Three locations and close to 150 youth gathered in Bismarck, Brookings and Rapid City to experience “Mission in Action”—the 2017 Winter Connection event for youth in grades 6-12.

Photo: Girls gather for a photo in Brookings during Winter Connection 2017. Photo by Doreen Gosmire, Dakotas Conference.

A team of about 25 youth and adults on the Conference Council of Youth Ministry (CCYM) design Winter Connection.  The theme, agenda and locations are set the summer before.  Each location handles the specific details of the event.

“Each summer we have a planning meeting to design Winter Connection and other youth events, “ said Pastor Jeff Lathrop, Huron First UMC, coordinator of conference youth ministry team. “A lot of effort goes into making it an event that allows youth to connect with each other in their region. It not as large as Dakyouth but it is very similar in approach.”

“I like coming to things like this. It is fun to meet people from different places and be together,” said one youth attending in Brookings.

Each of the sites held worship, had prayer stations, fellowship and a chance to do some outreach in the community.

Photo: Youth get ready to distribute doorhangers throughout the community of Brookings for 211, a service that allows people to phone in for assistance.  Photo by Doreen Gosmire, Dakotas Conference.

First United Methodist Church in Brookings, South Dakota hosted over 70 youth and adults.  The group spent time in fellowship with some games, food and a worship experience on Friday evening.  Each of the three locations had a praise or contemporary worship team lead the singing and worship experience.

‘Music is my favorite thing and I like the worship,” described a youth attending at Brookings First UMC.

Overnight accommodations included sleeping on the floor in a camping like experience. “We put the girls on one floor and the guys on another floor,” said Pastor Wade Miller, Brookings First UMC. “I am not sure how much sleeping was done, but they all had a place to sleep.”

Various mission outreach projects took place at each the three sites on Saturday.  In Brookings, youth divided into eight different teams and distributed door hangers throughout the community for 211—a number people can call to get connected to assistance with a problem.

Photo: Youth in Rapid City serve a meal to the homeless with a group called Jesus' Hands.  The group baked cookies at Canyon Lake UMC to serve with the meal. Photo by Rev. John Britt.

Rapid City Canyon Lake UMC was a host site in the western region of South Dakota.  Youth divided into four teams to bake cookies and then served a meal to the homeless with a group called Jesus’ Hands, move furniture for Love Inc.— a community assistance organization, make up hygiene packets for the HOPE Center—a day facility serving the homeless, and visiting with residents of Golden Living Center.

McCabe UMC in Bismarck hosted youth from across North Dakota. In Bismarck, youth made Valentines cards for people with developmental disability at various locations.

Photo: Making Valentine cards for friends with disabilities. Photo by Vicky Vetter.

“We had a church come to Winter Connection in Bismarck for the first time—Wimbleton UMC.  That was pretty exciting to have them,” said Lisa Rhodes, Mandan UMC.

Each location spent sometime in the community for fun and fellowship.  The groups went bowling at Bismarck and Brookings. In Rapid City, ice-skating was part of the time together.

“I just feel so good coming to this. The people are cool,” said one attendee.

Photo: Friends enjoy some fun and fellowship bowling in Brookings. Photo by Doreen Gosmire, Dakotas Conference.

“I come to be with other people who are God geeks. It makes me feel good,” commented one of the youth who had attended previously.

Each year Winter Connection takes place in January.  Check out all of the Conference activities for youth at www.dakyouth.com.