Some Hope
I am an "interim" pastor of a small congregation in Darke County (rural) Ohio. The town is about 2500 people, predominantly Roman Catholic. Trinity L.C. has worship attendance of 40 to 50 in the summer, and maybe 75 at Christmas and Easter. Ten years ago they were twice the size, and had an adequate income stream. They have some hope, but very little!
John from Trinity Lutheran Church in Versailles, Ohio

Highways and Byways
I have been called of God to be a rural missionary to the people who live around us. God has asked me to pray for a diverse group of people and to love and serve them, looking for open doors of the Holy Spirit to tell them about Christ. I know God will give me direction and everything needed for this work. Most of these people are the forgotten ones who have been isolated and who also have been in darkness for many years if not generations. They need the light of Jesus!
Patti from 25 Miles south of Shreveport, Louisiana

God Given Bread
Begun following an arson-related fire in our church, God Given Bread has provided those in need in our community with hot meals twice a week for about 15 years. We do receive some outside funding (none from the ELCA), but mostly it's our own members who contribute to it. We also have a food pantry. Our church basically functions in town as an emergency social service provider, while also being known as a church with ecumenically progressive ideas and interfaith connections. We are a rural church in an urban synod (Metro New York) and I'm an ex-urban pastor who finds many similarities between what I do now and what I used to do. The main difference is my congregations in Long Island and Queens were multi-racial. I still miss that.
Ed from Atonement Lutheran Church in Saugerties, New York