Plough Sunday at St Winwaloe

St Winwaloe Church, near Launceston, Cornwall, held a Plough Sunday service this month. The service was conducted by Caroline Stone, Local Worship Leader to bless the plough and pray for a fruitful harvest season.

The church used resources from The Arthur Rank Centre, which provides resources, support, training, and advocates for rural churches. The Plough Sunday service is the first agricultural festival of the year and is traditionally held on the first Sunday of January.

The service was attended by local parishioners, who were delighted to be part of the tradition, and all keen and willing to be involved as together they explored the significance of the Plough Sunday service.

The church has a long history and is dedicated to St Winwaloe, a Breton saint who is said to have lived in the 6th century. It is the smallest parish church in Cornwall, at 12 feet wide and 40 feet long, and continues to provide a rich ministry to the local community.

Read more of the church’s history and heritage here.

January 2024 – New Rural Hidden Hardship research out now…

New research makes recommendations for responding to rural hidden hardship

What comes to mind from rural hardship? Most likely not an image of the Cotswolds. The North Cotswolds are more often associated with tourism and affluence, however, there is a significant minority of people experiencing hardship. When hidden by affluence, hardship is not always sufficiently understood and addressed by policymakers and community leaders.

A research project by Dr Stephanie Denning at Coventry University funded by the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust has sought to better understand hardship in the North Cotswolds: people’s experiences of rural hardship, coping strategies, and barriers to improved wellbeing.

The jigsaw of rural hardship.
Credit: Hidden Hardship and Beth Waters

What did the research involve?
The research took place in 2023 with people experiencing and/or responding to hardship in the rural North Cotswolds in south-west England. The research was formed of 2 stages with 24 participants:

1) Time spent at community groups and gatherings with 22 interviews undertaken with people experiencing and/or responding to hardship.

2) 12 go-along interviews and 3 sets of diaries written by people experiencing hardship.
The research took place in a largely representative rural town and a rural village in the North Cotswolds. At the request of some of the research participants, the town and village are not named.

 


Inequality in the Cotswolds.
Credit: Hidden Hardship and Beth Waters

What did the research find?
Rural hardship in the North Cotswolds is often hidden because of inequalities and the relative affluence experienced by the majority, and the high levels of tourism in the area.

Kate’s experience of hardship and hunger.
Credit: Hidden Hardship and Beth Waters

Associated with this, some participants felt stigma and shame in hardship:

 

“It’s embarrassing… in the area that we live in, I think to put your hands up and say, I’m really struggling here…
you feel judged. Whether you are or not, I don’t know.”

(Julie, local resident, interview, 2023)

 

The research found that hardship can be defined as struggle and tough times, reflecting daily struggle more than one-off ‘emergency’ situations.

 

“I often found it cheaper to just buy powdered milk and cereal for myself which made me feel quite low…
Have struggled to sleep some nights because I’ve been hungry. Soup and shakes aren’t always very filling.”

(Kate, local resident, diary, 2023)

 

Rural hardship is not the same as urban hardship. The causes of rural hardship can be summarised as ‘lacks of’ including government support and investment, employment, transport.

In people’s coping strategies, huge importance was given to informal support networks with friends and families, in addition to support offered by local groups although these could be difficult to access with limited transport options and a fear of stigma.


Barriers to wellbeing included isolation, cost of private transport, and lack of public transport.
Credit: Hidden Hardship and Beth Waters

Barriers to improved wellbeing were to some degree perceived as outside of people’s control, which makes it difficult for people to envisage hardship improving. These included the ‘lacks of’ such as problems with transport, lack of government support and investment, and stigma/shame linked to inequality.

 

Hidden Hardship research recommendations:

The research’s Report for Policymakers and Community Leaders concludes with five recommendations which are summarised here:
(see the full report for more details)

1. There need to be more tailored national government and national voluntary sector responses to rural hardship.
• Rural and urban hardship are not the same and each pose different challenges.

2. More government and voluntary sector support is needed for individuals experiencing daily rural hardship including within the welfare state to address the high cost of rural living.
• Regular Job Centre benefit appointments need to either take place at a location closer to where people live than the nearest city, or have the option to be carried out remotely for example over the phone.

3. Rural residents need support accessing transport to get to medical appointments at GP surgeries and hospitals with local GP practices/branches re-opening and/or staying open.
• Many of the research participants living in hardship experienced challenges with their physical and/or mental health. Many had difficulty accessing medical appointments to improve their health.

4. Local organisations and leaders (including Church leaders) should raise awareness in the general population in rural areas such as the North Cotswolds that people are experiencing hardship, and sensitively give a voice to people experiencing hardship to share their experiences.
• Rural hardship in the North Cotswolds is often hidden for the wealthier majority. This is played out in the contradiction of the strength and support of rural communities but with people in hardship experiencing or fearing stigma and shame.

5. The ‘lacks of’ that cause and affect rural hardship need to be addressed in local and national government planning, notably public transport/infrastructure, affordable housing, and amenities.
• These need to be shown to local residents to be possible to change and influence, rather than being outside of people’s control making it difficult to envisage a more positive future.

Want to know more?
For more information including the full Report for Policymakers and Community Leaders and accompanying briefing, visit https://hiddenhardship.coventry.ac.uk/ or email Dr Stephanie Denning at stephanie.denning@coventry.ac.uk

 

You can visit the Hidden Hardship Exhibition at Coventry Cathedral from 30th January to 26th February 2024.

