“Mission u is an adult church camp,” said Conni McCormick, dean of the southern site of Mission u, as she described the annual gathering sponsored by United Women in Faith. “Just the friendships that you make. And you don’t have to be United Methodist– anyone is invited and we gladly include anyone that would like to join us.” 

United Women in Faith (UWF) have a commitment to life-long learning and Mission u is a unique example of how they live out that commitment. In the Dakotas Conference, the event is held at two different locations – Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, and the University of Jamestown in Jamestown, North Dakota.  

“I wasn't quite sure what to expect because it had been a few years since I had attended,” described Rev. Annie Carlson who led one of the study groups at the South Dakota site.  “What was the same was the generosity of spirit and the enthusiasm of the people who were there.” 

“Life and ministry can be hard sometimes. I was feeling defeated when I attended Mission u. Many times in my ministry, the UMW/UWF has renewed my faith and restored my hope, and this year was no exception,” shared Rev. Marty Toepke-Floyd who attended at the North Dakota site. “Music, worship, communion, fellowship, conversation— there was so much at Mission u that nurtured my spirit.”

The gatherings are made up of regular attendees, newcomers, and those, like Annie, who find themselves drawn back after a time away.  

“We did have 16 first-timers and we hope to keep them involved year after year and hope that they'll get involved in their local unit as well,” said McCormick.  

“We also had at least four mother-daughter pairs and that is so wonderful when generations can come together,” said McCormick. “I think about my own mom. She was so involved, and I was so busy with teaching that I didn't get involved until after she passed away which makes me sad because I would have loved to experience these things with her.”  

Whether it’s someone’s first time attending or they’ve been coming for decades, there seems to be a common spirit and purpose. 

“It sounds corny but everyone who comes to mission u is on a mission and they’re excited to be there,” she added. 

Formerly known as School of Christian Mission, the Mission u event centers around a justice-focused Biblical curriculum. This year’s theme was “Practicing Hope Together” and invited participants to study the resurrection appearances of Jesus and the example of early Christian communities to explore what it means to practice hope in God even when things seem to be falling apart. 

"We are all sinners. There are personal sins and then there are collective sins. For me, it was a recognition of my sinfulness, but also that God is gracious and forgivng and the hope that we can all do better," shared Toepke-Floyd.

“We talked about hope and its interconnectedness with grief – that when life is going great you really don't need hope,” explained Pastor Annie. “The need for hope comes in our darker times.” 

Pastor Annie explained how the discussions in her group also centered around having a “ritual of hope” and building-in practices that raise our awareness of hope. These can help cultivate an ability to recognize hope in our midst before we desperately need it  

“We have to practice [hope] like basketball. You have to do things that encourage hope to develop,” she shared. “I think that encompasses the Mission u philosophy– that we are not just passive hearers of the Word, but we are active doers of the Word.” 

Encouragement to be “doers of the Word” is another key component of the Mission u experience.  

Study leaders and special speakers shared information about key social action topics such as climate justice, immigration, and mass incarceration. District and unit leaders also shared some of the ways they are seeking to live out the vision of United Women in Faith – “Turning faith, hope and love into action on behalf of women, children, and youth around the world” – in their local contexts.  

One of those leaders, Linda Dodds from the United Methodist Church in White Lake, South Dakota, shared how the resources from UWF help her unit better live out the mission God calls them to.  

“There were years when we would have our little business meeting and then they had to hurry out,” she described. “We might have a little program, but it would be whatever you want to do or say about. But as far as actually, ‘What could we do in White Lake?’ – you didn’t see that."

“But with these social action topics, we have the ability to learn more because of the resources that the United Women in Faith provide for us. It's not like we have to re-invent the wheel. It’s there for us now,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be big – just something that would make a difference as far as energy or taking care of other people.” 

Dodds shared some of the resources available on the UWF.org website that covers a variety of topics and tools to be used in a variety of settings. The Mission u curriculum that includes eight one-hour sessions and also comes in formats for children or youth is also designed to be used in a variety of settings such as Sunday school classes, VBS, small groups, and other ecumenical settings. 

“You know, we can't change the world tomorrow. We're not going to get down to 100% renewable energy in the next few years, but there are still things we can do,” said Dodds.

"I believe that every pastor should attend Mission u. Not only is it about mission, but there is a real focus on the wider church and I think that is important for clergy," said Toepke-Floyd. "It is also a way to connect with the United Women in Faith, and is a great opportunity for continuing education."