The Miller, South Dakota First United Methodist Church's library now houses the Miller schools' administrative offices. Shipments and donations pour through here to supply schoolrooms at four different churches throughout the community. Photos courtesy of Rev. Teresa Whetsel, Miller First UMC.

When the Miller High School suffered an explosion in a lab area, the students from all grades evacuated to the nearby Catholic Church and First United Methodist Church in Miller, South Dakota. That all went according to emergency protocol and the students, from kindergarten-starter through 12^th grades, were evacuated within six minutes, with no injuries. Little did they know, they would eventually finish their entire school year in one of the local churches.

On the morning of February 2, 2022, a spark from a student project in the agricultural shop caused a container of waste oil to ignite and explode, damaging the structure and sending thick, black smoke through the entire complex. After the students were evacuated and sent home from sheltering in the schools, the Miller school staff was busy developing a plan for continuing the school year, especially after learning that the smoke damage mitigation and repairs would take months to complete.

A stained glass window of Jesus, knocking at the door of our hearts, silently shines over a classroom's whiteboard.

Thankfully, four local churches had the capacity to create makeshift schoolrooms, offices, and facilities for all 400 of the students within just two weeks.

Reverend Teresa Whetsel, serving First United Methodist Church in Miller, explained some of the many changes needed to convert their church into a weekday school facility.

“It’s a tight fit,” exclaimed Whetsel, “but we had enormous support from the leadership team of the church, and they were ready to do whatever it takes, even before they knew if there would be reimbursement from the school’s insurance company.”

Immediately, volunteers from the church and the community cleaned out every square inch of the church, except the church office and the nursery, and stored the church furnishings and materials off-site in garages and members’ homes. In that hurried “spring cleaning," members were forced to consider what they really needed to keep and said good-bye to things the church was storing which hadn’t been used for decades.

“It’s an ongoing learning process,” Pastor Teresa shared, “We’re having to rethink how we do things. Do we have to house all our church activities in the church building, or can we move out into the community?”

Some of the church groups have moved to other buildings in town, and some to homes. The Lutheran church has offered to host funeral services, when needed, since the Miller UMC sanctuary is home to study hall, band practice (without instruments, which were sent for decontamination), and choir practice. The Ash Wednesday service will be held in the Presbyterian church this week, and Maundy Thursday services for both churches will be hosted by the Miller UMC.

A pickup-load of books arrives at the Miller First UMC from the DeSmet Public Schools.

After discovering that the oil fire’s toxic smoke had hopelessly contaminated all porous items in the entire school complex, the teachers and staff reached out through social media and websites with pleas for donations to replace almost everything they needed. The response from schools, alumni, businesses, and individuals from around the region and beyond was phenomenal. Pickup-loads of books, curriculum resources, and the innumerable supplies it takes to operate a school were brought in and graciously accepted to fill the massive void. The UPS truck brings about 60 shipments per day to the school office at the church.

“Teachers, staff, students, and administrators have all said they are so glad to have a place to be together,” added Pastor Teresa. “A big shout-out to teachers who have learned to teach ‘with nothing.’”

Of course, as churches in the Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church, we are called to always look for new ways to reach new people for Christ. The Miller congregation is certainly pondering the ways their readiness and generosity can reach even further, to not only help students learn their ABCs, but to offer “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” After the whirlwind of change and the labor of volunteering and adapting to this new use of their church have become more familiar, the church will know that they have demonstrated Christ’s unconditional love in living out the Great Commandment.

Pastor Teresa said, “I keep thinking, some of these students have never been in a church, but if they receive hospitality, and even one student receives the Holy Spirit, this has all been so worth it.”

After two weeks of housing the entire high school and the school’s administrative offices in the church, things are going smoothly, but are in a state of flux. The students, teachers, and the school staff are all undergoing a constant transformation they never could have imagined, and the Miller UMC congregation is also learning new ways of sharing love, and doing church.

KELO-TV, the regional CBS affiliate, reported recently on the ways the Miller UMC and the Miller Schools have been adapting to each other. Watch their story here.