An Open Letter to the Farming Community.

Standing Together with Farmers and Rural Communities

17th December 2024

The Arthur Rank Centre, which has supported rural churches and communities for over 50 years, is standing in solidarity with farmers and rural communities as they face significant challenges following the recent Budget announcement on 30 October.

Changes to Inheritance Tax reliefs and other financial measures have caused widespread concern, particularly for family farms that form the backbone of rural life.

Revd Matt Jeffrey, CEO of The Arthur Rank Centre, said:
“We want to extend a hand of friendship to farmers during this difficult time. Our network of rural Christians and churches is here to provide confidential support to those grappling with the implications of these changes. Whether it’s a listening ear or walking alongside families in navigating tough decisions, we stand ready to help.”

Support for Farmers and Rural Communities

The Arthur Rank Centre is offering practical and community-level support in three key areas:

  • Advocacy: Ensuring rural voices are heard by policymakers, working in partnership with organisations like the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), the Agricultural Chaplains Association, and the Farming Community Network.
  • Practical Support: Providing training and resources, such as the Rural Mission and Ministry Course and Germinate Leadership programme, to equip rural churches to support their communities effectively.
  • Encouragement: Inspiring rural individuals and communities to face challenges with resilience and determination.

Revd Preb Nick Read, Agricultural Chaplain and trustee of The Arthur Rank Centre, highlighted the importance of collaboration:
“This is a time for collaboration, advocacy, and care. Together, we can ensure rural communities receive the support they need during this period of uncertainty.”

George Dunn, CEO of the Tenant Farmers Association and trustee of The Arthur Rank Centre, added:
“We are proud to work alongside The Arthur Rank Centre in providing vital support to farming families. Our shared commitment to rural communities is central to everything we do.”

Looking Forward with Hope

As the Christmas season approaches, The Arthur Rank Centre is encouraging reflection on the values of generosity, compassion, and community. These principles, deeply rooted in rural life, are at the heart of its mission to walk alongside all who call the countryside home—regardless of faith or background.

 

Here is our letter in full…

17th December 2024

Dear Friends,


Standing Together with Farmers and Rural Communities

 

The Arthur Rank Centre works to resource, train, and advocate for rural Christians, rural churches and the communities they serve. Founded in 1972 by J. Arthur Rank—a filmmaker, Christian, and member of a family deeply rooted in milling and agriculture—The Arthur Rank Centre has worked to serve rural churches and rural communities. From the very beginning, we have sought to support those at the heart of rural life, including our vital farming community, recognising its unique joys and challenges.

We know that changes announced in the Budget statement on 30 October to Inheritance Tax reliefs and other measures that will impact the farming community, have caused widespread concern and anger. Understandably, the changes announced will present huge challenges to many family farms in the country. We at the Arthur Rank Centre want to reach out to say that we are here for the farming community at this difficult time. We would like to offer a hand of friendship to anybody within the farming community by putting you in touch with rural Christians and churches who will be prepared to talk to you confidentially about your circumstances and walk with you as you take whatever decisions are needed for the benefit of you and your family in the changed circumstances that exist.

 

We stand alongside you, whether you share our faith or not, because we believe that every individual and community matters. This budget is just one of many pressures you face, whether it be volatile markets, rising costs, or changing regulations. These issues affect not only farmers but also the wider rural community, and their consequences ripple through families, businesses, and the fabric of rural life.

 

In addition to that one-to-one support, we can also help at a community level in the following ways:

  • Advocacy: We are committed to ensuring the voice of rural communities is heard. Through meeting with DEFRA and partnerships with representative organisations like the Tenant Farmers Association, The Agricultural Chaplains Association and Farming Community Network, we seek to highlight the issues you face to policymakers and wider society.
  • Practical Support: Our training and resources, such as the Rural Mission and Ministry Course and Germinate Leadership programme, are designed to strengthen rural churches and equip them to provide effective support in their communities.
  • Encouragement: We are here to encourage and inspire, helping you and your community to face these challenges with resilience and determination.

 

The church has always played a vital role in rural life, offering a place of refuge, hope, and community. Whilst not everyone shares this faith perspective, we remain committed to walking alongside all who call the countryside home, supporting you through the challenges you face.

