Farming Help Farming Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Rain, rain and more rain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Belonging and believing Believing and belonging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Not one of us – on ‘belonging’ in the rural church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Vicarious Religion in Modern Britain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Salt & Yeast in Rural Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 A child’s perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The farmer’s perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Belonging in rural communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Belonging and travelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Who believes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15


Worship Harvest worship and the year of food and farming . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16


Rural Issues Good news for the poor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Connecting communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Rome supports migrant workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 25 regulations per acre? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Rural Stress Helpline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Post offices – new beginnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 The price of everything and the value of nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24


Mission and Ministry A £10 risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 A prayer tree is born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Church Tourism: moving forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 New life for Dalehead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29


Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30


Country Way Editorial Group


Susan Atkinson


Agricultural Christian Fellowship Robert Barlow


Chaplain to Agriculture & Rural Life, Diocese of Worcester Geoff Dodgson


Agricultural Consultant Gordon Gatward Director, Arthur Rank Centre Jill Hopkinson National Rural Officer, Church of England


Graham Jones National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches Peter Lawrence


Rural Theology Association Simon Martin Training Resources Officer, Arthur Rank Centre


Barry Osborne


Rural Evangelism Network Graham Wise


Note: The views of individual writers expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect editorial group policy


Publisher, Editorial Office and Advertising Sales The Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LZ Telephone: 024 7685 3060 jillh@rase.org.uk


Editor


Jill Hopkinson Design


Gus MacDonald Ammac Design Studio Leamington Spa Telephone: 01926 883376 gusmac@btclick.com


ISSN 0969-6172


AGRICULTURAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP


THE RURAL


A fellowship for all who are interested in the connections between Christian Faith and Farming.


Annual conference and quarterly bulletins


For further details see www.agriculturalchristianfellowship.org.uk


EVANGELISM NETWORK A national network of representatives from Churches and specialist mission agencies. Enabling the sharing of insight and experience and encouraging best practice in evangelizing the diverse rural communities of the UK.


Conferences – publications – consultations - workshops Associate Membership also available at £15 pa Tel: 01858-414930


Email: ren@ruralmissions.org.uk www.ruralmissions.org.uk


RURAL THEOLOGY


ASSOCIATION Ecumenical, international group – developing theology in a rural setting.


Raising awareness of rural ministry & country living which embodies a Christian response to the world.


2 Journals per year – conferences – news – local groups.


Membership £15 www.rural-theology.org.uk


2


www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk


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