Workshops

February “Zoom” Workshop

“Licensed Lay Worship Leader Conversations”

Zoom sessions that focus on the ministry offered by Licensed Lay Worship Leaders have been very popular with the LLWL community. Another one will be offered on

Thursday February 19, 2025 at 1 pm ET, 2 pm AT, 2:30 pm NT, 12 pm CT, 11 am MT, 10 am PT

Here are some possible questions/topics for discussion
(as suggested by Dr. YunJung Kim – Lay Leadership Coordinator
for The United Church of Canada)

Training and Leadership Development

In what areas of ministry would additional training most help you to grow in effective leadership and confidence? e.g pastoral care in diverse situations, worship leadership/LLWL; preaching and biblical storytelling; children and youth ministry; governance and administration; Christian Education leadership; social justice and community outreach; conflict transformations; stewardship; intercultural ministry – to name just a few!

Support needed for lay-led ministry

If you are engaged in lay-led ministry without regular clergy leadership, what kinds of training do you most need?

What forms of mentoring, supervision or peer networks would make a difference for you?

Building and sustaining collaborative models

How might a lay-led collaborative ministry model in rural contexts be developed and flourish?

When have you experienced spiritual growth or transformation within a lay-led ministry setting?

Facilitator to be announced.

Register here for Lay Led Leadership Workshop.

If you have a topic you would like us to consider and know of a facilitator to lead your topic, let us know at editor@ucrmn.ca

We follow the Rural Cafe format, which you can learn more about in the video below. We invite you to host your workshop using any and all of our resources here. If we can be of any help, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@ucrmn.ca.

Past Workshops

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Led by the Rev. Dr. Christine Jerrett

Topic: “Bless, Break, Share: gathering a rural perspective”.

During this workshop many stories were shared about our rural perspective on Food.

Food in rural culture is usually a community event – think church potlucks, community breakfasts, soup and sandwiches after your Annual Meeting, and at any Board Meeting there is always Coffee, Tea and goodies.

Meetings have time for sharing built in.

Rural Communities make room for everyone.

Many rural churches, especially small rural churches, have retained habits and practices that form within their people the qualities of soul that are needed in this confused and confusing time.

Worship is less formal, more adaptable.

Click to check out Church X for Christine’s Lenten Study.

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Here is a quote from Joyce Sasse’s book: Gleanings From a Prairie Pastor which can be obtained as a free download via CiRCLe-M

“There was an obvious difference between the way grassroots people thought about the work of the Church, as compared with how seminary-trained people approached pastoral work. With insights gained from the Saddlebag experience, and an intensive look at rural ministry over the years since, I’ve found we need to start by affirming that RURAL IS A CULTURE! “

An hour was spent ruminating on Joyce’s observations about rural culture, rural spirituality, and the particular gifts which rural communities offer the wider church…

Facilitated by Shawn Sanford Beck

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Licensed Lay Worship Leader Check-in – Part 4

Virtual gatherings that provided an opportunity for Licensed Lay Worship Leaders to check in with each other were very popular. The fourth of these workshops for LLW Leaders took place on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Theme: “Hands On – How to Save Your Computer”

This was an exploration of Open Source software as both an ethical and economical option for your church technology requirements. The workshop included opening worship and then proceeded to a description of how Linux can be an answer to the end-of-life for Windows 10. Windows 10 will reach end-of-life in October 2025, with the result that many very functional computers will become obsolete, unless a new operating system is installed! Save your money and use it for mission!

Facilitated by the Rev. Martin Dawson and Rev. Peter Chynoweth

Thursday, January 20, 2025

We had another wonderful time of sharing rich conversation at our January Zoom Workshop with Licensed Lay Worship Leaders, and we have agreed to host another Zoom workshop to dig deeper.

LLWL Check-In #2

Thursday, November 21, 2024
LLWL Check-In
This was so well received that a follow-up session has been scheduled for January 2025. See above.

Thursday, September 19, 2024
“Rural Church Check In”

This was an opportunity for Rural Communities of Faith to gather and talk about the joys and struggles of ministry in rural communities.

Thursday April 18, 2024 – 1 pm (EDT)

“Social Media for the Rural Church”

Facilitated by The United Church of Canada Digital Team.

A presentation and discussion with members of The United Church of Canada Digital Team, Cara Czech, Rev. Stephen Fetter, and Aaron Gallegos.

Join us for a presentation and Q&A discussion with members of The United Church of Canada Digital Team on using social media in the context of rural ministry, discovering the most effective means of communication for your rural church, and a look at some of the best practices in social media and digital communications, including the potential and pitfalls of a variety of online platforms. This presentation offer a time of discussion on both the “how” and “why” to use digital communications in your church.

Thursday February 15, 2024 – 1 pm EST, 12 pm CST, 11 am MST, 10 am PST, 2 pm AST

“Lifelong Learning”
Facilitated by St. Andrew’s College, Saskatoon

St. Andrew’s College in Saskatoon (Treaty Six Territory) has a long history of equipping folks for the realities of rural ministry, in all its many and diverse forms. As you in the United Church Rural Ministry Network know, so deeply in your bones, the needs of our rural churches are changing and intensifying. More and more of our faith communities are unable to afford even part-time forms of professional ministry, and we are coming to rely on our own people for leadership. In many ways, that is a blessing! But at St. Andrew’s we also hear that folks desire training and support as they grow more deeply into leadership roles involving worship and preaching, education, pastoral care, and other forms of congregational leadership. LLWLs, Sacraments Elders, Congregationally Designated Ministers, care teams, outreach and youth ministry folks … as well as DLMs, VAMs, and Order of Ministry … everyone could use some help gaining skills in community! That’s where the College comes in.

St. Andrew’s College Lifelong Learning Educational Coordinator, Dr. Bernon Lee and College Recruitment Ambassador Shawn Sanford Beck shared information and answered questions about lifelong learning.

The workshop provided an opportunity to suggest what learnings we would like for Rural Ministry.

“Pastoral Care to the Rural Church”

  • The workshop was held on November 16 with facilitation led by Kathy Douglas from the Antler River Watershed Regional Council.

Radically Welcoming and Rural: The Opportunities of Diversity in the Rural Church

  • Participants shared their experiences with diversity in their rural context. The workshop was sponsored by the United church Rural Ministry Network. This workshop focused on the theme of diversity in the Rural Church, which can include immigrants as parishioners, ministers from other countries, LGBTQQ2SIA+ – anyone who identifies differently… How do rural communities embrace diversity?