As we approach Christmas, we are reminded of the importance of hope and togetherness. Whatever your beliefs, this season invites us to reflect on the values of generosity, compassion, and community. These values are at the heart of rural life, and they inspire us to continue supporting one another through every challenge.

If you would like to know more about the support we offer, or to share your experiences, please do get in touch. We are here to listen and to help.

Wishing you and your loved one’s peace and joy this Christmas season,

With every blessing,

Revd Matt Jeffrey
Chief Executive Officer
and on behalf of Trustees and all with The Arthur Rank Centre

Position Filled – Join Our Team: Part-Time Administrator – Position Filled

Location: Barford, Warwickshire
Hours: 21 hours per week (flexible working available)
Salary: c£13,650 (£22,750 FTE) dependent on experience

The Arthur Rank Centre is a national Christian charity dedicated to supporting rural Christian churches, farming communities, and rural areas across England and Wales. Guided by our Christian faith, we strive to inspire, equip, and connect those we serve.

We are looking for a Part-Time Administrator to join our small, supportive team. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a vital role in our organisation, supporting the CEO and charity in its mission to make a meaningful impact on rural communities.

What You’ll Do:

  • Provide administrative support to ensure the smooth running of the charity.
  • Assist with financial tasks such as bookkeeping and invoicing.
  • Coordinate logistics for events and community programmes.
  • Contribute to newsletters, website updates, and social media.

Why Work With Us?

  • Flexible working hours tailored to your lifestyle.
  • Be part of a team making a real difference in rural communities.
  • Enjoy benefits like generous annual leave and Christmas closure.

How to Apply: Please note that as at December 20th – the position is now filled – please do not apply

Request an application pack by emailing info@arthurrankcentre.org.uk. If you’d like an informal conversation about the role, please contact Revd Matt Jeffrey on 0742 123 7195 during office hours.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submission is encouraged. The vacancy will close once a suitable candidate is found or by 9am on 13th January 2025, whichever is sooner.

Budget Response – Autumn 2024

Budget Response

Following recent budget announcements, we are mindful of the uncertainty that many within the farming community are feeling. The potential reduction in Agricultural Property Relief, along with other budgetary changes, brings fresh challenges, and we understand the added pressure this may place on those who work tirelessly to support the nation’s food security.

At a time like this, it’s vital that we look to one another for strength and support. In our rural churches, we are reminded of our calling to stand alongside each other and to be there for those who need a helping hand. As stewards of our land and our communities, we’re encouraged to share in the responsibility of ensuring that no one is left isolated or struggling alone.

We would like to remind you that our sister charity, the Farming Community Network’s (FCN) helpline is available (03000 111 999) for anyone who may wish to talk or seek advice. The helpline is staffed daily by volunteers who understand the unique challenges faced by those in agriculture and rural life.

We continue to pray earnestly for our rural churches as they support their local communities, especially during these times of change. May we all find renewed hope and resilience as we seek to care for each other, knowing that we are not alone.

FCN Helpline

Recent Rural Mission and Ministry Course reflections, and 2025 bookings open

Rural Mission and Ministry Course, October 2024

Held at King’s Park, Northampton, October’s Rural Mission and Ministry Course brought together church leaders and lay members for a couple of days of engaging learning and sharing. The course focused on building resilient rural ministries with sessions tailored to key challenges, from understanding community needs to creative communication and outreach strategies.

Practical tools and resources were shared, sparking ideas for effective, relevant ministry across diverse rural settings. Participants also valued the chance to network, leaving with renewed vision, practical strategies, and a strong sense of fellowship to take back to their own communities.

This was a gathering, rich in inspiration and insight, setting a solid foundation for strengthening rural churches and their mission.

Revd Tracey Voysey, kindly wrote to us afterwards with her wonderful reflections …

I attended the Arthur Rank Rural Ministry Course in hope that I would be with like-minded people who understood the joys, challenges, love and frustrations of rural ministry.  I also hoped that I would come away re-energised and reinvigorated to go back into ministry in Devon.

