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CANADIAN RURAL CHURCH NETWORK
Index2nd Newsletter of the CRCN
News Up-Dates
Rural Ministry (life and faith)
Worship Resources
Other Helpful Resources Looking for Ideas (Responses to this question will be summarized and posted in succeeding newsletters) Question: How can the CRCN help me? As a rural pastor I already have demands on my time and energy that are much bigger than I can handle. Send your response by clicking on this link Canadian Rural Church Network. Response to Question From Last Newsletter: In response to the question about minister serving part-time, Rev. Bob Jackson writes - I served a pastoral charge on a half-time basis for over four years and it worked on very well because we followed the following principles: News Future TopicsRural Ministry (life & faith) De-Shaming Rural Bankruptcy As a rural pastor, Cameron Harder became acutely aware of the intense pain carried by individuals and communities when people faced bankruptcy. He also realized he had few tools to help congregations deal with the significant spiritual, theological, pastoral and sociological issues involved. This became the research topic for his doctoral studies. Through lectures and written articles, Dr. Harder now gives sound analysis of the ways the Church has failed and the ways it can bring healing and hope to those facing times of crisis. When summarizing the interviews he conducted for his research, Dr. Harder speaks passionately about the pain these individuals and their families face. Feelings of hopelessness, depression, anger and shame become unbearable. Many say they feel as if they have been abandoned by God, and they withdraw into themselves. Family breakups often happen. He also talks about the parallel feelings that go on within the community. Lenders are sometimes violently confronted by angry clients. Neighbours feel guilty as they "pick up the leftovers, and get bigger". Community disintegration is thought to be brought one step closer. In these communities, instead of this being a time when the church could offer a caring, supportive and prophetic ministry, pastors usually feel ill-equipped to give leadership. Upon closer examination, Harder realized certain teachings of the church may have even made the problem worse. Biblical and theological teachings having to do with shame-and-honour, scapegoating and sacrifice need to be more closely examined. For example, in Proverbs 13, are the poor people poor because of their poor morals? Or because of injustice? Are the Old Testament implications about having "right relationship with God" directed at individuals? Or are they used to suggest the community (Israel) needs to correct its ways? What about "scapegoating"? Our blame-the-victim attitude harkens back to Leviticus 16:20-22. But Harder points out that "Israel's scapegoat was not a person." He says, "an animal was chosen precisely because God knew our tendency to focus blame on one of the community members." The sins of the people "were not ignored, but were confessed, after which the priest offered God's forgiveness." The goat was then sent into the wilderness. All the sins were taken away, and the people were free to begin again. In the Gospels we are invited to look at sacrifice from the experience of the victim. "The High Priest said "It's better that one man die than that the whole world perish." He felt Jesus was dangerous and disposable. So Jesus was executed. But "through the eyes of the crucified One we see a temple system sucking money out of the poor... And we see religious leaders who are more concerned with their own piety than with the needs of the people". Now, with the resurrection of Christ, it becomes apparent that "the system that condemned him was deeply and completely in the wrong". The inequities of the system are exposed. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, "God puts an end to sacrifice". Harder continues, "Through the experience of the Divine victim we come to recognize the sin at the heart of our society." Neither shame, nor scape-goating, nor offering of sacrifice "can protect the community from destructive powers". Members of caring communities recognize God has not abandoned them, but stands by them in these dark times. Instead of isolating themselves or others, individuals realize their strength lies in coming together with the expectation that God will help them find ways to lay the groundwork for a more positive future. (Reference: "Overcoming Cultural and Spiritual Obstacles to Rural Revitalization", chapter written by Dr. Cameron Harder in Writing off the Rural West, University of Alberta Press.) Tools to Enable a Ministry of Healing (Dr. Cameron Harder, from Luther Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, suggests positive ways the church can work with individuals and