Resourcing Rural Ministry : Practical insights for mission

Resourcing Rural Ministry offers an in-depth exploration of the key aspects, challenges and opportunities of mission in a rural church. Relevant for ordained and lay leaders alike, the book covers subjects ranging from encouraging evangelism in a multi-church group to making best use of church buildings. Containing a wealth of real-life case studies and suggestions for follow-up, this ecumenical publication draws on the expertise and resources of the Arthur Rank Centre (ARC), which has served the spiritual and practical needs of the rural Christian community for over 40 years. This book contributes to ARC’s Germinate programme of training, development and support for rural multi-church groups of all denominations. Resourcing Rural Ministry was first developed by Simon Martin as Training and Resources Officer at the ARC. Additional chapters have been contributed by the Revd Caroline Hewlett, Rona Orme and Becky Payne and the final text has been prepared and edited by Jill Hopkinson. 'This book is packed with helpful resources and background theology that will aid the rural church to be a vibrant and relevant presence in today’s society.' Revd Peter Ball, Mission and Training Officer, Eastern Synod of the URC 'Read these contributions and you’ll be excited by a wealth of experience, insight and resource.' Rt Revd James Bell, Bishop of Ripon

Simon Martin has been Training & Resources Officer at the Arthur Rank Centre since 2005, having earlier spent nearly 16 years working in general and theological education with the Church of Uganda. This was followed by five years of full-time lay ministry and local church training delivery in the UK. He has written a wide range of resources and training materials for rural churches including on mission, evangelism, Messy Church and discipleship. Simon is committed to developing the ministry of lay people within the rural church. He has previously published books on discipleship and small group leadership.

Revd Caroline Hewlett is Vicar of Swaledale with Arkengarthdale. This is a remote rural parish in the northern Yorkshire Dales, an area of tourism and hill sheep farming and a parish with four churches over 250 square miles. Her work there includes a community conservation project in an ancient churchyard and experiments with Forest Church. She is a Trustee of the Arthur Rank Centre and part of a team that runs a church presence at the Great Yorkshire Show. Before ordination, she worked with The Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, supporting Christian Unions in academic institutions across North Yorkshire. Her curacy was in Leeds city centre, where she also acted as Chaplain to the Law Courts.

Rona Orme is the Children's Missioner in the Diocese of Peterborough. Passionate about working with children and families, she is involved with leading creative worship in a primary school on a new suburban estate and is a Reader in the Church of England. Rona is the author of Rural Children, Rural Church (CHP, 2007), which explores mission opportunities in the countryside, Creative Mission (Barnabas for Children, 2011), More Creative Mission (Barnabas for Children, 2013) and 50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions (Barnabas for Children, 2015).

Becky Payne, formerly an archaeologist, worked for several years at English Heritage. Between 2003 and 2010, she was Policy Officer in the Church Buildings Division of the Church of England. She is now a freelance consultant in sustaining historic places of worship. Recent rural work has included: creating a web-based resource on rural places of worship for the Arthur Rank Centre, updating a toolkit on developing churches for wider community use for the Diocese of Hereford, and work with the Plunkett Foundation on social enterprise. She provided the content for the book Churches for Communities, adapting Oxfordshire's Churches for Wider Uses published by the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust (February 2014).

Jill Hopkinson is National Rural Officer for the Church of England, based at the Arthur Rank Centre, the churches rural resources unit, in Warwickshire. She is responsible for advice on rural and agricultural policy for the Archbishops' Council and provides training, support and consultancy for rural dioceses, clergy and congregations. She edits Country Way magazine and has written for and edited four previous books on rural mission and ministry. Jill regularly leads worship in the six parish benefice where she lives and co-leads Messy Church. She has a PhD in agricultural science and is an Honorary Lay Canon of Worcester Cathedral.