National United Methodist Rural Advocates

April 2020 In This Issue:

LEGISLATION

IN NORMAL TIMES

RURAL CONTEXT

SEE YOU LATER

USDA TOOL

SBA LOANS/CHURCHES

DEVOTIONS

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

LARCM WORKSHOP

MEMBERSHIP

WE ARE ... YOU ARE INVITED

by UMRA Board
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
In a "normal" General Conference year, we would be
gathering on-site and celebrating with a banquet. Well, the
banquet and conference aren't happening, but the business
of UMRA continues.
We will meet virtually, via Zoom, on May 5 at 1 pm EDT
for the election of officers and other business as needed.
Below you will see the report from the Nominating
Committee and the invitation to join the meeting.
Even if you weren't planning on attending the banquet,
you are more than welcome to join in the call and be with
people we often only get to see once every four years. Please
consider participating.
Nominations Report:
communities, their churches and their Vice Chairperson: Andrew Coon
pastors.
Membership Director: Sue Grace
We provide advocacy at General Secretary: Doug Flinn
Conference and Annual Conferences Spiritual Director: Orrinda Stockton
to affect rule changes that enable
churches to better minister in their
communities, provide educational Please note that Jurisdictional Representatives will be
opportunities for the leaders of rural
churches to better serve their church
announced at a later date.
bodies, and support church leaders in
personal growth and ministry. Debra Ketcham is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom
meeting.

Topic: Debra Ketcham's Zoom Meeting - UMRA

National Meeting
Time: May 5, 2020 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and
Canada)

OFFICERS Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/7185438236
Chair - Randy Wall
RandyLWall@aol.com
Meeting ID: 718 543 8236
Vice Chair - Alan Bolte
revahb@gmail.com
One tap mobile
Secretary - Sue Grace +13126266799,,7185438236# US (Chicago)
smgrlg51@yahoo.com
+19294362866,,7185438236# US (New York)
Spiritual Dir - Peggy
Jeffries Dial by your location
peggyx15@yahoo.com
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Comm Dir - Michele +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Holloway
chele101953@gmail.com
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
Advocacy Dir - Mollie Stewart +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Molliecstewart0128@gmail.com
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Membership - Sue Grace Meeting ID: 718 543 8236
smgrlg51@yahoo.com Find your local number:
Treasurer - Judy Hill https://zoom.us/u/acNC4iXD4V
judyh@plainstel.com

Visit our webpage @

http://www.umruraladvocates.org/
LEGISLATION
Bi-VOCATIONAL/TENTMAKING
by Legislative Consultation
Rationale:
In the changing culture and landscape, we need to be sensitive to the needs of churches and
community as well as the abilities or lack thereof for churches to support full-time clergy with
benefits. Bi-vocational/tentmaking options need to be available for ordained elders, deacons,
provisional elders, and associate members. (¶633.5.e)

Add new subparagraph after ¶ 338.2 a) as follows and renumber the remaining:

¶ 338.2 Less Than Full-Time Service- a) Appointment to less than full-time service is not a
guarantee, but may be made by the bishop under the following circumstances: (1) Bi-
vocational/tentmaking ministry - Less than full-time service may be granted - but is not
guaranteed - when the elder, provisional elder, or associate member has declared in writing a plan
for service to the local church and employment beyond the local church. The clergy member shall
present that written declaration to the bishop and chairperson of the Board of Ordained Ministry
prior to the annual conference session at which the appointment is made.

IN NORMAL TIMES
by Andrew Coon, At-Large, South Central Jurisdiction
In normal times our approach to the challenge of suffering in our communities would be to seek to
minimize suffering for everyone. It is our hope that the result of loving our neighbors would be that
we reduce the suffering for all.

We do not live in normal times.

We live in times in which there is much suffering that is occurring. From the minor annoyance of
having to stay at home while continuing to be paid, to the far greater suffering that goes with lost
pay, lost jobs, and risks to one's health.

And then there are our local businesses. As people of rural America, we depend on our
businesses. There are very few non-essential businesses. As I look down the main street of my
town, I see a small grocery store, two gas stations, two banks, and a Dollar General. All of them
are still open, and we need them. And yet these businesses are suffering as well.

