Bishop Ough appeals to congregations to assist farmers and ranchers for the 2019 Thanksgiving appeal. An increasing number of farmers and ranchers and their families are filled with despair as they deal with the lack of production and depressed markets. Farm income continues to decline; an average loss of 10-12% since 2012. Family farms and ranches that have been part of a lineage for a century or more are now in jeopardy of being lost. The cumulative impact of these multiple stressors is manifested in increases in fatal farm accidents, abuse of drugs and alcohol, and suicides. Read more

The United Methodist Committee of Relief—UMCOR, issued a Solidarity Grant of $10,000 to the Dakotas Conference to assist with flood relief efforts in Lake County, South Dakota. An overwhelming total of 11.81 inches of rain fell in Lake County, South Dakota, in 48 hours, September 10-12, 2019, causing severe flooding and damage to roads, public infrastructure, homes, and personal property. Many roads washed out or became impassable, and significant damage was realized to both personal and real property. Lake County Emergency Management reports 852 homes in the county were affected by the flooding, including four that were destroyed and 288 that sustained significant damage. Seventeen homes remain inaccessible, and the damage is unknown. Read more 
 

November 1-3, 2019, four Dakotas Conference young persons with two adult leaders traveled to Orlando, Florida, to experience a sacred space to discern God’s call on their lives. Hannah Bowes, Andrea Hult, and Zach Gors, undergraduates at Dakota Wesleyan University, and Bryce Blank, a seminary student at Perkins Theological Seminary, participated in Exploration 2019 with Deb Kjerstad, director of leadership development for the Dakotas Conference, and Jerry Simmons, a member of the Dakotas Conference Council of Youth Ministry.  Read more 
 

Nearly 400 youth and adults from 42 different churches gathered in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to recharge. Participants delved into the scripture passage Mark 6:30-32; Jesus called all of us to "come away and rest." The three-day event featured Rev. Sarah Heath and Bishop Bruce Ough, preaching, the Thrive band from Madison UMC, and ten workshops. Read more

Twenty participants at the Clergy Leadership Academy (CLA),  held at Storm Mountain Center, explored authentic wellness. Dr. Shawn Culey, an urgent care physician with Allina Health and Lin Van Hofwegen, managing director for Dakotas America, guided participants through sessions including authentic health principles, authentic physical health, authentic emotional health, and authentic spiritual health.  Read more 

The Dakotas-Minnesota Area has been awarded a $500,000 sustainability grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. The $500,00 sustainability grant will assist in sustaining three key activity areas of the initial award: Nonprofit Church Leadership Certificate Program for clergy through Dakota Wesleyan University, educational debt reduction, and ongoing education and resourcing for both clergy and congregations. Read more 

Jan Russell, the volunteer coordinator for General Conference 2020 Host Committee, is on a mission to recruit 1,100-1,200 volunteers to show United Methodists that will gather from across the globe, May 5-15, 2020, extraordinary hospitality. Find all of the details to volunteer here. “The world is coming to the upper Midwest,” says Russell, “We will be hosting 6,000 United Methodists. We want to show them bold, north hospitality.” Get the details here 

The Dakotas Conference is making an effort to change the overall health of the clergy through the newly developed Higher Ground Initiative. The initiative centers around five key aspects of well-being: social, financial, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Read more