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Churches rebuilding rural America
By Lisa Hart

We came from rural communities in Wyoming and Maine, from Florida and California. We met to listen, to speak out, to worship together, and to learn and share information about rural America. And we went home to share the stories.
Rebuilding Rural America Conference, February 27 to 29, explored some of the issues facing rural churches, and discussed ways to strengthen and support them.

Where is rural America and who lives there?
Rural areas across the country share many factors, even though they include agricultural areas, mining communities, areas with hobby farms, seasonal recreational areas, and bedroom communities.

What problems do they face?
They are affected by our changing global economy where crops can be raised and goods can be manufactured cheaply in other countries. They are isolated from urban areas by geographical distance, and by huge differences in culture, economy, health care, and available resources.
Some issues include policies that support urban and suburban areas and corporate farms, and an increasing use of the land for recreation.
Their local tax base doesn’t adequately support education and they lack available, affordable health care. Their youth see no future in remaining in their community.
These issues have led to increasing domestic violence, increasing drug crimes and, most of all, to an increasing lack of hope.
Churches in rural areas of the U.S. are caught in the problems of the community in which they try to survive. As the populations and economies of the community decline, fewer churches are able to support full-time ordained pastors. Many long-time members are forced to leave the community looking for work. A changing population in the community brings distrust and suspicion that even infiltrates the atmosphere in the church.

Where does the church fit in?
So, what can be done? What are the solutions to the issues in rural America? Solutions may lie in increased involvement in local and national governments; in increasing awareness in the population as a whole; in training for farmers and others forced out of their life-long vocations.
Rural churches may be helped by training lay people for increased leadership within their church; and by using technology, such as computer communication, to decrease the sense of isolation rural pastors feel.
Perhaps most of all, the church is called to address the issue of hopelessness. The church can:

Be There when farmland is divided;
Be There when families are divided by a search for a better economy;
Be There for those who feel isolated;
Be There in the midst of disputes between land-owners and immigrant workers; and
Be There to stand for proper stewardship of land and water.

The church can and should promote education on these issues and involvement in setting government policies. Now more than ever, the church, in every community, is called to Be There to continue to provide the message of God’s hope, love and compassion to all the people.

Lisa Hart is the minister at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Green River, Wyoming.

Published - June 2004 - Rocky Mountain Conference News, United Church News