This is a text-only version of an article first published on Wednesday, 28 February 2018. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
THE rural church is at the heart of the communities it serves.
In the Oxford Diocese, more than 50 per cent of parishes are classified as rural.
Those parishes face unique challenges.
Here The Door focuses on how they are meeting those challenges. A new programme, Enhancing the Rural Church in the Diocese of Oxford, highlights the needs of rural churches.
Rural churches have less infrastructure and very different needs to those in large towns or cities.
The programme comes after a two-year consultation.
The consultation report makes wide ranging recommendations to enhance and resource the rural church. "Oxford Diocese is one of the largest dioceses in the country, within which 30 per cent of parishes have populations under 500.
If the countryside Commission's definition of a rural place (populations under 3,000) is used, 50 per cent of our parishes qualify as rural. "The Diocese has a valuable history over the last 50 years of paying particular attention to rural ministry and mission… It recognises that under the broad umbrella of 'rural', the Church comes in many shapes and sizes and no one-size fits all, yet the pressures within even differing ruralities are very similar. "The programme will address nine areas which impinge on the life of the rural church, from addressing the environment, context and wellbeing of those who serve in rural areas to replenishing the rural church for the future. The full report will be available from July.
A Church school at the heart of a village community
BEEDON Church of England Primary School is a at the heart of a small village on the Berkshire Downs, nine miles North of Newbury.It is working together with the church and community of St.
Nicholas Church, Beedon.
Children relax in the garden at Beedon CE School The school fosters strong ties with the community through its Christian ethos.
Assemblies are held every day and once a week by the local rector, Revd John Toogood.
Once per month there is community worship in the school, when relatives and friends join the pupils for worship followed by a community lunch.
Each child is encouraged to 'adopt a local' and act as a host.
Every classroom has a prayer corner and the school comes to church for their own special occasions. The school fosters strong ties with the community through its Christian ethos.
Assemblies are held every day and once a week by the local rector, Revd John Toogood.
Once per month there is community worship in the school, when relatives and friends join the pupils for worship followed by a community lunch.
Each child is encouraged to 'adopt a local' and act as a host.
Every classroom has a prayer corner and the school comes to church for their own special occasions. John says: "Just as important as anything the school might get from the church, the church benefits hugely from the link as well.
Whether at Remembrance, Harvest, Christmas or Easter, the collaboration enriches the depth and quality of the celebration for everyone. "The school places great emphasis on building community among its pupils and staff and extending to parents and local residents.
Parents helped to create a quiet garden where children can go for peace and quiet. The children say they only need one rule for behaviour: "Treat others as you would like them to treat you. " Headteacher, Alison McDonald, describes the school as "a big family", extending to include parents as well.
"We don't just come to learn, we nurture one another," she adds. The Revd Lady Denise Brown is the Assistant Area Dean of Newbury.
Working together is better in the Wychwood Benefice
by the Revd Kate StaceyGOVERNANCE and how we organise ourselves in the rural church can, I believe, be the difference between flourishing and failing. Over the last six years here in the Wychwood Benefice in Oxfordshire, we have been consciously thinking about what we can do better together than apart.This has included worship, as we move to having more United Benefice services, children and youth ministry, as we pool our resources, and, importantly, governance. Initially, this was a move to alternate Joint PCC meetings with individual PCC meetings.
When we are together, we are able to talk about mission and ministry, hear one another's views, pray with and for one another and share best practice. As well as the positive experience of JPCC's, we have a chronic lack of officers across the benefice, and a superfluity of meetings.
Out of all this has come a strong feeling that, in fact, we would be better together, as one parish.
With a committee for each church doing the important work of caring for the church building and fundraising, the PCC would be freed up to focus on mission and ministry.
The number of officers and meetings would be dramatically reduced and we will be more effective.
We are only at the start of this process, but we are hopeful and excited about the future. The Revd Kate Stacey is the Vicar of the Wychwood Benefice.
Prayer Spaces at Cropredy CE School
LAST year Cropredy CE School in the Shire's Edge Benefice hosted its first Prayer Spaces in Schools, supported by BeSpace. Volunteers welcomed the children to prayer stations, with hands-on ways of exploring themed prayers or reflections.The Revd Hilary Campbell, the Vicar, said the intiative was so successful that the school now sets up a termly prayer station exploring the term's theme, value or Church season. Hilary has also introduced Pray Away Bags into all of the churches in the Benefice.
The paper bags contain a notebook and pencil, a small wooden cross, a circle of cloth, a prayer cube and a leaflet with ideas on how to use the bag's contents.
The generosity of villagers in Hardwick
CHURCHWARDEN Stan Killick knows of the challenges of maintaining a historic church in a rural village.But Stan, from St Mary the Virgin in Hardwick, Buckinghamshire, says his church is lucky to have one generous but anonymous villager who donates around £7,000 every year. "We are very fortunate," says Stan.
"What also never ceases to amaze me is how, if we have an appeal for a particular thing, whether it is a charity we want to give to, church repairs or whatever, we get so much money from people who aren't church goers.
There are people who never darken the door of the church but give very generously. ""We are very fortunate," says Stan.
"What also never ceases to amaze me is how, if we have an appeal for a particular thing, whether it is a charity we want to give to, church repairs or whatever, we get so much money from people who aren't church goers.
There are people who never darken the door of the church but give very generously.
The biggest single fundraising event is our harvest supper.
That raises £1,000 to £1,200 and we've been giving it to Water Aid. "Once a month St Mary's holds Chat and Cha - a drop-in where people who may be lonely or isolated can get together for tea and cake.
"People are absolutely not to give money for it," says Stan.
"Hospitality is part of our mission. "But Stan has seen the village change.
"There are a lot of much younger people who are at work all the time.
In the past village men would cut the grass for us.
Now we have fewer volunteers and have to tender the work out.
That costs £150 per month. "And St Mary's has fewer weddings and funerals, so gets less money from the fees. Despite this, the church, which is currently trying to raise £28,000 for work at the base of its tower, has a healthy congregation, But Stan says that it doesn't get as many bookings for weddings and funerals as it used to, so doesn't get income from the fees.
"We have an electoral roll of around 49 people and an average attendance of 30 on Sundays," added Stan.
"Obviously we get more for high days and holy days. "
Rural Resource Roadshow
EVERYONE is welcome at a free event to explore a range of resources for the rural church.Follow the links below to book placesThe roadshows take place at: Windmill Farm Conference Centre, Main Street, Clanfield, Bampton, Oxfordshire, 0X18 2SN on Saturday 17 June.
To book go to ruralresourcebampton. eventbrite. co. uk St John's hall, White Horse Lane, Whitchurch, Bucks, HP22 4JZ on Saturaday 24 June.
ruralresourcewhitchurch. eventbrite. co. uk