Centre for Studies in Rural Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3


Rural Church Life Rural proofing mission shaped church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Rural church strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Promises, promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Cooperation… and crisis? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Fresh expressions of church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 A tipping point in Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Soft boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Take me to your leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Growing leaders for growing churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14


Agriculture The future for farming – the reconnection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Fresh Start Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Farm Crisis Network – update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 After harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Who owns rural Britain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19


Children and Young People How bears join the song of creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20


Rural Life and Ministry Reflections from the modern country churchyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Award and Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Empingham – a village with vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Three collars in the market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Harvest of the lambs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Heysham bloomin’ wins again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 New horizons for church tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Arthur Rank Centre News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31


New price for country Way


We have kept the price of Country Way the same for the last 5 years at £7.50. However, the cost of paper and printing has risen sharply and with the increase in postage costs we now have no choice but to revise the price to £9.00 for the year. The increase will be clearly marked in renewal notifications. Those of you who pay by direct debit will receive notification prior to application. We do of course hope that you will continue to subscribe to Country Way – a wonderful, high quality resource for rural churches and communities. 


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 no 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


2


www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk


contents


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