The ARC was set up by the Churches (with partners) in 1972 and today is their ecumenical rural resources unit, and the home of the National Rural Officers.

The ARC’s mission is to lead the Christian churches in their efforts to improve the quality of life of those living and working in rural communities and to develop greater understanding and links between rural and urban communities, and between different faith groups.

Our work, which supports Christian mission and ministry in the countryside in a variety of ways, focuses on serving the practical, educational and spiritual needs of churches in rural communities which must contend (more now than ever) with poor resourcing, thinly spread leadership, lack of volunteers and a general lack of appropriate information, to live, worship and grow.

This work currently includes the following initiatives:

  • Providing free practical resources for church projects, worship materials, information on rural issues, case studies and much more at arthurrankcentre.org.uk.

  • Learning for lay and ordained people through practical courses, the Centre for Studies in Rural Ministry, and the work of the National Rural Officers.

  • Helping the church to engage with the wider community and expand participation, with a scheme to encourage and support social entrepreneurship.

  • Providing ordinands from urban or suburban backgrounds with learning opportunities to do with rural ministry.

  • Exploring and developing alternative models of ministry, including ‘local collaborative ministry’.

  • Supporting community outreach by providing easy-to-use online toolkits for post offices and community shops in church buildings.

  • Supplying rural churches with affordable computers to assist their mission.