Rural Churches

	Learn about the Duke program, called "Thriving Rural Communities," designed to address rural church challenges.
	General Board of Discipleship "Small Membership Church" resource page. Features various material of interest including information on Certified Lay Minister resource, the Rural Witness Team, calendar of events, witness and outreach ideas, and more.
Duke Endowment Rural Church Division	Duke Endowment Rural Church Division is a private foundation offering grants to rural United Methodist churches in North Carolina. While many grants are awarded for capital projects such as sanctuaries and fellowship halls, recent years have seen the Endowment award an increasing number of grants for programs that help rural churches conduct ministries that meet the changing needs of modern communities. Fifty churches in our district qualify as churches eligible for this assistance! This link shows the list of eligible churches, links to forms and information.
	Resources and ideas for creating a big impact in small ways.
	Click on the logo to the left for an Action Guide intended for use by local church and district leaders, lay and clergy together, in finding the next steps they may take toward renewal and revitalization. It is designed to lead participants in “worshipful work,” as worship, prayer and other spiritual formation disciplines accompany study, reflection, discussion and planning precede work. Click here for more information on: the UM Town & Country Ministries initiative. Click here for power-point introduction to initiative Power-Point Power-Point Script
The Small Membership Church: A Mustard Seed, not an Acorn	A fellowship (working network) that advocates, educates, inspires, and affirms rural and small membership churches, rural communities and the entire United Methodist Church.An advocacy group of United Methodist laity and clergy who are concerned with United Methodism’s responsibility within the Church Universal toward nurturing Christian concerns in town and rural churches and communities.
	Book - Worship in Small Membership Churches. Just because your congregation is small doesn't limit your worship style. The authors write in detail about best practices and worship tools that can bring out the best in small congregations. Includes planning for the liturgical year, altar settings, hospitality, children's sermons, ushering, serving communion, and the choir.