Ministry Opportunities 08.28.2026

Where or how does ministry happen??  It often happens in the moments where you least expect it and sometimes in the simplest of ways.  I believe this is in part what Jesus is getting at in Matthew 10 when he is talking to his disciples about rewards and the “giving of a cup of cold water to one of the little ones.”  Jesus is really talking about “Kingdom Work” or doing ministry in the ordinary moments of life.  Just the other day I got to experience one of those “ordinary” life moments in which ministry happened in the most unexpected way.    

As you know this is Corn Palace Week, with the carnival rides and food vendors along Main Street by the Corn Palace.  I decided to stop by and browse some of the food vendors for a sweet treat.  I found the item I wanted – mini-donuts.  I placed my order and simply started sharing a bit of conversation with the individual working the stand.  

“How’s it going today?”  “You from the Mitchell area?”  These are just a couple of the questions that the gentleman behind the counter and I shared.  Then came the question.  The gentleman asked me, “What do you do here in Mitchell?”  Answering this question can be a real conversation killer.  But I decided to simply jump in.  “I’m a pastor here in town.”  

“Oh, which church are you with?” the gentleman asked. 

“Downtown First United Methodist.” I replied. “It’s not far from here.”

“Is that the one a block over and a couple blocks down with the bell tower?” He asked.

“Yes, that would be the one.” I answered.

By then my order was ready.  I paid him and was getting ready to go my way.  That’s when the question came.  “Do you have a minute?” He asked.

“Well, I’m just heading back to my office at the church.” I shared.

“But do you have just a minute?” He persisted. 

I answered with, “Well, yes, what do you need?”

“Well, I really need to go to the bathroom and I’m the only one here.  I just don’t know who I can ask to watch my stand while I take a quick break.” 

I laughed and said, “Yes, I’ve got a minute.”  And off the man ran…literally!  

When he returned, he thanked me, and we visited a moment longer.  Once he settled back into his stand, I went my way and he continued making little tasty donuts.  As we parted, I think we both had a smile on our faces.  The gentleman, because of the relief he was feeling, and me, well, I was smiling for the good interaction and being able to help someone out in probably one of the most unique ways possible.  It wasn’t a cup of cold water, but it was a simple, meaningful, and unexpected moment of ministry.  The challenge for each of us today….be open to the “ministry opportunity” God sends your way today.  

Pastor Keith

Journey of Transformation 08.14.2026

The other day I was reading an article in which the author asked an interesting question.  He asked, “What has Jesus done for you today?”  He went on to encourage each reader to take five to ten minutes that day to quietly reflect on that question… “What has Jesus done for you today?”  So, I decided that was a good exercise to try.  I paused at my work and began to reflect.  What has Jesus done for me today?

At first, I couldn’t really think of anything.  Then something came to mind.  There was the moment in the grocery store.  I got in line to pay for my items.  I only had two things.  The person in front of me didn’t have a lot, maybe ten items or so.  But she started having a conversation with the check out people in response to the question… “Did you find everything OK?”  She obviously hadn’t and was talking to the staff about it.  But in doing so she wasn’t moving anything from her cart to the counter to check out.  Now, I’ll admit in situations like this I can tend to be a bit impatient.  I never say anything directly to the person, but I’m quite sure my body language is saying… “Can we move things along here…I’m in a bit of a hurry!”

But here’s the deal, I wasn’t doing that this time. I was just calmly standing there.   The person in front of me even turned and looked at me.  I smiled and she smiled. Finally, the conversation ended and everything was rung up, paid for, and my turn came.  OK, I think Jesus helped me in that moment because I wasn’t even thinking snarky thoughts while I waited.  Hmmm…this was a good exercise.  Jesus did help me today.  Thank you, Jesus!

Then after reflecting a few more moments on that original question, a second question popped into my mind.  “What have I done for Jesus today?”  Well, that’s an interesting question.  I had to stop and ponder that one for a bit too.  I can’t say there was ever an intentional thought in my mind, “I’m doing this (whatever I was involved with) for Jesus” as I went through my day.  Had I done anything for Jesus that day?

