**NORTH DAKOTA** Have you heard???????@@@@

[1992]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Thank you for this heartfelt enlightening post. God bless you.

Thank you for the encouragement.

[1992]

Originally Posted by Thadisdaman

I do know that their Supt. Pearson is in tight with Frost from CA, Garrett from AZ. It is not suprise that he is pulling out, it has been coming for a long time. If he has any pull on the few churchs up there (which he does, he keeps getting elected) then it would be now suprise they go out with him. South Dakota is nothing like North Dakota. I happen to know from a very, Very Very CLose source in that district they are nothing like that. I just spoke to one of SD Officials a couple of weeks ago. Just so you know all of their 8 pastors up there in SD is an official so good luck in figuring out which one it is. hhahah

I was just curious what you meant by that. I do know from firsthand experience that there is at least one church in SD that is very much like the ones in ND, as far as being very conservative. Is that what you were talking about? And what do you mean by one pastor being an official? I have a good idea who you are talking about, but wasn't sure what you meant. An official in the organiziation? Or do you mean the DS for the SD district?

[Carpenter]

Has it been verified that all the UPC churches in North Dakota are pulling out of the UPC?

1992, I like your heartfelt posts, thank you for standing up and taking the mike.

The officials are all DS officials, Like I said every minister in the district is a DS official. THurston is the only real UC up there. He is also the oldest pastor. His asst. Villour is the Youth President and they both tend to lean toward the UC side of things,

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

Originally Posted by Thadisdaman

The officials are all DS officials, Like I said every minister in the district is a DS official. THurston is the only real UC up there. He is also the oldest pastor. His asst. Villour is the Youth President and they both tend to lean toward the UC side of things,

I was part of a District like that. Made for interesting observations for term limits.....

8 preachers and 10 job vacancies..

[1992]

Originally Posted by Thadisdaman

The officials are all DS officials, Like I said every minister in the district is a DS official. THurston is the only real UC up there. He is also the oldest pastor. His asst. Villour is the Youth President and they both tend to lean toward the UC side of things,

The name of the youth president is Vilhauer.

[Thad]

Originally Posted by 1992

SoCaliUPC,

Thank you for the welcome and clarification. North Dakota is a GREAT place and it does have GREAT churches. North Dakota in itself is a small state as far as population. On the West Coast you have towns and cities that run together, all connected and large populations. Not so in the Dakotas. There are lots of little tiny towns along the railroad with populations that are humorous - anywhere from 20 people up to maybe a thousand spread hundreds of miles between the major cities of Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismark and Minot. Most of the population is staunchly Catholic or Lutheran. I was speaking with a man last night who grew up out there and was raised Catholic. He made a point that in other parts of the country, there is a small number of people who attend some kind of church every Sunday. Out in the Dakotas the number of regular church goers is much higher. Almost everyone has some sort of denominal affiliation and the Pentecostal church is looked upon as a kind of cult or weird new-comer to the religious scene. There is a sense of distrust towards anything non-traditional. It is more of a challenge to have people accept you and the Truth. There is a complacency with what they know as far as religion goes. That is not to make excuses, but just gives you a glimpse into a culture that you may never have experienced first-hand. When I lived in ND, I had moved there from the west coast and I truly experienced culture shock for a couple of years. Not to say that I'm an expert on the culture of the Dakotas, but I grew to love it while I was there and I have deep respect for the ministers and pastors who labor there.

That was very interesting and enlightening. I think most people have to be raised in a region in order to live there a lifetime. we had a lady who was raised in NJ (NY metro), moved here and then her husband joined the military and was shipped to ND for 4 years. she went into Deep depression- stayed indoors all the time,severe homesickenss and lonliness. It really is a calling I take my hat off to you folks- oi couldn't do it.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Thad

That was very interesting and enlightening. I think most people have to be raised in a region in order to live there a lifetime. we had a lady who was raised in NJ (NY metro), moved here and then her husband joined the military and was shipped to ND for 4 years. she went into Deep depression- stayed indoors all the time,severe homesickenss and lonliness. It really is a calling I take my hat off to you folks- oi couldn't do it.

Home missionaries in these difficult areas of the country are the unsung heros of the Pentecostal movement.

[StillStanding]

Here's an interesting USA Today article about churches in N. Dakota.

They have around 2,300 church TOTAL in the entire state with ten closing every year!

North Dakotans Seek Salvation for Churches

[Pragmatist]

Originally Posted by Thadisdaman

The officials are all DS officials, Like I said every minister in the district is a DS official. THurston is the only real UC up there. He is also the oldest pastor. His asst. Villour is the Youth President and they both tend to lean toward the UC side of things,

How old is Bro. Thurston? I thought he was old when I was young.