Summers at Spirit Lake are typically busy and buzzing with lots of kids in summer JAM. Volunteers in Mission (VIM) teams are working on building construction projects throughout Spirit Lake nation. Unfortunately, for the second consecutive summer, Spirit Lake Ministry Center is experiencing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It has been a different kind of summer,” described Mike and Libby Flowers. “We typically see about 350-400 volunteers doing building and repair projects out in the community. This summer, we saw 100 volunteers doing projects at the Spirit Lake Ministry Center.”

Volunteers work on house repairs, a typical way that Volunteers in Mission help on the Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota. File photo courtesy Spirit Lake Ministry.

Building projects or the construction ministry typically is funded through tribal funding sources. That was not true this summer. Spirit Lake Ministry Center paid for all of the construction projects from their funds.

“Our typical funding sources for VIM team projects were not available because of COVID,” said Pastor Mike Flowers. “That meant we spent money out of the Ministry Center funds.”

Ten VIM teams completed a children’s library, re-sided cabins, constructed a breezeway from Arthur Hall to the children’s library, and helped ready the food pantry for shopping. Mike and Libby Flowers, who serve as co-directors at Spirit Lake, are grateful for the improvements to enhance the ministry.

“The kids are excited about the library,” says Libby Flowers. “One of the first things they ask when they come here is, can I go to the library?”

The Journey at Spirit Lake is a worshipping community that continues to flourish. Each Sunday evening, families gather at Arthur Hall for a meal, worship, and Sunday School for the children.

“We were excited to see more than 30 people show up for worship. Before the pandemic, we had about 40-45 people each week. But we know some people are still being cautious about attending and watching the live stream,” says Pastor Mike.

The pandemic shifted services online for The Journey. McCabe United Methodist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, provided the equipment and funding to make it possible for worship to go online when COVID-19 hit, and online worshipping was a necessity. Besides worship, Spirit Lake also conducted children and family ministry activities online.

Volunteers prepare Shoebox Christmas gifts at Spirit Lake Ministry. Dakotas Conference file photo.

“We did a lot of Zoom and Facebook live activities for families during the pandemic,” says Libby Flowers. “After a whole year, we are now offering in-person Sunday School activities. It happens during worship, and the excitement is there!”

This year also marks a new step in Pastor Mike’s ministry journey. He is also serving First United Methodist Church in Devils Lake, North Dakota. First UMC has worship on Sunday mornings, and The Journey at Spirit Lake has service at 5 p.m. each Sunday.

“The service and congregations are separate. But we are planning a Trunk or Treat at First UMC in Devils Lake, and we will have families and kids from Spirit Lake attend,” Pastor Mike says. “It is a chance to connect the two congregations.”

Spirit Lake Ministry continues to reach out and ask for your support in three ways. First, please continue to pray for the ministry and the people of Spirit Lake who are morning the loss of several elders during the pandemic.

Second, support Spirit Lake Ministry Center financially. Your donations will help replenish the funds lost during the pandemic. Donate here

Third, participate in Shoebox Christmas. Spirit Lake Ministry Center coordinates Shoebox Christmas gifts to over 6,000 children across the reservations of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Click here to learn more about Shoebox Christmas gifts.

A child looks at one of his Shoebox Christmas gifts. Dakotas Conference file photo.

Shoebox Christmas gifts will be collected in November. Please have your Shoebox Christmas gifts delivered by November 12, 2021,  to one these sites: McCabe UMC in Bismarck, First UMC in Devils Lake, First UMC in Fargo, Wesley UMC in Grand Forks, Vincent UMC in Minot, or Aberdeen North Highland in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Please contact the drop-off location to set up a time for drop off.

You can also deliver gifts to Sunnycrest UMC in Sioux Falls and the Dakotas Conference Office in Mitchell in South Dakota for pickup  in November. Please have your Shoebox Christmas gifts delivered by November 12, 2021, and contact the drop-off location to set up a time before you deliver the gifts. 

“We are grateful for the many ways that people support this ministry,” said Mike and Libby Flowers.