UMRA news & updates

August 2022

WE ARE ...
THE UNITED
METHODIST
RURAL ADVOCATES
You would not ignore a community
more than seven times larger than
New York City. Yet the rural
population in the United States, with
over 60 million people, is often
overlooked because they are not all
living in the same area.

Whether your church is urban or

rural church, large or small, the
UMRA invites you to join our
association of clergy and laity in
reaching out to meet the needs of
people from rural communities, their
churches and their pastors.
Letting Go of Anger
submitted by Gayle Lesure
We provide advocacy at General
Conference and Annual by Rev. Dr. Carl K. Ellis | June 13, 2022
Conferences to affect rule
changes that enable churches to “But, I say to you that if you are angry with a
better minister in their brother or sister, you will be liable to
communities, provide judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister;
educational opportunities for the
leaders of rural churches to better
you will be liable to the council; and if you say,
serve their church bodies, and 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire.”
support church leaders in ~ Matthew 5:22
personal growth and ministry. Anger has permeated every part of our
society and even Christians are not immune
Officers from feelings of anger. Some Christians are
2021-2024 angry with what they see as the moral decay
Chair - Randy Wall -
[email protected] in our country, while others see the church as
Vice Chair - Peggy - unable to adapt Jesus' teachings to a
[email protected]
changing world. Many small membership rural
Secretary - Doug Flinn -
[email protected] and inner-city churches feel abandoned,
Spiritual Director - forgotten, and not valued by denominations,
Orrinda Stockton - larger churches, and society.
[email protected]
Communications Dir -
Michele Holloway - The small membership churches' anger has
[email protected] led churches to take a stance of fight or flight
Advocacy Dir - Mollie Stewart – railing against society or resigning to the
- [email protected]
 Membership - Sue Grace feeling that a larger church will take over – so
[email protected]
Treasurer - Judy Hill
why even try. Unfortunately, when we get
[email protected] angry, we can no longer hear God's voice and
vision for the church, and our decisions,
actions, and vision hurt the small membership
church. Today, the small membership church
is more important than ever before. However,
if we let our feelings of hopelessness, loss,
and frustration control our actions, we will fail.
God calls churches to live out their
discipleship to their community and world.

Small membership churches are essential to

children of all ages. Some people thrive in
smaller groups and churches because they
feel lost and overwhelmed by the hundreds or
thousands that attend the larger church. It is
like John, a straight "A" student in high school
who failed in his first semester while attending
a large university.

He was overwhelmed when attending classes with more students than in his entire
high school and sitting in classrooms larger than in the high school auditorium.
When John transferred to a community college with smaller classes and instructors
who had time to help students, he returned to being a straight "A" student. Just as
John needed smaller classes, some children (of all ages) need and thrive in small
membership churches.

Small membership churches are often known as family churches. They don't have
multiple pastors, large choirs, professional staff, or daycare centers and programs
for all ages like the prominent and mega-churches. Instead, the small membership
churches are families where children of all ages are surrounded by people who help
them grow and become disciples of Christ. For some being able to help with
worship, lighting candles, or teaching Sunday school is not crucial to their faith
development. For others, the small membership church is where they not only
belong but can help in many ways on Sunday morning and during the week, which
helps build and strengthen their faith.

Small membership churches become the center of their community. When the post
office, café, and school close, the church is where the community meets. When a
family loses their home to fire, and there is no Red Cross or Salvation Army, the
small membership church is there to help the family rebuild emotionally, spiritually,
and physically.

I know how hard it is to live in a community where businesses have left, the post
office has closed, and the school has moved to the next town. I, too, am angry when
resources are designed for large churches, and people suggest we close small
membership churches and begin attending the large church down the road.
However, when I get angry and act out my anger, I am no longer the disciple God
calls me to be. My community, my church, and people of all ages lose.

Small membership churches are essential and can have a bright tomorrow when we
let go of our anger. But, once again, we need to hear the words of Jesus,
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I
have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
~ Matthew 28:19-20
YES! We, members of small membership churches, have more to do. Let us be part
of the solution by sharing God's peace, hope, and love with our communities and
world. Let's be the church.

Diversity in the Church

by Randy Wall, UMRA Chair
One of the things that our household does to celebrate
Independence Day is to gather with family. I suspect many folks
do the same. On July 4 of this year, I found myself picking up a
few things for our Independence Day evening meal with
family. When I got all the items in my grocery basket, I went to
complete my purchase at the checkout line. While one person
was checking out my purchase, another grocery store employee
was bagging my groceries. I took time to thank both employees for not only checking out my
purchase in quick, efficient fashion, but for working on a holiday. As I was gathering my bags
to leave the store, I noticed that the name tag on the shirt of the young lady that bagged my
groceries. Her name was America. I told her what an appropriate name she had since it was the
4th of July and thanked her again. She offered me a slight smile as I headed toward the door and
to my car. There is something else I discovered about the young lady: she was latina.

I tell that story to make a point and it is this: The United States of America is more diverse now
than it was when I was the age of my grandchildren. That is also true in rural
America. According to a June article of The Daily Yonder (read the article
here: https://dailyyonder.com/racial-and-ethnic-diversity-of-rural-population-
grows-by-nearly-20/2022/06/15/ ), while the population of rural America has declined over
the last decade, it has also become more diverse racially and ethnically. The article says though
the rural population has declined over the last decade, it has grown 20% in its diversity.

