At Summer Vikes on Central, volunteers welcomed visitors to an interactive booth, inviting students and young adults to learn more about a new space for connection, conversation, and faith.

At Epworth United Methodist Church in Valley City, North Dakota, Pastor Bryce Blank is building a new college ministry one conversation at a time.

Last year, he set up a table outside the Valley City State University cafeteria with a bowl of candy and a lighthearted question of the day—not to recruit students with a polished pitch, but simply to introduce himself and invite conversation.

“I just wanted people to interact with me and have a conversation and answer a silly question—or, at the very least, just take some candy,” Bryce said. “It was a way to help students get familiar with me and say, ‘Hey, I’m here, and I’m not some scary guy.’”

With support from an Innovation in Youth Ministry Grant from the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations, Epworth is now launching a college ministry designed to offer students a welcoming faith community.

In those conversations, Bryce heard that students want opportunities to serve, put faith into action and be honest about life and faith.

“We want this to be a community where you can come for the first time with no church background—or any church background,” Bryce said. “It’s a place where you can grow, belong, learn and figure out young adulthood and college as it comes at you. We’re going to struggle and succeed together.”

The need is clear: There are currently no official campus ministries at Valley City State University. The grant will support outreach, food and a retreat, helping Epworth launch the ministry without added financial pressure.

“We are so grateful to receive this grant because it means we can jump in and focus our energy on ministry with college students in our community rather than worrying about how we will fund this new ministry in the short term,” Bryce said.

“What Bryce and the team at Epworth are doing is awesome—getting out and reaching young adults where they are and when they need it most,” said Katie Meister, Program Director for the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations.

Epworth is not beginning this work alone. The congregation is collaborating with several area churches, including local ELCA Lutheran congregations that already partner with Epworth in youth ministry. Together, they hope to create a broader, more welcoming community for students of different faith backgrounds and experiences.

The ministry’s first event, a Ben & Jerry’s “Pint Night” featuring ice cream.

“We have found a lot of success in our youth ministry by pooling our resources,” Bryce said. “We have the same intention with this ministry: We’re doing this together.”

That shared approach reflects what Bryce hopes students will experience. “I hope they understand that their faith is a safe place to engage and grow in, and it’s not going to be perfect,” Bryce said. “I hope they feel a sense of belonging—that they can ask questions, they can doubt, they can fail, and it’ll be okay.”

“Investing in these young adults gives us hope for the spreading of the gospel in the future,” he said. “It’s planting seeds that you may never see the fruit of. But it is still valuable and true and real.”

Epworth United Methodist Church is turning these grant dollars into ministry by creating space for students to explore faith, deepen relationships and live out Christ’s love together.

This one-time Innovation in Youth Ministry Grant was made possible through the generosity of donors who invest in the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations. In 2026, the Foundation awarded these grants to help congregations launch, strengthen or reimagine ministries with youth and young adults.

Donor support helped Epworth United Methodist Church begin this work with college students in Valley City. If you or your congregation are interested in helping make grants like this possible in the future, please contact the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations at info@DkMnMF.org or 605-990-7790. To explore other grant opportunities, visit the Grants web page.