Centre for Rural Community Leadership and Ministry

Links to resources for faith-based rural ministry and community development

This page is being updated. Check regularly for new links or send in suggestions of your own to us. Let us know if you find a dead link (click here).

Rural Church Networks

Canadian Rural Church Network - Associated with the International Rural Church Association, this ecumenical network seeks to use the internet to link rural churches, sharing stories, affirming the Church's role at the heart of small communities, supporting each other and advocating on behalf of rural perspectives. Check out their newsletter!
Centre for Rural Mission. The United Kingdom's Rural Evangelism Network. It brings together the most experienced rural evangelists, researchers, writers and teachers on rural evangelism from across the Churches and mission agencies.
Faith-Based Regeneration Network. This is an inter-faith network in the UK that helps faith groups learn from each other as they try to help their rural communities regenerate.
Rural Shepherds Network. Particularly focuses on support for rural mission work.
Small Town and Rural (STaR) Ministry Alliance. This is part of the Rural Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It helps to rural churches to form clusters to communicate around a common issue. Also holds rural ministry conferences.

Rural Ministry Resource Portals

cameronharder.com. Dr. Harder has a publicly accessible and searchable database of rural resources, plus his own writing (downloadable) on line.
Rural Ministry Resources--Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Small Town and Rural (STaR) Alliance. Has links to a variety of resources, plus a video, photo-essay and some litanies for rural ministry on-line.

Rural Leadership Training

Center for Theology and Land. This is an American Center located in a Lutheran seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. It offers theological training for rural clergy and lay leaders as well as some worship and other ministry resources.
Queen's Theological College, Rural Ministry Program. This program in Kingston, Ontario offers several courses in rural culture and ministry for seminarians, rural clergy and lay leaders. Every two years they host the Alex Sim Rural Ministry Conference. In 2008 it is on “Transformation in the Rural Community and the Rural Church ” (Oct 27-29, Jackson's Point, ON)

Community Development Resources

Alberta Rural Developement Network (ARDN). The Alberta Rural Development Network uses the combined expertise of Alberta’s post-secondary institutions to support rural development in Alberta and help rural communities grow through learning.
Community Development Handbook and Facilitator's Guide from Human Resources Development Canada
Government of Alberta Community Development Officers and Resources
Interconnections: Sustaining Saskatchewan's Future. Saskatchewan Association for Rural Municipalities (SARM). This newsletter is the result of a joint effort of SUMA, SARM and the Municipal Capacity Development Program (MCDP). It provideds information on sustainable products and services, successful projects that have been implemented in other communities, upcoming workshops, as well as articles on various aspects of sustainability.
U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research. This centre helps connect rural communities with professors and students at Trent University in Ontario who can help them do research on their own community. It assists community organizations, businesses and municipalities in finding out the practical information they need to develop their social, cultural, economic and environmental well-being.

Rural Centres

The Arthur Rank Centre. This is a British Centre that draws an assortment of rural health, development and church related agencies under one roof. A wide range of on-line resources available! For example, check out their innovative suggestions for ways of using under-used rural church buildings to help the community .
Rural Development Institute, Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba. This prairie centre does research on rural issues.
Whitworth Institute for Rural Ministry - This new initiative out of Whitworth University in Spokane aims to provide basic information regarding grant and training opportunities, research findings, schedules for conferences, meetings and events and networking links with other people, organizations, and institutions engaged in rural ministry.

Worship Resources

National Catholic Rural Life Conference. Based in Des Moines, Iowa, the NCRLC offers a number of resources for rural churches, especially worship. Some of these can be ordered from them, others are available to download (see for example their "Rural Life Prayerbook").
Rural Ministries Worship Resources. Compled by the Rural Ministries Committee of the Interchurch Ministires of Nebraska (2.58 MB pdf file). This 138 page document contains extensive materials submitted by denominations and persons having an interest in rural celebrations and rituals.

Food

Augustana Faculty Food Colloquia. Abstracts and information about colloquia on the subject of food, faith and farming put on this year by the faculty of Augustana College in Camrose, AB
Canadian Foodgrains Bank - The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a Canadian-based Christian organization that helps provide food and development assistance to people in need, on behalf of its 15 Canadian church members. CFB ranks among the largest private food aid providers in the world.
FarmOn.com - FarmOn.com is a new site focused on under-35 producers and consumers. It connects producers to the information, resources and planning they need to sustain the family farm and consumers to the information they need to actively understand where their food comes from and how it is grown.
Food First - has books, articles, videos and other resources from around the world, looking at the the root causes of hunger and the way in which our global agricultural economy affects producers and consumers on the ground.

Ecology

"Eco-congregations" - a UK-based network of churches trying to "green" their buildings, finances, worship and communities. There are a variety of practical and theological resources.

Rural Culture and Economics

Caring for the Land. Has some very useful resources for the non-agriculture person who wants to find out more about agriculture. See especially "The Real Dirt on Farming" under the "Our Resources" section, and "Farm Lingo" under the "Our Facts" section.
Third World Farmer. This is a wonderful simulation game that helps users to identify the hazards third world farmers face, and to figure out some of the strategies needed to survive and thrive.

Ecumenics and Shared Ministries

Prairie Centre for Ecumenism. Located in Saskatoon, SK this centre has a large library of books on ecumenical and interfaith topics. They promote inter-church and interfaith dialogue and cooperation and offer a Summer Ecumenical Institute in June each year on a variety of topics. Good resources for rural churches that want to work together!

Rural History

West of the 2nd Homestead Records. Original documents and correspondence relating to homesteads west of the second meridian.

INTERNATIONAL RURAL NEWS

Centre for Rural Mission. The United Kingdom's Rural Evangelism Network. It brings together the most experienced rural evangelists, researchers, writers and teachers on rural evangelism from across the Churches and mission agencies.

Denominational Rural Fellowships

United Methodist Rural Fellowship. "To advocate, educate, inspire and influence the United Methodist Church (USA) around rural issues."