We read in Acts 15 about a time that the early Church was at a crossroads. Would it reach out to
Gentiles? Would it require them to be circumcised? We all know the result. The Church
Council at Jerusalem decided to continue to reach out and embrace the Gentiles. That decision
meant that many folks (including my family) could become a part of the body of Christ, the
Church. I encourage you and your rural church to look around your community. It probably
does not look exactly like it did 10 years ago. Will your church reach out to embrace and include
those who perhaps do not look like, talk like, or think completely like you?
Rural Ministry Grant - Center UMC/North Dakota
by Jim and Janet Fagerland

The Center United Methodist Church received a $500 grant that was greatly
appreciated by our small congregation. Our weekly church attendance averages
about 25 people. We continue to serve up to 40 children from our community weekly
with a meal, fellowship, and Bible study. This spring 7 youth were confirmed! Our
leaders group the children into a k-5th grade group and a 6-12th grade group. Our
average session lasts from 45-60 minutes starting with music, a game or group
activity, story time with discussion and closing with a craft activity. The youngest
group meets from 5-6pm then eats supper, the older youth eats supper then meets
from 6:30-7:30 pm. Most of these children are unchurched and some of their
parents are unaware that they attend. We provide healthy and positive interactions
with children who often don’t have that in their lives. However some parents have
ended up getting involved and join in supper and fellowship each week. During the
summer months we discontinue the program and the church changes to Wednesday
evening worship and many of these people continue to come and bring their
children. The grant money has been put to good use! We’ve purchased food for the
meals, craft supplies, and even toiletries for distribution to those who are in need of
them. Our congregation supports this program with our tithes and offerings. Any
assistance we receive is greatly appreciated!

Devotions
by Orrinda Stockton
Hear these words from the prophet Amos:

22 Even though you offer me your burnt

offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the offerings of well-being
of your fatted animals
I will not look upon.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Amos was the first Hebrew prophet to have a biblical book named for him. He accurately
foretold the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel and, as a prophet of doom, anticipated the
messages of the prophets to come.

Amos became fed up with what he saw as a turning away from God and preached against the
privileged people of Israel, a people who had no love for their neighbors and who looked out
only for their own concerns. Rather than seeking out opportunities to do justice, love mercy
and walk humbly, they embraced their arrogance, self-righteousness, and materialism. Amos
conveys God’s utter disdain for the hypocrisy of Israel and offers no words of consolation or
restoration for the Northern Kingdom.

God was also fed up. Because Israel had not included justice and righteousness along with
worship, that worship was meaningless. Religious festivals, worship gatherings, offerings,
songs and praise were empty. God did not want them.

Instead, God wanted justice and righteousness to flow like water–an unending stream. Water,
even in small amounts, has the power to dramatically change the landscape– even the hardest
rock can be shaped by the constant movement of water. Righteousness and justice, even in
small amounts, have the ability to radically reshape our world.
The prophecy of Amos carries an urgent message for the global church in the twenty-first
century. Material blessings brought to the people through honest hard work and diligence
should be received gratefully and enjoyed. Yet in light of massive worldwide needs such as
poverty, lack of clean water, malnutrition, and inadequate medical care, those material
blessings must be shared with the parts of the world where help is so desperately needed. To do
anything less is to imitate the people in Amos’s day who neglected the poor among them.
Have we neglected justice and righteousness by prioritizing worship and possessions over the
needs of our neighbors? Do we help perpetuate a justice system that is more accessible to those
of wealth and privilege?
As the church, we are called to work for justice and righteousness. Our worship will be pleasing
to God when we are challenged to examine the ways in which our consumption of material
goods affects the lives of others. Our worship will be pleasing to God when we are sent out from
our sanctuaries to seek justice, to live in righteousness and right relationship with our
neighbors. Through the work of the Holy Spirit we have the ability to go forth like an ever-
flowing stream of justice so that the landscape may be dramatically altered!

Let us pray:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon us and we have been anointed to bring good news to the poor and
to set at liberty those who are oppressed, imprisoned, marginalized, ostracized and decimated.

We shall wait upon the Lord who shall renew our strength. We shall mount up with wings as
eagles, we shall run and not be weary, we shall walk and not faint.

Let mercy, peace, justice and righteousness cascade like a waterfall that all may have an
opportunity to be as God intended us to be. Amen.

NFAMLP ANNUAL MEETING

The National Fellowship of Associate Members and Local Pastors will be gathering in 2022 on
September 14-16 in Branson, MO. All local pastors, student pastors, associate members, are
invited to attend. For more information, see the brochure here.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

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: [email protected]

RURAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

NETworX WEBINAR sponsored by UMRA. Information may be found on the UMRA

website under events. http://www.umruraladvocates.org/vision--mission-webinar.html

ACADEMY FOR SMALL CHURCH MINISTRIES in affiliation with UMRA. Check

out tasmcm.org for ongoing and upcoming training opportunities.

Training beginning in August:

Foundations for Ministry (Click link for brochure)
When Aug. 29, 2022 - May. 6, 2023
Registration deadline Aug. 22, 2022
Fee $300
Scholarships are available. Contact the Rev. Dr. Carl K. Ellis for information.
Contact Rev. Dr. Carl K. Ellis

NETworX INFORMATION

NETworX-Securing Well-being Together

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

SHARE MINISTRY/BEST PRACTICES STORIES WITH US

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 [email protected] 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 $50.00
Advocacy Membership One-Year $250.00
Membership Letter and Form - click here
Two Easy Steps to Membership
1. Please fill out membership form:
United Methodist Rural Advocates Membership
2. Pay Membership Dues through PayPal
For more information or membership, contact:
Email: [email protected]
Sue Grace - Membership Secretary
2755 Independence Ct,
Grove City, OH 43123
740-707-2901
UMRA membership provides not only voice and vote in the organization, but also includes a subscription
to the UMRA E NEWSLETTER.

United Methodist
Rural Advocates
Click links to the right to find us.