As you may be aware this Sunday, 16th of July is Rural Mission Sunday.
Rural Mission Sunday is a celebration of the life and contribution of smaller rural churches and is lead by the Arthur Rank Centre. This year's theme is Hospitality, something which is becoming increasingly vital in the wake of recent events around the world. Hospitality does not require the volunteer force or pits of money that some urban churches have access to and it is essential to overcoming issues like rural isolation.
For more information and resources, please visit the germinate.net
On the topic of rural life, please see some of the following updates from Howard Petch, Rural Adviser to the Bishop of Selby.
St Georges Windsor
In his capacity as Chair of Trustees at Germinate; Arthur Rank Centre Howard Petch recently attend a Consultation at St Georges Windsor to consider ‘Supporting Farmers Post Brexit’ In an endeavour to be prepared 30 participants considered the potential implications for the farming community and the wider rural economy of what will inevitably be a period of turbulence and uncertainty. The impending report with implication for farm support charities and churches will be sent to policy makers.
Chaplaincy In Auction Marts
Yorkshire Church Rural Business Support (YCRBS) is seeking to establish a chaplaincy presence in all of the 14 auction marts in Yorkshire. So far we have chaplains present in 8 with a further 4 in the ‘pipeline’ This is seen as a real opportunity for presence and engagement with this section of our rural communities. The initiative is underpinned by the availability of the Farming Community Network (FCN) to provide back up support in response to identified needs.
Germinate; Arthur Rank Centre
This national centre which seeks to ‘Help rural churches and communities flourish’ has a renewed website with a wide range of available resources (www.germinate.net)
Participants are now being recruited for the 2017 intake of Germinate Leadership. This personal leadership development programme delivered for a rural context is open to ordained and lay people in positions of leadership.
Chief Executive Officer Jerry Marshall will be moving on in Spring 2018 after 5 years of creative and productive leadership. Anyone with potential interest in this role can seek informal conversations by contacting the Centre. A formal recruitment process will commence Autumn 2017.
For more information, please contact Bishop John at bishopofselby@yorkdiocese.org