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National United Methodist Rural Advocates

August 2017 In This Issue:

VITALITY

A TOOL

UPDATE ON POTSDAM UMC

SCD SCHOLARSHIPS

NATIONAL TREASURES

LARCM

REFLECTIONS FROM A CLM

PRAYERS

SCHOLARSHIPS

WE ARE ... MEASURING


THE UNITED VITALITY IN
METHODIST
RURAL ADVOCATES THE
You would not ignore a community more than seven
times larger than New York City. Yet the rural population
SMALLER
in the United States, with over 60 million people, is
often overlooked because they are not all living in the
same area.
CHURCH:
Statistics and
Whether your church is urban or rural church, large or
small, the UMRA invites you to join our association of Stories
clergy and laity in reaching out to meet the needs of by Rev. Brent Watson
people from rural communities, their churches and their
pastors.

We provide advocacy at General Conference and


Annual Conferences to affect rule changes that enable
We often use the
churches to better minister in their communities, provide
educational opportunities for the leaders of rural phrase- "there are two
churches to better serve their church bodies, and sides to every story" and
support church leaders in personal growth and ministry. carry in our pockets a two-
sided coin. Yet how often
when we evaluate the
church do we rely only on
one side of the story/coin.
We choose statistics that
are devoid of the stories of
a congregation. It may be
easier but does it paint a
true picture of the vitality of
OFFICERS a local church? It can't! I
Chair - Randy Wall - appreciate the statistics
RandyLWall@aol.com we collect because they
give us objective facts,
Vice Chair - Alan Bolte
pastor@umcgrmn.org
numbers to look at and an
impersonal portrait of a
Secretary - Sue Grace group of people. It is like
smgrlg51@yahoo.com taking a still photo of an
object that requires us to
Spiritual Dir - Peggy Jeffries
peggyx15@yahoo.com
interpret data through a
set of lenses and to make
Comm Dir - Michele Holloway assumptions based on a
michele.holloway@yahoo.com limited perspective.
Advocacy Dir - Mollie Stewart
gulfsideum@att.net
Statistics force us to
deal with realities and
Membership - Carl Ellis trends over a period of
ckellis70@gmail.com time that call for changes
in the way we behave and
Treasurer - Judy Hill think. They, likewise, are
judyh@plainstel.com
limited and require us to
listen on a deeper level
Visit our webpage @ and to research in order to
http://www.umruraladvocates.org/ get a fuller picture of the
numbers on the page. I
cannot tell you the number
of times I have entered a
smaller church with the
statistics in mind and my
clear
assumptions/judgments,
only to be surprised by
what I experience and
hear.
The stories of a local
church provide a much
more subjective
perspective, they allow us
to observe people's lives
up close and create a very
personal portrait of a
group of people and how
they interact. There are
stories of compassion,
forgiveness, justice,
unconditional love and
mercy. Stories of a
connection between an
older adult and a youth,
someone working
alongside a person
struggling with poverty, a
person visiting someone
with terminal cancer and
the list could go on and on.
It is like sitting in a movie
theatre where I experience
the words, images and
actions which flavor the
story-line and add human
warmth. I am forced to
understand the connection
or disconnection between
the statistics and stories.
Stories require me to
wrestle with a particular
congregation's fruitfulness
in light of the reality of their
statistics. They also cause
us to see the context from
which a church operates
and how they make
themselves relevant in that
setting.
Measuring vitality cannot
become a task done from
a journal or laptop alone
but rather requires an
experiential understanding
of the DNA of a particular
church that flavors the
statistics I observe. The
ultimate reality is that God
can bring vitality to any
church in any place!
Brent Watson is currently a District
Superintendent in the Shawnee Valley
District of the West Ohio Conference.

A TOOL FOR MEASURING VITALITY


by Rev. John Gilmore
Working in collaboration with Brent Watson, the West Ohio United Methodist
Rural Advocates developed the following guides for smaller congregations to
tell their story effectively and to celebrate what they are able to bring to God's
Kingdom. These guides, when engaged with honesty, help churches assess
what they are doing well and areas where they need to grow. They are based
on Bishop Robert Schnase's Five Fruitful Practices. I believe these guides
help translate Bishop Schnase's goals into categories that smaller rural
churches can relate to and correct. We would encourage all pastors of smaller
congregations to engage their leadership in conversation around the
guidelines and set goals and priorities for their church based on these
conversations. I would also recommend that answers to these guidelines be
included as addenda to the churches Annual Report so that the District
Superintendent can begin to know the story of their church and their missional
work, in addition to knowing the "numbers" of the church. These lists are still
"under construction" so we invite your feedback, additions and questions.

