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September 2024 UCRMN ENews

The United Church Rural Ministry Network is for all rural and small town folks - lay and ministry.


Please sign up at UCRMN.ca

Items of Interest in this ENews:

  • September Zoom Workshop - “Rural Church Check-in”

  • Story of Jasper

  • Story “Helping Rural Churches Thrive”

  • Tech Corner

  • Country Preacher’s Notes

  • Story “Good News”

  • Story “Joy of Visiting Minister”

  • November Zoom Workshop - “LLWL Check-in”

  • Rural Ministry Town Halls

  • Rural Ministry Conference - October Alberta

  • ChurchX - Free Workshops on Social Media

  • Jim Keates - Free Workshops on Social Media

  • Regional Fall Meetings and UCRMN

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Past eNewsletters are archived at www.UCRMN.ca


If you have a rural story you would like to share, please submit your story to editor@UCRMN.ca. We welcome articles 300 to 500 words.


“Zoom” Workshop in September:


Date: Third Thursday in September 19 - 1 pm (EDT)


Subject: “Rural Church Check in”


Rural seems to be always on the move.

What’s happening in your rural “neck-of-the-woods”?


Ministry in the Mountains:

A Jasper Memoir of Then and Now

 

How beautiful, on the mountain top, are the feet of those, who bring good news, who speak good tidings of peace, who proclaim: God reigns! Isaiah 52:7 (paraphrased)

 

Rural ministry is unique – as we are reminded in any number of places on pages and posts on the United Church Rural Ministry Network website (ucrmn.ca) and in the Rural Town Hall meetings in which we’ve participated over the past few years. 

 

     And there are some rural ministry places that are themselves unique. After I was called to serve in ministry with the people of Jasper United Church in 1993, I remember spending some time in consideration of what kind of ministry we could assign to the work in Jasper. 

 

Yes, it is a small town – roughly five thousand people,… 


Helping Rural Congregations Thrive!

by: Rev, Dr. Anna Hall


(This article is from “Convergence Weekly” Blog, and has been used with permission)

 

Rural congregations are often overlooked. Newspaper articles on religion focus either on mega-churches or congregations that are closing. Denominational events and systems can be easiest to access for those in urban areas, close to airports, or with excellent digital connectivity – all of which can be challenges for those in rural areas. Even though our work at Convergence involves supporting many rural congregations through coaching, consulting, and congregational assessments, our blog has only rarely featured articles or research on rural congregations.


(“The Rest of the Story!” link will take you to

this particular “Convergence Weekly” Blog)


  Martin Dawson (PEI) and Peter Chynoweh (AB) are retired United Church Ministers who “love” working with “Open Source Software” and used computers. They help the UCRMN Executive stay online.
    The Biggest expense for most churches is updating their computers, and just as expensive, Software.

In this column, Martin and Peter will give you stories, suggestions and links including YouTube, that show you how to DIY, at a fraction of the cost. All this information is stored at UCRMN.ca on the Tech Resource Page.

“A Digital Curmudgeon”

    

     The definition of a curmudgeon is someone, especially an old man, who is crusty, old fashioned, or ill-tempered. Well, so be it. I am turning into a curmudgeon. Indeed, this could be the last technologically based article that I write, due mainly to the advances in computer technology that I find frankly disturbing. I do not need to go into the toxicity of the present condition of social media, for I am sure that you are already aware of the effect it is having on the mental health of people. Finally, it has been seen as a serious enough threat, that limits on cell phone use in school is being addressed. In fact, the teachers in Ontario are suing the social media giants for the deleterious social and academic effects on people. Even worse is the lack of privacy safeguards for the unauthorized use of your private data. Yes, “Artificial Intelligence” has been gleaning your data, as well as the non-paid for copyrighted data of the world’s literature, etc. to train its machine learning AI models. Only Europe seems to be trying to take some action, but here in North America the attitude is to close the door after the horse is already out! Governments just can’t keep up with the pace of change.


(Click below for the rest of the story)

Martin Dawson, retired minister living in Cornwall PEI


First Millennium Historical and

Theological Reflections:


Words from Joyce Sasse's Gleanings from a Prairie Pastor, (pub. 2021) as she reflects on Rural networks.  UCRMN has arisen from the networks here described, as well as the Alex Sim Symposium (1996 to 2016 in Ontario).

(This EBook can be downloaded at the CIRCLe M website www.circle-m.ca) 

This article was originally written for April 3, 2021.


Foreword by Catherine Christie:

Sept. 30 is Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. In “Gleanings from a Prairie Pastor”, Joyce Sasse has shared the deep feelings she has toward living into relationship with Indigenous neighbours. The second section of Gleanings is entitled, “Ancestral Voices From the People of the Land Speak to Me”. Joyce writes:


Gleanings from My Story 

My earliest memory was of regularly visiting my Grandmother Leslie’s ranch, adjacent to the place called “Writing-on-Stone” on the Milk River. My “playground” was known since “before time” by the Blackfoot Peoples to be a Sacred Place. 

It wasn’t just the mystery of the hoodoos, nor the agelessness of the petroglyphs, nor the desert heat and wind of the prairie … it was the absence of The People that made me ask why weren’t they present in that place in my time? On occasion our family found strings of beads and sprinkles of tobacco, but we didn’t see “them”.

Sixty years later, I learned that Government Agents refused to give the people from Kainai and Piikani Reservations enough pass-time for their visits. They needed a minimum of 3 days to travel back-and-forth and make their offerings. 

I was already aware of the racism, injustice, economic despair that Canada’s Just Society had inflicted “to take the Indian out” of a people whose Ancestors had lived here for thousands of years! To my way of thinking, such injustice was, and remains, totally intolerable. My search for a more complete understanding has been more fulfilling that I could ever imagine. This search has been an essential part of my being “called to (understand) rural ministry”.