I would encourage us as followers of Jesus, to ask how we might consider suffering. In Jesus, we
see someone who willingly took on suffering for the love of others. The very nature of the Cross is
that it was entirely voluntary, and it was amazingly painful. How do we follow in the footsteps of
Jesus, and consider following His lead? How might we love our neighbor, as Jesus first loved us?

Put another way, in this time when all are suffering, how do we act so that those who can least
afford to suffer, suffer the least?

This will be a challenge to us and our churches over the coming months. It will be a challenge that
will take imagination and intentionality. To take the time and ask "How can I reduce the suffering
of my neighbors?" and "How can we as the church, become involved in our community to help
right now?"

This is a challenge that will take partners. Reaching out to other churches and community leaders
and asking "where is the need greatest, here and now?"

This is a challenge that will require us to look beyond our own sufferings, and to see our neighbors
in theirs. My prayer over the coming months is captured in the hymn that we know so well. "Be
Thou My Vision." It is my prayer for you and your churches as well. May you see what is beyond
our wall, beyond what we usually see, so that we can serve. Yes, we are suffering. But there are
those who are suffering more. It is time to find them, and love them.
Peace be with you,
Rev. Andrew Coon
Missouri Conference

RURAL CONTEXT
by Deb Ketcham, Events Coordinator
How many of you grew up in a small, rural or town & country church? - A significant majority of
hands were raised when I asked that question to the North Central Jurisdictional delegates, back in
2012. Whether lay or clergy, their roots, experiences, and foundational experiences of faith began
in those small places throughout the Midwest regions of our country. However, their life had shifted
and changed. The vast majority of delegates were now members or clergy of larger metropolitan
and city churches.

Today, few clergy have a good understanding of rural ministry because the majority of clergy come
from the urban, suburban, and greater metropolitan areas of our country. A pastor who comes out
of a metro-area context of life and ministry, and who then enters a rural context, is not often
adequately prepared. Contextual training in seminary is helpful; however it does not effectively
prepare pastors to move into a rural church appointment. Regretfully, there has been collateral
damage on both the part of the pastor and the rural churches.

The expectations and challenges of large church are often in stark contrast to the contextual
trainings needed for our small rural places. Just as there are cultural differences between those of
European descent and those who are not, there remain significant differences between the rural,
town & country, suburban, and urban church cultures and understandings. When a pastor raised in
a metro setting is appointed to a rural church, it can be daunting, perplexing, and disheartening for
both them and the church. Contextual training is often necessary for vital, thriving ministries to occur.

Rev. Ed Kail, former District Superintendent, teacher, trainer, and mentor in Iowa, has helped
pastors around the U.S. understand the significant differences between the large, city settings and
the rural church. Rural churches are unique, and even in their uniqueness, there are three types of
rural. Ed divides rural into 3 contextual groups: Ag-dependent Rural, Wal-Mart Rural, & Metro-
Rural, which surprises even the rural folks, until they hear the descriptions, and they readily agree
there are definitely three types of rural.

Ag-dependent Rural is what it sounds like - the major economies are derived
from agriculture. Wal-Mart Rural is often found in a rural county seat and the
areas 15 miles orso out, giving consumers both the rural life yet some of the
amenities of the outlying metro areas. Metro-Rural could be described as the bedroom communities
within 30 - 60 miles of a major metropolitan area. These communities mirror many of the amenities
of suburban life however they are punctuated with fields, streams, and farms across its landscape.

There are other major differences that relate to the inter-connectedness of people. Those in the
metropolitan and urban areas have less commonalities, with only a few 'touch points' in their lives.
Those in the rural areas are interconnected through a cohesive web of relationships of kin, social,
economic, religious, education, and more. And of course, there are differences within the context of
our various regions of the U.S. - even north, south, east, west - and school district lines.

Only through numerous trainings, workshops, guidance, mentoring, and far too many teachable
moments, I moved from the pace and ministries of a large church - where I received my call to
ministry - to understanding how to be an effective pastor in a rural community - an enormous
contextual shift.