Well, my hopes were filled well and truly, but the course also provided so much more than I imagined. Each session spoke deeply to me from considering yet again, how important ‘belonging and place’ is in life, to hearing, and talking about the ‘nitty gritty’ of farming and rural life and its consequences, and how we can speak into that as ministers. The emotions in the room were real and tangible. That along with the sessions on Mission and Evangelism, Leadership and Wild all-age worship have left with me reflecting profoundly on my ministry.

I reconnected with ‘finding my why,’ the thing that is deeply rooted in me and drives me to do what I do, and recognising once again that ‘God’s hand is over each of us’ enabling us to do what we do.

The course left me with filled with the Spirit after rediscovering my passions for rural ministry and its way of life, and well as have the time to refuel and be kind to myself.

Thank you to the Matt and Sarah from the Arthur Rank Centre for creating a ‘home’ for two days. A home that fostered welcome, kindness and showed God’s love. Thanks too for the excellent range of speakers, I have been blessed by each and every one of you, likewise my fellow course mates. The food was fabulous too!

Booking for the 2025 courses are now open… Click here to make your booking

Planting Hope for Rural Churches and Communities

NEW ARC GIVING CAMPAIGN – HELP US TO HELP OTHERS.

Nurturing Rural Communities – For less than the price of a few seeds

Think of the simple act of planting a seed. It’s small, almost unnoticed, but given time, it grows into something that nourishes and sustains. Now imagine that same sense of growth and renewal, but instead of a plant, it’s rural churches and communities flourishing across the country.

This is the impact of a regular gift to The Arthur Rank Centre.

For less than the cost of a packet of seeds, your support can help us deliver vital services to rural churches, strengthen farming communities, and provide the lifeline that so many isolated individuals need. A small regular donation can make a real difference, ensuring the rural church remains a living, breathing part of community life.

Your gift, however modest, is like a seed – it grows over time, supporting projects and programmes that bring hope and resilience to those who often feel forgotten. It helps keep the church at the heart of rural life, providing not just spiritual support, but a centre of community connection and care.

Even the smallest seeds can grow into something powerful. Your regular donation helps build stronger, more connected communities, where the church continues to be a source of strength and support.

Next time you plant a seed or tend a garden, think about the potential within that small beginning. And know that for less than the price of those seeds, you could be helping rural communities and churches grow and thrive.

Thank you for considering regular support for The Arthur Rank Centre. Together, we can cultivate a lasting impact on rural life.

Join with us by clicking here to support the mission of The Arthur Rank Centre.

The joys of a Show Chaplain…

Chaplain to the Cheshire Agricultural Society and the Royal Cheshire Show

We recently spoke with Revd Anne Lawson, to understand her role as Chaplain to the Cheshire Agricultural Show.

It has been my privilege to be the Chaplain to the Cheshire Agricultural Society for 11 years now.  Mainly this involves organising “The Church at the Royal Cheshire Show” and carrying out chaplaincy work around the Showground for the 2 days of the Show, as well as saying Grace at Presidents’ and Chairman’s lunches.  It’s a hard task, but someone has to eat for the sake of the Kingdom of God.  Additionally, as Chaplain to the Cheshire Agricultural Society, I have an ex-officio place on the Council and attend the Annual Meeting and events such as Stewards’ Supper to say Grace.

The Royal Cheshire Show opens on the evening before the Show with a Service in “The Church at the Show”, a marquee measuring 300 square metres.

A choir is invited to lead the singing and to sing before and during the service; a Salvation Army band accompanies the hymns, and the Service is attended by over 250 people who come from all walks of life and for many reasons to celebrate all that is good about rural life across Cheshire.  A Bishop (Anglican or Roman Catholic), or a Methodist District Chair preach at the Opening Service and bless the showground.  It is the only service I take where people arrive early and fill up from the front, and there is a real buzz of excitement and anticipation surrounding the service.  During the Opening Service, representatives of the different sections present an item to represent their section, which brings in people who wouldn’t usually think to attend a church service.  One of the best conversations I’ve ever had on the showground was with one of the Young Farmers’ Dairy Queens.  She openly admitted she’d never been to the Opening Service before, and didn’t know what to expect, but would willingly come again,

On Show days, there is an 8.00 am Communion Service, attended by around 30 people, including the President and Lady Patroness to the Show, the Show Chairman and Deputy Chairman, who feel it is important to begin each Show day in this way.  At 2.00 pm there is a Service for the Countryside, a Service of the Word, which has taken as many forms as the number of people taking it over the years. This is taken by clergy of different denominations, who are assisted by one of our Show choirs who come each year to sing at this service.

