| | | 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:
“Around the World Zoom Prayer” - The Americas - Agenda Rural Routes Post Event Packages 2025 - Zoom Workshop Poem by Rev. Dr. Joyce Sasse. Tech Corner - “A Time for Reflection”. International Rural Churches Association - “IRCA 2026” Rural Chaplain’s Association’s Fall Learning Event Fall Rural Ministry Conference in Alberta. Survey from Affirming Connections. Rural Routes Through the Holy - June 2026 Rural Ministry Town Halls - This Wed. April 15, 2026 @ 2 pm ChurchX - Free Workshops UCRMN is looking for “Awesome” Board Members Regional Meetings and UCRMN - Request to Regions
____________________________________________________________________
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. |
|
| |
| “Around the World Zoom Prayer” “The Americas” IRCA - Americas, is hosting a 5 hour Zoom Prayer on Thursday April 16 @ 1 pm ET.
On the Around the World Zoom Prayer, we showcase the different Rural Ministries across the Americas, ask questions, receive information, and then take a few minutes to pray for that specific ministry. It takes place on Zoom. You can join us and learn. Start in Western Canada at 1 pm (ET): Greetings from Romania by IRCA President Dr. Heather Major. · Bernon from STU – Lay leadership learning · Shawn and Kevin – Rev. Dr. Joyce Sasse. · Sun Do – CIRCLE M Grant – providing rides. · Peter – Saving your church Computer (WHY?)
Move to Eastern Canada (around 3 pm ET): · Martin – Handwriting Scriptures · Catherine – Rural Routes Through the Holy. · Eric - Collaborative Ministry. Move South - USA (around 4:30 pm ET): · Rural Chaplain’s Association Learning Events. · United Methodist Rural Advocates. Each presentation will have up to the half hour time slot, sharing information on the important work people are doing, a time for questions, and a time for prayer for the work being done and lifting up the people and area represented.
You will register directly at Zoom, and will be sent the link before the ATW Prayer Zoom Event. Register here.
|
|
| | Rural Routes Post-Event Package 2025 Much as we'd love to have you all there, we know not everyone can travel to the in-person Rural Routes gathering. So, last year we recorded and edited it all to provide a post-event package that you could share with your congregation or faith formation group in all kinds of ways. It includes recordings of keynote presentations, tasters and worship. A curated reading/resource list and suggestions for using the package in a group
We are hosting an UCRMN Zoom gathering for those who purchased the Post-Event Package 2025 on April 23 at 1 pm ET. Register on Zoom Contact Catherine at ruralroutesatlantic@gmail.com
Rev. Dr. Catherine Smith (RRTH) |
|
| |
| Our Mother, the Earth A poem, written by Joyce Sasse Spring draws us closer to nature. Each spring as the cold and darkness of winter fades, my sense of vitality is restored. The awakening starts as the hours of sunlight lengthen I receive a special boost when I smell the earth’s dampness of fresh spring rain. My awareness is tweaked with the appearance of the earlycrops I watch the cows with their calves I listen to the overflight of bats, and marvel at the unfolding saga of nature.
The earth is our mother.