Over time, I discovered the amazing beauty and benefits of rural ministry along with the joy and
vibrancy it has brought into my own life. I am truly blessed. I praise God for all who have guided me,
the churches I have served, and the beauty and tranquility of the lakes, land and people of the rural
areas. My hope and prayer is for all the small, rural and town and country churches to be everything
God created them to be, so they can all make a significant kingdom difference by transforming their
communities and world in Jesus' name.
Rev. Ketcham serves in West Ohio.

SEE YOU LATER

by Randy Wall, UMRA Chair
I do not think of her often, but she often comes to mind this time of year. Her name was Olester which
is certainly not a common name for a woman. She was a member of a small congregation in a rural
area when I was young in years and ministry She was old, and I was young. She was a layperson,
and I was her pastor. Yet, she taught me things about the faith that seminary classes did not
teach. Living in a two room house with the bathroom and water located behind the house, she was
poor by American standards. Yet, she certainly knew the riches that are ours in Christ Jesus. When
our visits would end, I would often say, "Goodbye". And with a wagging finger, she would gently
correct me in motherly fashion saying, "No, no. it is never goodbye. It is 'see you later'."

The years went by, and they took me to other places to pastor. Then one day, I got the call that
Olester had died. On that weekday afternoon, I gathered with others in a church sanctuary to praise
God for her life. I stood with her family in that cemetery where she was buried by her husband and
her parents. And as I left that graveside, I felt a peace come over me as her admonition echoed in
my heart: "No, no, it is never goodbye. It is 'see you later"''.

In a cemetery long ago, a group of women mourners were told this news: "Don't
be alarmed,' he said. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was
crucified. He has risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid
him." (Mark 16:6) Because Christ was not there, we can rejoice in the
resurrection that is Christ's and for all those in Christ that we will see
later. Hallelujah, and Amen.
 USDA UNVEILS TOOL TO HELP RURAL
COMMUNITIES/COVID-19
by USDA
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2020 - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today unveiled a one-
stop-shop of federal programs that can be used by rural communities, organizations and
individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource
Guide (PDF, 349 KB) is a first-of-its-kind resource for rural leaders looking for federal funding and
partnership opportunities to help address this pandemic.
"...USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities preparing for and impacted
by COVID-19," Perdue said. "This resource guide will help our rural leaders, whether they are in
agriculture, education, health care or any other leadership capacity, understand what federal
assistance is available for their communities during this unprecedented time."
USDA has taken many immediate actions to assist farmers, ranchers, producers, rural
communities, and rural-based businesses and organizations impacted by the COVID-19
pandemic. For more information on these actions, visit www.usda.gov/coronavirus.

FAITH-BASED SBA LOANS

from the Small Business Administration
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING PARTICIPATION OF FAITH-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP) AND THE
ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN PROGRAM (EIDL)
For those churches interested and needing to participate in the EIDL program to support their churches, here
is a link to the FAQ document provided by the SBA. To read the document, click here.

DEVOTIONS - Shrinking World

by Peggy Jeffries
My world has gotten smaller in increments. First it was: don't gather with more than 50 people.
Then: don't gather with more than 10. Then: don't gather with more than 6. Then: we're closing the
dining halls, so you'll have to carry-out. Then: don't leave campus. Then:
don't leave your house except to walk around outside. Then: we'll deliver
meals to you. Yesterday: just leave your trash outside your door, and we will
pick it up. I read an article today that said that New Zealand had just gone
cold turkey When they shut down, they shut everything down all at once. I
think that would have been easier. There for a while it was hard to keep track
of what we could and could not do. And there are the people still working,
and the clergy and teachers on a steep technology learning curve I don't need to tell you these are
difficult times we're living in.

I think about Mary and Joseph. They lived under Roman rule. They had to be careful what they
said and did. They could be ordered around by the Romans at a moment's notice. When told to go
to Bethlehem to be counted, Joseph would have had to shut down his carpenter shop for the
journey, so they would have no income. Then they ended up with an unplanned trip for a couple of
years in Egypt. (I know, I'm consolidating stories and myths, here, but stay with me.) Returning
 home, they probably had to move in with family until they could get back on their feet. It was a very
trying time, but those of us who've come after are so appreciative of the sacrifices they made.

