Fresh expressions of church are by no means limited to suburban or urban locations, although there are considerably fewer rural examples. However the Fresh Expressions website does contain quite a few specific examples of rural Fresh Expressions of church, as well as more general material related to fresh expressions of church in rural situations.
Links to much of the examples on the Fresh Expressions website are found below, alongside a few links to articles from Country Way that highlight rural fresh expressions of church.
The Arthur Rank Centre is not responsible for the contents or futher links contained in any of the material on the Fresh Expressions website.
In the Library of Rural Good Practice elsewhere on the ARC website, you find a detailed case study, with additional information, related to Mission Shaped Ministry courses run in largely rural situations. In addition there is more information about the development of dedicated rural resources for future Mission Shaped Ministry programmes. Find these here.
At the foot of this page, you can download "Getting Fresh in the Country", some reflections on rural fresh expressions of church from Capt. Gordon Banks, the Church Army's rural representative. You can also download a summary of some thoughts on rural fresh expressions of church from Revd Anna Normal-Walker, Diocesan Missioner for Exeter Diocese.
Specific Examples of Rural Fresh Expressions
1stsunday@5 - Trefforest, South Wales: (URC monthly cafe church with a difference)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/1stsundayat5
Alive & Kicking - Kinver, Staffordshire: (Fresh Expression of church for high-school age youngsters in a large village)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/aliveandkicking
The ARK - Newmains, Scotland: (Different 'expressions' for children, young people & adults)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/theark
Ashburton Methodist Church – Devon: (The results of a Mission-Shaped Ministry course)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/ashburtonmethodist
Breakfast@9 - Canford Magna, Dorset: (Breakfast club & developing new Christian community)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/breakfastat9
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1xduo/CountryWayIssue59/resources/18.htm
Cafe Lite - Droxford, Hampshire: (Monthly, self-funding cafe service in the village hall - linked to other mission openings)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/cafelite
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/news/grahamcray/cen-mar12
An article about this initiative was published in Issue 62 of Country Way
Cook@ Chapel, Hanslope Methodist Chapel, Buckinghamshire: (Reaching young people widely in the village through cooking & food)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/cookatchapel
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/cookatchapel/apr13
Cringleford Community Project - Norwich: (Pioneering work in a new build housing estate)
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/cringleford
Easton Methodist Church – Portland, Dorset: (Cafe Church)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/easton
Eden - Horsham Deanery, West Sussex: (Combined youth service for 20 largely rural, village churches)
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/eden
Essence – Histon, Cambridgeshire: (Open-ended weekday group for non/de-churched)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/news/grahamcray/cen-jun11
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/essence
Feltwell Chapel – Norfolk: (Non-traditional Sunday missional church community)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/feltwellchapel
Fenland Community Church - March, Cambridgeshire: (a community of learning-disabled & their carers)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/fenland
Food for Thought - Winterslow, Wiltshire: (New church in the village hall)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/node/355
FREEdom Cafe - Seaton, Devon: (Seaside ecumenical community in church hall)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/freedomcafe
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/freedomcafe/oct12
Gainsborough Methodist Church - Lincolnshire: (Cafe church in a market town)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/gainsboroughcafechurch
Garage Praise - Church Stretton, Shropshire: (Youth & Families house group)
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/garagepraise
Grafted - Newcastleton, Scottish Borders: ("Giving Hope to Those Without Hope" work with those suffering dependency & substance abuse)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/grafted
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/grafted/apr13
Heathfield Cafechurch - East Sussex: (Ecumenical project on Costa Coffee on the High Street)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/heathfieldcafechurch
Heyford Chapel – Oxfordshire: (New Christian community in rural housing estate)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/heyfordchapel
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/heyfordchapel/jul11
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/guide/about/proper/up/heyford
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/guide/develop/becoming/heyford
Little Fishes - Oldbury, Wiltshire: (Developing parent & toddler group for isolated communities)http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1u2f9/CountryWayIssue58/resources/20.htm
Loughborough Methodist Circuit Messy Churches: (including a number of villages)www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/messychurchloughborough
Kairos - Grange Park, Northamptonshire: (Community centre developed from Local Ecumenical Partnership in urban fringe village)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/kairos
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/guide/develop/becoming/grangepark
