Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Missional Report

Transcription

1 Minnesota Annua Conference of the United Methodist Church Report

2 Contents Minnesota Annua Conference: Who we are 3 Journey Toward Vitaity 4 DEVELOPING MISSIONAL LEADERS Cergy Leadership Academy 5 Sou Leaders 6 The ELI Project 7 Lay servant ministry 8 Camping and retreat ministries 9 Youth ministry 10 EQUIPPING MISSIONAL CONGREGATIONS Church panting 11 Transformationa processes 12 Reach Renew Rejoice initiative for Congregationa Deveopment 13 Breakthrough workshops 14 Congregationa deveopment grants 15 EXTENDING MISSIONAL IMPACT Miion Meas Marathon and Imagine No Maaria 16 Vounteers in Mission and Hurricane Sandy reief trip 17 Vietnam partnership 18 OC Ministries 19 Covenant reationships with missionaries 20 GENERATING MISSIONAL RESOURCES Apportioned giving 21 Second-mie giving 22 Minnesota United Methodist Foundation 23 2

3 Minnesota Annua Conference: Who we are We are 66,000 United Methodists in 360 churches ocated in five geographic districts across Minnesota. We are committed to our faith, devoted to outreach, and eager to find and wecome new discipes for Jesus Christ. Districts NORTH STAR Statisticay, we are a diverse conference that encompasses a broad range of demographics and socio-economic backgrounds. We have diverse viewpoints and agree to disagree on many issues, except this one: We are a the beoved chidren of a oving God. 1.6 M 1.4 M 1.2 M 1 M 800K 600K 400K 200K Popuation United Methodists Average worship attendance 35K BIG WATERS 30K 25K 20K SOUTHERN PRAIRIE TWIN CITIES RIVER VALLEY 15K 10K 5K Big Waters North Star River Vaey Southern Prairie Twin Cities MISSIONAL REPORT 3

4 We are on a journey together to become a more adaptive, more fruitfu, more faithfu expression of the kingdom of God. We are passionate about our mission to make discipes of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the word, and our vision is for every congregation to become a vita expression of the scriptura imperatives to grow in ove of God and neighbor, reach new peope, and hea a broken word. We seek to passionatey and respectfuy offer Christ in a Weseyan way that speaks to our cutura context and to ensure that offering Christ is our heartbeat, permeating and shaping everything we do and are. At the core of our journey is an intentiona pan focusing on four key ministry areas designed to increase our abiity to fufi our shared mission and vision. They are: Journey Toward Vitaity Deveoping Leaders Extending Impact Equipping Congregations Generating Resources Hundreds of peope at a eves across our conference are working together in eadership roes on ministry teams, boards, and committees to support our conference-wide objectives. Our successes are the resut of our shared faith and vision. Whie there is more to be accompished, daiy signs of fruitfuness and Hoy Spirit breakthroughs are evident in our congregations, in our districts, and in our conference. Some of them are ceebrated in this booket. 4

5 Cergy Leadership Academy Deveoping Leaders This three-year program focuses on equipping cergy with skis needed to be effective eaders in today s word. A new provisiona eders and many icensed oca pastors participate during their first three years of ministry. In 2014, the academy was aso opened up to seasoned cergy seeking to hone their eadership skis. Participants meet five times each year (from Thursday morning to mid-day Friday) over a nine-month period. 3-YEAR PROCESS Year 1 Leadership stye and strengths PARTICIPANTS New cergy: Henri Sonoway Doopei Jay Seokhwan Jeong Shawna Horn Katrina Lee Nate Mecher Year 2 Buiding eadership capacity Susan Muin Susie Putzke Lauren Sne Whitney Starkey JoAnne Tayor Year 3 Practices of fruitfu congregations Seasoned cergy: Ricardo Acoser Andrew Church Greg Ciesuk Kevin Fox Jean Roin participants 5 mentors/ coaches 10 new cergy 5 seasoned cergy Mentors/coaches: Karen Bruins Lynda Eis Mariyn Evans Kay Roberts Dan Wetterstrom Rev. Nate Mecher, a provisiona eder who serves at Hennepin Avenue UMC (Minneapois), said the best part of the Academy is the connection it creates among cergy. I ve gotten to know pastors from a over the state who are in different paces in their ministry and who are on different ends of the theoogica spectrum, he said. It s a reminder that we can speak reay we to each other and of each other. Academy members have read and discussed many books that have given them new perspectives and they reguary share ideas and best practices. Mecher heped a seasoned pastor start a website for his church. Another participant gave him good food for thought about how dynamics can work when it comes to a pastor s famiy connecting with the congregation MISSIONAL REPORT 5

