Rev. Gail Arnold - Streams of Justice 2024

Rev. Gail Arnold, retired clergy of the Dakotas Conference, embodies the peace and dedication to justice that John Wesley lived and breathed. As Rev. Arnold retires from serving many years on various boards and, finally, the Extending Missional Impact Link, this passionate advocate for Peace and Justice was honored and celebrated. To put an exclamation mark on his years of passionate service, he was presented with the Streams of Justice Award for 2024 at Annual Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Throughout the Dakotas Annual Conference, ministries of justice occur daily in local churches and conference agencies. They help people find their voice and speak out about their concerns and the ills that plague their communities. They assist people in moving beyond dependency and despair.

These ministries help people organize and gain respect, dignity, and fair treatment. They help people overcome fear and hatred, prejudice and racism, discrimination and exclusion, violence and greed.

The Peace and Justice Focus Team of the Missional Impact Link of the Dakotas Annual Conference seeks to lift up and celebrate these ministries of justice taking place in our conference through the annual “Streams of Justice Award."

Since 1997, Rev. Gail Arnold has served in the Dakotas Conference as the standard bearer for Peace with Justice. 

In accepting the award, Arnold said, "I love our United Methodist motto, our mission statement, 'Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.'"

Rev. Gail said it's not enough just to remedy the immediate issues of hunger, poverty, and homelessness. He recollected, "A few people started asking, 'Why, look at all the people we're feeding. Why are they still hungry? Why are they still homeless? Why do we need to continue doing these ministries?'"

That's when they looked at the situations that created these hardships and creatively sought new solutions.

"So they started developing answers, looking at new ways of reaching out and transforming the world by those other ministries– ministries, what I call again, those justice ministries," Arnold explained. "And Bishop, I like to see– if you look at all these churches that in the past have received these rewards, these are the people that are working to bridge that gap between God's kin-dom in heaven and on earth."

In closing, after accepting the award, Rev. Arnold left the clergy and laity gathered with one poignant request. 

"I have one challenge for you: If you want peace, work for justice."

We honor and celebrate Gail’s many years as a passionate advocate for Peace and Justice and present him with this year's Streams of Justice Award. In his honor, a $500 cash award will be given to a ministry of his choosing.

The Dakotas Conference thanks Gail and his spouse, Clara, for their tireless service to God’s kin-dom and our Conference. May God continue to guide and empower you, Gail, for the sake of peace, justice, and love in Christ's name.