort, the First UMC has been praying and discerning where God is leading them.

The church has identified a specific prescription to help live out the mission.  Reaching out to the people in downtown Sioux Falls is part of the focus. 

“The Bishop Dudley Hospitality House was a natural for us because it reaches out to those people who are homeless in downtown Sioux Falls,” said Pastor Bob.

The council set a goal for the Christmas offering of $10,000.  Some members of the congregation were skeptical.  Questions emerged like—will we be able to pay our bills if we give the money away?

The final tally was three times the goal, $31,190.54. “How did we do that? We still met our budget and paid the bills,” remarked one member. 

What is next?

Sioux Falls First UMC will hold a worship service of Prayer, Repentence, and Renewal on Sunday, January 25, 2015.  Bishop Bruce R. Ough, resident bishop for the Dakotas-Minnesota Area, will preach. 

“The service will help us to be encouraged and inspired to live out our missional focus and implement our prescriptions,” stated Ruedebusch. 

Prayer will continue to be an integral part of the church at 7:12 and beyond.

Read related story in Sioux Falls Argus Leader