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Hi Rural Folks Across Canada!
This is our 21st edition of our eNews, which shares more information of rural ministry initiatives across Canada, mostly in the United Church of Canada.
This ENews is quite long this month, which may be due to getting back in the groove and post COVID. Lots of great information and upcoming opportunities.
Past eNewsletters are archived at www.UCRMN.ca
If you have a rural story you would like to share, please submit your story to Eric at editor@UCRMN.ca. We welcome articles 300 to 500 words.
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Trauma Workshop - Next Thursday!
October 13, 4 - 5:30 PM EDT
Cost is $15
Register to join us on October 13, 2022
- workshop on Trauma, Grief and Recovery.
Led by Rev. Michele Rowe, who has completed training in traumatology and Grief Recovery and has been working with Diane Strickland in the area of Trauma-informed Ministry practice.
Many leaders have shared how they are close to burnout. We have mastered the first year of COVID, and planned to get back to in-person meetings. Now we are at the third year, which studies show is the hardest year, because we haven't taken the time to change gears. As churches move into the next seasons, learning to safely have conversations about the experiences of the past two years are needed.
Join us - you may very well learn how we might rebuild or build a new relationships that may have been ruptured during COVID? Trauma-informed ministry explores some of the ways we might have reacted during the pandemic and how churches can meet the need for safety and reconnection.
Sign up now, as this workshop is worth the time and money!
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A Real Ripsnorter (Hurricane Fiona)
Note from UCRMN Executive: Martin has offered reflections for many ENews. We are so thankful Martin and his family are safe, and have found a safe place. Our prayers go out to our Maritime brothers and sisters.
A real “ripsnorter” was a phrase that my father used to use when something extraordinary happened. I guess it could be equated to a real “humdinger” by other folks. Whatever term one might wish to use, Hurricane Fiona was a special event on Prince Edward Island, as it hit the island last Saturday. Perhaps “hit” is truly not a strong enough term, as it was more like a blow with a sledgehammer than a slap on the face.
We became aware of the approaching hurricane days in advance, and like a good scout, I was “prepared”; however, I was not quite prepared enough, for this hurricane was vastly more powerful than the previous hurricane, Dorian, of three years ago. Water, candles, batteries, a camp stove, and canned non-perishable food for 72 hours were on hand for the inevitable power outage that would be expected. My wife and I even tried to consume most of the frozen food in the refrigerator, so that we would not waste it when it all defrosted within a day or two.
Yes, I thought that we were all ready for Fiona, as I used the experience of Dorian. How wrong I was! Saturday morning at midnight the wind and rain was ferocious. Windows rattled, trees swayed at 45-degree angles, and anything not tied down securely became a projectile. The power was already cut off by downed trees, and the cell phone system was spasmodic. My wife and I listened to CBC on a battery powered transistor radio all through the storm. The host in Halifax was comforting all the folks able to call in to the studio. My pastoral compliments go put to him. I guess that I fell asleep in my chair at about 5 a.m., as I missed the transfer of hosts on CBC radio from Halifax to Charlottetown here on the island. However, while I was listening to this local host at about 6 a.m., the power went off even at the radio studio, and the CBC transferred the broadcast to Moncton New Brunswick’s studio, for they were still functioning.
With the approaching sunrise, it was eventually possible to see some of the damage around us. Numerous trees were down next to us and about three of them hit the homes just south of us. Fortunately for us, the wind was from the north! It was still blowing severely and people were warned to stay indoors. This warning was in effect until the afternoon of that same Saturday. Thus, Fiona had blasted us for over 10 hours with winds of 147 kilometres per hour.
Telecommunications were disrupted, so it took a while to find out the situation at our daughter’s home. She had numerous downed trees around her; however, nothing hit her home. We are still cleaning up the debris there six days later. She has now had power restored and we were able to have a hot shower at her place today. There is still no power at our home in Cornwall. It would appear that the cleanup here is going to take weeks, as homeowners are lining the curbs with fallen branches. Power should be restored to the whole island in the next day or two. Businesses are trying to cope with damaged roofs and leaking stores as people try to get supplies. Sometimes it is “cash only” because the internet is either down or spotty.
