At the 2021 virtual General Synod, a small group of people met to talk about the challenges of working in small towns and rural areas. They shared their frustrations and concerns about the lack of resources for these communities. From those conversations, the Small Town and Rural (STAR) Coalition was created.

The STAR Coalition meets online every second Tuesday of the month to talk about issues that affect STAR churches. Some of the topics include finding worship materials, bringing medical services to rural areas, fixing up church buildings on a small budget, challenges with finding pastors, and supporting lay ministry.

Our members come from UCC churches all across the country, from Hawaii to Maine and Florida, and everywhere in between. Not everyone in the group is from a small community, but we define rural areas as having fewer than 25,000 people, not being close to big cities, or identifying as rural. We also have members who don’t attend or serve in STAR churches but still want to support our mission.

About 64% of UCC churches are considered STAR churches. Ministry in these areas is very different from what happens in cities or suburbs, and sometimes we feel like our voices aren’t heard in the national church setting. Because of this, the STAR Coalition has written a resolution to present at the 2025 General Synod in Kansas City.

The resolution asks for the STAR Coalition to be officially recognized in the UCC bylaws as a formal organization. We want a seat at the table so small town and rural churches can be acknowledged for their active and meaningful ministry. So far, the Illinois, Iowa, Kansas-Oklahoma, Nebraska, Pennsylvania Central, Pennsylvania Northeast, and South Dakota conferences have voted to support the STAR Resolution.