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Volume 5, Part 1, 2007

Full versions of some of these articles should be available online, to members, in mid-2008.

Children and communion: listening to churchwardens in rural and urban Wales
Ann Howells and Keith Littler

Abstract
A survey of Church in Wales churchwardens undertaken during 2003 in the dioceses of Bangor and Llandaff included twelve questions central to the idea of children receiving communion before confirmation. Analyses of the responses to these questions show few differences in the views of churchwardens from rural parishes compared with the views of church-wardens from urban parishes. More significantly, when compared with studies concerning the views of Church in Wales clergy on children receiving communion before confirmation, churchwardens emerge as notably less supportive than clergy. It is argued that clergy and church-wardens need to work closely together to ensure that parishes move forward in an agreed way.

Interpreting statistics on church attendance: why more will mean less
Alan Billings

Abstract
While overall numbers show decline, some congregations are growing and some are shrinking. A new typology suggests a hypothesis: the growth of some congregations is at the expense of others.

Jesus and hinterland
Edward P Echlin

Abstract
Jesus learned about the natural world, which so memorably illuminates his parables, in the Nazareth and Capernaum hinterland which is the countryside around those human settlements. At Jerusalem he went to Gethsemane often. His death, burial, and resurrection happened just outside the then Jerusalem walls. The whole earth community is reconciled in Jesus and shares our future. As Christians we have a significant contribution to make in alerting people to, and caring for, precious local and global hinterland.

Mobile mission bases in the countryside: a caravan in the market square
Marian Sharp

Abstract
In large urban situations young people tend to gather on evenings at street corners, but in small market towns the market place tends to fulfil this role. This article is an examination of an experiment of Christian outreach to such young people in a small market town and provides an assessment of whether the project was successful, both from the point of view of the young people who came, and the church people who volunteered their services. It also offers pointers to how this method of mobile outreach can be effective in similar small market town situations.

All types are called, but some are more likely to respond: the psychological profile of rural Anglican churchgoers in Wales
Leslie J Francis, Mandy Robbins, Angela Williams and Rhys Williams

Abstract
In principle churches proclaim their invitation to worship to all sectors of the population. In practice some sectors appear more willing to respond. Alongside the more visible demographic bias in terms of sex and age, this study draws attention to the less visible bias in terms of psychological type. New data provided by 185 rural Anglican church-goers who completed the Francis Psychological Type Scales demonstrated that there were significantly higher proportions of individuals reporting ISFJ and ESFJ preferences in church congregations than in the population of men and women at large.

RESEARCH REPORT
Learning from prayer requests in a rural church: an exercise in ordinary theology
Alec Brown and Lewis Burton

Abstract
Visitors to a medieval church in a small village in north-west England demonstrate by their requests for prayer and their remarks in the visitors’ book how they appreciate the ambience of the building in generating a feeling of calm and quiet and a sense of sacred space. Their remarks also show how the experience helps them to articulate their hidden spirituality and their own understandings of God. Used in this way such prayer boards or prayer trees in local churches, and also the role played by visitors’ books, prove to be valuable resources in establishing in what terms ordinary people think about God and contribute to an understanding of ordinary theology.

RESEARCH REPORT
Psychological type profile of volunteer workers in a rural Christian charity shop
Leslie J Francis and Sue Pegg

Abstract
Although over half of the United Kingdom population are extraverts, church congregations are generally weighted toward introverts. In this study 27 of the 30 volunteer workers in a rural Christian charity shop (who completed the Francis Psychological Type Scales) were extraverts. Other rural churches are encouraged to find similar opportunities for extraverts to express themselves.

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