THIS WEEK!

Annual Conference Worship Resources 
    This year's Celebration of Life in Ministry service - a time when we ordain and commission clergy, recognize those pastors who are retiring, and honor clergy, clergy spouses, and former conference staff who passed away in the last year - will be held on Sunday, June 7 at 10 a.m. CT at McCabe UMC in Bismarck, N.D.  Resources are now available for churches to engage in this service in different ways:
     Live-streaming the first hour of the CLMS starting at 10 a.m. CT - For churches who want to participate in the service remotely but are limited to an hour, we have created a bulletin to accompany that format.
    Using Bishop’s recorded sermon (or sermon transcript) - For those churches limited by time or technology, we have created a worship bulletin and slides to accompany the Bishop’s sermon (this recording will be available next week.)
    Live-streaming full service - We will provide an PDF copy of the CLMS order of worship to follow along (available next week).
     Access all resources here. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the conference communications staff. 

Register for AC by THIS FRIDAY May 15!
    To avoid late registration fees, please register for Annual Conference by May 15. Also, we have added an additional pre-conference webinar time - Wednesday, May 27th at 10:30 CT/9:30 MT. If you’ve already registered for another session, please click here to let us know you’ll be attending the daytime session.

Embodied practices - Monday, May 18 at noon CT / 11 a.m. MT
    Monthly Embodied Practice Sessions will begin Monday, May 18, and then every fourth Monday in 2026, online. Clergy are invited to engage in these facilitated opportunities to slow down, care for yourself, and receive support. Join every month, or just when it fits. Register here for this monthly recurring virtual session. There is no charge. Check out this video for more info.

RESOURCES

Summer Lay Preaching Class via Zoom
    Rev. Andy Bartel, Dakotas Conference pastor serving at St. John UMC in Anchorage, AK, along with Rev. Emily Carroll, pastor at First United Church in Anchorage, will be co-teaching a Lay Servant Ministry Preaching Course. The class will be held on Sunday evenings, May 31, June 7, 14, 21, 28 from 6-8pm CST / 5-7pm MST.  This will be a hybrid class, meeting in person at St. John UMC or via Zoom. There will be a limit of 14 people in the class. Register here. 

ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

Partnering with Midwest Mission!
    We are excited to partner with Midwest Mission, a cooperating depot for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), in showing God's love in practical ways to people in their time of need. As we near the end of the school year and prepare for annual conference, here are three great ways you can join in this important work:

1.  Like last year, churches are  invited to bring kits to Annual Conference. Midwest Mission will have a trailer there for collection.
2.  Midwest Mission is setting up a hands-on service project for Annual Conference attendees to participate in on Friday night. Individuals/churches can contribute cash donations for to help offset the cost of supplies. Learn more about Blessing Bags here.
3.  Midwest Mission recently launched a new initiative to collect school supplies at the end of the year. Churches are encouraged to partner with their community to collect these supplies and bring them to a drop-off site (e.g. Annual Conference or Sioux Falls Asbury UMC in the Dakotas) and MWM will transport them from there. Learn more here.

Serving Joyfully Looks Like...    
    Across the Dakotas, United Methodists are Serving Joyfully in their churches and communities –people of different ages and differing abilities, people who have been a part of the church for years and those who have just gotten connected, members of churches in large cities and rural communities. These individuals faithfully share their time and talents in ways that give glimpses of the selfless, sacrificial love of Christ. We want to celebrate these small but significant acts of service.
    We invite YOU to record and submit a short video (less than 30 seconds) or written testimony about examples of serving joyfully in your church or community. We will share these during annual conference session as well as on social media throughout the year so that we can continue to spur one another on toward love and good deeds! Check out this form for more information and this video testimony! Share your story before May 18th! And thank YOU for all you do to Serve Joyfully!

Clergy Connection group
    Would you like a chance to connect with colleagues, grow as a clergy person as well as a human being? Would you like a place to ask questions and push the boundaries of your knowledge and experience? Clergy Connection is just such a place. A gathering of clergy where clergy choose, and direct, the time together. The gathering will be held at Legacy UMC in Bismarck, ND, on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Please register here. Deadline to register is Monday, May18, 2026. For the topic of the event, we are asking for your input on topics of learning and growth to be taught by either a facilitator or by one of our clergy. Please complete this survey to submit your ideas.    

JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS | View all Ads

Jobs Available
    We're hiring! The following positions are open across the Dakotas Conference.
    Find more information on our Conference website.
    Office Assistant I/Bookkeeper | Madison UMC
    Part-time Campus Ministry Director | First UMC, Brookings, SD
    Open Camping Positions | All locations