 (Written by Joyce Sasse) - shared by Catherine Christie

Good News Story

“A Time of Celebration”


    We are a worshiping community, worshiping 3 Sundays a month. About two years ago our Official Board put our church up for sale by tender.

    Tiny Tots Day Care, offered to purchase our church building with the arrangement we could continue to worship in the sanctuary until June 30th, 2025. For Tiny Tots Day Care, it means they are now able to increase their enrolment from 25 to 50 Children.

    This is a plus for the community of Strasbourg providing quality day care and employment opportunities for folks to live and work in our community.

   As their minister I am encouraged and proud of our folks being able to relinquish their cherished worship space, and the cherished artifacts.

    Our church facilities used about 3 hours per week, will now be utilized for an average of 60 hours a week. As we celebrate and observe the transformation of our church building to a modern-day care facility, we are reminded that our Creator continues to transform our hearts and minds to be the church for our time and place.

    Our vision for the future is in 2025 is to plan to move to a different worship space and continue to provide ministry to Strasbourg and surrounding communities as long as our Community of Faith remains viable.

    A word of thanks to other faith communities who have offered us space for funerals, and our Town office for providing space for our church council meetings.

   May the Lord always bless you with the gifts of grace and glory.


Article submitted by: Pastor Rev. John Sellwood.


Strasbourg (Sask) United Church Community of Faith


“A Visiting Minister’s Joy”

  

    I was recently invited to lead worship at a two-point United Church charge on a countryside road. I had declined several times, being uncertainty of the winter weather. I was impressed with the congregation, the building and the grounds. The excellent musician, lay reader, fresh flowers, sound and video system enhanced the service. The congregation loved music as they joined together in songs.

    The church was built in the mid-1800s using fieldstone from the local farm fields and the stonemason. The founders had built the sanctuary in an eight-sided structure, which stood firm in its historical position. The membership funded an attractive addition with a basement added to the original church much later. 

     I mentioned coming over from Bethany United Church to join a youth program in the early 50s. The joke among the young people at that time was the “devil couldn’t catch you in the circle.” It was amazing how many people remembered the fun the youth had with that. I was grateful for their comments on my sermon when they shook my hand following the service.

    The people seemed so thankful. It was easy to see they totally understood the Biblical teaching of the Shepherd and the sheep. They talked through tears and shared their memories. This congregation was happy; love was evident, and joy was unrestrained.

    In an era where the news of congregations closing or proceeding with amalgamation is common, it was a blessing to experience the energy and vibrant love in this country church.

 

 The church is moving onward in hope and love, and trust

As magi sought the bright star and angels sang afar,

We, too, will journey forward—proclaim the love God gives,

And seek the face of Jesus as faithful people live.


By Reverend Donna Mann (Retired) - Ontario



“Zoom” Workshop in November 2024


Date: Thursday November 21, 2024 - 1 pm (EDT)


Theme: “Check In” with “Licensed Lay Worship Leaders” (LLWL) across Canada.

Please share with your fellow LLWLs.
Anyone leading worship is invited to join us.

Registration info will be in the September ENews.


This will be a no cost workshop by Zoom!


“Rural Ministry Town Halls”

 The Rural Ministry Town halls are back by Zoom starting on Wednesday, September 25 at 1 pm EDT, and then every other month.


Click the link to go to ChurchX

- for more information, the dates and to register.

Chinook Winds is sponsoring this Rural Ministry Conference in October of 2024.


   This conference is for Lay Leaders and Ministry Personnel in the Chinook Winds Regional Council of The United Church of Canada — and all from any region or denomination are invited, whose church life and work is rooted in a rural setting.

    Come experience rural hospitality, inspiring theme sessions and practical workshops tuned to today’s rural ministry contexts!

Check out ChurchX for all kinds of Learning Events:

Many are free. Some are learn at your own pace. There is plenty to choose from.


See the October/November issue of “Broadview”, where Christopher White shares the ChurchX story and its creator Rev. Tay Moss.


Also UCRMN has had requests for help with Social Media. Church X offers two free courses. Click on the banner below to check it out!

“Free Workshops on Digital Ministry”

 

UCRMN has previously offered information on Reverend jim Keates Digital Ministry forums. Jim is offering free workshops to learn about TikTok and other Social Media programs.

Just click Jim’s picture above ro learn more and register for his Workshop.

Sep 19 at 1:30 pm ET: Five Ideas Your Church Can Try on TikTok/Reels/Shorts

Sep 26 at 12:00 pm ET: Online Church Is Not The Answer with Jay Kranda

Sep 26 at 1:30 pm ET: (Brief) History of TikTok & Why Churches Should Care

I have personally attended Jim’s workshops and Jim has many practical ideas and information to move forward in Social Media.

Regional Meetings and UCRMN:

   Most Regions have a Networking Fund that allows Networks such as the United Church Rural Ministry Network to apply for funding. We are asking for $300 from each Region. Thank you to those Regions who have supported UCRMN in 2024 (Antler River Waterways, Western Ontario Waterways, Horseshoe Falls, Prairie to Pine, Living Skies, Northern Spirit, Nakonhaka, Eastern Ontario Outaouais and East Central Ontario).

Please invite people interested in rural ministry to check out us at UCRMN.ca.

So Long For Now!
We hope you enjoyed this Edition of ENews.

Any suggestions are most welcomed. 
Email editor@UCRMN.ca
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Please forward this email to your Rural Ministry Colleagues and encourage them to “sign up” 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 - from across Canada - all in one place; www.UCRMN.ca
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If you have an interest in finding out more, or to volunteer,

please email us at office@UCRMN.ca
Blessings on your ministry!    
Catherine, Eric, Donna, Shelley and Yvonne