Plough Sunday 2024

We are delighted as ever to bring you a helpful Plough Sunday resource for services in January 2024. Traditionally it would have taken place on the very first Sunday of the year, but perhaps you might like to develop the service for a different Sunday in the month.

Although Plough Sunday traditionally coincides with Epiphany, in a group of churches – i.e. Anglican multi-benefice or Methodist circuit – more could be made of it to create a bigger event.

The New Year Resolutions provide opportunities and challenges to involve families and the local school.

The resource includes a ready worked service with a New Year Pledge, based on the Methodist Covenant service.

Please do let us know if you are using this resource, and remember to send us any pictures or media coverage etc so that we can share this among rural communities far and wide.

Every blessing to you.

Plough Sunday 2024 Hi-Res

Advent 2023 – Beyond Consumerism

Our Beyond Consumerism Advent resource provides an opportunity to ‘do December differently’.

It embraces the radical challenges of Advent in the light of the cost of living crisis but also the world problems of consumerism, fair trade and climate change.

Why not try the Advent calendar to make space each day to engage with advent themes while earthing them in real life, or use the cries of the prophets to put a different emphasis on the lighting of the Advent wreath.

Download it here – ARC Beyond Consumerism Advent – 2023

With every blessing for this Advent Season.

Rev’d Matt Jeffrey

CEO

 

Rural Ministry Course reflections

Having recently returned from the October 2023 Rural Ministry Course, we felt it good to provide a reflection on just how well it went…

Read on, and find a link to bookings for the 2 courses in 2024…

 

“A well put together and worthwhile course. Just what I needed at this point in my ministry. Thank you.” – Oct 23 participant.

When you’re new in leadership within the context of rural mission & ministry the role can feel slightly overwhelming and leave you unsure of where to start. Gathering with others in similar situations to take time out to pray, eat, learn & journey together can really help.

Participants received thought-provoking, practical, & encouraging input from experienced practitioners around the topics of rural contexts, mission, faith-rooted community organising, agriculture, leadership, inter-generational wild worship & evangelism – all whilst forming a supportive, ecumenical community that even continues beyond the course.

Our most recent gathering took place in October, with twenty three rural leaders from five different denominations. We left filled with hope and encouragement for the journey ahead and are looking forward to reconnecting online next term.

 

“Really helpful – practical, inspiring & encouraging!”- Oct 23 RMC participant.

The course is designed for lay & ordained leaders new to a rural context, entering a rural appointment for the first time, or in need of a ‘rural refresher’.

1-2nd May, 2024 at Yarnfield, Staffs.
2-3rd Oct, 2024 at King’s Park, Northampton.

Spaces are limited and can get booked up quickly. Come & join us for a future course : Click here for more information and to make your booking.

New Harvest resource for 2023

We are delighted to offer a new Harvest resource for this year.

Once again, this has been carefully curated by Revd Helen Bent, and we are grateful for the input and creativity in bringing this to you.

We always love to hear where the resources are used, so please do let us know, and even send in your pictures for our Social Media, or tag us in your own articles.

Every blessing to you as you prepare and gather together.

Revd Matt Jeffrey

Arthur Rank Centre CEO

Click here to download ARC Harvest 2023

Rogation Sunday – 14th May 2023

Our 2023 worship resources continue to relate to the Arthur Rank Centre’s Beyond Consumerism project.

Here we explore Rogation rituals alongside food and social justice. Alongside locally grown produce, we are used to round the-year imports of a vast array of fresh food often at the expense of those who have grown it.

This year let us remember to ask for God’s protection and blessing on farming communities and their crops not only here at home but around the world.

Click here to download a PDF to read and print freely – ARC Rogation Sunday Material A4 2023

Please do credit The Arthur Rank Centre when used.

We always love to hear how and where you have used the resource – please let us know.

2023 Lent Course now available here.

We are delighted to make available the Lent Course for 2023 – Beyond Consumerism Lent Course 2023

As the CEO of the Arthur Rank Centre, Rev’d Matt Jeffrey writes…

“Lent is such a precious season as we draw ever closer towards the cross.

This study guide for churches and small groups has been written with a focus on feasting and fasting and enables space to reflect on the many aspects of food for today. Whether social justice, the environment, our approach to animal welfare, producers of our food, the wider impact of this and the sacramental aspects of food, each topic draws us into a new awareness, and helpfully encourages reflection and growth.

May your faith be nourished, and your hope increased.

Every blessing to you as you journey with and through this.”

Matt, and all with The Arthur Rank Centre.

Harvest 2022

This year, we want to encourage churches to use their harvest festival celebrations as an opportunity to thank farmers for all they do for us.  As the effects of COVID-19 continue to unfold, it’s impossible to predict the circumstances under which we will be celebrating our harvest festivals this year. Therefore, we’ve suggested ways in which you and your church community could celebrate either in individual households or as a gathered church.

Harvest – The Arthur Rank Centre

For more great resources:

Joint Public Issues Team Harvest/Creationtide Resources for 2022

Just Desserts? – Joint Public Issues Team (jpit.uk)

Farming Community Network

Resources – Farming Community Network (fcn.org.uk)