The University of Illinois College of Agriculture and Extension Service's 50-year commitment to a church leadership program for rural clergy was discontinued in 1980 because of changes in both rural religious structures and the College. The Church and Community Institute Committee voted in May, 1980, to disband while requesting that the University and interested Committee members seek means for providing continuing education for clergy and community leaders. Several factors probably contributed to the decision to disband: changes in denominational practices regarding rural churches made it difficult to keep clergy represented on the Committee; emphasis on broader societal issues took faculty out of their fields of expertise and more into "brokerage" positions; continuity of Extension leadership was hindered by faculty changes. Other factors were disagreement on the focus of the institute and lack of an adequate budget. Work with rural pastors originated in the 1920s and early 1930s when the College held educational meetings for farmers and other rural people dealing with the severe adjustments occurring in agriculture and rural communities; key persons perceived a need for the College to provide an opportunity for rural clergy and lay leaders to meet to discuss rural church/community concerns. (BRR)