STaR Annual Meeting

The Rev. Peter W. Marty is the host of Grace Matters, the radio ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In addition to being host of Grace Matters, Peter is senior pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, a 3000-member congregation in Davenport, Iowa. Prior to his arrival in Davenport in 1996, he served an eight-year pastorate in Kansas City, Missouri, and a two year pastorate in River Forest, Illinois. Peter began his broadcast ministry as host of Grace Matters radio in February 2005.

The Rev. Ruben Duran
serves as director for New
Congregational Development in
the Evangelical Outreach and
Congregational Mission unit of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America. He is responsible for
promoting the development of
area strategies, local initiatives,
and emerging models for the
multiplication of new communities
of faith in the USA and the
Caribbean.

Tex Sample is coordinator of the
Network for the Study of U.S.
Lifestyles and now lives in
Goodyear, Arizona. He works as
a freelance lecturer, workshop
leader, and consultant with the
church and with community,
governmental, and business
organizations. For many years he
was the Robert B. and Kathleen
Rogers Professor of Church and
Society at the Saint Paul School of
Theology. He now holds the Rogers
Chair in Emeritus relationship.

Celebrating Rural Life
ELCA Small Town and Rural (STaR) Ministry Alliance Annual Meeting
June 13-16, 2007, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota

- Brochure for the event (PDF)
- Registration Form (PDF)

This annual gathering provides a place where participants hear, witness, and learn about concrete models of hope. Each workshop, presentation,
and exhibit contains tangible models of hope that you can use or adapt in your own ministry setting.
Participants include lay people, rostered, and ecumenical guests. You will have the opportunity to:
• Form community with others who live and minister in     small town and rural settings.
• Eat locally-grown food cooked with traditional    Minnesotan menus.
• Participate in worship that is both inspirational as well as contextual to the Upper Midwest.
• Listen and interact with speakers who are well-informed about
small town and rural issues.
• Enjoy some Sabbath time or play and pray with others.
At each gathering, participants learn about the ELCA Small Town and
Rural (STaR) Ministry Alliance, which is made up of individuals, congregations,
educational institutions, social agencies, and other ministries. Each
shares a commitment to proclaiming the gospel’s message in small town
and rural settings and lifting up these communities within the ELCA. This is
a membership organization that helps fund the annual gathering as well
as affinity groups.
During each gathering, existing affinity groups meet and new affinity
groups are formed. Participants in affinity groups have a strong interest
and passion for the same topic. The groups average six to eight people.
Devotions and prayer are central to the affinity group; each group has reflections and prayer assigned on a rotating basis. A strong “virtual community” develops among them, building lasting bonds of friendship. Each
group selects its own topic/issue to address, agenda, and timeline. A clear outcome of affinity groups is the enormous creativity unleashed by the coming together of people who feel safe in this virtual community.
Each group sets its own topic, agenda, and timeline. Affinity groups rarely meet face-to-face, relying on teleconferences instead. However, many affinity groups do meet at this gathering.

To register, you may go to www.elca.org/rural ministry or you may mail the completed registration form along with your check to:

        ELCA Rural Ministry Networking and Resourcing
        2930 East 13th Street
                                        Des Moines, IA 50316-1444

For more information contact:
Katie Tippins at 800-638-3522 ext. 6556 or
Katie.Tippins@elca.org
Registration forms and all fees must be postmarked by June 1, 2007.