THIS WEEK

Conference Office closed | December 19, 2022 - January 3, 2023
   In celebration of the birth of our Chirst-child, the Dakotas Conference office will be closed December 19, 2022 through January 3, 2023. Please contact staff directly by e-mail or phone if needed. The conference office will open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, January 4, 2023. Christmas blessings to each of you!

Holiday publication schedule | December 19, 2022 - January 4, 2023
   The communications team of the Dakotas Conference publishing schedule will change over the holidays. December 13, 2022,  will be the last publication of This Week @ Dakotas for the year. This Week @ Daktoas will resume on January 4,2023. A full edition of Mondays @ Dakotas will be published on Monday, December 19, 2022. Abbreviated editions of Monday @ Dakotas will be published

on Monday, December 16, 2022, and Monday, January 3, 2023.  Monday @ Dakotas will return with a full edition on Monday, January 9, 2023. 

A Very Dakotas Christmas | Online service
    Bishop Deborah Kiesey and the Dakotas Conference offer the gift of an online worship service to the clergy and congregations throughouth North and South Dakota. A Very Dakotas Christmas 2023 will be available, Demcember 16, 2022, for churches to use this holiday season on a date that works for each congregation.  Access the service and other worship resources.  

Sites and Sounds of the Season | Share with us
    Is your church all decorated? Do you have special Christmas tradition at your church? Please share it with us. Advent will soon be upon us, and that means the sights and sounds of holiday decorations, cherubs, and nativities are all around us. Now it's easy to share your advent photos and short videos with the rest of the Dakotas Conference folks online. Please share your best photos from your church's events to us by e-mail. A post in Facebook works, too. #DakotasSightsandSounds

COMING UP 

Builders Club Fall 2022 | Kenmare ReNew UMC
    ReNew United Methodist Church in Kenmare, North Dakota desires to be a place where people can come and renew their connection with each other and God. The ReNew UMC congregation describes themselves as a causal church with a contemporary attitude and welcomes all to come as they are. Join the Builders Club. Donate

Online Certification Opportunities | Begin in January
    A new cycle of online ministry certification courses is set to begin Jan. 16, 2023, at BeADisciple.com. BeADisciple.com is part of the Institute for Discipleship at Southwestern College and has offered quality online educational experiences with roots in Wesleyan theology since 2006. Full information is available online.  

Clergy Epiphany Gathering | January 8-9
    The Dakotas Conference Cabinet invites clergy to join them at the Clergy Epiphany Gathering- “Reflect, Release, and Reset” on January 8-9, 2023. We will celebrate the arrival of and meet our new Bishop and lean into the message of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. See details here. 

Preaching Workshop | January 10-11
    You are invited to a Preaching Workshop on January 10-11, 2023, in Aberdeen, SD. Pastors Annie Carlson and Jordan Minnich Kjesbo will lead the Preaching Workshop focused on yearly planning, preparation, available resources and organizing for successful preaching whether using the lectionary or series. See details here. 

Become a Time Boss | Jan. 10 webinar
    Church leaders, make space for self-care while challenging culture norms and creating gracious boundaries. Join Rev. Nicole Havelka, a leadership coach and mindful meditation teacher, on Jan. 10, 2-3:30 p.m., online. The workshop that will help you step back, name your self-care needs and priorities, empower you to manage your time for work-life balance, and introduce you to mindfulness practices that will sustain you through stress-filled times and spark transformation. Learn more and register.

Preaching Workshop | January 10-11
    You are invited to a Preaching Workshop on January 10-11, 2023, in Aberdeen, SD. Pastors Annie Carlson and Jordan Minnich Kjesbo will lead the Preaching Workshop focused on yearly planning, preparation, available resources and organizing for successful preaching whether using the lectionary or series. See details here. 

Financial Well-Being Workshop Series | Get details and register here
    Kick off your new year with a financial check-up and a series of preventive measures to ensure you are setting yourself up for success. Clergy, church staff, and congregation members are invited.

• Checking your Financial Vital Signs: A Wholistic Look at Your Financial Health: Jan. 17, 6-7:15 p.m. or Jan. 18, noon-1:15 p.m., online.
• Naming and Attaining: Your Personal Financial Goals: Jan. 24, 6-7:15 p.m. or Jan. 25, noon-1:15 p.m., online.
• Listening to Your Elders: Clergy Taxes: Feb. 7, 6-7:15 p.m. or Feb. 8, noon-1:15 p.m.
• Preparing for the Future Now: Retirement Readiness for All Ages: Feb. 21, 6-7:15 p.m. or Feb. 22, noon-1:15 p.m.

 
2023 Lenten study | Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts and Outlaws
    In Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws, pastor and bestselling author Adam Hamilton explores the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Luke. Through Luke's stories, we find Jesus' care and compassion for all as he welcomes sinners and outcasts. As we study Luke and see Jesus' concern for those considered unimportant, we hear an encouraging and inspiring word for our lives today. Join Bishop Lanette Plambeck and the Dakotas Conference Cabinet in this six-week study on the Gospel of Luke, emphasizing Luke's unique insights about Jesus. Access resources. 

Lay Servant Ministry | Two upcoming training opportunities
   Lay people are called to do more than sit in the pew, they fill out many roles in the United Methodist Church. How can you make 2023 the year you answer God's call to serve? Attend  upcoming training for laity.  Attend Discipleship and Congreational Care, Part 2 of the Lay Academy at Open Heart UMC in Rapid City, South Dakota.  Gather a team, to learn how to reach out and be a Caring Congregation.  Mark your calendar for January 27-28, for this hybrid training led by Rev. Karen Lampe who  has authored and assisted with five books related to care ministry.

RESOURCES

Church court: No new elections needed for GC2024
    The United Methodist Church's top court concluded that the next gathering of General Conference scheduled for 2024 is to be designated the postponed 2020 session. That means the same lay and clergy delegates elected to serve in 2020 can vote at what many United Methodists expect to be a momentous legislative assembly. Heather Hahn reports. Read story

Stories behind the songs of Charles Wesley | Get your Spirit in Shape
  Charles Wesley is one of the world’s most prolific and well-recognized hymn writers. Over 9,000 hymns are attributed to him, including the most famous Christmas tune of all time, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.” That wasn’t always the title, though. It originally opened with the line, “Hark, how all the welkens ring!” Join renowned Wesley scholar Paul Chilcote to discover some quirky, fun and interesting facts about a variety of Charles Wesley’s hymns and how they all focus on one theme: love. Learn more

Human Relations Sunday | January 15, 2023
    This 2023 Special Sunday kit provides a full package of ready to use resources to help your church celebrate Human Relations Day and define how we give, why we give and the impact we make through connectional efforts. Human Relations day is January 15, 2023, but we encourage you to celebrate on a day that works best for your church. 

JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS | View all Ads