The Guide contains how-to-do-it advice on starting, developing and sustaining fresh expressions of church based on shared experiences.
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Posted by: Andrew Wooding - 25 January 2010
Go to any number of talks, read the plethora of books available, watch the latest DVDs on fresh expressions of church and you will no doubt get a taste of the excitement surrounding pioneer ministry. Delve into the situation a little deeper, though, and you will discover that instances of pioneer ministry across the UK are, very definitely, not an even spread.
Where more urban environments are equipped and ready for the challenge that instigating new fresh expressions brings, in our experience, many rural areas are somewhat lagging behind. The reasons for this are many. It may be with limited resources it is right to focus on large populous areas. After all, didn't Jesus draw large crowds together to hear God's word? On the other hand, how precious were his moments spent one on one with the people he met outside the city walls.
Perhaps on the surface there appears more need in the city - where homelessness, alcoholism and drugs are clearly apparent - than in the quiet, quaint and often well-heeled villages of the British countryside. Jesus knew, however, that human need isn't restricted to boundaries of poverty and circumstance and in many cases it is where people seem to have the least material need that God is needed most.
Klynn says: 'I know from personal experience just how effective efforts to bridge the gap to the unchurched can be. Back in the nineties I fell comfortably into that group and, it was through involvement in an early suburban fresh expression of church that I came to have a meaningful relationship with God.
'A recent news article highlighted the record number of people that are leaving cities to relocate in rural areas. This week our own fresh expression, Food for Thought in Winterslow near Salisbury, celebrates its third birthday – and we continue to face the challenge to serve everyone in our community, no matter how long they have lived here.'
The heart of the Anglican faith has always beaten strongly in rural villages; perhaps it's time we put that commitment to good use and reach out not only to long-term residents but also to those who move to the countryside at any time.
Klynn and Susan Alibocus are leaders of Food for Thought, Winterslow, Salisbury.
If you have something burning to say and want to contribute to the Share weekly guest blog, please contact Karen Carter. The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and are not necessarily shared by the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, Church Army, Fresh Expressions or any of its partners.
Comments
Rural FX
Posted by Pam Smith on 25 January 10 - 16:02
It seemed to me they'd gone through all the preliminary steps to setting up a fresh expression, but when I asked if they'd heard of fresh expressions they looked a bit blank.
Consequently they felt the next step should be somehow persuading these people to come to church.
Posted by Klynn Alibocus on 25 January 10 - 20:21
Thanks for the comment, it is encouraging to see these initiatives spring up after they have actively engaged their community.
Be interesting to see how their coffee morning develops, as this could be their church and therefore no "persuading" is needed to come to Church.
An FE is about going out rather than gathering in, as long as it emphasises four things in particular. Fresh expressions are:
1. missional – serving people outside church;
2. incarnational – listening to people and entering their culture;
3. educational – making discipleship a priority;
4. ecclesial – forming church.
Further information about this can be found here:
http://www.sharetheguide.org/section1/1
So we perhaps tre coffee morning is a Cafe style church that meets mid week, that meets the needs or parents from the school.
Could be a great place to introduce Alpha and house group courses as well as family orientated services
GB
Klynn
Rural FX
Posted by David Muir on 26 January 10 - 15:07
I think the reason Fresh Expressions have been more abundant in urban areas is because traditional church attendance is particularly weak there. I don’t think it’s the result of any conscious decision to devote resources to more populous areas.
There is also plenty of rural poverty; it just doesn’t show much on the statistics because it is spread out through every country area, not concentrated in whole densely-populated ‘wards’ in towns and cities. As in the cities, our Anglican churches are very poor at reaching the poor.
Here in Devon we have many rural congregations composed mostly of ‘incomers’, and many of our congregations are kept running by the active ‘grey drift’ from the South East. We are much less successful in reaching the younger life-style incomers, unless they already have a faith. But even some of these warm to more traditional church, ancient buildings and such; it fits with the retreat into the countryside.
One of the most difficult groups to reach, in my experience, is the children and grand-children of traditional countryside residents. We have to shape Fresh Expressions for them which are traditional enough to resonate with their sense of heritage, but shaped around their actual styles of life so that they can realistically become committed to them.
Posted by Klynn Alibocus on 28 January 10 - 09:25
This illustrates the growing different social structures in villages in rural England, and therefore the need for a varied strategic approach to launching and running FEs
We have found that both “incomers” and "natives" engage with Food for Thought (our FE). If Food for Thought can remain flexible, fresh and relevant to our local community they will continue to come for whatever reason they choose, and they will get to at least witness Christian fellowship in their village.
Posted by David Muir on 28 January 10 - 12:43
Clearly your Food for Thought has attracted both incomers and native folk. What is it that these very different kinds of people both resonate with? Creating places of reconciliation between these two groups can be very creative.