There are five categories of vitality which include: Passionate Worship, Radical
Hospitality, Risk-Taking Service and Mission, Extravagant Generosity, and
Faith-Forming Relationships. Click here for the Assessment Tool. This tool can
be used for churches of any size. Please consider making the church's
responses to these categories part of the church's annual reporting.
John Gilmore is the Past President of the West Ohio UMRA. He is currently serving Faith Crossing UMC in Walker,
LA.
AN UPDATE ON POTSDAM UMC
Five Years Later
As I read the last sentence of the next-to-the last paragraph [of the article in
the June UMRA bulletin], I realized that it was prophetic, because God did
exactly that. He brought Michael to PUMC, because of the hams (and the
New Testaments) we gave out. Michael has been to Emmaus, is part of our
Sunday prayer team, and on our Leadership Team now. His wife Jessica is
spearheading our Children's Church which started last September (2016) and
she will soon be our Lay Delegate to Annual Conference (she went as a guest
this year to "try it out" and loved it!).

Our little church is growing. Last year we baptized nine, adults, teens and
children included. Our average attendance last year was around 31 and this
year we are at an average of 37 (35 was our 2017 breakthrough goal), with
many weeks of 40 or more. God has brought families with young children
because of the Children's Church, and we now have nine children who attend
with their mothers semi-regularly.

God has been very good and I realized that it truly did begin with the hams! If
Michael hadn't been reached by that outreach event, Jessica wouldn't be with
us either and neither would Michael's two sisters and their husbands and
children.

Potsdam Steve, the one who suggested the ham to every home, has been a
certified Lay Speaker for several years now and is my go-to person to fill the
pulpit when I am gone. He also started a Sunday school class this past year.
His teen sons were baptized at PUMC last year and they are active in the
Centerville Young Life program (they live with mom). They are going to give
us a testimony about their summer retreat with Young Life on June 25th.

God has brought many new faces to PUMC and one, another Steve, told me
last week that he didn't want worship to end, because he felt the Holy Spirit
there and he and his wife had been looking for a Spirit-filled church since
2009.

God is indeed working and doing amazing things!

Thanks again--this has truly blessed me with remembrance of how this all
started!

Blessings,
Pam Hitchcock, Pastor Potsdam UMC

SCD SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE


by Diane Johnson, SCD Scholarship
Coordinator
Time is short but we still have available scholarships however, there are no
hotel rooms. If you or others are interested in attending you can click this link
to receive information about the School.
DOWNLOAD the SCD "Quick Look" brochure

About the School and Scholarship:


The 2017 School of Congregational Development (SCD) in Atlanta, GA will be
held August 17-20, 2017. All sessions will be held at the Peachtree Road
United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30305.

The scholarship award will provide you with a discounted registration fee
of $50, all material,two boxed lunches and refreshment breaks.

Pre-Conference Sessions will be available on Thursday, August 17, 9:00 a.m. -


12:00 p.m. A $25.00 additional fee is charged for these options. Options are
available upon registering.

NATIONAL TREASURES
from Randy Wall, UMRA Chair
For those of us living in the United States, one of the things that summer often brings
is a time of vacation. My wife and I are preparing for vacation with family in a matter
of days. One of the ways we have prepared is getting an annual pass from the
National Park Service. With this pass, one does not have to pay admission to any of
our national parks. Our national park system recently celebrated its 100th birthday.
Despite its age, our national parks are certainly places of beauty. Places like Acadia,
Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon are national treasures.
One of the things that most of our national parks have in common is that they are in
rural areas of our nation.

I believe there is another national treasure in the rural areas of the United States and it
is rural churches and communities. Rural churches are not trouble for United
Methodism but a wonderful treasure. They are places that bred and raised some of
the great leaders of our country and denomination, past and present. As it is
important for people to see what a treasure are the national parks of these United
States, so it is important for the United Methodist Rural Advocates to remind all what
a wonderful treasure are the rural communities and rural churches that are across this
land.

RURAL OPPORTUNITIES
by Carl Ellis, Membership Chair
Expanding Educational Opportunities without comprising integrity of CLM Educational experience!

