The Dakotas Conference is committed to providing resources to help all congregations navigate this time of discernment and to provide care and support for pastors, congregations, and individuals as they wait out or go through this process. The Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church also has a vision for the church going into the future.  Please return often to find new resources.

#BeDakotasUMC

Join the #BeDakotasUMC, a grassroots movement to live out our beliefs, vision, values and our connection as United Methodists in North and South Dakota. Congregations and people across the Dakotas are living out their faith and celebrating what draws us to be The United Methodist Church. Here some resources to join the movement. Access graphics, or tell us your story. 
Access testimonial videos here to view, download, and share in worship or on social media.

Dakotas Conference Resources

Vision and Values Statement. At the 2022  Annual Conference this year, the Bishop’s Task Force on the Continuing Dakotas United Methodist Conference shared the initial draft of the Vision and Values document they had been working on for the past year. Since Annual Conference, we have made a few small editorial changes and wording adjustments for more clarity. View the updated document.  

Address the misinformation. Rev. Kris Mutzenberger, who serves as the dean of the Dakotas Conference Cabinet, and members Dakotas Cabinet have heard so much misinformation surrounding The United Methodist Church, they decided to set the record straight, to help answer your questions, and make things clearer for our local churches and pastors. Rev. Mutzenberger addresses seven myths or statements of misinformation in this video.

Host a Values Discernment Workshop. If someone were to ask 5-10 people in your local congregation to name the church’s top 3-5 core values, how many answers do you think you’d get? Would there be some similarities? Differences? The Dakotas Strategy Team has developed a 4-hour workshop to assist churches in discovering and defining their core values. Your congregation can request a workshop. Get the details. 

Denominational Resources

United Methodist Foundational Documents: The Bible, The denomination’s Articles of Religion and Confession of Faith, The writings and sermons of John Wesley, The General Rules of the Methodist Church, The UMC – Mission Statement (Book of Discipline), The UMC – General Church Structure, The UMC – Our Social Principles, The UMC – Our Christian Beliefs,  The UMC – Sacraments

Ask the UMC: United Methodists Communications operates a service called “Ask The UMC”. Ask UMC has published a series of articles answering an increasing number of questions from congregations wondering about the future of The United Methodist Church and whether they should consider disaffiliating from it. Some of these questions reflect widespread misperceptions or misinformation that some congregations are receiving as they discern their next steps. The articles are based on a variety of questions received multiple times through email, phone calls, and live chat. Access the series.