communities facing economic crisis.) Rural communities that work to develop the will, leadership, vision, information-gathering systems and communication patterns necessary to work co-operatively should be able to re-invent themselves when the need arises. Churches can serve a key role in this regard. "They offer a ready-made network for care that is well respected, and a ministry that is still desired in most rural communities." When crisis is suspected, pastors can watch for subtle signs of stress, and "are perhaps the only helping professionals that have permission to visit a home without invitation." There, they can offer support or suggest counseling resources without raising the eyebrows of neighbours who notice their car parked in the yard. Within the context of the local congregation, unrepayable help can be given to "family members" because it is "the sort of thing one does for family" in extenuating circumstances. Churches can offer workshops for people wishing to develop their listening and care-giving skills, or for those who simply want to "be there" for others (e.g. stand with people at court). These activities publicly "call into question the practice of isolating those have broken the 'honour code'". In Public Worship, "laments and prayers can give voice and legitimacy to the anguish felt by (people) in the community". Litanies "can help to de-sacrilize our economic structures by presenting them as human constructs" that may need to be changed. "Banners, stained glass, art and sculpture, and children's worship projects, can become vehicles for the expression of symbols of suffering, protest and hope that are drawn out of the lived experience of rural families." Worship rituals can point toward "new ways of conceiving human life and (seeking after) alternate assumptions... that can energize a congregation toward change." They let the sufferer know that "what she or he is going through matters to the community". As perceived "guardians of morality", churches can accept the responsibility of talking about de-shaming financial crisis. What does the Gospel say about whether or not a person's worth is earned by their successes or failures? And whether or not their worth is determined by community judgment? The Good News proclaimed is that a person's true value has nothing to do with the well-being of their home nor their business. Examples of table fellowship in the Gospels give us a glimpse into how the disciples were instructed. In a society where one's worth in the community was assessed by who one ate with, Jesus chose to eat frequently in the homes of Pharisees, 'sinners', and 'outsiders'. "No one was excluded on the basis of social performance." Jesus also washed the feet of the guests, traditionally eliminating the distinctions of honour and rank. People who try to live in a Christ-like manner are also encouraged to think about how their actions can help communities expose unjust practices and strive to find constructive options. Ultimately, according to the biblical witness, God raised one-perceived-to-be-a-loser from the dead, "declaring him to be The Righteous One". Finally, "churches can be catalysts for change in rural communities by generating shame-reducing and alternative-producing conversation". Support groups can be established giving people "a place where they can voice their pain and frustration... share survival strategies, and gain courage to speak out" in larger discussions. Forums, inviting "lenders, input dealers, farmers, health care workers, etc to share their stories" about how the agricultural economy and rural depopulation has affected them, can be helpful. As participants present the facts which they have gathered, it may "become clear that the facts are not equally valued by all". This can lead to discussions about what is "best" for the community. Ultimate discussions about the deeper values of human life can result in people with widely divergent views "struggling together to form a common vision, and an active plan, for the community's future". When hidden assets within the community are developed, new insights help people find ways to generate positive social structures. (The above summary written by Joyce Sasse, Feb 2, 2006) Worship Resources (When tragedy happens in a small community people talk. There are lots of rumours, but seldom is permission given to discuss these issues, especially within the Faith Community. At Church on the morning following a tragedy in one small community, the opening prayer named the tragedy, and suggested ways the congregation could respond; and a copy of the prayer was given to the family involved by way of reminding them they had a place in the on-going life of the church.) "Tragedy has come into the midst of our community this week, O God, and we have difficulty knowing what to think, what to say, what to do.
