On a trip to Scotland in 2019, while Bishop Lanette Plambeck was stepping onto a bus, the driver instructed her to “mind the gap” between the platform and the vehicle. In that moment, God gave her a dream to mind the gap between the brokenness around us and the world we are called to help bring about.
“I believe God has uniquely positioned The United Methodist Church in Minnesota to be trailblazers as we mind the gaps of society,” she told Minnesota United Methodists in her 2024 Episcopal Address. We can mind the gap of justice and reconciliation work. We can mind the gap of the least of these so that people will have their basic human needs met. “You and I, laity and clergy all across the Minnesota Conference, can be engaged in the work of closing the gap, minding the gap, that separates the kingdom of heaven from what we are experiencing here on earth,” she said.
Drawing from Isaiah 43:1, the theme of this year’s Annual Conference was “Jesus. Redeemer.” The bulk of the gathering took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota, May 29-30. We gathered to be reminded what it means to be named and claimed by Jesus for the sake of our mission. We explored how to live together, anchored in our identity as Christ followers who are inspired to live with hope, possibility and purpose.
A Missional Report on May 29 highlighted three key initiatives that were the Minnesota Conference’s focus over the past year:
-the creation of dozens of fresh expressions, from a dinner church-type “Blessing Bistro” to a “Hair and Prayer” ministry in a remote town to “Wild Church” outdoors (watch video).
-the work of the Bishop’s Leadership Team, which has partnered with Bishop Lanette Plambeck on an organizational redesign.
-the completion of a racial audit, which revealed that we have room to grow in the demographics of our congregations matching that of their communities—and we have blocks to full participation that make it challenging for those not in the dominant culture to navigate our systems and/or feel a sense of belonging when our culture, worship and practices are so rooted in whiteness.
The Missional Report also included a video providing a look at what we've accomplished together, with God's help, as the Minnesota Annual Conference over the past year—from meeting vital needs in our communities to welcoming nearly 1,000 campers last summer to resourcing church plants that are reaching new people.
Attendees heard two “Redemption in Ministry” TED-style Talks throughout the gathering. Jean Carlos, a lay preaching pastor at New City Church in Minneapolis, encouraged church leaders to take to social media to expand the reach of their messages. And connectional guest Derrick Scott III — creative producer and digital campus minister of Studio Wesley, a ministry that’s exploring how to serve young adults in the digital space — urged us to lay down our self-criticism and to listen to the voice of God, who calls us into ministry every day of our lives.
On the evening of May 29, at a beautiful worship service at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota United Methodists honored and thanked 14 clergy entering retirement, and they celebrated one pastor ordained as a deacon, three commissioned as provisional members, one recognized as a provisional member from another denomination, one recognized as an associate member, and six authorized to serve as local pastors in the congregations and ministry areas in which they are appointed.
Throughout the gathering, hundreds of voting members in attendance at Annual Conference approved the majority of legislation under consideration, including:
· moving from five to four districts as of July 1, 2024. In the weeks prior to Annual Conference, there was a contest to name the new districts. The winners are: Headwaters (northwest portion of the state), Aurora Sky (northeast), Prairie Winds (southwest) and River Bluffs (southeast).
· a resolution that denounces the increase in hate crimes in the U.S., calls on the Minnesota Conference to partner with others on this concern, and calls on Minnesota congregations to commit to actions to increase learning and speak out.
· a resolution that opposes Israeli apartheid, calls on the U.S. government to make U.S. funding conditional upon Israel dismantling its apartheid system, and urges United Methodists to listen to Palestinian voices.
· the establishment of a conference Board of Lay Ministry to equip and enable lay persons to be in mission and ministry in all aspects of life.
· a 2025 apportioned budget totaling $4,916,979, with an uncollectible contingency of $375,000 for a total apportioned budget of $5,291,979. This represents a reduction of 9.6% from the 2024 approved budget.
Members also voted to formally approve the discontinuance of five churches that have closed over the past year: Church of Peace UMC (Fergus Falls), Dover UMC, Weaver UMC, North UMC (Minneapolis) and Simpson UMC (Minneapolis).
Conference members, on behalf of their churches gave more than $103,000 to the 2024 Love Offering: 30% will go to a new trauma care center in Ukraine, 30% will go to immigration legal support in partnership with Volunteer Lawyer Network, 30% will go to special programming aimed at reducing trauma at Emma Norton Services’ new Restoring Waters facility, and 10% will go to Volunteers in Mission scholarships, which support first-time mission trip participants.
The total number of professing members of Minnesota United Methodist churches in 2023 stood at 49,540, down 1.4% from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 14,725, up 11.2%. Sunday church school attendance stands at 2,742, down 14.8%. Adults and young adults in small groups in 2023 totaled 7,533, up 3.9% from 2022. Worshippers engaged in mission was 10,209, up 11.3% from 2022.
—Christa Meland, Director of Communications, Minnesota Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church