Pastor Mark Johnsen had a three week sermon series on stewardship as Rapid Valley UMC explores giving. Photos from Facebook.

Rapid Valley UMC is no different than many congregations, trying to adjust to the new reality that the COVID-19 pandemic has created. Attendance is down, and giving is not the same; people are feeling uncertain. The congregation started worshipping online in March, moved back to in-person and online worship this summer, and is now living into a new reality.

Rapid Valley United Methodist Church, located in the Rapid City area of western South Dakota, explores ways that God is calling them to be stewards of gifts and resources. Rev. Mark Johnsen, who serves Rapid Valley UMC, has had a three-week sermon series on stewardship, and the congregation is completing a three-part Thanksgiving dinner.

“The focus of the sermon series was to grow in our giving back to God,” says Rev. Johnsen. “We all have many gifts that we are granted here on earth. We have a lot to be thankful for, and need to decide how we can be stewards of our gifts and give back.”

Annually, the congregation holds a Thanksgiving celebration that involves a turkey dinner, silent auction, and pies. This year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, things looked a little different.

“We had to get a little creative fundraising and giving,” says Johnsen.

The Thanksgiving Dinner and a spring dinner are fundraising efforts that happen annually at Rapid Valley UMC. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the spring dinner did not happen. The Thanksgiving dinner had a different look and timeframe.

Rapid Valley UMC held an auction in October for three weeks. The online auction of 32 items replaced the silent auction that happens each fall at the turkey dinner. “The silent auction was a part of the fall turkey dinner that brought in funds to the congregation,” says Johnsen. “This year, we held online and generated close to $1,500.”

On November 3, Rapid Valley UMC held a “Stop and Go Turkey Dinner.” People purchased tickets before November 3. They drove to the church, gave someone their ticket, then an assembly line of volunteers, dished up the hot meal of turkey with all of the trimmings in to-go containers, and then the ticket holders left with the hot meals. 

“We had more than 150 purchase meals. We also distributed the items from the online auction on the same day to the winning bidders who came to get a turkey dinner,” Johnsen says.

Pies are another part of the fall turkey dinner for Rapid Valley UMC. This year people can place an order for a pumpkin, apple, or cherry pie. Volunteers are baking pies, and people that put in an order will pick up pies the week of Thanksgiving at the church. 

“We are trying to make the offering and giving happen. How we give will look different, the offering does not just happen in the offering plate at a church building,” says Pastor Mark.