perspective


reluctant to respond because Major is seen as both ‘rich’ and remote.


Minor, though preferring the traditional services, votes to


Samuel and David to see


beyond the unpromising; Joseph in the pit; Gideon and his small army; to take heed of hopeless cases –


Zacchaeus up his tree, the thief on the cross; to use what little faith we have in the parables of the mustard seed and grain of wheat. They teach us that God cherishes the small, likes to work with slender resources and loves to make a lot out of a little.


Before the feeding of the 5000, the introduce a


service for young families and gives £500 (a quarter of its reserves) towards uniforms, flags and equipment to set up a Church Guide and Brownie Pack. It lets the local county primary school use the church building whenever it wants to free of charge. Fundraising events are put on both for the church and for good causes supported by the wider community. Regular giving for the ministry of the church is then mainly supported by congregation members learning to tithe by putting aside a ‘church’ pig, sheep or cow at market. When Minor wants to undertake major alterations to its building for more community use there is huge backing from people in the village. People give financially and also write letters of support to ensure both local Government and national Church funding is secured.


If our mission reflects the nature of God then we will remember that we follow the Risen Christ – that life is stronger than death and that hope triumphs over despair. Many of the stories from scripture compel us to treasure the small: the calling of


disciples are initially worried about the crowd being in a remote place and not having anywhere to buy food. They urge Jesus to send the people home before they get hungry. Jesus, however, challenges the disciples: ‘you give them something to eat’. They respond: ‘All we have is five loaves and two fishes. What is that amongst so many…’ The disciples look at the boy’s small picnic and the


large crowd and are only


too aware of the inadequate amount of food that is available. Jesus sees the needs of the crowd but he also knows the faithfulness and generosity of his Father. He wants his friends to see what he sees and learn what he knows to be true. Having taken the boy’s food and blessed it, he then


God loves to make a


lot out of a little. Offer what little you have to him and he will make a miracle of it.


Mark Rylands is Bishop of Shrewsbury www. countryway. org. uk 13 gives


it to the disciples to distribute. The result is that the miracle then happens in the hands of the disciples. All are fed and there are plenty of leftovers.


The life and ministry of Jesus teaches us that God longs to reconcile the whole of creation to himself and he delights to involve ordinary people and small churches in his reconciling work. God blesses his church to be a blessing to the world. The Church is not an end in itself but an agent of God’s Mission. He calls us to be passionate for his world, like Jesus – caring for the least, the lost and the last. And as the Church offers herself in service of God’s Kingdom then she is blessed to be a blessing to others.


Jesus feeding the 5000 and turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana teaches us that God is generous, not stingy. Rural churches that model a generous God and reflect his generosity in the community will be blessed in their service.


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