As we prepare for Rural Mission Sunday 2020, we find ourselves in uncharted waters. We – in common with communities across the world – have been living in lockdown for a significant proportion of the early months of this year, living with a level of disconnection that many, if not all of us, have found unsettling and unprecedented.

As we compile this material it is difficult to predict the extent to which we will still be impacted by social distancing restrictions by the time Rural Mission Sunday rolls round on 19 July. Where we are in the pandemic response will shape how you might respond. If we’re still in lockdown or social distancing guidelines are still in place you will need to focus on your use of phone or online resources, or on equipping your church family to mark Rural Mission Sunday in their own homes. If restrictions have been partially or entirely lifted, Rural Mission Sunday may be the perfect opportunity to bring your community together to celebrate