The more I thought about it, I reflected that I do try to live my life in such a way that it allows the presence and the love of Jesus to be seen in our world.  Do I always get it right or reflect Jesus well?  Probably not.  But like John Wesley talked about, we are going on to perfection.  Meaning, hopefully each day I’m living a bit more Christ-like than I did the day before.  If I can look back to a year ago to what my thoughts and attitudes were then and then consider what they are now, well, hopefully there has been growth and that I am not the same person that I was a year ago

As I’ve thought more about these two questions, 2 Corinthians 5:17 came to mind.  This a passage that I memorized many years ago; “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has passed away…the new has come.” The theme of this verse is being reflected, I believe, in these two questions I’m asking in this article.  You see, as a follower of Jesus, Jesus is making me into a new creation – that is what he is doing for me. And keep in mind, this isn’t a once and done thing…it is an ongoing transformation.  And because I am a new creation, a transformation is taking place within me and in how I live.  Living out this transformation is what I do for Christ each day.  How I live my life today is a direct reflection of what Jesus is doing in me, for me, and through me.  Wow…all of that from a simple question I read.  “What has Jesus done or me today?”  Great question.  

Today I would encourage each of us to ask these two questions; “What has Jesus done for me today?” and “What have I done for Jesus today?”  In the midst of these thoughts also read 2 Corinthians 5:17.  May the transforming power of Jesus continue to do its work within me and within each of us.  That, in great part, is what Jesus is doing in me.  And that impacts what I (and we) do for Jesus each day.  What a journey we share together…the journey of transformation.

Pastor Keith

Expect The Unexpected 07.31.2026

Years ago, in what would have been my second church appointment, I was serving at First UMC in Devils Lake, North Dakota. I was sitting in my office working when there was a knock on the office door. I wasn’t expecting anyone, but there’s always that saying, “Expect the unexpected.”  I said, “Come in,” and in walked an individual from the fire department. He explained that he was there to do our annual fire inspection.

I must have had a worried or horrified look on my face because he actually asked me, “Is it OK if I do the inspection?”  I told him it was fine with me. I just had never experienced anything like this before. But honestly, my brain was racing with thoughts: “What will he find?” “What do all those storage rooms look like?” “Are there things we need to fix?” And on and on my mind went.

Well, what brought that experience back to mind was a recent experience with a food truck.  I had decided to treat myself to a food truck lunch. While I was waiting for my order, I noticed a woman approaching the order window with a clipboard and some papers in her hand.  My immediate thought was, “The health inspector!”  Sure enough, she talked with the man taking orders and then made her way around to the back side of the food truck. Before long, I could see her inside doing her inspection.

Now, I’m glad there are health inspectors. I’m grateful that restaurants, food trucks and other places where food is prepared are inspected to make sure they are following proper health and cleanliness standards.

But I couldn’t help feeling a touch of anxiousness for the food truck operators. Their noon rush was just getting underway, and people were beginning to line up. I’m sure there was at least a little part of them thinking, “We don’t have time for this!” or maybe even, “Why now?”  It reminded me of my own experience with that unexpected fire inspection. Sometimes the unexpected has a way of showing up at precisely the moment when we least expect it.

And that brings to mind something Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 12. Jesus tells a story about servants who have been left in charge while their master is away at a wedding banquet. Rather than taking it easy because the master is gone, they remain dressed, alert and ready. They are prepared for the moment when their master will return and knock on the door.

Jesus’ point is pretty simple: Be ready.  But I think it’s important to understand what kind of readiness Jesus is talking about. It isn’t meant to be a life filled with worry, fear or anxiety—wondering when the unexpected is going to happen and whether we will be prepared when it does.  For followers of Jesus, readiness is supposed to be something different.  It is anticipation.

We don’t know what the next moment will bring. We don’t know what is around the next corner. We don’t know when Christ will return or when our own earthly journey will come to an end. But we do know this: Jesus is coming. And for those who belong to him, that is good news!

So perhaps living ready means living each day with our hearts open to what God might do next. It means loving people while we have the opportunity. It means serving when we can. It means forgiving, encouraging, worshiping and trusting God—not because we are afraid of what might happen next, but because we are excited about what God might do next.

