Do you want an intro text to the conference itself, as we had last year?
40th Annual Rural Ministry Conference
Engaging and Ministry with Cultural Traditionalists
THIS EVENT IS CO-SPONSORED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
We live in a deeply divided society with divisions along political, social, cultural, urban/rural lines. This conference will be helpful for pastors who see these divisions in their communities and congregations and are looking for ways to minister to all people.
Our keynote Speaker Tex Sample will explore this division by looking at a key demographic, cultural traditionalists. Cultural traditionalists are the largest demographic in rural America and one of the largest in the country. This demographic is not limited by age, gender, or denomination –who knows- you may be a cultural traditionalist.
The presentations of Tex Sample will provide a description of this important group and offer suggestions for working with cultural traditionalists. These presentations are valuable not only for small town and rural congregations but will provide a greater understanding of this demographic found in many, if not most, congregations.
The Rev. Dr. Tex Sample brings years of ministry experience, teaching and research to this topic. His most recent books include A Christian Justice for the Common Good, and Working Class Rage: A Field Guide to White Anger and Pain. Tex Sample has participated throughout his career in both the church and the community, with a focus on social, racial, gender, and economic justice issues, community organizing, and interfaith movements. He has been one of the best received presenters at the Rural Ministry Conference. See his tab for more information.
The 40th Rural Ministry Conference was held via Zoom on Monday, March 8, 2021. View the schedule tab below to see video recordings of the sessions.
Melanie Mullen – Rev. Melanie Mullen serves as Episcopal Church’s Director of Reconciliation, Justice & Creation Care – charged with bringing the Jesus Movement to the concerns of the world. Prior to joining the Presiding Bishop’s staff she was the Downtown Missioner at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, leading a historic southern congregation’s missional, civic, and reconciliation ministries.
Matt Russell – Matt Russell is the executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light. His entire career has been advocating for social justice—the first 11 years training for and working in ministry and then 16 years doing secular work focused primarily on economic and environmental sustainability. Since April 2018 he’s been leaning into both aspects of his career to lead Iowa IPL. He studied for priesthood with the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines, earned an M.S. in Rural Sociology from Iowa State University, worked at the Drake University Agricultural Law Center focusing on agriculture and rural development, and served on the USDA Iowa Farm Service Agency State Committee. Matt is a fifth generation Iowa farmer. He and his husband Patrick Standley operate Coyote Run Farm near Lacona, Iowa. They raise fresh produce, heirloom tomato plants, and grass-finished beef.
Craig Nessan – Dr. Craig L. Nessan is William D. Streng Professor for the Education and Renewal of the Church, Academic Dean, and Professor of Contextual Theology and Ethics at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Dr. Nessan has served eleven years as a parish pastor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He holds degrees from Michigan State University, Wartburg Theological Seminary, and the University of Munich. He serves as Co-Editor of the online journal, Currents in Theology and Mission (
Jeff Schlesinger – Reverend Schlesinger has served as a pastor in the ELCA for 24 years serving in small town and rural settings in Wisconsin and Illinois. He currently serves Heart of Illinois Lutheran Parish which is made up of Immanuel Lutheran that sits in the midst of the cornfields and windmills south of Compton, IL and what he lovingly refers to as his “urban” church, First Lutheran, which lies in the center of Lee, IL (population 200 – the town, not the church). Schlesinger earned an MDiv from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN in 1998 and a ThM from Lutheran School of Theology Chicago in 2012. As he enters his final decade of active ministry, he has established two mission goals for himself: to help the Church integrate the well being of Creation in its life and mission, and to help the Church envision and create new shared ministry models that will serve the changing church into the future.
Irene Demaris – Irene has spent her career working in faith-based non-profits. She has a passion for working with people as they take their faith and act on social justice issues. As Iowa Interfaith Power & Light’s acting executive direct, Irene facilitates their Faith Farms & Climate program where they bring together groups of farmers and rural clergy to talk about how their vocation leads them to take climate action.
DeWayne Teig – Pastor DeWayne Teig serves part-time as Instructor in the Pastoral Arts & Advisor for TEEM at Wartburg Theological Seminary and has been rostered in the Lutheran church for over 34 years. His vocational journey has included serving in the roles of youth minister, Lutheran camp director, interim campus minister, parish pastor, and seminary staff. Navigating these various vocational transitions has taught him a little something about loss, resilience, and renewal. His most recent J-term course offering – Resilience & Renewal for Pastoral/Diaconal Leadership: Developing Positive Practices for Holistic Ministry – reflects some of his current interest and research in emotional intelligence, trauma stewardship, ambiguous loss, and resilience.