The Marlpit - Hellesdon, Norfolk: (community engagement in urban spillover estate)
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/marlpit
Mighty Shed - Uplyme, Dorset: (community church for young people majoring on music & creative arts)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/mightyshed
Play & Praise - Gnosall, Staffordshire: (weekly community for under-5s)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/playandpraise
Quiet Days - North Somerset: (retreat & Hospitality days)
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/quietdays
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/quietdays/mar13
RE: NEW - Lode, Cambridgeshire: (Fledgling ecumenical Christian community)
www.sharetheguide.org/blog/archive/2009/11/03/a-crisis-of-commitment-by-simon-goddard
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/node/334
http://re-new.me.uk/
Rhythm of God & The Well - Tamworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire: (two very different ways of reaching those who 'don't do church')
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/rhythmofgod
Ruth Project - South Stanley, Co. Durham: (Community & community-building in an ex-mining village)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/ruthproject
Space - Mawsley, Northamptonshire: (New worshipping community in a new-build village)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/mawsley
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/space
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/eagleswings
SPLAT - Wick, Glamorgan: (Monthly Village Messy Church)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/splat
Steps: missional, rural, sacramental - Oxfordshire: (Intentional, informal rural group committed to a rule of life)
www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk/library-of-good-practise/item/6755-steps-missional-rural-sacramental
St Ives Methodist Church - Cambridgeshire: (Cafe church & influence of website)
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/stivescafechurch
http://stivesmethodistchurch.org.uk/whats-on/sunday-mornings/cafe-church
St Thomas The Apostle - Groombridge, Kent: (Orthodox tradition & Cafe Eucharist)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/stthomasgroombridge
Sunday4:6 – Devon: (Experimental gathering away from the church building)
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/sunday46
Tas Valley Cell Church - Norfolk: (Variety of developments exploring connections with local parishes)http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1rodt/CountryWayIssue50/resources/24.htm
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/tasvalley/update
www.sharetheguide.org/develop/becoming/4all
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/4all/jul12
www.sharetheguide.org/starting/support/tas
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/tasvalley
Third Space - Histon, Cambridge: (Monthly gathering in pub as neutral ground)
www.churchbuild.co.uk/2011/07/church-without-buildings/
Threshold Church - Lincolnshire: (multiple small community congregations)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/thresholdchurch
www.churcharmy.org.uk/ms/sc/encounters/sfc_Issue42.aspx
Tolland, Somerset: (Community-owned revival of church attendance with special services)
www.sharetheguide.org/section1/3/openings/tolland
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/node/86
United Media Church - Kingswood, Gloucestershire: (Exploring a range of engagement & learning for ex-churchgoers & young people)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/unitedmediachurch
URC Rural Pioneer – Cullompton, Devon: (On the margins of tradition, exploring new approaches for non-churchgoers)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/news/urcfirstpioneer
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1xduo/CountryWayIssue59/resources/7.htm
Warham Trust - Hampshire: (Community Church in a clubhouse)
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/warhamtrust
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/warhamtrust/update
Wootton, Northamptonshire: (FX in new-build area of rural community)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/node/99
Wroxham & Hoveton URC, Norfolk: (Village Messy Church & missing families!)
www.sharetheguide.org/blog/archive/2011/10/25/patience-and-prayer-%E2%80%98messy%E2%80%99-vision-matt-stone
X-treme - Seascale, Cumbria: (Shackles Off youth project - mentoring, support, safe space & activities)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/xtreme
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/xtreme/may12
Xpressions Cafe - Chedgrave, Norfolk: (An interesting development of cafe church in a rural parish)
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/xpressions
www.chetvalleychurches.org/xpressions_cafe1.htm
Issue 45 of "Encounters on the Edge" gives a detailed description & analysis of Xpressions Cafe:
www.encountersontheedge.org.uk/encounters-no-45-the-x-factor-within.html
More General Fresh Expression material related to Rural
Catching the Wave: (New monasticism & rural situations)
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1s9d4/CountryWayIssue57/resources/20.htm
Changing Face of Church-planting in the Countryside:
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1rodt/CountryWayIssue50/resources/24.htm
Compass Bearings for Small Rural Churches: (Reflections at the interface of traditional & fresh)
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1rod3/CountryWayIssue56/resources/22.htm
Encounters on the Edge, from the Church Army. A number of these booklets look at specific rural Fresh Expressions of Church:
No. 27 - The Village & Fresh Expressions
No. 28 - Rural Cell Church
No. 42 - Across a Threshold (a family of rural church-plants)
No. 45 - The X-Factor Within (rural cafe church)
Hereford Diocese has created a news page reflecting fresh expressions of church & Mission Shaped Ministry in this extremely rural area.