It is from her that we are created, It is in her that we are rooted, It is out of her that we draw nourishment, It is into her that we shall return. To her we give thanks Contributed by Rev. Catherine Christie |
|
| |
| 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 Time for Reflection” The Lenten season is upon us and it should be a good opportunity to do some inner reflection on our use of modern technological platforms. Firstly, it must be acknowledged that we live in a visual age; however, what I am noticing is that while depending on the flash and glitz of “sight”, we seem to lack the ability to properly use our skill of “insight”. This problem is particularly important for modern church communities, as we are now facing an extreme ethical challenge when we adopt certain technologies. Should you be a regular reader of our technological articles in the UCRMN newsletter, you must be aware that we advocate the use of “open source” software. This type of computer software is usually free to use in terms of cost, which is a great benefit to churches on a budget, but it is also free in the sense that the code of the software is free to examine. Thus, the code can be checked for malicious elements that can be used to track your use for the benefit of advertisers, large tech companies, as well as government and police agencies. In essence, open-source software is the last place where your privacy can be kept free from data predators…
Martin Dawson, retired minister living in Cornwall PEI
|
|
| | |
| | |
| September 15 - 18, 2026 in Oklahoma USA
Planning is underway for the Rural Chaplains Association’s 2026 Focus Event in Oklahoma. We will fly into Oklahoma City (or drive). Registration is available now. Check out RCA on the “Around the World Zoom Prayer” Click here for the Brochure with registration page |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
"Take the Survey”
Over 200 people have already taken the 2026 Affirming Connections Audience Survey. We're grateful for every one of them. But we know our community is larger than that - and the more voices we have, the more this data can do. For a lot of people in our community, faith isn't peripheral - it's central to who they are. Finding a space where that's fully honoured, not just tolerated, changes things. Sometimes it saves lives. This work exists because full inclusion at the intersection of queerness and faith - in communities, families, and institutions - is still too rare. If you've ever used our resources, shared our content, shown up to an event, or just quietly followed along because this intersection of queerness and faith matters to you: we want to count you. Not as a number. As a voice that strengthens work that already matters - and helps it reach everyone who needs it. 2SLGBTQIA+ people deserve to be fully seen - in their faith communities, in their families, and in the public square. That's still not the reality. This is how we change it.
Ten minutes. Closes April 10. Two $50 Visa gift cards drawn from everyone who leaves an email.
Take the Survey
In solidarity, Pam Rocker, Founder & Director, Affirming Connections |
|
| |
| Rural Routes Through the Holy (RRTH)
Tales, Tables, and Tending: The slow work of God in a fast world
Finding creative ways to live into our complex life together calls us to be pay attention to our tales, to gather at tables and The Holy Table, and to tend to ourselves and others in community. Rural churches have gifts of long experience to bring to this way of life. We’re preparing worship, presentations, workshops, prayer spaces, good food and lots of time for conversation, formal and informal. You can find more information and register at https://ruralroutesthroughttheholy.ca/event For questions, ruralroutesatlantic@gmail.com
June 11 - 13 in Hunter River PEI at Queens Central United Church
Registration Rev. Dr. Catherine Smith (RRTH) |
|
| |
| The next Zoom meets next Wednesday (April 15) @ 2 pm (ET).Please share this group with others that you think might appreciate it! Upcoming Meetings:Wednesday, May 13, 7:30 pm ET |
|
| |
| Check out ChurchX for all kinds of Learning Events: Many are free. Some are learn at your own pace. There are plenty to choose from.
|
|
| |
| | UCRMN has been supporting Rural Ministry in Canada for six years. We are looking for New Board Members who have a passion for Rural Ministry. Time commitment is: Monthly planning Meeting for ENews (9 times per year). Review each ENews to ensure quality.A yearly Board Meeting to approve Financials, Budgets and to set direction.Possible leadership and/or participation in Quarterly Zoom Workshops.
If you have the skills and passion, please contact us at info@UCRMN.ca |
|
| | Regional Meetings and UCRMN: |
|
| UCRMN has approached all 15 Regions for a “Networking” Donation to keep UCRMN viable. What we are finding is that Regions are setting up “Funds” that Networks can apply to. If your Region has now using a “Fund” that we need to apply to, please share the information. editor@ucrmn.ca We are asking $ 500 per Region. This will allow UCRMN to continue to offer rural resources, Zoom Workshops, and nine ENews per year to keep everyone informed.
We have shared with the Regions the important work we have accomplished in 2025, and provide them with a 2026 Proposed Budget. Feel free to encourage your Region to support UCRMN. Thank you! Regional Spring Meetings are ahead. We invite you to share our 2025 UCRMN Report in your Region’s Spring Workbook. Available at editor@ucrmn.ca 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
_________________________________________________
Please forward this email to your Rural Ministry Colleagues and encourage them to “sign up” from our webpage at www.UCRMN.ca
_________________________________________________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
_________________________________________________
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, and Yvonne |
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
