Country parson’s blog reveals how rural ministry is different EING a vicar in the countryside is not the us all understand the unique opportunities and same as being a vicar in the town or city. challenges of clergy life in the countryside. The Rev John Owen with his pigs BThat’s the view of the Rev John Owen, Bishop Christopher has now asked him to who is vicar for the villages of Steep, Froxfield take on the role of rural officer on the mainland May 1, 2015 and Privett, just outside Petersfield. for our diocese. John will therefore be available He is so keen to illustrate this that he’s to advise the bishop and members of our diocese ON KEEPING PIGS been writing a blog which details his day- on rural matters. THE country parson who farmed the glebe land is still a to-day role in rural ministry. The blog of a Contact him on [email protected] or living memory in some villages - the right to do so was Hampshire Country Parson is designed to help 01730-264282 for more details. abolished only in 1976. Keeping a few poultry, bees and livestock on vicarage because someone, somewhere will almost certainly February 14, 2015 land fits in with that memory, and in today’s rural parish is get wind of it before the thought has even migrated not automatically thought to be odd, or worse, time-wasting, into action.) and distracting from the ‘real’ work of ministry, as it might POSTAL SERVICES be in the town. JOHN and Chris are the local postmen in the two The process of turning Anglican clergy into a March 28, 2015 parishes. They seem to know everyone. If something is amiss, they will sound the alert.

professional caste began in Victorian times, when their self- ¢ Much more than distributors aintenance

image and identity was undermined by rapid changes in WHAT’S DIFFERENT ¡ ews www.cwponline.co.uk of mail, they have a role in the quipment British society. Prior to that, the parish clergy were gentry & for Churches and Schools The gateway to equipping and servicing Church buildings and small farmers, while some were land owners and others ABOUT RURAL community which looks back to Continuously published since 1959 came from aristocratic families, like George Herbert. an earlier time when postman, Maintenance & Equipment News for vicar, school-teacher and Churches and Schools in conjunction with I’ve always wanted to have a small holding, and so MINISTRY? the Church Suppliers Directory on line while I certainly enjoy it, it also helps me understand when IT’S all relative, of course. Rural ministry publican helped create what provides its readers with the knowledge farmers say that keeping pigs doesn’t pay (it doesn’t) and in the large and isolated parishes of New is now called ‘community to make informed decisions by sourcing the latest resources for buildings, contents that they don’t receive a fair price for the sale of their Holy Trinity Church, Privett Zealand, or even in Cumbria, is very cohesion’. Above: John leads collective worship for Froxfield C of E Primary School in St Peter’s Church; top and grounds. Access building and fabric milk in supermarkets (they don’t). On the plus side, there’s plenty of different from that in rural east Hampshire. Delivering the post to right: John with postman John Luker protesting about the part-privatisation of the Post Office information with one internet visit! material for theological reflection on After all, Petersfield, a country market scattered hamlets in Froxfield Apply for your copy of this valuable The gospel message includes social justice which is why maintained, regardless of cost. Privatization would There’s no doubt that rural ministry takes extra resources magazine by email: the disparities between rich and poor in is not cost effective, and the a church which doesn’t seem to notice these things is not town, is only a couple of miles away from deliver and is the best business model for the future. time because of the distances involved, and most Traditional, Digital or on Subscription modern Britain….! rise of e-mail and other carriers one which can command respect on the ground, where it Steep village, and plenty of local people I’m not convinced. It would be good if our pastoral journeys are made by car, and a fewer [email protected] has had a big effect, so when or for more information visit the website at: matters. commute to Canary Wharf each day from our national policies gave space to some of the non- number by bike. part-privatisation of the Post Office www.cwponline.co.uk villages. The difference in rural ministry economic factors about which the national Arthur Walking in the manner of Jesus is done less, April 15, 2015 was proposed last year, John and I April 28, 2015 here is one of context, not content. Rank Centre (www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk) is so except when we have an annual pilgrimage between cooperated in looking suitably glum Rural clergy conduct eloquent: that things which promote community the churches on Good Friday. MINISTRY IN A and sounding local warnings. baptisms, weddings and cohesion and community capital are to be celebrated, The Transforming WEALTH IN THE The authorities said funerals just as in every not allowed to wither. “Not everything is about GOLDFISH BOWL parish, but it’s really there was nothing January 25, 2015 Gospel COUNTRYSIDE “IT’S ministry in a goldfish bowl’ said the civil money” seems to me part of Christian teaching. important for the person to worry about BACK in 1876, William Nicholson, owner of a servant who handled the Crown appointment to the Us conference who experiences