wfn.org | Rural Church Network shares hope, despair of farmers

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Oct. 27, 1999	News media contact: Joretta Purdue·(202)546-8722·Washington
10-24-71B{570}

NOTE: The Rev. J. Brien McGarvey's name is spelled correctly.

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - Few people know the trauma occurring in U.S. farming
communities better than the members of the ecumenical Rural Church Network
of the United States and Canada.

As long as U.S. agricultural policy is written for tax-loss farming, family
farmers cannot win, said the Rev. J. Brien McGarvey, pastor of
Nashport-Irville United Methodist Church in Nashport, Ohio.

McGarvey and other network members shared their concerns during an Oct.
22-24 meeting. Discussions focused on how to minister to people who are
suffering because they have lost control of their lives, and on the need to
awaken urban and suburban church members to their connection with food
production.

Some participants joined McGarvey in raising concerns about agricultural
policy.
U.S. policy is being driven by factors outside the United States, said the
Rev. Harold McSwain, retired United Methodist clergyman and educator. The
Rev. John Young of the United Church of Canada noted that production quotas
in his country have become a tradable commodity with a value often equal to
that of the whole farm.

Rural Church Network members met with officials of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture for one day during the gathering. The members also shared their
own research, experiences and resources across denominational lines. The
loosely organized group of educators, clergy and sociologists includes
United Methodists, Catholics, Evangelicals, Presbyterians, Lutherans,
Baptists and others.

The network is making preparations for a consultation on theological
education for rural ministry. The event will bring together representatives
of about two dozen seminaries and people involved in ministering to
agricultural communities. It will be held in December in cooperation with
the Association of Theological Schools.

While discussing the consultation, network members said they hoped that
seminaries could better prepare their graduates for rural ministry. They'd
also like to see the seminaries create their own network for exchanging
ideas and resources for rural ministry education.

In other business, the Rural Church Network voted to give $500 to McGarvey
to help maintain the computer-based electronic bulletin board and World Wide
Web site that serve several rural ministry organizations. Those groups
include the United Methodist Rural Fellowship and the Rural Chaplains
Association. The Rural Church Network was added to the list this year.

Gladys Campbell, a staff member of the United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries, presided at the meeting. The network's next meeting was
scheduled for mid-March in Dubuque, Iowa, following a related conference.
Exact dates will be decided as the program is developed.

More information on rural life and ministry is available at
http://www.ruralchurch.org.   

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United Methodist News Service
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