United Methodists across the Dakotas have donated more than $150,000 in UMCOR relief kits and $17,500 in cash to fight hunger.  The numbers are the preliminary totals based on totals from the mission events and six of the seven UMCOR kit collection sites.

The 2017 mission season kicked off on Saturday, September 16th at Southeast Pierre UMC (click here to read the story).  On September 30th, the Mission Café and Bakery was held at Sioux Falls Southern Hills UMC.  The mission events wrapped up on October 1 at the Sturgis UMC mission event.

Mission Café and Bakery

The Mission Cafe and Bakery was held on Saturday, September 30, 2017 from 10:30am - 2pm at Southern Hills United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls!

The event featured crafts items, silent auction items, several food stations, live entertainment, baked items and a kid area with an inflatable, face painting and lawn games.

The Tree of Life, Solar Ovens, Out in Faith Bakken Oil Outreach and Nightwatch Canteen missions were on site to share how their missions are impacting lives throughout the Dakotas Conference. UMCOR relief kits were collected.  Cash donations totaling, $4,900 were collected to fight local, national and global hunger. Photo courtesy Southern Hills UMC.

Sturgis UMC hosts mission event

Sturgis UMC hosted a mission event on Sunday, October 1. The church provided snacks and a great salad buffet. Piedmont Grace UMC, under the leadership of Pastor Karl Kroger and the praise team from Grace UMC, led an opening worship.

Participants at the event learned about the work of a team from Spearfish UMC in the Dominican.  Pastor Mark Johnson invited those present to join him and others over Thanksgiving to serve the good people of Houston as they recover from the hurricane. Photo from Kevin Kloster. Piedmont Grace provided the music in Sturgis.

More than 1,000 UMCOR relief kits were collected.  These kits will be shipped to the UMCOR Depot West along with and thousands of other kits from United Methodists across the Dakotas. Photo: UMCOR Health Kits boxed up for shipping at Southern Hills UMC's Mission Cafe and Bakery.

Cash offering of  $3,743.63 was collected to fight hunger. A portion of the cash offerings collected across the Dakotas during the mission events will fund grants for hunger programs in North and South Dakota. If you are aware of such a program in your area and you think part of the funds could be used there, please nominate them for a grant. Grants are due in the Mitchell Conference office by October 15. If you have questions about Hunger Grants please contact JoAnn Schlimgen by e-mail or phone 605-990-7787.

Bid now in the online auction

Now is the time to put in your bid or recruit people you know to bid and buy. The online auction is now open through October 8. You will find quilts, woodworking items available.  Proceeds from the auction will support Dakotas Conference hunger projects and global hunger projects.  Go to www.girardbid.com  and place your bid now. Help us spread the word! Click the picture below to see the quilts.