Here is key information about the legislation that will be voted on during the virtual annual conference experience happening on October 10. The major pieces of legislation can be found in the 2020 Conference Workbook and includes the 2021 Budget Proposal, the Consent Calendar, and the Committee of Nominations Report. View the Conference Workbook online.
 

2021 Budget Proposal

The 2021 Budget Report in the Conference Workbook on pages 5-10. Jeff Pospisil, executive director of Finance and Administration and treasurer for the Dakotas Conference, shares the details of the 2021 Budget Proposal in this video.

During the four Pre-Conference Gatherings recently held, the following questions or comments were lifted, and responses were shared by Rev. Rebecca Trefz, executive director for Dakotas Conference Ministries and also the Southeast District Superintendent, and Jeff Pospisil regarding the 2021 budget proposal.

Question:  On page seven of the Conference Workbook, "Large Church Revitalization" is reduced by 125% from $32,500 to $8,000, can you help me understand more why?
Response: Our revitalization processes, MCCI for larger churches and Journey Renewal Partnership for mid-sized or smaller-sized churches, are funded partially by the apportioned budget, and by Thrive—the capital campaign that raised $3.5 million. Additionally, the contract that has been in place with Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey has ended.

Question: What are the parameteers for large and small church?
Response: There is not a set number or members or attendance. It is about the process and things like the number of worship services, staff, and where the congregation is in the life cycle of ministry. Revitalization is about launching a new life cycle of ministry. The church needs to be ready to enter a new life cycle.

Comment from an attendee: I think it is important to clarify that the general apportionments weren’t too late. Nor did they (GCFA—General Conference on Finance and Administration) violate the Book of Discipline. Para. 808 requires GCFA to send to the annual conferences “not less than 90 days prior to the session of each annual conference or as soon thereafter as practical.” “As soon thereafter as practical,” means they couldn’t be sent before as the 2020 General Conference was postponed.
Response: Yes, that is correct. We do know that the proposed budget, set to be approved at the postponed General Conference is calling for a reduced request for funding. Also all of the board and agencies are working prudently to reduce expenditures and are planning on budget reductions.

Question: Where do we find the Jurisdictional apportionments in this budget?
Response: The Jurisdictions receive funding from the General Church apportionment equivalent to about 1% of our apportioned amount.

Question: Why is one district superintendent receiving so much less than the other three district superintendents?
Response: That's because one of the district superintendents, Rev. Rebecca Trefz, is serving as Executive Director of Ministries and the Southeast District Superintendent. The compensation for the shared position is split between the two job roles.

Question: Can you tell more about the $100,00 buffer in past budgets? We will need use it all in 2021?
Response: In the past few budget years, we have set aside $100,000 for a rainy day. It looks like 2020 is a rainy year, and we will be dipping into our reserves. The amount that is needed will be dependent on what is collected for apportioned funds. We did not include $100,00 for set aside in the 2021 budget proposal.  
 

Consent Calendar

During the plenary time on October 10 there will be a vote on the Consent Calendar. Amber Laffey, conference secretary, shares in this video details about the consent calendar.

During the four Pre-Conference Gatherings recently held, the following questions or comments were lifted, and responses were shared by Rev. Rebecca Trefz and Jeff Pospisil regarding the Consent Calendar.

Question: Why are there only three housing allowances listed for district superintendents?
Response: One of the district superintendents lives in a parsonage owned by a church where the spouse serves.

Question: Was Mission to Fargo ever chartered? Can we close a church before it officially became a church?
Response: Although Mission Fargo was not chartered, the church is closing and we want people to be aware of the closing as a significant amount of dollars, Thrive funds, were expended on the worshipping community.

Question: On page 12 of the Conference Workbook, I notice the recommendation for minimum compensation doesn’t comport with our parsonage standards. Why? Doesn’t include housing, air conditioning, cable or hot water.
Response: The Conference Workbook only highlights the financial expenditures for the minimum compensation. The parsonage standards are listed in the Journal in Section X. Rules and Policies. You can find the Parsonage Standards on Page 191 of the 2019 Journal.

Question: On page 13 of the Conference Workbook, it states that Equitable Compensation Grants are limited to 36 months. Williston and Kindred received them for 4 years in a row. Also, the recipients are supposed to pay apportionments in 100%. In the budget presentation it was stated the neither of those churches are paying apportionments.
Response: Are records indicate that these two congregations Faith UMC in Williston and Kindred have been recipients for the past three years, so the Dakotas Conference Council of Finance and Administration approved a grant for a fourth year. The approval or consideration is made once a year by CCFA and at the time of approval, the congregations were paying apportionments.
 

Nominations

The Committee on Nomination has been working and the nominations report in section three of the 2020 Conference Workbook. A vote will be taken on the report, October 10, that you will during the afternoon plenary session. In this video, Nancy Hallenbeck, a member of the Committee on Nomination highlights details of the Nominations Report. If you see changes that need to be made to the information listed in the Nominations Report. Contact Bea Stucke by e-mail.   

Here are some other things to note about the proposed legislation for the 2020 Annual Conference:

• Item 1.3 on page 11 of the 2020 Conference Workbook, calls for affirmation of the site rotation for annual conference. The sites will remain the same, Bismarck and Sioux Falls. The years of the rotation will change due to the COVID-19 pandemic and contracts that are in place at the Sioux Falls Convention Center and the Bismarck Civic Center.
• The joint conference with the Dakotas and Minnesota Annual Conferences, that was scheduled for 2020 has been cancelled. One of the intents of the joint conferences was to celebrate the ministry of Bishop Bruce R. and Char Ough and that will take place, separately in virtual conference sessions.
• There are no proposed resolutions to be considered at the 2020 Conference.

Resources:
Conference Workbook
View a recording for an entire Pre-Conference Gathering
Miracle Offering
AC Schedule

Each member of the 2020 Annual Conference Session is also asked to register and to attend a procedural orientation to check their connection and learn the specifics on interacting within the system (you can register for an orientation session as you register for Annual Conference). Each session is expected to last about 35 minutes; an hour is reserved to assist those who might have connection issues. The three session options are:
Monday, October 5 at 12 p.m. CDT, 11 a.m. MDT
Monday, October 5 at 8 p.m. CDT, 7 p.m. MDT
Tuesday, October 6 at 7 p.m. CDT, 6 p.m. MDT

If you have questions about the 27^th Session of the Dakotas Annual Conference contact the conference office by e-mail or phone 605-996-6552.