6 Deveoping Leaders Sou Leaders Sou Leaders is a cergy peer group program being deveoped by the Minnesota Conference. In , it consisted of a five-retreat series that offered cergy an opportunity to reconnect with their passion and purpose; expore issues reated to heart, courage, and ca; and hep their congregations embrace God-sized dreams. The retreats were ed by faciitators from the Center for Courage and Renewa. Cergy peer groups provide an opportunity for spiritua sustainment, ongoing earning, and mutua accountabiity and the conference is now working on additiona opportunities for cergy peer earning PARTICIPANTS 6 Sou Leaders heped me search deep within for those ideas and God-sized dreams that might be hidden away, and then grow the courage to speak them aoud to truy supportive coeagues. Now that my group of Sou Leaders has concuded, I m taking steps to hep my idea (an intercutura and interfaith program to prepare chidren for kindergarten) find its wings and take fight. And if I run into a roadbock, I ve got a number of Sou Leaders to ca on to hep me find my courage again to press on. Rev. Caro Zaagsma, Portand Avenue UMC (Boomington) 20 cergy participated in the Sou Leaders retreat series in Gwen Bohke Karen Bruins Dianne Ciesuk Bi Eaves Bart Fetcher Cindy Gregorson Jeff Hansen Michee Hargrave Woo Jae Im Rhodie Jacobson Say Johnson Mary Kitche Eizabeth Macauay Mark Mier Diane Oson Jeff Ozanne Max Richter Becky Jo Thiges Cynthia Wiiams Caro Zaagsma

7 The ELI Project Deveoping Leaders The Exporing Leadership Internship (ELI) Project is a new internship program for coege students exporing a ca to vocationa ministry. Eight student appicants were seected to be part of the inaugura cass of interns. After a week-ong orientation in May 2015, each intern wi be paced at a host church or organization for eight weeks and wi have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a wide range of ministeria contexts and discern God s ca through their earning experience. The first year of the internship program was made possibe thanks to a $60,000 grant through the goba United Methodist Church s Young Cergy Initiative. This internship means everything to me. I appied to be an intern because I want to foow my ca to ordained ministry. I am hoping to gain an understanding of how to buid a church. Working with the Uptown Church start, I wi be abe to work hand-in-hand with a congregation that is ooking to sustain itsef ong-term. I am hoping to gain rea-ife experience of what being a pastor means aside from a source of reigious knowedge. Lee J. Mier BY THE NUMBERS 8 interns for weeks of hands-on experience $ 3k stipend for each intern THE NEED TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS 12.6 percent of United Methodist cergy serving in Minnesota are under age percent of Minnesota cergy are eigibe to retire in the next 5 years 2015 INTERNS John Barcay III Interning: Brunswick UMC (Crysta) Home church: Coon Rapids UMC Schoo: Rochester Community and Technica Coege David Hodd Interning: STORM Faith Community (muti-site) Home church: STORM Faith Community Schoo: North Centra University Lorin Leake Interning: Hennepin Avenue UMC (Minneapois) Home church: Cavary UMC (Nashvie, TN) Schoo: Macaester Coege Kari Louwagie Interning: Park Avenue UMC (Minneapois) Home church: Christ Lutheran Church (Cottonwood) Schoo: Gustavus Adophus Coege Lee J. Mier Interning: Uptown Church (Minneapois) Home church: Coon Rapids UMC Schoo: Hamine University Dani Smith Interning: Wesey UMC (Winona) Home church: Lester Park UMC (Duuth) Schoo: Lake Superior Coege Ronnie Stimson Interning: Woodbury Peacefu Grove UMC Home church: Mount Oivet Lutheran Church (Minneapois) Schoo: Hamine University Meissa Thompson Interning: Anoka UMC Home church: Gethsemane Baptist Tempe (Starr, SC) Schoo: Hamine University MISSIONAL REPORT 7