There is a big difference between “What if something happens?” and “I wonder what God has in store!”  One produces anxiety. The other produces anticipation.  And I think Jesus invites us to live with the second kind of readiness.  None of us can truly imagine what that moment will be like when we see Jesus face to face. But I have a feeling there will be an incredible sense of joy, welcome and homecoming.

So, until that day, let’s stay ready—not with fear, but with joy. Not looking over our shoulders anxiously, but looking ahead expectantly.  Because when the knock finally comes, we won’t have to wonder who is on the other side of the door. It will be Jesus.  And that is one unexpected arrival I hope we are all looking forward to!

By the way, my food truck lunch was really good. And I trust the food truck made it through its inspection A-OK!

Pastor Keith

Faith Over Features 07.24.2026

“There’s an app for that!!”  That’s a pretty common phrase to hear these days.  You name it, there probably is an app that you can download to your phone or your device.  Churches have apps, restaurants have apps, the City of Mitchell has an app that allows you to report issues or even find city services.  There are apps that help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.  There is an app that can help you know the value of a coin. There are apps that can help you become more organized.  There are apps that allow you to play games.  There are apps that help you plan trips and routes to take.  There are apps to help with cooking and meal planning. There are apps that help you communicate with family and friends. Please understand many of these apps might have a fee involved, so don’t just start downloading lots of apps.

One app that I’ve been seeing a lot of ads for on my phone lately, is an app that allows you to take a picture of a plant and it can help you identify the plant, as well as tell you what you need to do to help make it healthy if it’s looking sickly or like it is dying. Some of the remedies that I’ve seen in the advertisements seem a bit bizarre, like cinnamon or lemon juice being applied to the plant.  But at least in the ads it always seems to work, and the plant very quickly perks up.   

Well, the other day I was having an off day – you know, one of those days when a person feels down and discouraged about things for no particular reason.  I saw one of those plant ads on my phone and I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great if they had an app like that for people!  Then I could just take a picture of myself and in a matter of seconds the app would identify what the problem was AND it would give me the remedy.  Read a certain paragraph in a specific book, go out and sit in the sun, listen to the message of a certain speaker or preacher, eat a certain food, go for a bicycle ride, etc.  Do a couple of these things and wa-la, everything will be fine and life will continue in a more normal fashion.

I pondered that thought for a moment and then I decided, there already is an app for that…but it isn’t an app on my phone.  It is the connection I have, and that we all can have, with God.  You see, this is why taking the time to read from the Bible regularly is important.  Doing so provides a practical and common way that God speaks into our lives.  Or having a few favorite Bible passages memorized is a sure way to hear God’s voice when having a difficult moment.  And if not a Bible verse speaking to you, maybe it is a hymn or the lyrics of a Christian song from one of your favorite artists.  Or maybe you’ll sense God’s presence when you are out serving and helping others in the community. There are all sorts of ways that we can become attentive to God’s voice in our daily lives.  This is what John Wesley called “means of grace.”  These are specific and intentional practices that allow us to hear and experience the presence of God in our lives.  No app necessary!  What is required is an open heart and a willingness to sense the presence of God in your life.  

Perhaps this week, before reaching for another app on your phone, pause for just a moment and reach for one of God's means of grace instead. Read a Psalm. Whisper a prayer. Sing a favorite hymn. Take a walk and notice God's creation. Call someone who needs encouragement. Worship with your church family. You may not receive an instant notification or a flashing alert, but don't be surprised if you discover that God has been speaking all along. Sometimes the greatest help doesn't come from downloading another app—it comes from deepening our connection with the One who knows us best.

Pastor Keith

"Dakota Nice" 07.17.2026

I had an interesting conversation yesterday.  Thursday is my usual day off since I tend to work on Sunday’s.  So, Thursday I was doing tasks around home.  I noticed a car that was slowly making its way down the street but on the wrong side of the road. It was going really slow and stopping in front of a lot of houses and just looking at them.  I’ll admit it made me think of some of the video’s I’ve seen about porch pirates stealing packages placed on the front steps of the home.  As the car slowly made its way down Thunderbird, I walked down the sidewalk to see what the occupants might be up to.  