Loving God, we are so grateful for the people who are helping us all to survive, or at least to go
peacefully. We thank you for the medical professionals on the front lines. We thank you for the
grocery, delivery, and restaurant workers helping us to stay fed. We thank you for the scientists,
who even now are rushing to find not only a cure, but a way to help us all through this. We know
that this will not last forever, but how different the world will be when it's over. And through it all, we
know that you are walking with us, and before us, and that you will lead and guide us in the rebuilding
when this is all over Be with those who grieve, with those who are ill, with those in fear, and with all
of us as we seek to continue to be the church in the world. Amen.

GC2020 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

by Scholarship Committee
The following people received scholarships, or applied for them, to attend General
Conference 2020. While we will not be meeting this year, it is important to honor
those people who were chosen and all who applied.

Those chosen and who have accepted:

Rev Nathan Jeffries - Illinois Great Rivers -North Central Jurisdiction- Clergy under 35
Pastor Agustin Jimenez - Desert Southwest - Western Jurisdiction - Local Pastor
Rev Joy Wigal - West Ohio - North Central Jurisdiction - Clergy
Pastor James Hannah - North Georgia - Southeastern Jurisdiction - Local Pastor
Rachel Price - North Carolina - Southeastern Jurisdiction - Seminary Student
Rev Maggie Sykes - West Ohio - North Central Jurisdiction - Pastor
Pastor Janita Krayniak - Mountain Sky - Western - Local Pastor
Carol Toney- N. Alabama-Southeastern Jurisdiction

Chosen but has not yet accepted:

Rukudzo Madziyire - Zimbabwe East Conference - Zimbabwe Episcopal Jurisdiction

Partial Scholarships @ $300 each:

Kennedy Mukwindidza - Great Plains - South Central - Pastor
Susan Mukwindidza - Great Plains - South Central - Laity

Other Awards not directly from UMRA (via GBGM Funds):

Rev Dr Rebecca Collison - Northeast Town and Country Scholarship

Pastor Ron Hartman - Western North Carolina Scholarship
Jackie Hartman - Western North Carolina Scholarship
Pastor Keith Edwards - Western North Carolina Scholarship
Rev Nathan Jeffries - North Central Town and Country Scholarship
Angela Kirtdoll - North Central Town and Country Scholarship
Rev Maggie Sykes - North Central Town and Country Scholarship
Rev Joy Wigal - North Central Town and Country Scholarship

Other applicants :
 Philemon Masari
Ji Eun O
Samuel Townsend
Justin Combs
Amos Davidson
Kevin Dembinski
Clay Holt
Jason Boggs
Priscilla Muzerengwa
Fambai Shasha

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

• RURAL MINISTRY CERTIFICATE is not sponsored by UMRA. This is an online program

through Southwestern College in Winfield, KS. There are currently two courses being
offered: Engaging the Bible in Rural Ministry and Practical Theology in Rural Communities.

• RURAL MINISTRY WEBINARS are not sponsored by UMRA. These are available until
May 2020 through Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. There are six webinars
posted and titled Backroads in Rural Ministry.

• LAY ACADEMY FOR RURAL CHURCH MINISTRY in affiliation with UMRA. Check out
larcm.org for ongoing and upcoming training opportunities.

NETworX INFORMATION
Submitted by Debbie S. Rice, Ph.D., MSW
Director of NETworX USA
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

PREACHING AND CALL TO MINISTRY CLASSES

by Carl Ellis, LARCM
The Lay Academy for Rural Church Ministries is offering online classes in preaching from Sunday,
April 26 through Sunday, May 3, 2020. The cost is $50 and registration deadline is April 24 Also,
Monday, April 27 through May 29 will be a class on exploring the call to ministry. The cost is $100.
For a brochure, click here. For an application please go to: https://larcm.org/apply-larcm

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:

United Methodist Rural Advocates Membership

2. Pay Membership Dues through PayPal

For more information or membership, contact:

Email: smgrlg51@yahoo.com

Sue Grace - Membership Secretary

2755 Independence Ct,
Grove City, OH 43123
740-707-2901

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 country 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.