Registration now open for Online CLM Classes. The Lay Academy program helps lay
persons discover their call to ministry and focus on the area they are called to serve. It has
trained over 300 lay persons to serve the local church. We offer two courses which meet the
requirements set out by the General Board of Discipleship for Certified Lay Ministry.
However, we are a web-based program, which allows students freedom to study and write at
times that work into their schedule, while also providing the opportunity for interaction with
instructors and other students. The two course offerings are:

Foundations for Ministry (ten months August 29 - May 15)


The Foundations for Ministry course helps Certified Lay Ministers, first time pastors, and
District Superintendent Assignment persons develop best practices for serving the local
church in sermon writing, developing relationships with their congregation, building
mission and vision. This class is also appropriate for pastors moving to new congregations.
se is a blend of academic learning with practical on the job training. It allows the
learn through both academic and hands on experience.
e focuses on a different aspect of ministry each month with all work and
n forums taking place online, including monthly meetings.

Lay Academy Training Program Works


ns wishing to serve as leaders are trained through The Lay Academy's two web-
rses. Students work online,Pu completing assignments each week. There are three
gnments: Reading and reflecting on books and articles on key areas of leadership
rch, participating in forums to reflect on other students' writings and perspectives,
hly online meetings where students and instructors work on 11 key areas for

r or for more Information


ev. Dr. Carl K. Ellis at cellis@larcm.org or call 785-445-2595. You can visit our
www.larcm.org
ur goal is to help lay persons effectively lead the small membership church!

y Academy for Rural Church Ministries

SMALL CHURCH IN A BIG WAY


Reflections of a first-year Certified Lay Minister
Scott Rosekrans, CLM is pastor of Community United Methodist Church in
Port Hadlock, Washington, Pacific Northwest Conference.
How do you shepherd your small flock and make disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world on a shoe string budget? I've come to the
realization that it's not rocket science, although God is rocket science. During
my first year in a small church, and I don't think it matters if your small church
is in the country or in the city, I've come up with 12 areas in which you can
devote your time and attention and not cost your church any of that money
they have been saving for that "rainy" day.
1. Have fun and stay positive
If they think they're circling the drain then going down the drain is
inevitable
You need to convince them that you're not going to be their last pastor. Help
them to redefine what they really need in a pastor. If you are part-time like I
am help them to understand that there are certain tasks the laity will have to
assume.

Have fun!

Embrace the mistake! Tell them that if it looks like you don't know what you're
doing it's probably because you don't. I like to tell them that if they're not into
"organized religion" then I'm their guy. If you laugh at yourself you'll find they
can be very forgiving and willing to help.
To read the remainder of this insightful and engaging article, please click here.

PRAYERS
by Peggy Jeffries
I've been watching a Peter, Paul, and Mary retrospective. It is part of the song-tapestry
of
my life, and I'm enjoying listening to them sing
together again. Mary Travers died a few years
ago, so their singing together is now impossible.
Music affects us in ways nothing else does. When
I hear a song, a hymn, or a piece of music that I
know, I am instantly transported to another time
and place, and am surrounded by people I haven't
seen in many years. I think this is one of the
reasons that Pastors are often criticized for not
picking the hymns that people know. They want to be transported. They want mom or
dad or grandma standing beside them again. They want to be in a time and place in
which their lives were simpler, and they felt safe and protected. They want to feel what
they felt the first time they sang this or that hymn. Never mind that every song was
once new, they want to feel the old feels.
Jesus told his followers that he didn't come to
make them feel good, but he came to bring
dissension and division. He came to shake
things up. He came to challenge the powers that
be. He came to upset the status quo. He came
not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to
fulfill them. To fulfill means to bring a thing to
its conclusion. Once it has concluded it is time
to move on to something different. Different is
hard. Different is scary. Different sometimes
makes people angry. Different doesn't feel as good as same feels. Whether it is our
hymnody, our theology, or any others of the multitude of changes that occur in our
lives, sometimes we just must step out in faith and go where the Spirit calls.

Loving God, we often experience you as a loving parent, pulling us onto your lap and
holding us close when life becomes too difficult for us. In our hymns we talk about a
rock of ages that is cleft for us that we may hide, a mighty fortress that protects us
from our enemies, or an eagle lifting us up and carrying us when we are unable to fly
on our own. Life is hard sometimes. Change is hard sometimes. Different is hard
sometimes. Wrap your loving arms around us and give us grace to face the days
ahead, no matter what they may bring.....Amen.

