Gift of Vision

Are We Rural or Urban?

“Jeff’s opinion as to why rural emerging churches aren’t at the forefront of the conversation is because “churches in smaller areas are engaging their communities in ways other than plugging into the local arts hotspots,” and therefore, they “aren’t getting the same recognition or coverage.”" A rural emerger in Ohio, Emerging Rural.

The good folk at Emerging Rural [not a slam on rural people, i meant "folk" in a friendly people kinda way, not a Dukes-of-Hazzard yee-haa cousin-marrying mullet-wearing kinda way . . . God forbid that I allow negative stereotypes on this blog!] were thinking I might start up something like this but then I am still figuring out if I am rural or urban.

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Most places in which I am involved around the world with our mission are urban settings. Some very urban. But I live in the Orkney Islands with a population of only 20,000 and therefore rural, I suppose.

Sometimes I feel quite rural . . .

. . . like when i be effective a nice leisurely walk along the sea cliffs.

But there are other moments . . . like yesterday . . .

Traditional irish dinner

. . . when a busker sang outside our rented flat above the post office, . . . when I parked the car a gazillion miles away because there is no parking WHATSOEVER, . . . when i risked my life by stepping foot outside our front door onto the MAIN FRIGGIN’ ROAD OF STROMNESS! . . . at times like these I feel quite . . . well . . urban. Maybe not big-city urban but certainly not cul-de-sac suburban. People in the suburbs have garages for their cars. So do rural people. What the heck are we?

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And as for arts hotspots, the award winning Pier Arts Centre is right across the road and there are 3 pubs within stone’s throw. One of those pubs is only 2 doors down from us and sometimes when it closes, we end up with other kinds of buskers in the middle of the night, singing loudly outside our window, although no one would ever pay to hear them sing.

Still, Jeff’s question is a good one and I hope rural emergers will stay connected to their excellent blog, Emerging Rural.

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