Small Church

Children dance in front of the stage at Booneville (Iowa) United Methodist Church’s annual music festival. What began as a small way for Booneville United Methodist Church to reach out to the community has blossomed into an annual event attracting hundreds. Photo by Courtney Levin, Iowa Conference.

Small church’s music festival draws big crowds

What began as a small way for Booneville United Methodist Church to reach out to the community has blossomed into an annual event attracting hundreds.

Local Church

The Rev. Mel West. Photo courtesy of the author.

A plan to re-church rural America

Acknowledging that something significant must happen to save his beloved United Methodist Church, a retired pastor traces the historical trajectory of the denomination.

Local Church

Corn is harvested from a field next to New Hope Bethel United Methodist Church outside Leipsic, Ohio, in 2010. Allen T. Stanton, author of “Reclaiming Rural: Building Thriving Rural Congregations,” suggests the church can be a leader in economic and community development. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Don’t count out small, rural churches

While the demise of small, rural churches sometimes seems irreversible as United Methodist faithful grow older, strategies are out there to revitalize these congregations by focusing on what their communities most need.

Local Church

Linda Dobbyn, a parishioner at Vincennes First United Methodist Church in Vincennes, Ind., uses a new service called Sermon by Phone to listen to a sermon by the Rev. Matt Swisher titled “Leading by Serving.” Photo by Richard Dobbyn.

Churches weigh options to reach seniors

In some small or rural churches, snail mail and telephones are still playing a big role in staying in touch with members of the congregation.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now