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November 25th-26th
at Bishop Woodford House, Ely
Rt Rev Anthony Russell spoke on the Friday afternoon (see below)
Geoff Dodgson spoke in the evening on Farming now and in the future
- word version with charts available
In between the AGM was held
Jane Hald was thanked by the President for her 4 years as Chairman
Reports were presented
Introductory points by Rt. Rev Anthony Russell
Food & Farming in Context.
In the 1960s agricultural chaplains came onto the scene.
By around 1970s there was a growing recognition that rural clergy were ill equipped for their ministry. Hence the Arthur Rank Centre (1972) and RTA (around 1980) followed by ACORA. (Bishop Russell was involved in all of these)
As far back as 1846 there was a debate between urban consumers and rural producers as every decade since.
The language of religion has migrated to the natural world – e.g. judgement in the form of global warming & flood
There are many definitions of ‘rural’ but the rural & urban cultures overlap. The ‘rural agenda’ is
often driven by urban concerns.
There is nonetheless a polarisation between giant urban areas and the remote countryside – think of Peterborough and the Fens.
In the US but not the UK there is a polarisation between environmentalists and evangelicals
Its’s easier to build houses than to build community. Yet ‘social capital’/’community building’ is familiar territory to the church. Loss of ‘community in the countryside is serious because it functions as a model
In the late 19th ‘community’ was held together by poverty – so beware romantic talk
Nowadays people belong to large-scale units (Man United) and the small scale (gangs/neighbourhood)
Things in the middle don’t seem to work – cf medium sized parish church.
Small cells & large churches flourish
On the Saturday morning Rev Graham Thompson spoke on
The Rural Church
This was his handout...
Introduction
Some History
The rural church has undergone a number of significant changes in recent years.
"In the six year period from 1995 to 2001, the Methodist Church closed almost 700 places of worship - most of them in rural areas." Why are our churches being closed?
Population shifts.
"The characteristics of rural communities are conservatism, self-sufficiency and self-help." (from ‘Working with Rural Communities by D. Francis and P. Henderson – 1992).
There is an amazing commitment that is often found within our rural churches - a commitment, drive and faithfulness.
Some Theology
The contest between David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17).
Sensible or faithful?
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – ‘My power is made perfect in weakness’.
What is the faithful option for the rural church?
Some Kind of Presence
The Old and New Testaments have much to say about the presence of God in the heart of the community.
The need to be a Christian presence - this just might be the faithful way forward for the rural church.
‘Presence’ - a workbook to help promote and sustain an effective Christian presence in villages.
"Every community, if it is to be whole, balanced and healthy, needs at its heart a group of Christians" (p11). The importance of their presence is that they offer - in the heart of their community - a priestly, prophetic and evangelising ministry.
An effective Christian presence will always be ecumenical.
‘Presence’ emphasises the importance of story; of keeping, celebrating and constantly
re-interpreting the story of God's love for us shown in Jesus Christ. It also reminds people of the essential hallmarks of the Church of Jesus Christ. The Church is always people living in community.
What is the future shape of the rural Church?