Recommended Resources
Readings for Rural Renewal
- God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church by Bradley Roth.
- Imagining the Small Church: Celebrating a Simpler Path by Steve Willis.
- Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance.
- Alienated America: Why Some Place Thrive While Others Collapse by Timothy Carney.
- Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit by Parker Palmer.
- Dakota: A Spiritual Geography by Kathleen Norris.
- Hope and Hard Times: Community, Collaboration, and Sustainability by Ted Bernard.
- Rural Communities: Legacy + Change by Cornelia Butler Flora and Jan Flora.
- Staying Put: Making a Home in a Restless World by Scott Russell Sanders.
- Belonging: A Culture of Place by bell hooks.
- Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible by Ellen Davis.
- The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods by John McKnight and Peter Block.
Personal Practice
- Spiritual Retreats~Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God by Ruth Haley Barton.
- Walking the Labyrinth~world-wide labyrinth locator.
- Creating a Rule of Life~gardening style, simple summary.
- Focus/Simplicity~Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown.
- Margin/Ideal Week~thoughts from Michael Hyatt.
- Daily Review~practicing the Prayer of Examen.
- Sabbath-Keeping~Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller.
- Spiritual Direction~Spiritual Directors International.
Websites