We are delighted you have found us. If you live in a small town or rural area you have come to the right place. The Town Square Collaborative seeks to serve rural congregations, communities and their leaders. We do this by supporting congregations and pastors who wish to engage and invest in their communities. Our work is built upon churches embodying their calling to be the Body of Christ, and literally being Jesus’ hands, feet and heart in their communities. We invite you to investigate our site and all our offerings.
- clergy and lay leaders
- congregations who wish to renew their identity
- churches and non-profits in supporting the work of one another in particular places
- people whose work is empowering rural churches and communities
We bring people together from rural areas all over the region to celebrate the things that make small communities wonderful. We hope you will find the support you need and share your gifts here at the University of the Ozarks and the Town Square Collaborative!
The Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative is generously supported by the Lilly Endowment.
Rev. Phillip Blackburn
The Rev. Phillip Blackburn is the Director of the Town Square Collaborative. Prior to joining the University of the Ozark's staff full time in 2024, he served as co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Fort Smith, AR with his wife, Tasha. Previously, he was the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, IL from 2004-2012 and a Lake Fellow in Parish Ministry at Second Presbyterian in Indianapolis, IN from 2002-2004. He graduated with BAs in Religious Studies and History from the University of Kansas in 1997, a Mdiv from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2001 and a MTh from the University of Edinburgh in 2002.
Rev. Sara Anne Berger
The Rev. Sara Anne Berger is the Assistant Director of the Town Square Collaborative. Prior to joining the University of the Ozark's staff in 2024, she served as pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, Little Rock, AR. Previously, she was the pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Natchitoches, Louisiana from 2016-2020 and Whitmire Presbyterian Church in Whitmire, South Carolina from 2011-2016. She graduated with a BA in History from Presbyterian College in 2007, and with Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education degrees from Union Presbyterian Seminary in 2011.
Shana Chaplin
Shana Chaplin is the assistant director of Community & Engagement for Town Square Collaborative. Shana is a civic engagement professional and facilitative leader. She previously served as Chief Program Officer at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and as Executive Director of the Governor's Commission on National Service & Volunteerism (EngageAR), where she managed $2.5 million in federal funds and transformed sub-granting to 100%, nearly tripling awarded grants. Shana is a Certified Volunteer Manager and holds a degree in criminal justice and political science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She was named the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Public Affairs 2024 Public Administrator of the Year.
Amanda Demoret
Amanda Demoret is the Administrative Assistant for the Town Square Collaborative. Prior to joining the TSC staff in 2025, she was an elementary teacher in Arkansas, and she worked with the University of the Ozarks' Student Support Services. She graduated from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas with a Bachelor's in early childhood education. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Toby & her son, Drew. In her other spare time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, and her dog as well as reading & fly fishing from time to time.
Rev. Dr. Allen T. Stanton
The Rev. Dr. Allen T. Stanton is the Senior Fellow for Leadership, Faith, and Community. He is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church. Additionally, he works at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where serves as the Director of Strategic Initiatives, managing a $53 million initiative to expand access to oral healthcare in rural Tennessee. Stanton is the author of Reclaiming Rural: Building Thriving Rural Congregations (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), which was named a “Top Ten Book of the Year” by the Academy for Parish Clergy, and The Gift of Small: Embracing Your Church's Vocation (Fortress Press, 2024). He holds degrees from Wake Forest University, Duke University, and Southern Methodist University.
Dr. Keneshia Bryant-Moore
Dr. Keneshia Bryant-Moore is the Consulting Fellow for Congregational and Non-Profit Collaboration. She is the senior consultant with KBM Consulting LLC. Dr. Bryant-Moore’s research primarily focuses on health disparities and inequities experienced by minority racial/ethnic groups, rural, and vulnerable populations. Additionally, Dr. Bryant-Moore is a tenured Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health. She led the development of the Faith-Academic Initiative for Transforming Health (FAITH) Network in 2016. As part of this network faith leaders are educated on the basic principles of research, health related issues, and given the opportunity to partner in research and program efforts. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Michigan-Flint; her Master of Science in Nursing from Duke University; and her PhD in Nursing from Azusa Pacific University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Central Baptist Theological Seminary.
Bradley Roth
Bradley (Brad) Roth is the Senior Fellow for Faith & Culture for Town Square Collaborative. He is a pastor in rural central Kansas. He grew up shearing Christmas trees, tending sheep, and baling hay on a farm in Illinois. He’s pastored rural congregations in Washington, Peru, and Kansas. Brad has written widely on rural ministry and is the author of three books, including Flyover Church: How Jesus’ Ministry in Rural Places Is Good News Everywhere (Herald Press, 2024). You can find Brad at www.DoxologyProject.com.
Our Purpose
We believe the Church functions best when it focuses on its mission and purpose as ordained in Scripture by Jesus Christ. No matter where your church is located, your job description, the task of being the Body of Christ, remains universal. All of our programs are rooted in this core identity. Presbyterians have articulated our purpose since the early twentieth century in six core purposes, or “ends.” These Great Ends of the Church are antiquated in their phrasing but timeless in capturing the essence of what it means for a group of people to follow Jesus in any time and in any place. Take a look and reflect on how they might be embodied by your church…
- The proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind.
- The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God.
- The maintenance of divine worship.
- The preservation of the truth.
- The promotion of social righteousness.
- The exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.