8 Deveoping Leaders Lay servant ministry In January, a Lay Ministry Action Team aunched within the Minnesota Conference. The team has designed opportunities for aity to become equipped to serve their own church, other churches, and/or the conference in deeper ways. There are three types of certification that aity can pursue through this avenue, and training sessions for each one are offered throughout the year. FIRST STEP 8 The thought of deivering a sermon to her congregation used to make Veda Maine very nervous. But after attending a ay speaking certification retreat in March 2015, that s no onger the case. She deivered a sermon the foowing week at her home church, Luverne United Methodist. Not ony did she receive positive feedback, but she fet confident in her deivery, and she ooks forward to the next time she has an opportunity to preach. The biggest thing I came away with was that I am a vesse of God s word, said Maine. It s not about you. You re here to do God s work, and when you re up there speaking, you re not aone. You have this whoe coud of witnesses and support beside you. Ministry Discernment Retreat One-day workshop to earn basic eadership skis and compete spiritua gifts inventory Certified Lay Servant Be equipped and inspired to serve as a eader in various ministry areas, such as Christian education, congregationa care, hospitaity, prayer, mission, and more BY THE NUMBERS 4 discernment retreats offered in Minnesota 56 aity SECOND STEP CHOOSE A PATH THAT MATCHES YOUR GIFTS Certified Lay Speaker Serve as a trained worship eader and share God s word through preaching; you may choose to be paced on a pubished pupit suppy ist avaiabe to conference pastors attended a discernment retreat Certified Lay Minister Serve as staff or a vounteer in a speciaized ministry in roes such as communications director, music eader, chidren/youth ministries director, district parish nurse, and spiritua eader of a congregation under oversight of an eder 32 aity competed certified ay speaker training

9 Camping and retreat ministries Camp Minnesota operates three beautifu camps across Minnesota. As campers and retreat attendees of a ages experience the beauty of God s creation through nature, the intent is to provide a recreationa, reationa, and spiritua environment in which every person is abe to hear God s voice caing in new ways. Kowakan Adventures Northern Pines Camp Koronis Ministries ACCREDITATION A Camp Minnesota camps are accredited through the American Camp Association. This designation requires compiance with hundreds of heath, safety, and program quaity standards. Ony one in five camps nationwide achieves this distinction HIGHLIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS 1,563 peope attended camp 150 churches sent kids to camp 40 percent of campers were from outside of the United Methodist Church and represent new peope reached NEW PROGRAM MODEL 4.5 percent increase in overa registration at Northern Pines Camp and Koronis Ministries as compared to campers received a conference campership (camp schoarship) that enabed them to attend camp (and many more received financia assistance through their churches) In 2014, Northern Pines and Koronis debuted a new program mode for youth campers that was we received and wi continue in One of the hamarks of the new mode is campers seecting severa interest areas and breaking into activity sessions each day based on those interests. Deveoping Leaders I m new to the Christianity thing. But I reay fet cose to God this year. I decided to devote my ife to God, and that was my favorite memory camper It was this trip that made me fee that I truy was one of God s creations... I had been feeing mysef sipping from my reigious beiefs, and this trip has just brought me coser to God camper DECISION HILLS CAMP In August 2014, United Methodists gathered to say goodbye to Decision His Camp in Spicer. Programming has been suspended for severa years, and the conference s Camp and Retreat Board made the difficut decision to se the camp, which went on the market in eary The sae aows the conference to focus on its three primary campsites and positions them for ong-term growth and vitaity MISSIONAL REPORT 9

