Early on a Sunday morning in May, the main street in Dubois, Wyoming, is quiet and still. Nothing stirs but a breeze and the cold, clear Wind River as it flows along the edge of town. Sublime vistas rise in all directions -- sprawling valley ranchlands and red rock cliffs, and above all that, rugged snow-capped mountains.
It's a classic Western landscape, a vast open space that dwarfs the tiny town. All that's missing are tumbleweeds blowing across the road, bumping up to the historic buildings that have lined the road for more than a century.
But where U.S. 26 turns a hard right, heading south out of town, cars fill the small parking lot at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. A few dozen Dubois residents shake hands and greet each other warmly as they head into the 107-year-old log-cabin sanctuary for worship.
Led since 2013 by the Rev. Melinda Bobo, St. Thomas Episcopal Church is the faithful keeper of a long tradition of service and good works, one that has made it an essential part of not only the town's religious life but its community life as well.
St. Thomas may be small, but it has a very big impact on Dubois (pronounced DEW-boyz).
In an era when many traditional churches are becoming less visible in their communities, St. Thomas has for decades been a large presence in Dubois, mounting a broad array of outreach ministries and programs that would be the envy of churches 10 times its size. About 40 people attend the traditional Episcopal worship service on Sundays, but the church plays a vital role in many aspects of life in this town of about 1,000 people.
Read more about St. Thomas Church » |
| IDEAS THAT IMPACT: OUTREACH
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Many rural communities face decline. The church has a unique ability to stand in the hard realities and still preach hope, writes a rural pastor.
Read more from Allen Stanton » |
As both pastor and nonprofit executive director, the Rev. Faith Fowler is known for her outreach to the poor. Her latest effort: a village of tiny homes that will allow people to become stakeholders in their neighborhood and in their city.
Read more about Cass Community United Methodist Church »
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At Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Haw River, NC, numbers don't matter, as the small rural church becomes a model of a kind of community outreach that many larger churches can only dream of.
Read more about St. Andrew's Church »
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How Your Congregation Learns: The Learning Journey from Challenge to Achievement by Tim Shapiro
Change isn't always easy or intuitive. How Your Congregation Learns introduces churches and leaders-both lay and ordained-to the process of the learning journey. By understanding learning dynamics and working to become a learning community, the congregation will be able to move more purposefully to achieve its goals.
Congregations face many kinds of challenges. Some are mundane: the roof leaks; the parking lot needs repaving; the microphones don't work well. Some tests are transcendent: How should lives be honored? What is God calling the congregation to do and be? How can generosity be taught? Throughout life people face challenges for which they are not prepared-the death of a parent, a new job offer, making a decision about where to live. So it goes that congregational leaders face challenges that are just beyond the grasp of their abilities. This book addresses the just-beyond-the-grasp challenges and shows how real congregations can learn from them.
Learn more and order the book » |
ORDER HOW YOUR CONGREGATION LEARNS NOW & SAVE
Use promo code 4ALBWK617 when you order "How Your Congregation Learns" on the Rowman & Littlefield website or order by phone at 800-462-6420.
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| Offer expires July 31, 2017. Discount cannot be combined with other special offers. |
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