the and that all UK RURAL HOUSING London gin distillery, started building Holy Trinity living, at the time I became vicar here six years ago. 20-22 July 2015 ministry to know the deliveries, I ASKED a local couple getting married in one of our Church in Privett, using the finest materials and I had been up until then in a city parish of 13,000 January 27, 2015 High Leigh clergy beforehand. whether to churches where they were going to live. employing Italian craftsmen in what was essentially a people, which was fairly anonymous, apart from the Conference Centre In working with city or “Well, we’d like to live in the village, but houses rich man’s folly. fellowship of church on Sundays. I’ve since found COLLECTIVE WORSHIP two self-supporting village, here are too large and prices too high, and there’s not It is nearly the size of our cathedral in that the villages do have eyes and ears. ONE day recently I took three acts of collective ministers, Joanna and would much that’s suitable for renting,” they said. Portsmouth, but with a surrounding population On one occasion, after my wife and I had been worship (assemblies) in three different primary The gospel continues to change lives Chris, and a Reader, be Rural Hampshire, like the rest of the south east, of sheep and a few hundred people. Nicholson, a invited to a local supper, I was asked the next schools, as parish clergy do, whatever their context. globally. Come and hear speakers Caroline, our team has a housing shortage and people who have grown benevolent land owner representing new money, used morning how it had gone, by someone else who At the church schools, the clergy of the benefice from Brazil, India, Pakistan and South schedules across four up locally can’t compete with those who move to chase up his estate workers on Monday morning if wasn’t at the meal. are well known, and it’s satisfying in such small Africa. Be challenged and inspired! churches have to take into the area having sold a house in London. So they hadn’t appeared in church the day before. Yet this isn’t the same as nosiness. Villagers look schools to also know many of the parents of the account of existing pastoral imaginative developments like Dellfield in Froxfield It was never a viable building for the parish to out for each other because that’s part of being a good children in front of you. Call 020 7921 2202 or visit links, before the allocation of are needed. maintain, and is now in the care of the Churches neighbour. A sense of community may be stronger in Each act of collective worship lasts just twenty www.weareUs.org.uk/conference duties is made. Parishioners Built in 1988, it is a mix of bungalows, flats Conservation Trust. Yet it was not until the 1970s many rural places than it is in cities. minutes, but by the time I’d got the props together, who don’t regularly attend and three-bedroom semis, including a shop with that the Parochial Church Council was able to let the It’s easy to build on that in teaching and nurture travelled to the schools, called in at the staff rooms, church sometimes think of us accommodation, some privately owned and some Us. The new building go, and was at last freed from a constant when referring to the New Testament’s understanding and had a chat with parents who spoke to me all as ‘vicars’. rented from a housing association. name for USPG and debilitating drain on its spiritual and financial of ‘koinonia’. Professor Leslie Francis has done lots afterwards, much of the day had gone. They want a vicar they Planning scrutiny for social housing developments Registered charity energies. of research on the types of personalities who end up Rural ministry is labour intensive. Factor in parish know to take mum or dad’s is intense, and can also meet public opposition. number 234518 The countryside in east Hampshire continues to as rural clergy, and in my experience it is not far off payments of 40p per mile for diesel/petrol to run the funeral, and who will also Maybe this is so because the countryside is seen as be attractive to those who are wealthy. Good roads the mark to say that clergy who need a high degree car, and the ministry costs in rural areas are soon come to the refreshments at a place of leisure and recreation and conservation, like the A3, a fast train connection from Petersfield of anonymity in their ‘off duty’ time might find clear. home or pub afterwards. rather than as a place for people to live and work, for to London, and the use of private helicopters mean small villages and communities too intrusive for their To the west and north of our benefice is Hawkley There’s rarely a which sensitive building programmes are going to be that a residence in the South Downs at weekends is comfort. and Priors Dean, with which we are now forming a There is none like you, O Lord, short funeral in the needed for decades to come. fully viable. (One thing I have realised: it is best not to plan group ministry, to help share in a wider ministry with and there is no God besides you, countryside. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t help local people It challenges the parish proclamation of the good anything seriously dodgy if you’re a rural vicar our neighbouring priest, Rona. in their twenties and thirties who want to settle in the according to all that we have news which is still structured to ministering to a area in which they’ve grown up. The community is heard with our ears. 1Ch 17:20 (ESV) mostly resident population. Read the full blog of a Hampshire country parson on: www.hampshireparson.blogspot.co.uk the loser.