One of the named and lived out values in the Dakotas Annual Conference is connection.  We know one another, we see one another, we help one another. Our yearly Annual Conference meeting is described as a big United Methodist family reunion. We appreciate and recognize that we are better together, and we value that connection.

We come by this quite naturally as The United Methodist Church is purposefully structured to foster deep connection so that the whole worldwide UMC focuses on the mission to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and supports our local churches, the primary place this occurs, to accomplish this mission. “Connectionalism is an important part of our identity as United Methodists. It is a vital web of interactive relationships…[that] provides us with wonderful opportunities to carry out our mission in unity and strength” (¶701 of The United Methodist Book of Discipline 2020/2024).

One of the ways United Methodists experience this connection is through the appointment process and itineracy of pastors. This time of year (January-May) is often called “appointment season.”  It is a time when we seek to utilize the resources of our Dakotas connection- our churches and clergy- to best accomplish our mission. It is a time when the cabinet (bishop & superintendents), clergy, and church leadership consider the missional needs of churches and communities across the Dakotas, as well as the unique gifts of clergy leaders. It is a time of consultation, conversation, discernment, and prayer to determine where best to deploy our clergy so that the mission of making disciples and transforming the world through our local churches continues to thrive. It is a time when United Methodist clergy and laity prepare for possible transitions in pastoral leadership so that the whole of our connection is positioned for the greatest possible usefulness for God’s work among us. It is a time of excitement and trepidation as we embark on this journey together.

Dakotas Conference clergy are deeply committed to Christ and to the people and places they serve. They each have unique gifts, passions, and skills that equip them to faithfully follow God’s call and lead our congregations. Our Dakotas Conference churches have mission and ministry unique to their communities, are filled with wonderful, gifted lay people who love God and their neighbors, and seek to follow God faithfully, no matter their current circumstances. The goal of the appointment season is to look at the whole of who we are as connected Dakotas United Methodists, to see the mission and ministry opportunities, and to send pastors to churches so that we continue to live out the mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ and transform the world.  

It is the work of the Appointive Cabinet, composed of the bishop and conference superintendents (CS), to deploy our clergy in the most strategic way possible. Your Dakotas Conference cabinet is committed to an intentional process of consultation, conversation, prayer, and discernment as we do this vital strategic work. Here’s a summary of the intentional steps the Cabinet takes as they look at the whole conference:

· The people involved in the appointment process

All clergy (ordained elders, ordained deacons, commissioned ministers, and local pastors) are appointed yearly to their places of ministry by the bishop assigned to the Dakotas-Minnesota Area. The bishop works through the conference superintendents, who supervise the churches assigned to them, often within a portion of the Area called a district. In addition, the Board of Ordained Ministry of the Conference (composed of laity and clergy) approves clergy for ministry, deems them appointable, monitors their fitness, and provides for their continuing education, removal from ministry, retirement, and other changes of their status. The local congregation is represented in the appointment process by the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (PPRC) (or in larger churches, it may be called the Staff-Parish Relations Committee a.k.a. SPRC) that the annual Charge Conference of the congregation elects.

· Gathering information: the cabinet gathers information on a variety of levels throughout the summer and fall as they consult with pastors and churches.

· Each appointed pastor has a one-on-one conversation with their superintendent that includes an invitation for the pastor to talk about their current and future appointments.

· Later in the fall, pastors are asked to fill out an Appointment Consultation Form in conversation with their Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (PPRC/SPRC). Together, the PPRC/SPRC and the pastor indicate whether they believe it’s in the best interest of the mission of the local church to have their current pastor remain, to request an appointment of a new pastor, or to request a conversation with their assigned superintendent.  The information provided on this form is considered during the process.

· In December, a letter is sent to all clergy in the Dakotas-Minnesota Area listing churches that are “Clear Opens.” A clear, open church is one without a current pastor, or one in which the pastor has formally requested and announced their retirement, or in which the current pastor has been appointed to a new location. This practice engages the connectional nature of discernment, inviting pastors to share who they think might be a good fit for a church, including themselves. These inquiries are noted and considered as appointments are made.

· Prayer and Discernment: The cabinet schedules additional meetings January-May in order to continue conversation, consultation with pastors/churches, and prayer as they determine best fits for pastors and churches to advance the mission.  The appointment discernment begins in earnest at the first cabinet meeting in January, where they take a big picture look at which churches are open, which pastors may need a change, which churches may need a change, which pastor’s gifts would best meet the missional needs of an open church, etc. In subsequent meetings, a great deal of prayer and time is devoted to trying to fit all the pieces together, taking into consideration church needs, mission focus, gifts, passions, family situations, spouse's job, etc.  The Cabinet also trusts that the Connection—clergy and churches alike—are praying for and through this entire process.

· Invitation: Once it has become clear through the consultation, conversation, discernment, and prayer that a certain pastor is the best missional match for a congregation, the CS contacts the pastor and informs them of the intention to appoint them to a new charge. The CS shares information about the church and the reasons the bishop and cabinet believe they are the best fit for this new appointment. The pastor is given at least 24 hours to pray, have more conversations with the CS, and consult with their immediate family.

· Introduction. When the pastor accepts the new appointment, plans are made to introduce them to the new congregation. An introduction meeting/visit is set up, and the superintendent, the new pastor, and the S/PPRC. This is intentionally called an “appointment introduction” meeting – not an “interview.”  The bishop is responsible for each appointment, and unless there are red flags that arise during the introduction that would cause either the cabinet, pastor, or church to have reservations, the pastor introduced becomes the new pastor to be appointed to the new charge at Annual Conference. On the rare occasion that an appointment is reconsidered due to a red flag, sometimes a new pastor is selected, but sometimes the same pastor is selected to serve, and measures are put into place to address potential concerns.

· Announcement: After each new pastor is introduced, an announcement is made in both charges concerning the change, and the charge and pastor prepare to begin the new ministry relationship. Weekly, appointments that have completed the process are posted on the Dakotas Conference website at this link. As that new appointment is made and announced, a new, clear, open is also created, so the process of consultation, discernment, invitation, and the introduction of the pastor in each new church setting is repeated until all available pastors have an appointment and open churches have pastoral leadership.

Dakotas Conference cabinet with Bishop Lanette Plambeck (2026).

· Preparation and Support. Appointments and appointment changes are formally made at Annual Conference in June and begin on July 1 of that year. Obvious exceptions include unexpected deaths or other events that remove a pastor from their appointment between Annual Conferences.  S/PPRC is involved in the process, and pastors receiving a new appointment are invited to a training to help them navigate the transition of goodbye and welcome in healthy ways, to share logistical information about scheduling and preparing for the physical act of moving, and to prepare for a successful beginning in this new relationship.

We invite you to join our whole connection in praying for this appointment season, the process, our cabinet, our pastors, and our churches. This is the season that leans into deploying our resources for ministry (our pastors) into the primary arena for fulfilling our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world (our churches) so that all across the Dakotas may come to know the love of God through Jesus Christ.