10 Deveoping Leaders Youth ministry 10 THE EVENT In November 2014, The Event (formery JUMYs) brought together youth from across the state for fun and feowship. Sixth- through ninth-grade participants were invited to expore how God is caing them to use their gifts in the word. 300 Participants 36 Churches that sent youth Comments from participants: It s a ife-changing experience. The Event... showed [kids] that church doesn t have to be boring. Teens are eaving The Event inspired to hep others and start new programs in church. The Minnesota Conference is committed to reaching and disciping the next generation, and each year there are a variety of opportunities for youth from throughout the conference to come together to earn and grow in their faith. COLLEGE TRANSITION DINNERS Coege years are when many young peope ose their connection to their faith. Three coege transition dinners offered in eary 2015 were designed to hep change that. High schoo seniors were abe to meet and ask questions of current coege students and, when possibe, they were connected with campus ministries at the schoos they pan to attend in the fa. Meanwhie, parents and church staff who work with youth earned about what to expect and how to support students during the transition. First retreat: 12 participants Future pans: 2 retreats/year (fa and spring) YOUTH LEADERS RETREAT Youth eaders from across Minnesota gathered at Koronis Ministries in Apri 2015 to share best practices and resources and to earn from each other. Topics incuded: Mentoring youth within the church Covenant discipeship groups for youth Buiding an effective confirmation program Keeping students invoved after confirmation Keeping students connected during high schoo and coege transitions Use of socia media

11 Church panting Equipping Congregations Starting new churches is one of the key ways we reach new peope of a ages and ife circumstance and connect them with the body of Christ. The Minnesota Conference s Office of Congregationa Deveopment is currenty supporting 15 faith communities that are in their first seven years of existence. New faith communities must meet context-specific growth benchmarks in order to receive continued funding, and the goa is for each of them to become sef-sustaining. Here s a ook at the three stages of a new faith community s ife cyce and where each of the 15 is now: FEASIBILITY Years 1-2 Demonstrates potentia for ministry; is a promising forum for United Methodist work and witness Miestone during stage: Pubic worship The Beoved (St. Pau) NEW in 2014 The Bridge Rosemount UMC muti-site NEW in 2014 Centennia UMC (Rosevie) muti-site NEW in 2015 New Minneapois church (not yet named) NEW in 2015 Living Spirit UMC (Minneapois) vita merger Nexus, a ministry of Grace UMC (Fergus Fas) Year 1 Year 2 VIABILITY Years 2-5 Gaining traction and momentum; has evidence of indigenous energy and engagement beyond denominationa eadership and resources Miestone during stage: Incorporation Crossroads Church muti-site Eko New Market Homestead Church restart (Rochester) Northern Light Church (Ramsey) Uptown Church (Minneapois) Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 SUSTAINABILITY Years 5-7 Has demonstrated signs of sef-sufficiency; ministry mode is capabe of ong-term, independent functioning beyond grant cyce Miestone during stage: Chartering Brookyn UMC African ministry (Brookyn Center) Crossroads Church muti-site Inver Grove Heights Crossroads Church muti-site Life Rebuiders (Minneapois) La Puerta Abierta UMC restart (St. Pau) Spirit River Community (Isanti) Year 6 Year 7 CHURCH PLANTER DISCERNMENT RETREAT In January 2015, the Minnesota Conference hosted a two-day church panter discernment retreat. This is part of an intentiona process through which we are cutivating a poo of we-equipped eaders prepared to reach peope in new mission fieds across the state. 17 peope attended (13 cergy, 4 aity) 12 were assessed for church panting (wi remain in poo) 2 wi pant new churches this year This church pant is not about us. It s not about Crossroads Church. It s about buiding God s kingdom. Rev. Gordon Deue, church panter for Crossroads Church mutisite Eko New Market MISSIONAL REPORT 11