http://www.hereford.anglican.org/visitors/the_newspaper/news_plus/fresh_expressions.aspx
Lincolnshire FEAST (Fresh Expression Area Strategy Team):
www.sharetheguide.org/section5/feasts/lincolnshire
Resourcing Fresh Expressions & Pioneer Ministry through Churches Togther in Scarborough Deanery:
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/stories/scarboroughdeanery
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/news/cen/201009
Rural Fresh Expressions:
www.sharetheguide.org/examples/rural
-
examples of rural fresh expressions
- different types of rural fresh expression
- things to keep in mind
- some resources
Rural Fresh Expressions - 10 Top Tips:
www.freshexpressions.org.uk/share/thoughts/aug10
Rural Fresh Expression Pioneers:
www.sharetheguide.org/blog/archive/2010/01/25/where-are-the-rural-fresh-expressions-pioneers-by-klynn-and-susan-alibocus
At the 2011 Methodist Conference, the Fresh Ways working group reported on the growth of fresh expressions of church, many of which were either 'messy church' or cafe church ventures - or those where people were meeting away from the church premises. Many of these are found in rural locations. (In the Methodist Recorder 14th July 2011.)
New for April 2013, a video of Andrew Roberts discussing Mission-Shaped (Methodist) Circuits:
http://freshexpressions.org.uk/views/mission-shaped-circuits
Fresh Expression DVD & online material related to rural
Fresh Expressions have produced 3 DVDs containing a large range of case studies of fresh expressions of church and related mission initiatives. Quite a number of these are from rural contexts, and may prove valuable as examples, discussion-starters and catalysts. All three DVDs can be purchased from Fresh Expressions directly, but for the earlier two you can either preview the clips online for free, or download them individually for much less than the cost of the entire DVD.
(1) Stories of Church for a Changing Culture
This contains - amongst others - "Sunday 4:6" - the story of a rural church plant from Devon
Find information about this DVD online here
(2) Changing Church in Every Place
This contains a substantial feature - "A New Harvest?" - containing detailed stories from a number of rural examples, including the account of the Tas Valley Team Ministry in Norfolk led by Revd Sally Gaze (see above), the author of "Mission-Shaped & Rural"
Find information about this DVD (which contains resources for using the DVD with groups) online here
(3) Making a Difference
This contains several rural stories, including "Coffee Craft" from Clee Hill in Shropshire, "The Lounge at Costa" in the market town of Woodbridge in Suffolk and "Grafted" at Newcastleton in Northumberland.
Find information about this DVD - and recommended accompanying material - online here
Fresh Expressions Rural Round Table
This group has been created to look at the strategic development of fresh expressions of church in rural situations. Its goals are the encouragement and support of such rural fresh expressions, and coordination with already-existing rural churches in order to spread the effective reach of rural mission. It includes representatives from a variety of denominations and signifcant groups that support and promote rural mission. It has only recently started to meet together, and suggestions and input from rural church practitioners of all kinds are welcomed. It has largely absorbed the work of the Rural Churchplanters forum.
The chair of the Rural Round Table is Revd Sally Gaze - author of "Mission-Shaped & Rural", and an Anglican priest in Norwich Diocese.
Contact her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The group facilitator is Pete Atkins - member of the national Fresh Expressions team and a leader from the Threshold Church, part of the Ground Level Network in rural Lincolnshire.
Contact him at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
A number of people are seeking to explore new monasticism in a rural context, from new ecumenical intentional communities through to groups drawing inspiration from new monasticism to renew existing forms of church - through mutual discipleship and mission. The Fresh Expressions Rural Round Table can help by linking practitioners in similar contexts. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Find the general Fresh Expressions page on their "Round Tables" here: www.freshexpressions.org.uk/roundtables
