Six years ago, the Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church received a grant of nearly $1 million from the Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Thriving Congregations Initiative. In the invitation for proposals, the Lilly Endowment described that they were “interested in supporting programs that helped congregations to explore and understand their rapidly changing social and cultural contexts, gain greater clarity about their values and mission, and draw on practices from their theological and ecclesial traditions to adapt their ministries to the demands of their changing contexts.” 

The initiative's goal was “to help congregations thrive by strengthening ministries that help people deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other, and contribute to the flourishing of their communities and the world.” The Dakotas Conference “Dakotas Connection Initiative” (DCI) was the response to that invitation and challenge.

To provide resources and platforms that support vital ministry and community impact, the DCI has been committed to developing new leadership models and innovative systems that maximize the gifts and callings of laity, connect congregations to share leadership, worship, and technology resources, and emphasize collaborative ministry. After some “starts and stops” due to COVID and disaffiliations, the Dakotas Connection Initiative has gained momentum in several areas, including Amplify Dakotas, shared services collaborations, team ministry and larger parish models, and Conference Connectors.

The Dakotas Conference is excited for that momentum to continue as the Dakotas UMC has been awarded a Sustaining Grant through the Thriving Congregations Initiative. The $490K sustainability matching grant enables the Dakotas to deepen a long-term investment in rural churches, expand vital resources, and support imaginative, connectional ways of being the Church.

Rather than viewing rural ministry through a lens of scarcity, the Dakotas Connection Initiative invites us to celebrate our rural context as a profound strength. Early Methodism flourished not through large, single-staffed institutions, but through an agile, connected network of circuit riders, empowered lay leaders, and communities sharing life and resources across miles.

Lilly Endowment grant funding has helped the Dakotas lean into that heritage—empowering local congregations to embrace healthy experimentation, lean into connectionalism and mutuality, and discover that “necessity as the mother of invention” can lead to fruitfulness in ways that are beyond our asking or imagining.

“Through missional experiments, creative partnerships, and hope-filled outreach efforts, the initiative has embodied our commitment to strengthening rural communities and cultivating new possibilities for ministry,” shared Bishop Lanette Plambeck.

With the support of this sustaining grant, the Conference is expanding existing initiatives and rolling out new avenues of support designed specifically for the relational, context-rich realities of rural churches:

• Expanding Amplify Dakotas: This growing digital resource hub is a partnership with the UM Publishing House and is filled with Dakotas-created sermon series, discipleship materials, worship aids, and administrative tools tailored for both lay-led and clergy-led congregations. Dakotas United Methodists can access these customized resources, along with other Cokesbury digital resources, free of charge because of grant funding. Learn more about Amplify Dakotas.
• Equipping for "Wesleyan Way" relational discipleship: Understanding that discipleship systems and leadership training aren’t one-size-fits-all, the DCI team will work with partners such as the Town Square Collaborative to develop contextually grounded leadership training that equips laity and clergy alike to lead vital discipleship right where they are planted.
• Congregational health and vitality: Building off the work of the Dream Forward cohorts, gatherings of clergy and laity will create spaces to dream, assess local mission fields, and innovate together.
• Parish Partnerships & Shared Staffing Grants: DCI grants are available for churches ready to explore collaborative ministry—including multi-church parishes, shared children/youth directors, administrative support, and joint community outreach. Technology grants are available to support this collaboration. Some of the previous and existing collaborations include Abundance Parish, MHH Parish, the Southeast District administrative partnership, the Alpena-Virgil Team ministry, and the Dell Rapids/Garretson/Chester-Colton Family Ministry Coordinator.
• Expanding Conference Connectors: These regional leaders are deployed across the Conference to walk alongside local churches, troubleshoot challenges, and help leaders access context-specific resources. Connectors in the areas of Children’s, Youth, and Administration are some of the areas where Connectors may be deployed.

Through the work of the Dakotas Connection Initiative, Dakotas congregations have embraced a spirit of possibility and hope. Whether through sharing a youth pastor across two counties, gathering for quarterly regional clergy and lay fellowship, or launching community-focused mission projects, these congregations are discovering that sharing resources doesn't mean giving up identity—it means multiplying impact.

“Throughout the history of the Methodist Movement, the Church has adapted to remain faithful to its mission,” explained Bishop Lanette. “From the days of circuit riders crossing vast expanses of prairie, our connection has been marked by resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to caring for all of God's people.”

“At a time when many are asking what faithful leadership looks like in a rapidly changing world, we believe the Dakotas Connection Initiative demonstrates a willingness to move boldly toward the future with courage, creativity, and hope,” she added.

For more information about the resources and opportunities available through the Dakotas Connection Initiative, reach out to your Conference Superintendent or contact Al Roll, Dakotas Connection Initiative Director, or Rev. Rebecca Trefz, Assistant to the Bishop for Connection and Communications, to start a conversation about what is possible in your area.