Values drive our behaviors and decisions and are a part of the unique identity of each local congregation.  If someone were to ask five to ten people in your local congregation to name the church’s top three to five core values, how many answers do you think you’d get? Would there be some similarities? Would there be differences?

More than 200 United Methodists from 14 Dakotas Conference congregations recently spent time answering these questions and defining their values. The Dakotas Strategy Team has developed the Values Discernment Workshop to assist churches in discovering and defining their core values. The workshop uses videos, personal refection, small group discussion, and large group conversation and consensus to help a congregation define its core values.

“It has warmed my spirit to see how deeply people care about Jesus,” said Jennifer Larson, a member of the Dakotas Strategy Team who recently facilitated two Values Discernment Workshops. “Participants are thoroughly exhausted after participating in the workshop. They are on fire and walk away strongly committed to the values they have identified as a body of believers.”

Rev. Jeanne Sortland, who serves at St. John’s in Wimbledon, North Dakota and at the United Methodist Church in Kensal, North Dakota, invited both congregations, on separate occasions, to participate in the Values Discernment Workshop.

“It was an opportunity for all of us to grow spiritually,” said Sortland. “It is about evaluating what we hold dear. The strategies are a good way to encourage consensus-building and forward momentum.”

The four-hour experience guides participants through systems to define two to three key values. Those attending begin by examining their individual beliefs and then check in with other attendees. Together, small groups discuss their likenesses and differences. If a larger group discussion is held, a process of using sticky notes helps the team collectively determine their values.

Once two-three values have emerged, time is spend defining the values. “It is important to have clear definitions,” said Larson. “Words like ‘mission’ or ‘music in worship,” can mean different things to people.”

Another step for participating congregations is to test their values by walking through “what if” situations, and comparing the values identified to current behaviors.

“We started with a big overview and then drilled down,” said Sortland. “We developed a level of commitment to values that will help us make decisions in the future.”

One common misconception is that the Values Discernment Workshop is a discussion about recent tension over the United Methodist denomination debate over the status of LGBTQ+ people in the church.

“The workshop is not about any one issue or concern,” said Larson. “It is a tool to equip churches to make decisions about everything– funding, worship, service, and mission. The process is about determining the values that are unique to each congregation. It will be hard to make any decisions in the future without knowing what you value.”

Pastor Jeanne Sortland echoed the same sentiment. “We went into the process with open minds. It was not about conflict or one issue,” said Sortland. “We defined values that will guide us to make decisions about a lot of things. We value moving forward, whatever that means.

The workshop is intended for a group from your congregation – hopefully, as many members as possible.  It will likely take 4-5 hours, so you want to plan ahead for this.  There are several people in the Dakotas Conference who have been trained as facilitators for the workshop – including all district superintendents, some lay people, and some pastors. 

Congregations are invited to take advantage of the free Values Discernment Workshop resource. Request a workshop here. 

“It is a process that will renew your passion for Jesus. In this time where things are unsettling, it is especially encouraging and renewing,” said Larson.