CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Celebrating Rural Life" is the theme of the first annual meeting of the Small Town and Rural (STaR) Ministry Alliance of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The meeting will bring together a variety of people who share common concerns related to small town and rural ministries.
The conference is June 24-26 at Newberry College, Newberry, S.C., one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities.
"The purpose of this conference is threefold: to celebrate rural life while acknowledging economic realities, provide educational opportunities, and offer an opportunity for 'affinity groups' to meet face-to-face for the first time," said Sandra A. LaBlanc, associate in ministry, director for rural ministry resources and networking, ELCA Division for Outreach. LaBlanc is based in Des Moines, Iowa.
"Affinity groups," have been formed around particular topics of interest in small town and rural ministry. The groups exist to share information and resources regularly.
The city of Newberry is an example of a small city success story, LaBlanc said. Conference participants will tour the city, see an orchid farm and learn about other aspects of rural life in South Carolina, she said.
About 55 percent of the ELCA's 10,776 congregations are in small town and rural settings, LaBlanc said. To serve this constituency better, the ELCA is developing the StaR Ministry Alliance, she said.
The preliminary agenda for the conference includes presentations by two plenary speakers. One is Tex Sample, coordinator of the Network for the Study of U.S. Lifestyles, a group of specialists devoted to the understanding of people in the United States. Sample is a published author, lecturer, workshop leader and consultant to the church and to community, governmental and business organizations.
Another conference speaker is Tena Willemsma, executive director of the Commission on Religion in Appalachia, a partnership of church denominations and community groups working to assist people in need in Appalachia. Willemsma recently completed a term as co-chair of the Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
A series of conference workshops is planned. Topics include multicultural ministry; rural economic development; faith development; moral deliberation; care for the care giver; health care and care giving; ministry in "multiple point" parishes; the "intersection" of agriculture, environment and economics; prison ministry; and congregational renewal in rural settings.
"The workshops offered will provide asset-based success stories in the small town and rural context," LaBlanc said.
Worship will feature a resource developed by the Evangelical Lutheran Coalition for Ministry in Appalachia which highlights worship in that area, she said. Liturgical decorations will feature highlights from Appalachian small town and rural settings.
Alliance members are individuals, congregations, agencies, colleges, seminaries, resource centers, camps and continuing education sites. Members sustain one another and their communities through prayer, action and education.
---
Information about the "Celebrating Rural Life," conference, including registration information, is at http://www.elca.org/outreach/star/annualmeeting.html on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