In the end, I think that we must acknowledge our own responsibility in the severity of this disaster. Global climate change is obviously happening around us. The broken fishing wharves and break walls that were adequate in the past will no longer protect us. PEI is basically a sand spit; therefore, the amount of erosion from the storm surge of the hurricane is truly astounding. Some of our landmarks, like Teacup Rock are gone forever, and the sand dunes will take decades to restore. I realize that insurance companies will call this damage an “act of God”, but I am really not so sure. Perhaps, the severity is more accurately based upon us, acting as if we were God.
Rev. Martin Dawson (retired) - Submitted on September 29, 2022
Cornwall PEI
October 1st, 2022: Just an update. Today is the start of day 8 without power at our home in Cornwall. My daughter has power in Charlottetown, so we are able to cope better there. A lot of food waste from refrigerators and freezers will be thrown out! Farmers have lost buildings and crops. Dairy farmers in particular. The corn crop is also flattened. Strangely, the soyabeans seem to have survived better. The good news is that the barley crop was already harvested, but some storage facilities were damaged. I am not sure how the potatoes will fare. As long as the rain stays away, things might be OK.
Rev. Martin Dawson (retired)
Cornwall, PEI
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A Thanksgiving Reflection:
Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praise worthy – think about such things.
It is Thanksgiving. There are many circumstances, locations and opportunities to do the above. Some of these situations provide the perfect chance. However, is it this easy if you’re standing on the shore watching the wind and the waves push the roof of your house from wave to wave? You might not find anything positive to ‘think about such things.’ Yet, it is still Thanksgiving. Is it easier to face disaster when we are shown that which is good, right and admirable during disorder and pain?
It remains challenging to draw on the goodness of God in the middle of chaos. What words do we choose? How do we keep our feelings focused on the goodness of God? Yet, in the middle knowing that prayer is essential, we pray on many levels.
And then we look sideways, and the wind catches our attention to see the Maple tree in our front yard bowing and bending, and we wonder if it will succumb to the wind. But it holds steady. Across the township, the wind has lessened, and the sun is shining.
In different regions, we find diverse situations. Yet as God’s people, we want to find common ground during uncertainty to return thanks. Is it the circumstance that attracts the word of the prayer, or is it for our peace of mind to continue to lift certain situations and to be aware of the needs around us that call us to quiet ourselves and seek God’s presence during the storms of life?
Do we give thanks and pray for familiar words because as well as lifting the crest of pain and uncertainty, we feel strengthened as our comments join with others?
We strengthen our relationship with the world around us as we bow our heads in Thanksgiving or lift our hands to praise God, who has created and is creating. This same God strengthens us to continue the prayer of Thanksgiving and petition for all people.
I pray your Thanksgiving time provides you with a sense of the closeness of God amid the storms that press into your peace.
By Rev. Dr. Donna Mann (Western Ontario Waterways Region - Elora ON)
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Niagara School for Missional Leadership
About the Niagara School for Missional Leadership
The Niagara School for Missional Leadership, an ecumenical gospel-focused learning community rooted in the Anglican Diocese of Niagara, is dedicated to training effective missional leaders to respond to the needs of God’s world. Courses are designed for both ordained clergy and ministers, as well as congregation members and laypeople. Our courses are for anyone who is excited about God’s mission in the world! For more information about the Niagara School for Missional Leadership, or to explore other course offerings, visit nsml.ca or contact Carrie McFarland at hello@nsml.ca
Last month we shared that Connor (UCRMN's past "Animator") has accepted a full-time permanent role within the Anglican Diocese of Niagara as the diocesan Communications Coordinator. Connor is responsible for Communications for NSML. Connor shares some online learning opportunities for Church Leaders.