The ‘Church at the Show’ is supported by a team of over 30 volunteer stewards from churches of different denominations across Cheshire, who welcome people to the marquee and serve cups of tea, coffee and orange squash and chat to those who come in.  A number of exhibits are placed around the marquee.  Some of these are regular exhibits, like the popular Fair Trade stall, with others changing each year.  Over the years we have had a group of Christians working in the salt industry carrying out scientific experiments and using these to speak of faith, knitted bible scenes created by a Salvation Army knitting group and a life-sized Noah (and a few less than life-sized animals and his Ark) created out of knitted squares by a rural church.  The cathedral have brought everything from stone masonry and antique books to children’s activities, Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit.  Outside the marquee, the Diocesan Guild of Bell Ringers ring from a mobile bell tower, and offer visitors opportunity to have a go at bell ringing, and a talented team of children’s workers provide activities in an adjacent gazebo.  We try to have something eye-catching outside the marquee too, such as a vintage wedding car or a Shepherds’ Hut built as a prayer space by a Methodist minister.

We are grateful to the Cheshire Agricultural Society, who not only provide the marquee free of charge, but also allow the distribution of around 200 tickets to enable stewards and exhibitors in ‘The Church at the Show’ to attend the Show for nothing.  We believe that this, together with the Chaplain’s ex officio seat on the Show Council is a unique model for Agricultural Showground Chaplaincy.  It is certainly a privilege that is not taken lightly, and which has opened doors to enable other events such as ‘The Cheshire Harvest’ to be developed at other times of the year.

Well done to Anne and the team for such great work and commitment… We, along with others, cheer you on !

St Francis Day resource

We’re delighted to bring you a new resource from The Arthur Rank Centre – St Francis Day

ARC Beyond Consumerism St Francis Day A4 2024

Looking for a way to engage your congregation with issues of animal welfare and creation care?

Our Beyond Consumerism resource for St Francis’ Day (4th October 2024) is designed to help churches reflect on our relationship with animals and the environment, promoting a thoughtful balance between consumption and stewardship.

This flexible resource offers ideas for holding animal-themed worship events or services, providing a space to give thanks for animals and reflect on our responsibilities towards them. From planning a pet-friendly event to using discovery points and prayer stations, there’s plenty of inspiration for creative, missional engagement with your community.

Perfect for churches in rural areas, or any community with a passion for animals, this resource includes worship materials, prayers, fascinating facts about animal welfare, and music suggestions. Whether you choose to organise a special service or adapt the ideas into your regular Sunday worship, this is an excellent opportunity to build connections and encourage care for God’s creation.

Download the Beyond Consumerism resource now and plan an event that honours St Francis’ love for all creatures!

World Environment Day

It is imperative that we care for our world. The challenges are rising.

We hope that this new resource will be helpful to you in bringing the urgent need to care for the environment before church congregations.

Featuring helpful articles, prayers, liturgy, music suggestions and craft activities, Revd Helen Bent has once again brought a thoughtful and accessible resource before us.

Download now in preparation for the day.

Please let us know when you use this, and send us pictures or news articles for us to feature on the web site, in our newsletter and in social media – thank you.

 

ARC World Environment Day A4 2024

Earth Day resource for churches and groups – April 22nd 2024

We are delighted to bring our new resource to you for 2024, focused on Earth Day on April 22nd this year.

Continuing our Beyond Consumerism focus, it explores how our care for creation is essential with the many challenges including the climate crisis.

It contains a helpful outline and history of the day, insightful thoughts and reflections, together with service, prayer and worship music suggestions.

Let us know where you use this, and if you can, please send us pictures to share, either by email or via our Social Media.

Click here to download – ARC Earth Day A4 2024