We pray for wisdom and guidance. We pray that, as a Faith Community, we can reach out to each other in ways that show Christ-like caring. These things we pray in Jesus' name. Amen." At the Time of Moses Death (The following passage, from Eli Weisel's Messengers of God, speaks so eloquently about the graciousness of a loving God. Remembering that Moses was not to be allowed into the Promised Land because of his past misdemeanors, the following story suggests what may have happened as he and the Children of Israel stood on the east bank of the Jordan River.) "Moses spent his last hour blessing Israel's tribes. He began blessing them one by one, but time was running out and so he included them all in one benediction. "Then, escorted by the priest Eleazar... he began to climb Mount Nebo. Slowly he entered the cloud waiting for him. He took one step forward and turned around to look at the people following him with their gaze. He took another step forward and turned around to look at the men, the women and the children who were staying behind. Tears welled up into his eyes; he no longer could see anyone. "When he reached the top of the mountain, he halted. You have one more minute, God warned him so as not to deprive him of his right to death. And Moses lay down. And God said: Close your eyes. And Moses closed his eyes. And God said: Fold your arms across your chest. And Moses folded his arms across his chest. Then, silently. God kissed his lips. And the soul of Moses found shelter in Godīs breath and was swept into eternity... " (The above notes written / gathered by Joyce Sasse, Feb 2, 2006)
Other Helpful Resources Danish Folk School Movement Nicolaj Frederik Grundtvig (1783-1872) was a Danish clergyman who had some original ideas about Church, community and education. Note some of the following: Church At the time, the Christian Church was shaken by controversy over the source of its truth: was revelation to be found primarily in the Bible, in reason, in personal experience, or in tradition? Grundtvig's answer was uniquely, but solidly grounded in his reading of the fathers of the early church. Christian faith, he said, is not grounded in "dead books", rules, or habits; nor in the vagaries of individual emotion or thought. Rather, the basis of Christian faith is to be found constantly renewed in the "living word" of song, speech and prayer, every time the Christian community gathers, and especially at baptism and communion. Christianity must be brought to life in the gathering of its people. Community Grundtvig stressed the importance of community in secular life. He was deeply involved in the rural co-operative movement, and urged the Danish people to search for and build their character on a shared sense of their history. But he was no narrow nationalist: he argues that people with a sure sense of their shared past could more effectively build community among themselves and with the rest of the world. Learning For Life Grudtvig is known as the father of the Folk School Movement: his leadership was born out of a deep conviction that education should be "for life", not against it; should be a living process, not dry academics or dull recitation; and should involve the whole person. In the schools he envisioned students and teachers would live together for periods of time, exploring together issues and ideas that mattered to their lives. In these schools, singing and celebration and the arts would have a central place. More technical or academic subjects would be approached in the spirit of life, instead of reducing life to technical formulae and qualifications. Here are some pointers for rural community revitalization today that stem directly from Grundvig's vision: - It is easy to become discouraged about the lack of control that rural communities have over the forces that shape and sometimes dismember them. Grundtvig would encourage us to focus on the signs of life in a community, wherever they may be found, and always to foster that life. - The best way to foster community life is to bring people together in ways that lend themselves to what might be called the "living word" - the voices of people speaking their life experience. - Community life is fostered by regular occasions for celebration in which all members have a place, a role and a voice. - We should focus more on sources of vitality in community organizing and less on identifying sources of authority. The cult of expertise needs to be replaced by an encouragement of and love for practical learning. - Practical learning needs to be seen as learning which enables us, at any moment, to live a "plain and active, joyful life on earth"... not as learning which merely equips us to compete against and put others down. What we need above all is to re-learn ways of finding and communicating our deepest concerns, our relations to others, and the history of their development. Community is not so much formed by organizational charts as something told-into-being through our stories. For Grundtvig, and also for us, life and voice must go together. (Notes from Dr. William Ramp, Rural Sociologist, University of Lethbridge) The Benedictine Vision In the Fifth Century, when the Roman Empire crumbled, the Monastic Movement salvaged a dying European Content from decay and misuse. With no order, all systems deteriorated, lawlessness prevailed, the land remained untilled, and people starved. However, because monasteries were designed to be communal, stable and self-supporting, life within their walls carried on in several locations across the land. "Where the monasteries were", Joan Chittister writes, "is where they had to make a living for the communities that grew" around them. The brothers and sisters made the best of whatever land and circumstance they inherited. Followers of the Rule of Benedict were required to practice five qualities: praise, humility, stewardship, manual labour and community. With this attitude of prayer and praise, these people found ways to reclaim and enhance their land, and make it productive and sustainable. As a result, the monasteries repeatedly "became the local industry and social axis around which whole societies developed." Monks received what was necessary, provided refuge for poor pilgrims, and hoarded nothing. Chittister suggests we might "be able to save civilization once more" if we were to live again in the context of the monastic vision. She concludes, "We will see all of life as good and refuse to dominate and diminish it. We will have the humility to know our place in the universe and respect, reclaim and revive the life around us. We will see ourselves as the stewards of the planet, not its owners, and will pass it on to the next generation undamaged. We will work to shape a world full of beauty, full of possibility. We will build a human community in such a way that there are no such things as 'undeveloped' peoples... To the Glory of God!" (from In the Heart of the Temple, published by Novalis) (The above notes written / gathered by Joyce Sasse, Feb 2, 2006) Links www.agri-ville.com/spiritualvignettes Joyce Sasse's writing's as a rural theologian and pastor, and her collection of writings from October 1999, can be found on this agricultural web site. |
