ABOUT CiRCLe M
CiRCLe M is an interdenominational non-profit organization dedicated to rural ministry leadership development. We work with clergy and lay leaders in rural and remote places to help their churches become catalysts for the development of healthy Canadian communities.
Our head office islocated at the Saskatoon Theological Union (STU), 1121 College Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W3 (306-975-1555) with which CiRCLe M has been closely affiliated. Many of our research publications and rural ministry
resources are now available through
the STU Library
WHY OUR WORK IS IMPORTANT
We see that in many ways much of rural Canada is "un-developing". With urbanization, our rural communities have lost many of the institutions and infrastructure that our ancestors gave their lives to build. Farms and businesses struggle to survive.
Rural churches are seen as a potent resource for leadership and network development that is already resident in small communities. They offer buildings, committed and enthusiastic volunteers, local, national and international connections, leadership training, fund-raising structures and a focus on building hope, quality of life and human capacity. But their community-building capacity has been under-explored and under-used.
Rural ministers report that they love many things about rural ministry — the sense of deep support from and intimate knowledge of their people, the way that everyone has a chance to share their gifts, the integration of church and community life. They sense God's presence in the people in a real way.
At the same time, CiRCLe M realizes the well-being of rural communities is important not only for their own sake, but for all of Canada. It is primarily in and through rural communities that we touch the earth. Rural communities live intimately with nature and they know their survival depends on that relationship. In an increasingly urbanized world and in the face of a looming ecological crisis, it is in everyone's interest that our rural communities not only survive but flourish.
HISTORY
Recognizing there was a need to encourage and support rural communities of faith, Rev. Dr. Cam Harder, who was on staff at Saskatoon Lutheran Seminary used a year’s sabbatical to study rural church institutions around the world. Shortly thereafter, Cam Harder proposed the establishment of a centre that equips clergy and lay people with training and resources in rural development and ministry.
In 2007, CiRCLe M was officially incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. For more than a decade, Cam was the Executive Director of CiRCLe M and therefore its public face. Cam resigned in 2018 and since then the activities of CiRCLE M have been led by the Board of Directors.
Over the years, there have been some significant initiatives from CiRCLe M.
CiRCLe M organized Rural Ministry Conferences and documented valuable information in reports that can be found in the STU Library and on our website.
In 2014, CiRCLe M produced a set of videos on Crisis Response and Trauma Management Training for use by the Church and Community. These videos are still relevant today and demonstrate how communities of faith can enhance Emergency Measures organized by municipalities.
In a number of initiatives, CiRCLe M became the catalyst in starting conversations between First Nations communities and adjacent rural settler communities. These social gatherings were the start of developing friendships and supporting the work of the Truth and Reconciliation process. We are anxious to maintain this important work as we are all Treaty People.
CiRCLe M supported and encouraged the STU seminaries, namely, :
College of Emmanuel and St. Chad (Anglican Church of Canada),
St. Andrew's (United Church of Canada) and
Lutheran Theological Seminary (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada) to provide Doctor of Ministry (DMin) programs in Rural Ministry and Community Development). Today this program continues to be offered and has evolved into the Doctor of Ministry in Contextual and Practical Theology program. For clergy who are new to rural ministry or want some deeper reflection on their ministry experience, we encourage you to contact one of the three schools.