Just then the car in question pulled onto Sawgrass…my street.  They pulled into one of my neighbor’s driveways and one of the people got out.  Since they were right by me, I asked if I could help them, since they looked like they were looking for something, or that they were lost.  The woman who got out of the car showed me what she was holding, campaign material, and told me that they were talking to people about the upcoming elections.  

The other person also got out of the car so I visited with her a bit too.  She used the opportunity to ask if I was going to vote in the upcoming election.  I told her yes, I would be voting, but I generally didn’t tell people who or what I was voting for.  She asked me what was most important to me in the upcoming election.  And I told her I wasn’t a one issue kind of guy.  I could tell she was a bit frustrated with me because I wasn’t clearly answering her questions in the way she wanted or that fit nicely into her form. 

She and I continued to have a good conversation about things. She told me that she wasn’t from South Dakota but grew up in Mississippi and her car license plate said Texas.  Since I lived here, she asked me what the little animals are that run across the road.  I told her I call them gophers.  Some people call them ground squirrels.  She wanted to catch one, to which I replied, “Good Luck!”  She made the comment that there sure was a lot of corn here in South Dakota.  I took that opportunity to ask her if she’d seen the Corn Palace yet.  She looked at me rather confused.  I told her you’ve got to go downtown and see the Corn Palace; it’s what Mitchell is known for.  

The conversation turned to people.  She admitted they were obviously different, she and her coworker were black.  She said the police had been called on them once since they’ve been in town.  They’ve had a few doors closed in their faces.  But then she paused and said, “But you know, of all the places we’ve been, South Dakota is definitely the friendliest.”  She said people have generally been friendly and talkative and have mostly treated them well.  My thoughts immediately jumped to what we call “Dakota Nice.”  Yes, it is a real thing!

You know, it was really great to hear that comment from someone who was an outsider to our neck of the woods and who looked different than me.  Yes, this is a nice, a good place to live.  That message was a great reminder.  Is ours the perfect community or the perfect state?  Of course not.  There are certainly plenty of challenges and issues to deal with, which is why it is important to study up on issues, candidates, and to vote!!  But still, to hear from someone who doesn’t live here, that this is a nice place to live, well, that is a wonderful affirmation about who we are as South Dakotans.  I have a feeling we all, and I know I do at times, tend to get caught up in the negativity of the day and age in which we live.  But I’m going to hang on to the message these women brought to me.  We do live in a great place.  And working together and living into God’s Kingdom each and every day…it will only get better.  Let that be our aim!

Pastor Keith

This Little Light of Mine...07.09.2026

 ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!!  No, I’m really not shouting at you through the printed page (all caps and bolded letters is akin to shouting in the texting or messaging world).  It’s just that I want to emphasize what most of us know to be true.  Attitude is really a very powerful force that we can control.  Truly, attitude is everything!!

I felt this truth lived out in my life not too long ago.  I was having a “Crabby Pastor” kind of day which was coloring my outlook on things.  I walked into a store to do some business.  The salesclerk greeted me, but by the expression on her face I sensed that she wasn’t having the best of days either.  I told her what I was there to pick up.  She found the order and rang it up.  The total cost was more than what I expected.  I questioned it, she had a response.  I felt like two potentially crabby people were staring at each other and both on the verge of taking their crabbiness up one notch.  Nope, we didn’t want to go down that road.  I paid the bill and moved on, hoping that each of our days would go better.

For my next purchase I decided to do something a bit different.  I thought I’d try changing my attitude and see if that would change the overall experience that I had with the sales staff.  So, I picked up my items to purchase and went to the checkout station.  The clerk was rushing around trying to stock shelves in between caring for customers.  I was interrupting her progress with getting things on the shelf.  I recognized a potential crabby moment approaching.  

The clerk noticed what I was purchasing (OK, it happened to be two large bags of mint M&M’s).  She kind of grunted.  I said, “These are my favorites.”  She said, “They are the best!”   I said, “I know, and these are the last two bags, I didn’t leave any for you!”  The clerk laughed and proceeded to tell me about her favorite Christmas brownie recipe using mint M&M’s.  After her mouth-watering description, I said, “I’m coming by next Christmas.  I want to try those.”  She laughed and said, “Come on by, I love to bake.”  

