Clergy from the North Carolina and Western North Carolina Conferences recently attended the Convocation on the Rural Church, sponsored by Duke Divinity School, Thriving Rural Communities, and The Duke Endowment. The event provided an opportunity for pastors serving in rural contexts to come together and discuss the issues impacting the rural church and how those issues are transforming rural churches and communities.
The 2023 theme was “Gathering With Hope,” and this year’s gathering marked the first Convocation on the Rural Church since 2019. Opening and closing worship services with communion bookended the event, with plenary sessions and a variety of workshops available for participants.
For more on Convocation, read the EducationNC article “Duke’s Convocation on the Rural Church Emphasizes Need for ‘Gathering With Hope'”→