Guest blog: A prayer for our rural ministries and farmers

Submitted by the Rev. Lynn Evans
Retired clergy, Mountain Sky Conference

First, let me introduce myself: I am Rev. Lynn Evans. Since I retired from ministry 12 years ago, only the old folks will know me. I will try to keep this short and relevant. I came from the wheat fields of Kansas. I was called to the ministry while in high school. During seminary, my call was deepened. And from then on, I knew I was called to rural ministry.

The Cabinet called me to several Denver larger churches, but I stuck to my call and turned them down. One DS even asked me if I was drinking after I turned down a very good church in the suburbs of Denver. For once, I knew the right scripture to quote. I said, "Well, Hal, it is only the third hour of the morning." So, I stayed in Rifle, Colorado for another seven years. Then I went to Burlington. Bishop Roy Sano called me to be a DS because he said, "You know how to talk to rural people and Wyoming and Northeast Colorado was the most rural district in the conference." I finished my rural ministry at Cortez. That is enough of explaining my "ruralness."

Now, to get to the business at hand. The farmers of our nation are having a tough time. I know many of them voted for the current administration of this country. But, I would bet there will be a lot less in a couple years, mostly, because of the tariff wars. We need to keep them in our minds, hearts, and prayers as many cannot survive more loss on grains. Thanksgiving is coming soon – a particularly rural holiday – so let us feast and be thankful. And in our prayers before the feast, let us remember the farmer who grew our feast and thank God for the farmers. Remember Jesus said in Matthew 25, "I was hungry and you fed me."