12 Equipping Congregations Transformationa processes The Minnesota Conference has three revitaization processes designed to hep existing churches find new ways to discipe peope, share God s ove, and make a difference in their communities and the word. Twenty-four churches began one of these processes in 2014 (more than a dozen additiona churches are in their second or third year of the Heathy Church Initiative): 12 After the fact-gathering efforts of the Heathy Church Initiative (HCI), the HCI eadership did a good job expaining to the congregation the strengths of Hastings UMC and the areas that need improvement. What I most appreciate about the HCI process is that we were assigned a coach to hep us impement our pan and hod us accountabe for making progress. The giving of time and treasure at HUMC has never been higher. I beieve this can be attributed to the confidence of the congregation in the HCI pan but aso the commitment they see in our congregation to impementing. I have heard it said the money fows to a vision ; we, HCI has given us a powerfu and chaenging vision that we have confidence reveas for us the correct path to foow. Rev. Dr. Chris Kneen, Hastings UMC MISSIONAL JOURNEY (SMALL CHURCHES) Annandae UMC Frazee UMC Gethsemane UMC (Lino Lakes) Grey Eage UMC Miaca UMC Montrose UMC Motey UMC Pigrim UMC (Pymouth) Stapes UMC Vergas UMC Wesey UMC (Crookston) HEALTHY CHURCH INITIATIVE (MID-SIZED CHURCHES) Evange UMC (Rochester) Gendae UMC (Savage) Grace UMC (Moorhead) Grace UMC (Pequot Lakes) Park UMC (Brainerd) Peace UMC (Virginia) Worthington UMC MISSIONAL CHURCH CONSULTATION INITIATIVE (LARGE CHURCHES) Anoka UMC Centennia UMC (Rosevie) Christ UMC (Rochester) Cross Winds UMC (Mape Grove) Messiah UMC (Pymouth) Minnetonka UMC The Church Consutation Initiative (MCCI) is providing Messiah UMC with an opportunity to ook forward to a future fied with hope. Much is aready going we. That often keeps us from anticipating what must change to ready for the next great thing that God coud do. MCCI gets us ahead of the curve to jump-start a new trajectory in ministry. The monthy coaching sessions are among the best earning opportunities that I have experienced in ministry. They are a pace to ask for guidance, to admit what I don t know, to hear best practices for effective arge churches, and to receive support from coeagues who are experiencing the same steps toward change and new beginnings. Rev. Steve Richards, Messiah UMC (Pymouth)

13 Reach Renew Rejoice Equipping Congregations This congregationa deveopment initiative to start new churches and revitaize existing churches aunched at the May 2014 annua conference session. OVER THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS, THE MINNESOTA CONFERENCE WILL Start 7 new churches where demographics and opportunity aign Partner with 7 vita parent churches to mutipy their ministry beyond their current site(s) Assist 140 existing churches in revitaizing their ministries What we re doing is investing in something that wi benefit [our] chidren or grandchidren or great-grandchidren because, even if they don t grow up and ive in Hubbard, we have stronger, heathier churches throughout Minnesota. God has bessed us to be a bessing, and maybe some of those churches that we re heping wi eventuay find themseves in a position to pay it forward. Rev. Laurie Kantonen of Hubbard UMC, which pedged 20 percent of its 2014 income over five years Fundraising goa $ 3.7M Pedged as of March 1 $ 2M See pages 11 and 12 for updates on church panting and church revitaization MISSIONAL REPORT 13

14 Equipping Congregations Breakthrough workshops In , the Minnesota Conference debuted four breakthrough workshops designed to hep reach new peope in today s cuture. Participants took away practica toos, a renewed commitment, and an action pan eading to more peope who discover the ife-changing ove of God. Four more workshops wi be offered in After a group from Grace United Methodist Church in Burnsvie attended the conference s breakthrough evangeism workshop, members reaized they needed practice sharing their faith stories. So the church started video taping members recounting paces where they had encountered Christ in everyday ife. In worship services throughout Lent, Rev. Kevin Schi read a Bibe passage in which someone encountered Jesus then showed a video cip of a church member s account of an encounter with Christ. One woman taked about finding Jesus through a reationship she deveoped with a homeess woman. Someone ese, who works as an interpreter for the courts, taked about finding Christ in the courtroom as a man was facing deportation to a dangerous part of Africa. It s in the day-to-day where most of God s work is being done, said Schi. This process is teaching us and embodening us to share stories not ony with one another but in our community where we re caed to serve. PARTICIPATION BY THE NUMBERS 135 Breakthrough reationa evangeism 105 Breakthrough community connections 85 Breakthrough radica hospitaity 75 Creating a breakthrough prayer initiative Journey Toward

