Rural communities throughout Oceania – Australia, New Zealand, and the Islands of the South Pacific and Melanesia – are all experiencing challenging times. We have been facing challenges for some decades now and the 21st Century has only made the challenges more daunting. Rural churches are embedded within rural communities and can be their heart and soul. We therefore gather to network with other rural churches and work work together to inspire and encourage.

Speakers:

• Rev Linley Liersch, Uniting Church in Australia minister, on growing people and churches in faith and hope
• Rt Rev Matt Brain, Anglican Diocese of Bendigo, on trialling ways to sustain ordained ministry in rural locations
• Captain Elizabeth Johnson, Salvation Army, bringing statistical insight into rural and remote ministries
• Rev Canon Greg Harris, Bush Church Aid, on financing ministry to rural and remote places
• A panel from a wide range of denominations sharing a workshop on approaches to the current difficulties in rural and remote ministry

Field trips to local points of interest, with opportunities to meet local people living with the land:

• The Stockman’s Hall of Fame
• Qantas Founders Museum
• Muttaburra
• Longreach School of Distance Education