Rural Routes Through the Holy:  Thrive Where You Are

Submitted by Catherine Smith

From June 16 – 18, 2022 the second Rural Routes Through the Holy gathering will be held at Camp Ta Wa Si, Johnston Point, NB. 

We’d like to invite you to a space of nurture for those in rural congregations and for the communities in which they live.  Rural Routes is a gathering with time for both structured and informal conversations, worship, Education, Play, Prayer, and table fellowship.  We’d like to share our stories and to hear yours; what is working well and what you lament or long for, what brings you joy and who is your neighbour.  We’d like to imagine together ways in which members of small rural congregation might remain grounded in and able to share the Gospel despite sometimes challenging circumstances.

While we’re rooted in the United Church, we’re excited to welcome those of any denomination, or those of no denomination who are curious and connected to rural life.  While we’re located in New Brunswick, we’re reaching out to any in the Maritimes and beyond who would like to come.

We’ll begin on Thursday, June 16th at 10:00 and meet until Saturday, June 18th at 2:00.

Dr. Marvin Lee Anderson will be our main presenter and Rural Café Facilitator. 

There will also be Tasters, thirty-minute presentations given by a variety of people on a variety of things so good we may want to go home and cook them up in our won communities:  spiritual memoir, Messy Church, Healing Pathways, Food Forests and other sustainability projects at Port Elgin High, The beautiful Working of Wood.  These are just a few of the offerings each given by someone who loves them well.

Our registration fee is $35 and lunches, dinners and snacks are included.  We’ve been able to keep our registration low thanks to a grant through the EDGE Network of the United Church as well as financial support from Region 14, Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters.    You can register at https://hemofthelight.com/ruralroutes     You can also e-mail us at ruralroutesatlantic@gmail.com or phone 506-536-0216 for more information.   Proof of vaccination is required.

Attendees are responsible for making their won accommodation arrangements.  To help with this a list of local accommodations has been prepared and will be posted with registration information.

There will be a labyrinth and a variety of prayer practices set up in quiet corners for moments of individual pause and reflection.  Gratitude or lament, intercession, or deep stillness, here you’ll find ways of becoming prayer.

There’ll be a kitchen party too in Maritime fashion.  Do you play and instrument?  Bring it along.  Do you like to sing or dance?  This is your chance.

Please share the news of Rural Routes Through the Holy with others.  That itself is a nurturing of rural connection.   You can also LIKE or FOLLOW us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/togetheronthejourney/

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