Rogation Sunday 2026: Remembering, Lamenting, and Looking Forward
As we approach Rogation Sunday on 10th May, the Arthur Rank Centre is reflecting on a significant milestone in our rural history.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Foot and Mouth epidemic, a period that redefined the British countryside and left an indelible mark on our farming communities.
A Season of Reflection
Rogationtide is traditionally a time to ask for God’s blessing on the land and the coming harvest. However, this year’s anniversary calls for a deeper focus on lament and resilience.
The 2001 epidemic saw the loss of over 6 million animals and the disappearance of bloodlines that had been nurtured for generations. Many still remember the “silence that reigned across the countryside” and the heavy toll taken on the mental health and livelihoods of farming families.
In partnership with the Cumbria Agricultural Chaplaincy and the North West England Methodist District, we have produced a comprehensive set of resources to help churches and rural communities mark this anniversary with “sensitivity, humility, and sacred order”.
As one farmer simply put it when asked if we should still mark the epidemic: “We shouldn’t forget!”
What’s Included in the Resource?
The Rogation 2026 PDF includes:
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Prayers of Lament: Space to acknowledge the past hardship and the “silence” of 2001.
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Prayers of Confession & Thanksgiving: Reflecting on our role as stewards of creation and celebrating the current health of our restocked fells and farms.
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Hymn for Rogation: Featuring “The vision of earth from the viewpoint of space” by Andrew Pratt, which calls us to “shoulder anew” our heritage of care.
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Call to Worship & Intercessions: Focusing on food security, policy-making, and the well-being of the next generation of farmers.
Download the Resource
Whether you are planning a traditional “Beating the Bounds” procession, a farm-based service, or a quiet prayer walk, these materials are designed to be adapted to your local context.
Click Here to download the new Rogation 2026 PDF
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Revd David Newlove, Beverley Jones, and Chris Swift for their work in authoring these moving prayers and reflections.
If you find this resource useful, please consider supporting The Arthur Rank Centre with a small regular donation – click Donate below to find out more.
Among those reflecting on that period is Sue English, whose reflections recall not only the scale of the crisis, but the emotional and spiritual toll it took on farming families and those walking alongside them. Her words remind us that Foot and Mouth was not simply an agricultural emergency, but a profoundly human one, marked by grief, isolation, and long months of uncertainty.
As part of our Beyond Consumerism project, we’re excited to bring you this worship and reflection resource for Earth Day 2025, focusing on the theme of food and production impact. With the earth under increasing strain from industrial agriculture, climate change, and plastic pollution, this timely resource invites churches and individuals to explore how faith calls us to care for creation.