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Engaging the Community, Revitalizing the Church
Have you ever wondered why the Church seems to be invisible in your community? Or that your congregation is trying to engage the community but the community isn’t receptive? Thinking missionally about who the Church is, what our neighbourhoods are, and how we engage them can be life-giving! The challenges faced by the Church in our context, though seen as a crisis, may be a God-given opportunity to re-examine our whole approach to what Church is and should be! The Niagara School for Missional Leadership’s course, Engaging the Community, Revitalizing the Church tackles just this issue. Join a community of learners, instructor Chris Pullenayegem and explore a holistic way of engaging your community by integrating faith, justice, and compassion in contextualized and incarnational ways. This course starts on October 13, and only a few spaces are left. Please sign up today!
The Rural Church: Fostering Relationships without Shortcuts
The rural and remote congregations that make up our communities of faith have so much that deserves to be celebrated and is worthy of attention, but so often goes un-acknowledged. This course is designed to identify and examine the relationships that make up rural communities and what they might teach us about The Way of Jesus, relying on the classic ingredients of people, resurrection power, and God’s mission! If you like the sound of that, the Niagara School for Missional Leadership’s course, The Rural Church: Relationships Without Shortcuts is for you! Join a community of learners, along with instructor Tim Wray, in exploring, celebrating, and learning from the ministries of rural communities of faith. This course runs from January 12-February 28, 2023, and registration is open now!
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Reflections on the deep spiritual hunger and rich spiritual heritage
that surrounds us in our rural communities – with Joyce Sasse _______________________________________________________________________________________
You may be interested in seeing where Western Producer veteran reporter Ed White writes a column ... and Twitters about ... what the Queen's influence has meant to the Canadian agricultural people.
The Queen symbolized a stability that helps Canada succeed http://ow.ly/iG8i50KKZEj
#westcdnag #cdnag
(A fantastic Reflection on the abundance of Canada's agriculture sector).
Also from Joyce -
Thoughts on Truth and Reconciliation:
From my book of memories I recall the 3-months of study that six of us shared in 2016. Beyond the TRC findings, through discussion and prayer, we gave voice to what was in our hearts... One of our goals was to initiate a gathering of interested people to join with us at the Waterton United Church on a Sunday for a time of fellowship and spiritual reflection (July 2016).
"A Journey Toward Good Relationships" was our theme. It seemed to touch many from various communities and faith groupings ... They obviously wanted to commit themselves to be part of a growing movement ... so their work (and ours) bears fruit.
Six years later, September 30, 2022, the 2nd annual National Truth and Reconciliation Right Relations Week is showing how this movement is showing vitality and purpose across the whole of Canada ... and beyond! ...
May the Peace of God continue giving us strength and purpose ...
Both articles submitted by Joyce Sasse.
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General Council 44 -
From a Rural Perspective:
In January of 2021, in the middle of winter, in the middle of Covid, I moved from Vancouver, BC (pop. 662,250) to Lanigan, SK (pop. 1,400) to begin my SME with the good people of Knox United. It, er, was a bit of a change.
In the time since, I have come to cherish small-town life: knowing my neighbours, walking to anything in under ten minutes, the ministerial’s annual serving of ice cream in the local schools. I relish the slower pace, the quiet, the space.
I do miss things about the city: restaurants, small theatre companies, salsa dancing. Occasionally anonymity is a relief. But overall, I am deeply grateful that the Spirit called me on this adventure.
This adventure also included my first experience being a Commissioner to General Council and my oh my, was it a doozy.
Mind you, I think General Council in any format is a doozy: dozens of proposals, hundreds of people, and far too many hours spent sitting in windowless rooms, one’s attention span steadily diminishing. (No? Just me?)
It’s also an occasion, I found, of deep investment, strong emotion, genuine care, extraordinary commitment, and much anxiety; an occasion for hearts to be changed, broken and healed; an occasion to retreat into judgement of our fellow UCCers and to be humbled, astonished and overwhelmed by the goodness of those same people.
In short: a doozy.
As humans – stop me if you’ve heard this one – we are expert at making up stories about others. We are terrific assumers and projectors, filling in the gaps in our understanding with assumed stories, projecting the most insecure of our anxieties onto “those people over there,” whether “those people” are in Toronto, the regional office, or the ones with whom we disagree.
