Episode Two | Queering Southern Hospitality
How are the values of Southern hospitality and Christian welcome practiced in LGBTQ+ affirming churches in the rural south? Drawing on real-life examples from churches in Mississippi and North Carolina, The Rev’d Claire Brown shares stories and observations of hospitality and welcoming for LGBTQ+ people in churches she visited during her research on affirming churches in the rural South. Rev’d Brown found that it goes beyond official theological positions and into the simple practices of church hospitality. This is a conversation with the director of the Rural Faith Initiative, Whitney Kimball Coe.
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Episode One | LGBTQ+ Affirming Churches in the Rural South: Does That Even Exist?
What does it look like to build and sustain an LGBTQ+ affirming church in the rural South? The Rev.’d Claire Brown visited and spoke with more than a dozen such churches to find out. More LGBTQ+ people live in this region than any other part of the country, and in this first episode of a series of conversations, Rev’d Brown talks with the director of the Rural Faith Initiative, Rev’d Whitney Kimball Coe, about the ways these communities of faith defy cultural and religious stereotypes by living out their inclusive values.
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New Podcast Series: LGBTQ+ Affirming Churches in the Rural South
Our new podcast series on rural faith features the research and stories from LGBTQ+ affirming churches in the rural South, collected by The Rev’d Claire Brown, an Episcopal priest in rural Tennessee.
More LGBTQ+ people live in the rural South region than any other part of the country, and this area is also a uniquely difficult place to live for them, as southeast states have many restrictive laws and policies. Many of those persons live in rural communities, where Bible belt culture intersects with a lack of community resources and representation. But there are communities of faith in the rural south that defy cultural and religious stereotypes. These churches are committed to living out their inclusive values, and express faith and community as fully affirming of LGBTQ+ persons, including equality in marriage, family support, and ordination.
In each episode, The Rev’d Brown is in conversation with her friend, The Rev. Whitney Kimball Coe, who leads and our Rural Faith Initiative work for the Center for Rural Strategies.
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August Workshop: Ethical Storytelling
Join us for a workshop on ethical storytelling. This workshop will explore the nuances of ethical storytelling, focusing on how to share stories—especially those involving grief, trauma, vulnerability, marginalized communities, or lived experience—with integrity and care. Participants will examine common ethical challenges, including consent, representation, power dynamics, narrative ownership, and the tension between impact and exploitation.
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Rural Faith Initiative on Yonder Radio
Rural Faith Initiative project leader Whitney Kimball Coe spoke with Yonder Radio host Jared Ewy about the Rural Faith Initiative: what it is, how she became involved, and the challenges and opportunities for faith communities in rural places.
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March Newsletter: 'Faith at the Border'; a Q&A with Marty Newell; 6 rural faith stories + more
Rural Faith Initiative's March Newsletter: 'Faith at the Border' reflection from Whitney Kimball Coe; a Q&A with Marty Newell; 6 rural faith stories, Letcher County update; data center replay and Yonder Radio announcement
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Marty Newell: “Faith Was Always Part of the Story”
As a leader in Rural Strategies’ Rural Faith Initiative, Marty Newell is paying close attention to how congregations and faith leaders see their role in their communities — and what their work can teach the rest of us.
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Faith at the Border
El Paso – The Pass, a place in the desert where dinosaurs once walked, now a place of roving patrols that terrorize and lock doors — and God’s disciples drop keys.
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February 2026 Newsletter
Read our February 2026 newsletter
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January 2026 Newsletter
Read our January 2026 newsletter
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What We Share: Story Circle Trainings
Learn how you could use story circles in your community or congregation at the next Story Circle Facilitation Thursday, January 22, 12:30-2:30pm ET.
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Listening: Stories of Faith & Community
Last summer we began hosting a series of story circles in rural places across the country, inviting community leaders to wonder out loud with us: how has your community impacted your faith, or your faith impacted your community?
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Times are Hard, But Faith Inspires
The Rural Faith Initiative unfolds against the very real backdrop of violent partisanship and counterfeit theologies, and that’s what makes it essential and important. Hear more from Whitney Kimball Coe, Rural Strategies’ Vice President of National Programs, about our Rural Faith Initiative and how to follow along.
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