15 Congregationa deveopment grants Equipping Congregations Each year, the Department of Congregationa Deveopment awards Investing in Congregations grants to churches to hep them dream bigger dreams. Grants are awarded to congregations that demonstrate a potentia, capacity, and commitment to reach new peope, grow in ove of God and neighbor, and hea a broken word and they fund new ministries, programs, or staff positions. A singe project can be funded for up to three years, with ess funding awarded each year as the project moves toward sef-sufficiency. In 2015, 13 churches received grants totaing $149,700: CONGREGATION 2015 AWARD PROJECT Aexandria UMC $10,000 Affordabe, environmentay conscious preschoo Champin UMC $20,000 Introduction of new stye of worship for younger generations Christ UMC (Cannon Fas) $10,000 Youth director and creation of intentiona youth program Christ UMC (Mapewood) $19,000 Neighborhood outreach and reated staff support Carissa UMC $1,200 Introduction of recovery service Discovery UMC $15,000 Director of chidren and famiy ministries and nursery care provider (Chanhassen) Hastings UMC $7,500 Music teacher to provide affordabe music essons for community Hitop UMC (Mankato) $6,000 Youth minister to grow youth ministry program Normandae Hyands UMC $35,000 Chidren s ministry and community outreach speciaist (Boomington) Riverside UMC (Park Rapids) $1,500 Ministry associate for programming and outreach Watervie UMC $13,000 Gathering House prison outreach ministry Wes UMC $4,000 Chidren and famiy ministries coordinator White Bear Lake UMC $7,500 Director of operations to free up other staff for ministry MICRO GRANTS In 2015, for the first time, congregations were invited to appy for micro grants totaing up to $2,500. The grants are designed to hep churches experiment with innovative and creative approaches to growing vita congregations. Three of the micro grants awarded (each one totaing $2,500): Lamberton UMC, for purchase of sound equipment for a new contemporary worship service. First UMC (Appeton), to create a youth center, a space for senior citizens, and a tutoring center. Heritage UMC (New Prague), for a new downtown outreach that wi provide coffee, CDs of preaching and worship music, and prayer to downtown passers-by every Saturday morning May-September. 55: Churches appied for a micro grant 40: Churches received a micro grant $49,800: Tota grant money awarded in the form of micro grants MISSIONAL REPORT 15

16 Extending Impact IMAGINE NO MALARIA Minnesota United Methodists have coectivey given $2.8 miion to Imagine No Maaria, a denominationwide effort to eiminate maaria in sub-saharan Africa more than any other annua conference. OUR IMPACT Miion Meas Marathon Minnesota United Methodists provided a tremendous response to ast year s Miion Meas Marathon, through which the conference aimed to pack at east 1 miion meas for hungry chidren across the gobe. It was cear from the start that God s vision was bigger than our vision, and we we exceeded that goa. Some groups packed at one of Feed My Starving Chidren s three permanent ocations; others participated at a mobie packing site in Mankato, Rochester, Duuth, or St. Coud. $ 2.8M Raised 280,000 Lives saved 50 percent reduction in rate of maaria (maaria now caims a ife every 60 seconds; a few years ago it was every 30) 3,026,014 Meas packed Age of vounteers We go [to Feed My Starving Chidren] and we know that our goa is the same: to feed peope, to et them know they are oved, to give them hope, and to know that God is not ony in our ives but in their ives aso. Joeen Carson, Bethe United Methodist Church (Mound) 16

17 Vounteers in Mission Extending Impact Every year, hundreds of United Methodist cergy and aity from across Minnesota offer their skis and taents for Christian service at home and abroad. They hea a broken word in a variety of ways as they work aongside and minister to peope in ocations a over the word MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHTS Types of work performed incude: Disaster reief Construction Teaching Nationa ocations: Medica cinic assistance Music ministry North Dakota South Dakota Vacation Bibe Schoo Michigan Indiana New Jersey Ohio West Virginia Hurricane Sandy reief trip In 2014, for the second consecutive year, the Minnesota Conference sponsored a mission trip to New Jersey, where participants heped rebuid homes destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. They did everything from framing doors and painting was to aying foors. Many say the highight was hearing the stories of the peope they were heping. 2013: 45 participants / 2014: 68 participants By the numbers: 9: Days of mission trip 20: United Methodist churches that sent participants 14: Age of youngest participant 78: Age of odest participant Internationa ocations: Boivia Caribbean Costa Rica Guatemaa Haiti Kenya Louisiana Jamaica Liberia Nicaragua Panama I ove serving the peope in the community who have been hurt so bady by the storms. God nudges us to serve others and, as we go ahead and do that, we are bessed...it is beautifu to see everyone in community together, as I beieve God intended. Karen Evenson, mission trip co-coordinator MISSIONAL REPORT 17