And just like that, my purchase was rung up, cash was exchanged, my items were bagged, and it was time to move on so the next customer could be cared for.  We both exchanged, “You have a great rest of the day!”  We both left that moment feeling good, with genuine smiles.  I can even say the “crabby pastor” feeling was pushed way back into the deep recesses of my mind, all because of a brief one-minute conversation.  

I walked out of that store feeling more positive and light-hearted than I had when I walked in, all because of a shift from focusing on the troubles of my day to that of considering how to connect with another person experiencing the journey of life with me.  Attitude is everything!  

It seems that our world is filled with tension, anxiety, and psychological or emotional darkness.  What the world needs is more light.  Thank goodness, as Jesus followers, we know someone who said, “I am the light of the world.”  Today, let’s each focus on bringing the light to the world.  Think of all the lives we can touch and maybe even impact for the better.  Attitude is everything!!  This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine!

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

Happy Birthday, America! 07.03.2026

Happy Birthday to us!!

Happy Birthday to us!!

Happy Birthday dear America!

Happy Birthday to us!!!!

How about that…250 years old!!!!  How many of you remember the Bicentennial…the 200th birthday in 1976.  I was 16 years old.  I remember the American Freedom Train that crisscrossed the nation with displays relating to our nation’s founding and early years.  I believe White Lake had a parade, a community picnic, baseball games, and other activities.  There were lots of souvenirs for sale and lots of different ways to celebrate the occasion.  Of course, there were fireworks!!!  If I remember right, we even got a few extra fireworks for our “farm” display.  

But here we are at the 250th Anniversary or birthday of our nation…and we are still going. Just think of all that has happened in the past 250 years.  It is amazing to simply stop and consider all that has taken place.  250 years ago, the main method of travel was probably horseback or a horse and carriage.  And now, just in my lifetime we have been to the moon.  Amazing!!  Not only that, but our cell phones and cars now have more computing power than the first spacecraft that went to the moon.  And speaking of technology, we can talk to someone on the other side of the world in a “real time” conversation.  250 years ago, it would have likely taken months to get a letter to the other side of the world.  

Birthdays are a wonderful time to celebrate (bring on the cake and ice cream).  Birthdays are also about presents, right??!!  So, what is the present you are going to bring to the party?  Seriously, what is the present you are going to bring to America?  There are two presents I’d like to recommend.  1. The best version of you and 2. Your energy, time, and commitment.  These two gifts are greatly needed!

I say the best version of you, because we have seen too many examples and heard too many stories of people displaying poor behavior, saying disrespectful things, and even treating fellow human beings in horrible ways.  America, at its best, is way better than that!  I also believe the gift of our time, energy, and commitment is important because it seems to me that our nation is struggling right now.  We seem to be polarized and divided, more interested in fighting each other rather than building something better together.  We need everyone to step up and step in, with the best version of ourselves, to get our nation back on track for the next 250 years.  

In speaking of America’s form of government, Abraham Lincoln said, “Popular government is an experiment that requires maintenance.”  Everything requires maintenance…especially something 250 years old.  But it requires each of us to do our part to maintain this great nation.  Yes, we’re not always going to agree.  No, we’re not always going to like every decision or action our leaders make. But the reality is, our president or leaders do not truly define America.  “We The People” define America.  We are ALL connected as fellow human beings and fellow Americans calling this great nation home.  

Today I would encourage each of us to take a few moments to make a list.  No, not a list of complaints about this nation, its direction or its leaders (past or present).  I’d invite you to make a list of the blessings, the opportunities, the good things, and the freedoms we enjoy because of where we live and the nation we are a part of.  So, put on the best version of you, give of your time, energy, and commitment, and let’s move forward into the next 250 years, continuing to build our great nation.  Oh, and one final gift you can bring to this party…pray!  Pray for our president and all our national and local leaders.  I’m sure we all think we could do a better job of leading, at some point or other, than those in office.  But the truth is, very few of us really have any idea of what is required to lead a nation, a state, or even a local municipality.  So, pray!  Pray for our president and our leaders.  Pray that peace, hope, love and prosperity will once again fill our land!  After all, this really is the land of opportunity…but it is “we the people” who make it that way!  

