Rural Ministry Series
February 5 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Join us for this Rural Ministries Series! Register at https://RuralMinistry26.eventbrite.com to join us for any or all days!
February 4 ~ Farm Stress with Rachel Van Boven
In this interactive workshop, participants will be introduced to the urgent issue of farm stress in our communities. There will be time to reflect individually and together on the unique support that faith communities can offer farmers and farmworkers. We will also provide practical information and resources for faith communities.
Farming can be isolating and stressful, and for many farmers and farmworkers, faith communities are woven into their lives as an important place of connection and belonging. In this interactive workshop, participants will be introduced to the urgent issue of farm stress in our communities. We will present on the unique stressors that farmers face, and the opportunity that faith communities have in supporting farmers in crisis. Throughout the presentation, there will be time to reflect individually and share as a group on the values and support that faith communities can offer. In addition to deeper reflection, we will provide practical resources for faith communities. This workshop was created by a small and diverse group of folks with backgrounds in farming, mental and public health, and seminary training and who currently work to support farmer mental well being.
Bio:
Rachel Van Boven comes from a long line of farmers and has worked with farmers across the US as a Farm Aid hotline operator since 2021. In addition, she works on the Farm Stress Faith Leader Initiative, an effort to invite faith leaders and communities into conversations about farm stress. After a career in teaching, she earned a Masters in Religion from Earlham School of Religion in 2021 and trained in both interfaith chaplaincy and farming. Her passion is food justice, and she considers farmer well-being to be integral to that work
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February 5 ~ Young Adult Friends Panel
Join us for a discussion and deep dive into rural ministry, led by a panel of young friends: Lucy Enge, Jackson Napier, and Thomas Rockwell.
Bio: Lucy Enge (she/her) is passionate about the intersection of politics, agriculture, and religion. She is currently wrapping up life in Richmond, Indiana, where she recently finished her Master of Arts in Peace and Social Transformation at Earlham School of Religion and has been leading Earlham College’s certified organic Miller Farm. She is a recorded minister and finds her calling sometimes in but mostly beyond the pulpit focused on service: doing good and walking with people—holding space for and moving toward a better world. She is a Wilmington College Board of Trustees member and is co-clerk of the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s Quaker Governance and Engagement Committee. Lucy is joining her partner Connor in Roanoke County, Virginia, and enjoys knitting, cooking, and gardening.
Bio: Jackson Napier is a Quaker (more info coming).
Bio: Tom Rockwell serves as the associate superintendent of Western Yearly Meeting and co-pastor at West Elkton (Ohio) Meeting. He is particularly interested in leadership development and organizational renewal. Tom lives with his wife, Jade (program director of Quaker Connect with Friends World Committee for Consultation), and daughter Agatha in Richmond, Indiana.
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February 11 ~ Biblical & Theological Resources for Rural Ministry with Andy Stanton-Henry
Andy leads a workshop exploring Biblical, theological, and Quaker themes in rural ministry.
Bio: Andy is a writer and Quaker minister living in East Tennessee. He is the co-director of the Quaker Leadership Center and co-pastor of Lakeway Quaker Meeting. Andy carries a concern for Quaker renewal and rural ministry leading him to publish Recovering Abundance: Twelve Practices for Small-Town Leadership.