18 Extending Impact Vietnam partnership 18 The passion [the Vietnamese missionaries] have for growth in Christianity and their commitment to spreading the word we can earn from that. To see it just taking off ike widfire in a communist country hafway around the word is amazing. Unti five years ago, some of these pastors were being thrown in jai for preaching the word. They d get right out and do it again. We can earn from them more than they can earn from us. Eieen Mies, member of team that visited Vietnam to form partnership and member of Coon Rapids United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church has a growing presence in Vietnam and the Minnesota Conference recenty formed a partnership with United Methodist missionaries there in order to hep foster an abundant ife for Vietnamese chidren. In January, a five-person team from Minnesota visited Vietnam to assess needs and work out the detais of the partnership, which wi hep expand Grace Chidren s Center in Ho Chi Minh City, a United Methodist ministry that is currenty providing education and daycare for about 20 chidren from broken homes. LAURA COTTINGTON THE PARTNERSHIP WILL: Pay off $10,000 oan for Grace Chidren s Center Provide saary for first- and second-grade teacher Bring in third- and fourth-grade teacher Bring in heath care worker Bring in cook Bring in Korean anguage tutor (Vietnam is home to many Korean immigrants) Purchase sewing machines to make items to se UNITED METHODIST PRESENCE IN VIETNAM 370 1,000 House churches in 2014 House churches missionaries hope to have in 2020

19 OC Ministries Extending Impact In 2014, OC Ministries ceebrated its 25th anniversary. This nonprofit, which operates through the Minnesota Conference, started in 1989 as Operation Cassroom to assist in the rebuiding of United Methodist-reated schoos in Liberia and Sierra Leone. In 2000, it became OC Ministries, and that C now incudes cassrooms, cinics, churches, cean water, cear vision, crops, and connection (student schoarships). BY THE NUMBERS 52 projects competed 7 countries in which projects have been competed Operation Cassroom forever changed my ife and how I see the word. I went on a work team 22 years ago when I was 18. I returned to the U.S. with an open mind and changed heart. I sti carry a piece of Africa with me every day and ong for the day I can return. Angea (Caron) Sims 500+work team participants I cannot begin to express how bessed and gratefu I fee to have been part of what has become OC Ministries. This program has been a major way God has spoken to my heart and taught me to trust God and step out in faith! Kathy Horn, OC Ministries co-founder $ 600,000+ funds raised through OC Ministries MISSIONAL REPORT 19

20 Extending Impact Covenant reationships with missionaries 20 Arde Graner, midde, and Gordon Graner, right, greet members of Fridey UMC during a 2014 visit. Since 1991, Fridey United Methodist Church has had a covenant reationship with missionaries Gordon and Arde Graner who spent more than two decades in Boivia before a recent reassignment to the Dominican Repubic. Member Gai Jachymowski, who has corresponded with the Graners since the beginning, has come to think of them as famiy. She says their stories have inspired her and other members of the congregation and they keep Fridey UMC connected to brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the word. It s an important part of our faith that we are to bring God s ove to other peope, and they hep us do it, she said. The more you earn about peope, the more you care about them, and we ve earned so much about the peope of Boivia from them. It just changes your perspective and opens you up. Congregations across Minnesota have formed ongoing reationships with missionaries serving in other countries through the Genera Board of Goba Ministries. Through a covenant reationship, a oca church makes a three-year commitment and pedges to contribute either $2,500 or $5 per member per year. The oca church and the supported missionary agree to communicate reguary (at east three times per year), to uphod each other in prayer, and to meet face to face during the missionary s itineration in Minnesota. The missionary keeps the congregation informed about ongoing ministries, needs, progress, and interesting stories from the pace of assignment. BY THE NUMBERS 61 Minnesota United Methodist churches were in covenant reationships in missionaries were invoved in the reationships