Happy Birthday to us!! Happy Birthday to us!! Happy Birthday dear America! Happy Birthday to us!!!!

AND MANY MORE!!!!!!

Pastor Keith

Open Doors 06.26.2026

It seems to be the season!  Soccer season that is.  Soccer mania is sweeping the USA, since we, the USA, are a part of the hosting team for the FIFA World Cup tournament.  Canada and Mexico are also a part of hosting the tournament.  To be honest, I’ve never been a big soccer fan.  It wasn’t a thing when I was in high school or college.  I have gone to a few of the high school games while here in Mitchell.  But again, I’ve never been exposed much to soccer.  But since soccer is the rage right now, I thought I should watch at least one professional game during the FIFA World Cup tournament to see the best of the best play.  

I’ll admit that I don’t know all the rules of soccer, in fact, I know very few of the rules of soccer.  But there are a few that seem obvious; you can’t touch the ball with your hands during play, the primary way of controlling the ball is with your feet, the purpose of the game is to get the ball in your opponent’s goal, a yellow card is bad, and a red card is really bad. My other perception about the game of soccer is that there is a LOT of running.  Even the referees were sweating profusely.

To me it appeared with all the players running around on the field, it seemed like chaos, but those that know the game say it’s an organized chaos.  The offensive players are trying to work the ball toward the goal, and the defensive players are trying to defend their goal and take the ball away.  Now, most soccer games are not high scoring games, so there isn’t necessarily a lot of “shots” being taken toward the goal.  But it appears that both teams are patiently running their plays, doing their thing, and then in the flash of a moment, an opportunity appears, and ball is shot toward the goal.  The goalie might stop it…but other times, the ball sails into the net and a goal is scored.  In fact, I missed seeing one goal in the game I watched.  I looked away for just a moment, and in that moment a goal was scored.

It strikes me that soccer is a game of high energy, high commitment, and also requires a high level of patience as well.  I believe the same is true of life.  To get where you want to go in life, often takes a high level of energy, commitment, but also a lot of patience.  Some of you might think that sounds contradictory.  How can something require high energy, commitment, and also high patience.  Well, soccer teaches us a lot in this area.  

I have found that when I have tried to force something to happen in my life, often it doesn’t go how I had anticipated and the outcome I desired doesn’t materialize.  But if in my effort I also take on a posture of waiting, pausing for a bit to see what develops, quite often it is then that things seem to fall into place.  It may not happen in the way I expect, but in the long run, what I am seeking falls into place but in a way that I couldn’t have orchestrated.  Those, I believe, are Spirit moments, where God is at work, even when we may not realize it.  Or as I’ve heard other preachers or theologians state it, “God will open the door…but I still have to walk through it.” I suppose in the soccer realm they might say, the path suddenly opens…but I still have to kick the ball to score.

As we each make our way through this day, may  we apply the energy and commitment to faithfully serve God as we seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  But may we also have the patience and the wisdom to see when God opens a door.  

So, what are life lessons that some of you find in soccer…or your favorite sport??

Serving Together,

Pastor Keith

Togetherness 06.19.2026

In the early days of the church there was an important concept promoted, that of doing life together.  It really started with Jesus when he gave the disciples the new command…to love one another.  Jesus went on to say that this is how his people…his followers would be known…by how they love one another.  In other words, the journey of life and the journey of faith were not intended for us to do alone or in complete privacy.  We are to walk the walk of life and faith “with” one another. 

Paul, in the letters that he wrote to the early churches he started, expands upon this theme as well.  In Galatians he writes that we are to “Bear one another’s burdens.”  In Romans he writes that followers of Jesus should “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul writes, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”  In this last reference, Paul is using the image of the human body to say there is a oneness even in the midst of the uniqueness of all the various parts.  

This spirit of togetherness is central to the church today. We worship, serve, share fellowship, learn, grow, give, rejoice, grieve, struggle, and celebrate together. Through all the church does, one theme connects us: we are called to live out our faith together. John Wesley valued this deeply, building small groups into the very structure of discipleship and membership for the people called “Methodists.”