IGNITE! INITIATIVE
Help Us Reach Our Goal
from Rev. Peggy Paige, Vice President UMRA

Our goal for our Ignite! Initiative:


$75,000
Estimated pledge to date: $54,465
Gifts received to date: $40,953

We would like to thank everyone who has participated to date and would invite
those who have not to consider a gift this Advent/Christmas.
It is easy to give by visiting our
website: www.umruraladavocates.org (IGNITE).
We are seeking gifts to support and train rural ministry leaders and churches
by:
1) Hosting Webinars and podcast
2) Providing scholarships to rural trainings, consultations & conferences
3) Connecting rural ministry leaders
4) Offering seed grants for new Program Development
For more information and how you can donate, go
to: www.umruraladvocates.org/ignite.
Or you may make a check out to West Ohio Council on Development with
Memo: UMRA Ignite! and mail it to:

Ignite! Initiative
West Ohio Conference
Council on Development
32 Wesley Blvd.
Worthington, OH 43085

NETworX INFORMATION
Submitted by Debbie S. Rice, Ph.D., MSW
Director of NETworX USA
NETworX-Securing Well-being Together
NETworX is a Wesleyan informed faith-based ministry with the poor,
recognized by the 2016 General Conference and now operating 17 sites in
four states in the USA. Due to the advocacy of the National UMRA Board,
during the 2016 General Conference, a resolution passed stating:
Therefore, be it resolved that General Conference encourages bishops,
annual conferences, and agencies to support local groups of United Methodist
congregations to work or be in ministry with the poor and to consider NETworX
initiatives.

Measurable outcomes, measured at six-month intervals throughout NETworX


participation, include:

Increase in income to at or above 200% of the Federal Poverty


Guidelines,

Decrease in use of public assistance,

Decrease in revolving debt from credit cards, rent-to-own, or predatory


lending,

Increase in assets,

Increase in safe, supportive, and nurturing relationships, and


Increase in perception of overall quality of life.

If you are interested in hearing more, contact Alan Rice, a member of the
UMRA Executive Committee at 336-239-1526 or visit www.NETworXUSA.org

RURAL ADVOCATES SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE


by Judy Hill, Treasurer
The national organization, United Methodist Rural Advocates, is pleased to
announce we have a limited number of scholarships to offer for attending
programs or trainings that can enhance rural ministry. An applicant can be
considered for a scholarship of up to the lesser of $400 or one half of
program/event fees, etc. It is through the UMRA IGNITE fundraising campaign
that these scholarships are being offered.

Please contact Treasurer Judy Hill to learn more. Contact information is listed
below.

Judy Hill, Treasurer UMRA


3642 Road D
Joes, CO 80822

Email: judyh@plainstel.com
Cell Phone: 970-630-0320

SHARE YOUR STORIES


We Want To Hear From You
Are there ministries and outreach in your churches that you want others to
know about? We celebrate the truth that rural/town and country churches are
vital and active within their communities and we want to share that information
around the country. Do you have a story of joy or hope that you would like to
have shared here? There are others who could greatly benefit from what has
worked for you and even what hasn't worked but that has allowed you to grow.
Send stories to Michele Holloway at chele101953@gmail.com and your stories will
be published in upcoming editions of this eCommunication.
This newsletter is published every other month: February, April, June,
August, October, and December. Please send all submissions to the
above email address no later than the 25th of the month prior to
publication.
UMRA MEMBERSHIP
Memberships are available in the following categories:

Limited Income (What you can afford.)


Student $10.00
Basic One-Year $30.00
Church One-Year $40.00

Two Easy Steps to Membership


1. Please fill out membership form:

http://form.jotform.us/form/51087588857170

2. Pay Membership Dues through PayPal

For more information or membership, contact:


Email: ckellis70@gmail.com
Carl Ellis
590 120th Street
Fort Scott, KS 66701 785-445-2595

A Note from Carl K. Ellis

Membership Secretary

Five Reasons to Join UMRA

5. Network and collaborate with other rural groups and agencies around issues of concern for
the rural church and rural places.

4. Utilize technologies which will help us build relationships, share information and resources,
and connect rural leaders.

3. Discover and learn about sustainable, effective, replicable, generative ministries.

2. Be part of an organization which creates and advocates for General Conference legislation
that has had a positive effect on the rural church; such as NOW (Nurture, Outreach, Witness)
leadership format, development of "Born Again in Every Place," and the Certified Lay
Minister. An Organization which will continue to create and advocate for General Conference
legislation that may affect ministry in town and churches and their communities.

1. Together we can make a difference as we advocate for the work of Jesus Christ in rural and
town and country communities.

UMRA membership provides not only voice and vote in the organization, but also includes a
subscription to the UMRA E NEWSLETTER.
Michele Holloway, Editor
chele101953@gmail.com
971.225.8402

Advocating for the work of Jesus Christ in rural communities.

STAY CONNECTED

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