I found myself fully occupying that space during the initial weekly info sessions in the spring of this year: weekly info presentations and Q&A sessions on the various proposals.
Time and again, overwhelmed and uncertain of background and context, receiving information that I didn’t know how to apply, without relationship to the many presenters, I found myself making snarky internal comments about the process, proposals, and people. “That haircut doesn’t suit him. Clearly his proposal is invalid.”
All that changed, however, once I found myself in a group of about a dozen people for four days in June: people of different ages and backgrounds, from BC to Nova Scotia, both lay and ordered, meeting together to discuss the dizzying array of proposals before the Council. In this very different setting, relationship was built as my fellow Commissioners displayed thoughtful care, generous support, and heartfelt commitment to the flourishing of God’s beloved people and world. It was moving, it was encouraging, and it was replenishing.
Holding on to the goodness of that small group experience within the larger sea of procedural motions and unknown people that is General Council is hard and necessary. To be shown, as I was in that small discussion group, the goodness and generosity of people’s intentions is to be enabled to assume those same good intentions when struggling with the larger church. It is so easy to revert to that place I was in during the info sessions: assuming, judging, reacting. Might it be possible to alter the nature of my assumptions? To trust that the Spirit might still move through voting results? To trust, in the words of our New Creed, that God has created and is creating and that no court of the church will get in the way of that?
I have no doubt that I’ll be exhausted, irritated, and battered by future General Councils. But I’m also pretty sure that God might just be able to get past my defenses again and teach me of the hope that lies in the goodness, thoughtfulness, care, and faith of our people.
Thanks be to God.
Submitted by Frances Kitson (Lanigan Sask)
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Curiosity Cohort - Rural Focus:
Registration now open
Curiosity Cohort: Rural Focus is now open for registration on ChurchX!
This 5-week synchronous opportunity will allow you to get curious about your own community of faith and connect with other leaders in rural settings. We will engage with stories and ideas from across the country about different ways that rural congregations are bringing new energy into their communities. Throughout the 5-week process, you will also have access to videos, journaling questions, “homework” prompts, and other materials to support your journey. This is supplemental to weekly facilitated sessions.
Curiosity Cohort is for all of us who are wanting to find that piece of ourselves and use it to help guide our work. All you need is a pen, journal and an open mind and heart. You will explore curiosity's:
Theoretical Foundation --> What is curiosity? Why do we need it? What are the barriers to being curious?
Experiential Learning and Integration --> Where do we see curiosity around us? What are other people doing that inspires curiosity? What is similar in other stories of curiosity to my own story of curiosity?)
Practical Application --> What practical skills help build curiosity? How can I bring curiosity back to my community of faith? How will I start to practice curiosity in my own life?
Curiosity Cohort: Rural Focus isn't about giving you the answers - it is about helping you develop the skills, tools, and practices to use curiosity to better understand the unique needs, values, and gifts in your community. It's a starting point from which you can answer the question: What are we being called to next?
Whether you are considering replacing your pews with chairs or starting a social enterprise, curiosity is for you and your community.
Start Date: October 18, 2022, 6 – 7pm EST. 5 weekly sessions.
Pricing: Suggested donation of $20 per person or $100 per community of faith (5 or more people)
Registration for Curiosity Cohorts has been moved to the ChurchX program. Please register here: https://catalog.churchx.ca/product?catalog=EDGE1020OCT22
Please email Sarah at slevis@united-church.ca if any of the following applies:
- You’ve already registered for this cohort on Zoom and have not received an invitation to register on ChurchX
- You require a scholarship
- Your community of faith has received an Embracing the Spirit grant.
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Articles of Interest:
There are basically two ways that rural communities are portrayed in our culture. Either as idyllic settings where everything is simple and quaint and charming—like a Hallmark movie—or as dwindling, decaying, and derelict—a place that people just can’t wait to get out of.
“The truth is if you’ve seen one rural community, you’ve only seen one. Some are thriving, some are dying, but every situation is unique,” says Jon Anderson, Director of Rural Ministry at Luther Seminary.
