Tammy Kuntz, NCJ UMVIM coordinator

"Any time you leave the doors of your church to serve, you are a volunteer in mission," said Tammy Kuntz, Coordinator of the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) in the North Central Jurisdiction (NCJ) of The United Methodist Church. Kuntz presented a Lunch-and-Learn workshop at the 2025 Annual Conference, providing participants with an overview of UMVIM.   

UMVIM is the official short-term, volunteer-sending agency of The United Methodist Church. Together with the UMVIM Coordinator and Disaster Response Coordinators, the agency ensures that teams are adequately trained, helps train team leaders, recruits volunteers, and supports teams in engaging with God's mission. In the Dakotas Conference, Al Roll serves as the conference staff liaison for UMVIM and Disaster Response. 

"The UMVIM network offers guidance, organization, and training for more than 125,000 volunteers each year, serving the poor, building churches, and assisting in disaster response, community health, and leadership training," explained Kuntz.  

UMVIM also partners closely with other UMC agencies such as Global Ministries and United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).  

"The connection of UMVIM, Global Ministries, and UMCOR provides a solid framework for individuals and teams to serve safely and with the knowledge that the relationships that are established as we work with our neighbors can be transformational," she added.  

A new program that UMVIM started recently was a partnership with a national youth event called Youth 2023. UMVIM was able to create a unique mission experience for young people attending the large event.   

AC 2025 Lunch-n-Learn on UMVIM (photo by J.Lynn Studios)

"308 young people and their leaders stopped to serve as they were on their way to Daytona Beach for the big event. These young people stopped to serve with food banks at a United Methodist camp and other community outreach organizations."  

Another opportunity that UMVIM provides for young people is called Discover...Mission. The overall goal of Discover...Mission is "to bring youth/young adults to United Methodist settings for cross-cultural and spiritual experiences."   

"Discover...Mission is a mission journey for young adults, designed as an international cultural immersion for our young adults to serve with and learn from young adults in the host country," Kuntz describes.   

There are many ways for you and your church to get involved with UMVIM and the various programs taking place in the Dakotas and around the world. Check out a few below.   

Mission Teams to the Dominican Republic  

There are two mission teams scheduled to go to the Dominican Republic later this year. One crew consists of a medical team. The other is a construction team that will continue the work of building a church camp. Julie Jones, from Pierre, South Dakota, is leading both of these trips. You can learn more information by contacting Tammy Kuntz at ncj@umvim.org.  

Spirit Lake Ministry Center  

Located on the Spirit Lake Nation Native American Reservation, Spirit Lake Ministry Center is dedicated to supporting the people of the Spirit Lake Nation and is an approved UMVIM destination. Spirit Lake Ministry Center hosts volunteer teams from all over the country every year, undertaking projects such as home repairs and installing wheelchair ramps for elders on the reservation. Spirit Lake Ministry Center also coordinates Shoebox Christmas. Congregations are invited to prepare gifts to be distributed to over 6,000 children across the reservations of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Residents of the Spirit Lake Nation also worship together on-site at a United Methodist congregation called "The Journey."  

Tree of Life Ministries   

Tree of Life Ministries is located on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, S.D. Tree of Life is a mission to and with the people of the Lakota Nation residing on the Rosebud Reservation. The ministry encompasses a thrift store, a feeding ministry, a construction ministry, community gardens, and other initiatives aimed at serving in the name of Christ. Groups are welcome year-round for day trips or longer mission experiences. Learn more here.   

Solar Oven Partners  

The work of Solar Oven Partners is centered around providing healthy food and clean water to communities where those basic necessities are scarce. Solar Oven Partners has empowered families through solar cooking and water pasteurization since the year 2000. Churches and individuals are invited to participate in this life-changing mission through monetary donations, building ovens at a Dakotas workshop, doing a project in your church, sewing cooking accessories, or participating in an oven distribution trip to the Dominican Republic (DR), Sierra Leone, or the Navajo Nation. Currently there is a trip planned to the DR August 16-23 and to Sierra Leone November 29 - December 13. Contact Randy Harwood for more information.

Midwest Mission Distribution Center  

Midwest Mission is an organization that strives to ensure those affected by a disaster receive the necessary supplies to recover. This mission is accomplished through both the provision of requested supplies following a disaster and through kits prepared in advance with the help of donations and volunteers. Encourage your church to assemble personal dignity, home care, or other kits and drop them off at Sioux Falls Asbury UMC or bring them to Annual Conference in Bismarck next year. Learn more at midwestmission.org  

Sponsoring a missionary  

Global Ministries offers salary support to United Methodist missionaries in over 60 countries worldwide. If your church is interested in supporting a missionary, please reach out to Tammy Kuntz or visit the Global Ministries webpage.