21 Apportioned giving Generating Resources Loca churches gave generousy to the denomination in 2014 and those gifts have enabed vita mission and ministry both ocay and around the word percent of requested apportionments were submitted by Minnesota churches in 2014 (down sighty from 87.6 percent in 2013 but above the recent average of 86 percent) percent of Minnesota churches paid 100 percent of their apportioned amount KEY THINGS FUNDED BY APPORTIONMENT DOLLARS THAT STAY HERE New church starts Revitaization processes for existing churches Training, credentiaing, appointments, and supervision for cergy The administration of pension and heath insurance pans for cergy The Minnesota Conference submitted 100 percent of requested genera church apportionments in 2014 (the same as the prior year); conference reserves were used to fi the gap between oca church remittances and the required amount. About a quarter of the funds remitted by oca churches goes to the goba United Methodist Church to pay for ministry and mission efforts supported by the wordwide church. At the genera church eve, the money supports: Bishops United Methodist ministeria education Most genera agencies Congregationa deveopment grants to support new ministries, outreach, and/or staff Conference s camping ministry Access to Christian education toos through the Resource Center for Churches Denomination-wide efforts such as the Back Coege Fund and Africa University in Zimbabwe CONFERENCE RESERVES AND INVESTMENTS Conference reserves are at the required eves return on investments: 4.4 percent (weighted) $60 miion: Invested funds as of end of 2014 (up from $57 miion a year prior) 2014 breakdown: 72% pension reserves 15% heath insurance reserves 4% charitabe trusts & annuities 3% operating reserve 4% other restricted & designated funds 2% permanent church extension fund Pension and heath reserves are at a eve that aows them to be used to cover severa items that used to be apportioned. This amounts to approximatey $1.2 miion in 2015, with a simiar amount projected in Pension pans: There are three generations of the cergy pension pan being administered by the conference; each one is funded we above 100 percent. These pan assets are not incuded in this chart and are hed in trust at the Genera Board of Pension and Heath Benefits MISSIONAL REPORT 21

22 Generating Resources Second-mie giving Churches give over and above their apportionments to many missions and ministries to which they fee particuary caed. SECOND-MILE GIVING IN 2014 Recipient Given by MN churches United Methodist Committee on Reief $218,000 Imagine No Maaria $186,000 Minnesota Advance Specias and appeas $134,000 Love Offering $121,000 Denominationa Specia Sunday offerings MIKE DUBOSE, UMNS Genera Advance program areas $85,000 Minnesota Camping program specia asking $63,000 Hamine University specia asking $31,000 TOTAL $121,000 $959,000 LOVE OFFERING The Love Offering is an offering that Minnesota churches take annuay to support missions giving to Love Offering: $121,000 / 2013 giving to Love Offering: $92,000 FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN 22 The 2014 Love Offering went to: Feed My Starving Chidren (80 percent) Project AgGrad (10 percent) Vounteers in Mission schoarships (10 percent)

23 Minnesota Generating Resources United Methodist Foundation The Minnesota United Methodist Foundation serves individuas, oca churches, and boards and agencies within the Minnesota Conference by providing resources to hep peope discover the joy of giving. THE FOUNDATION Invests and manages churches endowed and other funds Provides resources reated to panned giving, capita campaigns, and annua budgets Consuts for capita campaigns BY THE NUMBERS 159 $ 18M accounts managed church Hosts stewardship seminars Advises on egacy giving annuity trusts, wis, bequests, etc. Coaches churches on how to activate and inspire donors Churches that invest through the Foundation pay 1 percent per year on the fair market vaue of the fund. Learn more at Baanced fund (50 percent equity, 50 percent bonds) investment returns in recent years: 2012: 9.01% 2013: 12.48% 2014: 6.11% 67visits capita 5campaigns A whie back, Le Sueur UMC, which has 115 in average worship attendance, received a six-figure gift. An endowment set up through the Foundation has enabed it to financiay support many nonprofits and severa United Methodist projects using mosty accrued interest. When three new Minnesota church starts aunched in 2013, Le Sueur UMC gave each $5,000. It s about being a connectiona system, said Rev. Luke Neson. We have good interest because of the Foundation, which is part of our connectiona system. We shoud be spending it to hep reach new peope. Funds have aso supported the Wesey Foundation at the University of Minnesota and Genera Board of Goba Ministries missionary Mozart Adevu. The endowment ets us mutipy what we think we re abe to do, Neson said MISSIONAL REPORT 23

24 Pease share this report with your congregation. The report is aso avaiabe at in the Conference Session section. Minnesota Annua Conference of the United Methodist Church 122 W. Frankin Ave., Ste. 400, Minneapois, MN 55404