Devon Churches Rural Forum

DCRF Rural Worship Workshop

On 12th October 2019 56 people from across Devon gathered at the Teign Valley Community Hall to share ideas and experience and create new ideas for rural worship under five headings:

  • Traditional Farming Festivals
  • Traditional Christian Festivals
  • Spirituality and Prayer events
  • Blessing the Community
  • Connecting with special "National Days"

We also had one group looking at rural worship in the round.

We also had a presentation from the Farming Community Network which included information about their hugely valuable work in supporting our farming families and workers, and also about the worship events they lead around Devon for Plough Sunday and Lammas Day and various Christmas services at the livestock markets. You can download the presentation here.

You can find the summary of the common themes and ideas from the workshop, the individual voice recordings of the feedback from the small groups, the notes from the individual group facilitators and the ideas from the flip charts all together below. Still to be added is our "Calendar of Seasonal Worship" which at the time of writing needs a bit more work before publishing.

For resources under each heading of worship ideas and order of service examples, please refer to the individual folders in this section - links below.

A Summary of thoughts, ideas and themes from the small groups’ session at the DCRF Rural Worship Workshop held on October 12th 2019

And in conclusion - let’s celebrate and thank God

… for the great diversity, enthusiasm and creativity that is happening right now in so many of our wonderful rural parishes. When we get downhearted with some of the struggles of rural mission and ministry, this day has shown how special rural worship is and can be – what amazing resources we have in our buildings, in nature and in our people. How good God is in bringing new life in so many ways. What a few people with a great idea and prayer can achieve. How many people in our communities are already engaging in the worshipping life of our churches - but just perhaps not on a Sunday.  It has been suggested in other fora that perhaps a series of “specials” is one of the ways forward in rural worship – we need our regular worship to sustain and support us in our personal journeys of faith and to develop the life of the church – but perhaps today has given us something to think about the balance of regular and “special” community based worship.

A Calendar of Rural Worship - COMING SOON!

Farming Festivals

Flip Chart Ideas

Farming Festivals Group 1 Audio Feedback - Joanne Jones

Farming Festivals Group 1 Written Feedback - Joanne Jones

Farming Festivals Group 2 Audio Feedback - Colin Smallacombe

Farming Festivals Group 2 Written Feedback - Colin Smallacombe

Farming Festivals Group 3 Audio Feedback - Susanna Metz

Resources

Christian Festivals

Flip Chart Ideas

Christian Festivals Group Audio Feedback - Jane Frost

Christian Festivals Group  Written Feedback - Jane Frost

Resources

Spirituality and Prayer Events

Flip Chart Ideas

Spirituality Group 1 Audio Feedback - Ruth Frampton

Spirituality Group 1 Written Feedback - Ruth Frampton

Spirituality Group 2 Audio Feedback - Sue Lockwood

Spirituality Group 2 Written Feedback - Sue Lockwood

Resources

Blessing the Community

Flip Chart Ideas

Blessing the Community Group Audio Feedback - Penny Dobbin

Blessing the Community Group Written Feedback - Penny Dobbin

Resources

Connecting with Special Days

Flip Chart Ideas

Connecting with Special Days Group Audio Feedback - Chris Keppie

Resources Environmental

Resources special days to be added

Worship and the Rural Church - Special Group

Audio Feedback - Sarah Cracknell

Final Q and A - Audio - Jon Curtis

 

For all Resources - please also check the Germinate website which includes a wealth of rural worship resources

Please also continue to send in your ideas and service booklets by email - they will all be valued and appreciated - and remember no idea is too small if someone else hasn't got it. email to info@devonchurchesruralforum.org.uk

 

 

 

 

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