If our faith tradition doesn’t speak enough to the need for togetherness, I believe it is basically hard-wired into who we are as human beings.  There is a basic desire, a need even, within humanity to be connected to other people.  We are social creatures.  

Today, Friday June 19, our community has a wonderful opportunity to do something together.  It’s an opportunity for our community to gather together to celebrate together, to cry and grieve together, and even to encourage one another…together.  How we can do this is through the Heart and Sole Cancer Walk that is taking place this evening at Hitchcock Park right here in Mitchell.  Heart and Sole is a local organization that raises and distributes funds to individuals and families who are dealing with the reality of a cancer diagnosis.  Tonight’s walk is about celebrating the successes of treatment, grieving and honoring those who’s life was cut short by cancer, and encouraging and supporting those dealing with cancer in their lives or in a family member’s life right now.  

The good news is that in so many cases, cancer is not as invincible as it once seemed.  Research continues to develop new treatments and discover causes and cures.  But tonight’s walk is about coming together as a community and doing what we can locally to support, encourage, and even to pray for one another. Maybe you feel like you can’t do much to make a difference against the reality of cancer.  But what you can do is come, be a presence, and raise your voice to spread the message – “Cancer is never the final chapter!”  You might even discover that someone you know is dealing with cancer and your smile and hug might be what is needed today.  We can make a difference!!  And often the greatest impact is felt when we do it TOGETHER!

Pastor Keith

Making a Difference 06.12.2026

A week ago I was in Bismarck, North Dakota attending the 2026 Annual Conference of the Dakotas United Methodist Church.  I always look forward to Annual Conference.  It’s a time of inspiration (There’s always some good preaching and teaching.) It’s a time of reconnection. (I get to see pastor friends and lay people from other parts of the Conference.) And it’s also a time of taking care of some business so that we can move forward in ministry for the year to come.  

There were two phrases, for me, that were shared in the “preaching” portion of the Annual Conference activities that stand out for me that I want to share with you.  These two phrases came from our two main preachers, Bishop Lanette Plambeck (our bishop here in the Dakotas) and Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank (bishop of the California-Pacific Conference).  

In her Episcopal, or opening Address, Bishop Lanette challenged all of us United Methodists in the Dakotas, to be a community or a people who “get in the way.” The challenge is to get in the way of fear, get in the way of hopelessness, get in the way of injustice, hatred and the divisions that so readily plague our nation and world.  

As a community of faith or Ecclesia (The word the Apostle Paul uses which is often translated “church”), which literally means “the called-out ones;”  we are called-out to make a difference.  We are called-out of the comfort of our homes and lives to get in the way of the struggles and the evil that threatens to tear down the fabric of that which is good and just in our world.  That is a powerful word and calling for all of us to step into the year to come…to get in the way of that which does harm in our world and community.  

The second phrase came from Bishop Dottie in one of her messages to us.  Pulling from an example from her own childhood, she challenged all of us to be “seed slingers.”   As followers of Jesus, we are called to sling seeds of love, joy, and kindness.  Actually, you could insert any of the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 and those would great “fruit” to spread the seeds of…because the world needs more Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.”  Any of those seeds would be worthy of slinging around us as we go through our day.  

I don’t know if it was planned or not but truthfully, these two phrases from two different messages, really tie together beautifully.  Perhaps the work before us is both simple and profound: get in the way of what diminishes life, and sling seeds that help life flourish within people. This week, where might God be calling us to get in the way of fear, discouragement, or division? And what seeds of kindness, hope, grace, or love might we scatter along the way? Small acts often produce a larger harvest than we can imagine.

So, don’t be surprised if in the days and weeks to come, you hear more about these two phrases.  I truly believe that our church is called to get in the way of fear and hopelessness…and that we are to sling seeds of love, hope, grace, etc.  That is a big part of what being the hands and feet of Jesus is all about…and it’s how we live out God’s Kingdom together.  We’ve got work to do church – called out ones!!  And together, we are making a difference one seed at a time.  

Pastor Keith