A Review of the Book "Re-Shaping Rural Ministry" edited by James Bell, Jill Hopkinson, and Trevor Willmott

Title: Re-Shaping Rural Ministry: A Theological and Practical Handbook

Editors: James Bell, Jill Hopkinson, Trevor Willmott

Publisher: Canterbury Press

Year: 2009

156 pages

From the Back: Rural churches are an abiding presence and sign of continuity in local communities, yet they face radical social, economic, and community change in the 21st century. This has prompted renewed reflection on the meaning of mission, evangelism, vocation, and ministry as rural churches seek the ways in which they can share most fruitfully in the mission of God for this world. Reshaping Rural Ministry explores the imaginative responses of many rural churches to decades of challenges and changes, and offers practical and theological reflection from leading writers on the questions it is addressing today. Illustrated with stories and examples from rural churches, and including questions to enable local churches to discern how they might best respond to particular challenges they face, this book is essential reading for all engaged in rural ministry, those considering it, and all involved in ministerial selection and training.

Personal Thoughts: I always find it easier to get on board with ideas when you hear them through story. Telling and hearing stories is such a powerful learning tool and that is exactly how this book is set up. Through a series of essays, you hear about rural churches and rural communities growing, learning, and building relationship. Rural ministry is so different than urban ministry. You need to learn things like when planting season is, when people will be fishing, when calving starts, when harvest begins, and any other seasonal event that affects the people within the town or parish.

    The stories are based in rural England but there's no reason the ideas brought forth by the story-tellers wouldn't be able to transfer to Canada or North America. I think we can learn a lot from rural ministry. Because their Sunday morning attendance varies so widely, the pastor needs to take church to the where the people are. Maybe that means a pastoral visit in a tractor. Or church services in a farmer's field. One thing for sure is that rural ministry isn't easy and it can no longer be thought of as a stepping stone to working in the city. Rural and urban parishes are just too different for that.

    Reshaping Rural Ministry is easy to read because it's made up of a variety of stories. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you might just learn a thing or two. Even if you don't or won't have anything to do with leading a rural parish, I recommend this book to everyone because when it comes to building a church into a community, rural parishes are ahead of the game.