The Guardian Book of the Countryside Edited by Ruth Petrie and Martin Wainwright Guardian Books, 2008 £14.99 ISBN 978-0-85265-109-4
The Guardian was originally called the Manchester Guardian and its first issue was on May 5th 1821, the day Napoleon died. While its image may be more that of a quality paper for city dwellers, it has always devoted space to countryside matters and this book is a collection of pieces written throughout the Guardian’s long history. They cover agriculture, country pursuits, wildlife and landscape and make extremely interesting reading. While some show the developments and changes that have occurred during the last one and a half centuries, others show how some topics have been of perennial concern. In fact, the concerns expressed in some articles still apply today and, if published again, would be taken by the reader to have been written in recent days. It is a book that would appeal to all who enjoy the countryside.
Susan Atkinson
Through the Year with Jesus: a once-a-month children’s programme for small churches Eleanor Zuercher
Barnabas/Bible Reading Fellowship, 2009 £9.99 ISBN 978-18410-15781
Eleanor Zuercher’s earlier book, Not Sunday, Not School, is a big-seller on the ARC’s bookstall. This is a measure of its approachability and relevance to small rural churches. This new book is more of the same. It is overflowing with even more ideas for innovative and engaging work with children which have clearly been tested with real children and real leaders.
The book is structured around a monthly programme introducing children to the life of Jesus and allowing them to explore this through numerous media and activities. It also includes a structured activity programme for a holiday club based on Jesus’ ‘I Am’ sayings. Alongside this are numerous templates for drawing and construction, a helpful bibliography of other resources and more reflective material that provides the theological and methodological foundations for what is offered here.
As with the earlier book, and like many resources from Barnabas, the material here is entirely suited for dipping into, mixing and matching, or generally employing in whatever way is most suited to your own context.
Simon Martin
Skills for Collaborative Ministry Sally Nash, Jo Pimlott and Paul Nash SPCK, 2008 – ISBN 978-0-281-05994-2
Not often does a book reveal both knowledge and wisdom, but here is one. Although the authors’ background is urban youth ministry and hospital chaplaincy, the skills identified are immediately applicable in rural settings. The chapters of this book: group work, facilitation, vision building, teamwork, supervision, conflict, diversity and evaluation, are all urgently needed as skills in ministry anywhere, but particularly in a contemporary rural setting.
The authors draw carefully on personal experience as well as a wide range of literature. Rural clergy need some different skills from their forebears as the church learns about sharing in ministry. However, we can all learn together about how to work collaboratively. This book will help considerably.
Jeremy Martineau
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book reviews
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