May 6, 2026 Midweek News
Hello church,
Last week I gathered with clergy and lay people from our 90 + United Methodist churches in Montana. We met at First UMC of Great Falls (Pastor Dawn Skerritt’s church!) for worship, fellowship, and sacred business. We were led by our District Superintendent Karen McRae, and joined by our Bishop, Kristin Stoneking. Lay and clergy prayed, preached, and shared concerns and celebrations from congregations across the state.
We were also joined by Rev. Dr. Darren Crotts and Andrew Hudgins of the North Carolina Rural Center. Darren and I went through probationary ministry together in Western North Carolina for three years as we moved along the ordination track. Last year, Darren reached out to me with exciting news. The Lilly Foundation gave the North Carolina Rural Center’s Faith in Rural Communities initiative a large grant to expand their programming across the country.
Since 2018, the NC Rural Center has coached 100 churches in North Carolina through a community engagement program that equips them to begin new ministry in rural locations. Our Mountain Sky Conference has been selected as part of the expansion. Missouri, Indiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee will also become Hub locations to expand programing.
Over the next three years, our conference will receive $375,000 to coach 25 Montana churches through the Connect Church program. This is an exciting moment to strengthen United Methodist rural churches in Montana. Churches that apply will be coached in a 10-month program and receive $5,000 to launch their ministry for their community.
I’m not sure if Columbia Falls will apply to be part of this program this year or down the road, but I invite you to pray for all our congregations as they discern this opportunity to engage their communities in kingdom-building endeavors!
The original press release is linked here: https://www.mtnskyumc.org/newsdetail/annie-hub-19541038
Easter Blessings,
Pastor Jared