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ENews # 9 -Spring 2021

Hi Rural Folks Across Canada!
This is our ninth monthly eNews, which shares more information of rural ministry initiatives across Canada, mostly in the United Church of Canada.

Welcome to our new subscribers.

Past eNewsletters are archived at www.UCRMN.ca

Have a rural story you would like to share? You are welcome to submit your story to Connor at editor@UCRMN.ca. Please try to keep articles 300 to 500 words.

You may notice that articles in this edition of the ENews are a little shorter than usual. That's on purpose! In an effort to keep things shorter and to the point, we will now be sharing snippets of articles and stories in our newsletter but hosting the full versions on our website at ucrmn.ca. Please let us know what you think of the change by emailing info@ucrmn.ca.

Rural Grassroots Team - Regina and Area
 
A team of committed rural United Church folks from around Regina are meeting to consider creative ideas for the future of rural ministry in small communities (population 50-2000) in their geographic area. This project was supported in 2020 through Edge and Embracing the Spirit, and grew out of a 2019 project of rural and urban Regina Communities of Faith and Community Ministries. 
 
The 2020 Rural Grassroots Team was made up of lay persons, licensed lay worship leaders, retired designated lay ministers, an ordained minister, and a church musician, with some (very) part-time staffing from Catherine Barnsley. This work continues in 2021 with an active volunteer team and (very) part-time staffing from Vicki Nelson. In the midst of the pandemic, our 2020 outcomes included: Building Team, Keeping Energy Going, and Building CapacityContinuing to Network using the 2019 Created Mailing ListConnecting with Other Rural Projects Across CanadaCollating a List of Creative Rural Options, and Research with the Rural Communities of Faith in this geographic area. For further info on the 2020 work, contact  catherine.barnsley@sasktel.net.
 
2021 continues with exploring possibilities for the future:  What do we now know about ministry needs and possibilities in year 2 of the pandemic?  Where do we go from here?  Contacts for this project are: Vicki Nelson, Donna Rumpel, and Judy Beck.
Connecting with Regions across Canada

Rural ministry used to have a specific desk at GCO, but no longer does.  In the changing structure the United Church Rural Ministry Network was developed to connect rural communities of faith and ministers, and share stories, encouragement and ideas with each other.
 
UCRMN wants to make intentional connections with each Regional Council, so that we are featured on their Clusters and Networks page as a helpful Network for the support of rural communities from coast to coast.  To all our readers, please make sure your Regional Council knows about UCRMN by sending this newsletter to them.  Many thanks.
 
Seasoned writer Joyce Sasse publishes new book, "Gleanings from a Prairie Pastor"
 
“Gleanings from a Prairie Pastor” is an e-book collection of rural community memories and writings penned by Joyce Sasse. Through storytelling, the publication reflects on the deep spiritual hunger and rich cultural heritage of our rural communities. Hot off the press, this e-book is available through CiRCLE M, an organization dedicated to rural ministry leadership development.
 
Joyce Sasse, who currently lives in Pincher Creek, Alberta, is a retired minister in the United Church of Canada.
 
After being invited by St. Andrew’s (Theological) College in Saskatchewan to receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree, Sasse admits she had a bit of a giggle.  “After all,” Sasse says, “with me being an 80-year-old spinster, I reckon that the time spent between receiving news of the degree in October 2020 and participating in a virtual convocation in May 2021 is like a nine-month pregnancy. With the actual delivery being this “Gleanings …” eBook!”
 
You can read more about Joyce's new book on the UCRMN website or download it by visiting the Circle-M website.

Ecclesiastes and Old Time Radio: by an Old Time Radio Enthusiast

By: Rev. Martin Dawson (retired and living in Cornwall PEI)

Recently, Prince Edward Island celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first international radio broadcast on the island. Yes, on March 11, 1921, Keith Rogers set up some rather strange looking equipment, and a group of enthusiasts eventually picked up a broadcast from Schenectady New York. From this early beginning, came station CFCY in Charlottetown that continues to this day.

By now you are probably asking how this historical fact might have influence on our rural churches today. Let us at least recall Ecclesiastes 1:9 “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”  With this in mind, let me paint you a brief picture of this period in history. The “Spanish Flu”, as it was called back then, had just subsided, and the 1920s were about to receive the technical advantages that were developed during World War I. Up until the war, the telegraph was used with its wired connections; however, Marconi’s experiment with wirelessly sending signals was being developed. If you recall, the Titanic had a wireless transmitter and receiver on board, that was able to send out “SOS” distress signals. This Morse Code message was even received here on PEI. However, the Great War had advanced communication to the point that after the war, human voices and music were able to be transmitted and received. Now, the general public had a new “miracle” advancement to start a new decade. By 1924, VOWR in St. John’s Newfoundland was broadcasting church services over their station, at what is now Wesley United Church.

To continue reading this article please visit the UCRMN website.

Affirming Leaders Day!

An online faith-based development & connection day
for allied and LGBTQ2S+ folks. ALL are welcome.


Featuring:
  •  Keynote by civil rights activist Rev. James Lawson!
  • Queer singer/songwriter Semler!
  • Scholar, author and pop culture critic Anthony Oliveira!
  • Engineer, volunteer and activist Heather Campbell!
Details:
  • Saturday, May 22, 2021, 10am-4:30pm MDT via Zoom Webinar
  • Tickets: $15-$30. Every ticket type gives you access to ALL of the sessions.
  • Use promo code UCRMN for $5 off every ticket type!
More information can be found at affirmingconnections.com

                                    

    Want to do your own Online Workshop?

               
** You supply the topic and the leadership
** UCRMN will supply the logistics, such as; advertising in our monthly ENews, Registration, Zoom platform and all the administration needed for a successful workshop.

 
    Email Connor at office@UCRMN.ca to talk about possibilities.


        Why a cost for the workshops?

UCRMN has been granted $5,000 from United Church of Canada Foundation to set up the Network. One of the goals is to make UCRMN self sufficient. The token costs will help with accountability. We are not expecting the $10 cost to cover actual expenses.


We are open to any ideas how we can make UCRMN self sufficient: Please Email info@UCRMN.ca with suggestions.

So Long For Now!
We hope you enjoyed this "work in process".
Any suggestions are most welcomed. Email editor@UCRMN.ca

Please forward this email to your Rural Ministry Colleagues and encourage them to subscribe from our webpage at www.UCRMN.ca


Who is UCRMN?
We are a Volunteer Network that is collecting and posting Rural Ministries initiatives in the United Church - across Canada - in one place;
www.UCRMN.ca


If you have an interest in finding out more, or to volunteer as a Board Member or in some other way, please email us at info@UCRMN.ca

Blessings on your ministry!    
Catherine, Eric, Donna, Felicia and Shelley
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