What does it mean for a rural congregation to thrive—not simply survive?

As part of our ongoing Rethinking Rural Ministry conversation, pastors, deacons, SAMs, and lay leaders from across the Northwestern Minnesota Synod are invited to read Reclaiming Rural: Building Thriving Rural Congregations by Allen T. Stanton and join us for a conversation on Zoom.

In Reclaiming Rural, Stanton challenges some of the common narratives about decline in rural communities and congregations and invites us to recognize the assets, relationships, and possibilities already present in rural places.

And good news—it’s a quick read! The book is just six chapters and 135 pages long.

Get the Book

Check out a copy from your local library or purchase a new or used copy online.
Purchase on Amazon

Read the book before December 1 and then bring your lunch, your questions, and your own experiences of rural ministry as we gather on Zoom to talk about what stood out, what challenged us, and what possibilities the book might open up for our own congregations and communities.

You don’t need to be an expert on rural ministry—or agree with everything in the book! Come ready to learn from the book and from one another.