2024 -Standing Rock Mission South
2025- Cheyenne River Mission
2026- Pine Ridge Mission
2027-Rosebud Mission
2028-Santee/Yankton Mission-Our Most Merciful Savior, Santee NE
2029-Standing Rock North Dakota
2030-Sisseton Mission
Thank you, Niobrara Convocation 2023, planning team, Mni Sose Missions
The Dakota Indians managed in their own fashion to fit the values of their old traditions and rituals into Christianity. The Niobrara Convocation served the same social function as the old Sun Dance, when friends and relatives came together in the summer from all directions. The convocation custom of the Indians from the different reservations camping together was not unlike the traditional spots held in the camp circle by the various tribes.
— That They May Have Life, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, 10
Niobrara Convocation
The annual Summer meeting in South Dakota known as the Niobrara Convocation is one of the most important events of our missionary work with the Episcopal Church in the United States.
To find out specific information regarding each section, please click the + to the far right.
The first Convocation was held on October 5-6, 1870, at Santee, Nebraska. Bishop Clarkson of Nebraska and Dakota issued a call to the clergy of the Dakota field for a meeting to be held for the purpose of organizing an Indian Missionary Convocation. Each chapel was to be represented by two lay delegates.
The Niobrara Convocation grew to be a loved and much looked forward to annual event in South Dakota. Non-Indian Episcopalians and persons from other denominations, as well as government officials and even President Calvin Coolidge visited. The gathering was frequently honored by visitations of numerous Presiding Bishops.
Only three times in its history did the Niobrara Convocation does not convene: in 1876, because of Bishop Hare’s poor health; in 1901, because of the danger of small-pox contagion; and 1945, because of conditions during World War II when gas and tire rationing and enforced slower speed limits made travel difficult.
— That They May Have Life, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, 78
Future Niobrara Convocations
1870 Santee Agency, NE
1871 Santee Agency, NE
1872 Santee Agency, NE
1873 Santee Agency, NE
1874 Yankton Agency, DT
1875 Yankton Agency, DT
1876 No Convocation
1877 Yankton Agency, DT
1878 Yankton Agency, DT
1879 Yankton Agency, DT
1880 Rosebud Agency, DT
1881 Yankton Agency, DT
1882 Yankton Agency, DT
1883 Lower Brule Agency, DT
1884 Yankton Agency, DT
1885 Crow Creek Agency, DT
1886 Yankton Agency, DT
1887 Ft. Bennett, Cheyenne River Reserve, DT
1888 Pine Ridge Agency, DT
1889 Crow Creek Agency, DT
1890 St. Elizabeth's Church, Standing Rock Reserve
1891 Near St. Mary's School, Rosebud Reserve
1892 Cheyenne Reserve
1893 Santee Agency, NE
1894 Pine Ridge Agency
1895 Lower Brule Agency
1896 St. Elizabeths Church, Standing Rock Reserve
1897 Near St. Mary's School, Rosebud Reserve
1898 Sisseton Agency
1899 Yankton Agency
1900 Ascension Chapel, Cheyenne River Reserve
1901 No Convocation
1902 Black Pipe Creek, Rosebud Reserve
1903 St. John the Baptist Chapel, Crow Creek Reserve
1904 Bear Creek, Cheyenne River Reserve
1905 St. Philip's Chapel, White Swan, Yankton Reserve
1906 Santee Agency Reserve
1907 Trinity Chapel, Rosebud Reserve
1908 St. Mary's Chapel, Pine Ridge Reserve
1909 Messiah Chapel, Lower Brule
1910 Yankton Agency
1911 St. Elizabeth's Church, Standing Rock Reservation
1912 Christ Church, Fort Thompson
1913 St. Mary's Church, Sisseton
1914 Emmanuel Chruch, White Horse
1915 Trinity Chapel, Rosebud
1916 Holy Comforter, Lower Brule
1917 Inestimable Gift Church, Allen
1918 Holy Fellowship Church, Greenwood
1919 St. Elizabeth's Church, Wakpala
1920 Our Most Merciful Saviour Church, Santee, NE
1921 Calvary Church, Okreek
1922 St. James Church, Waubay
1923 Emmanuel Church, White Horse
1924 Holy Cross Church, Pine Ridge
1925 Holy Fellowship Church, Greenwood
1926 Christ Church, Fort Thompson
1927 Holy Cross Church, Pine Agency
1928 Good Shepherd Church, Glencross
1929 Trinity Church, Mission
1930 Holy Comforter Church, Lower Brule
1931 St. Mary's Church, Sisseton
1932 Ascension Church, Promise
1933 Inestimable Gift Church, Allen
1934 Holy Fellowship Church, Greenwood
1935 St. Elizabeth's, Church, Wakpala
1936 Holy Innocent's, Parmelee
1937 Our Most Merciful Savior, Santee, NE
1938 Holy Cross, Pine Ridge
1939 St. John's Chapel, Pukwana, Crow Creek
1940 St. John the Baptist Chapel, Sisseton Reservation
1941 Emmanuel Church, Cheyenne
1942 Inestimable Gift Church, Corn Creek
1943 St. James Church, Rosebud
1944 Holy Fellowship, Greenwood
1945 Reservation Meetings
1946 Good Shepherd Chapel, Standing Rock Reservation
1947 Messiah Chapel, Pine Ridge Reservation
1948 Holy Comforter, Lower Brule
1949 Holy Innocents, Parmelee
1950 St. Barnabas', Kyle
1951
1952
1953
1954
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1961
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1963
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1974
1975
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1981
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1990
1991
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1994
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1997
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2000
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2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011 Thunderhead
2012 Standing Rock (ND.)
2013 Lower Brule
2014 Santee
2015
2016 CREM (Eagle Butte)
2017 PREM (Red Shirt Table)
2018 Rosebud (Trinity Mission)
2019 SYEM (Woniya Wakan, Wagner)
2020 COVID-19 (canceled)
2021 Standing Rock ND (Cancelled)
2022 SEM (St. Johns, Browns Valley, MN)
2023 MSEM Holy Comforter, Lower Brule)