If you don’t live in a rural community yourself, you may not have given much thought to the spiritual climates and unique personal needs inherent to these communities. It takes a special kind of person to minister in these places, and that’s the focus of an excellent article that I recommend you read if you have a few moments.
The title of the article is “Out Here” and one of its main points is that more than location, it’s the people that draw pastors and leaders to work and live in remote areas. God has given these ministers the special tool that is essential to being successful in a rural community: a love for the people.
You can read “Out Here” at this link: https://www.luthersem.edu/story/2022/06/23/out-here .
Submitted by Mary Dillon, DLM - Reynolds Creek & St. John's United Churches
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International Rural Churches Association - Conference 2023:
13-19 April 2023 - in Dubuque, Iowa
Flourishing: Land, People, Community
The Bible tells us that God is a God of abundance, yet many of us live in settings/contexts that emphasize scarcity. Can we get beyond the numbers to share the stories of God’s abundance among us?
Go to Registration Page: for information and to register.
Early Bird Registration ends November 30, 2022 (save $100 USD)
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(click on poster to register)
Fall Affirming Leaders Day:
Small Town, Big Impact Edition
Saturday, Oct 29, 2022, 9am-2:30pm MDT
If you are looking to deepen your practices and enhance your awareness around issues of inclusion and belonging for 2SLGBTQ+ people, come and join us!
We will be focused on the theme: Small Town, Big Impact. Under the same name as our recently released video series, Small Town, Big Impact will feature speakers who are creating change in smaller or more non-affirming communities.
Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you are a clergy member, faith leader, volunteer, community leader, or someone who just wants to learn more.
When: Saturday, October 29, 2022, 9am-2:30pm MT
Where: On Zoom
Tickets: To center accessibility, all tickets are Pay-What-You-Can, with a suggested ticket price of $25.
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UCRMN is looking for Volunteers:
Requirements:
- Work from home (using your computer and online apps).
- Eligible expenses are covered by UCRMN.
- One to four hours per month (depends on your skill and creativity).
- Directions and approval will be from the UCRMN Board.
- All meetings will be by Zoom.
Responsibilities and Skills:
- ENews Editor and "Poster" using MailChimp (9 issues per year).
- Fundraiser Committee members - one from each of the 6 "Area Regions" of the United Church of Canada.
- Workshop Coordinator using "Event Brite' (4 to 6 workshops per year)
- Board Members for UCRMN - Serve for 3 years (Monthly Zoom meeting, except July, August and December - 9 per year).
- The Board has wondered about a "Social Media" Coordinator ????
Email your interest to: office@UCRMN.ca
You do not need to be an UCRMN Board Member to volunteer - although you will report to the Board on our monthly Zoom meetings.
If you have an interest in any of the above positions, and do not yet have the skills (yet feel you can learn them) - we will help train you for the program and the position.
We will draft Volunteer Job Descriptions for each position.
Volunteer Updates:
We received a Volunteer to be our "Webminder" - looking after all things on the website. We will formally introduce Peter next month.
Catherine Christie has offered to be our Fundraiser Chair. The Executive is checking with Regions about funding opportunities - we will keep you informed.
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Looking Forward - Next Zoom Workshop
(middle of January 2023)
January Zoom Workshop for “Rural Folks to come together to talk about and support Rural Ministry in Canada". Shelley is checking with newer Regional Support Staff to facilitate this January Workshop.
Check in on the November ENews for Sign Up, and further information.
After the Christmas Season, we all need some additional support.
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So Long For Now!
We hope you enjoyed this Edition of ENews.
Any suggestions are most welcomed.
Email editor@UCRMN.ca
Please forward this email to your Rural Ministry Colleagues and encourage them to subscribe from our webpage at www.UCRMN.ca
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Who is UCRMN?
We are a Volunteer Charitable Network that is collecting and posting Rural Ministries initiatives in the United Church - across Canada - in one place;
www.UCRMN.ca
If you have an interest in finding out more, or to volunteer as a Board Member or in some other way, please email us at office@UCRMN.ca
Blessings on your ministry!
Catherine, Eric, Donna, Felicia and Shelley
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