Mission and Ministry

Rural Officers are lay and ordained people who are appointed by a Methodist District, Anglican Diocese or URC Synod to give some or all of their time to providing information and advice, pastoral care and strategic thinking on rural issues for community and churches. Rural Officers work ecumenically on a regional or sub-regional basis as well as at the most local level, supporting colleagues in ministry and working in partnership with other organisations. They represent the church on a wide range of bodies and organisations including local strategic partnerships, church governing structures and at local markets.

ARC is the home of the Rural Officers’ Network: a dynamic ecumenical network of people who are passionately committed to the life and work of rural and agricultural communities and their churches. Rural Officers may also be called Agricultural Chaplains, Rural Advisors, Rural Synod Links, Rural Life Officers … amongst other things. ARC supports the network through the National Rural Officer for the Church of England, and the National Rural Officer for the Methodist Church & the United Reformed Church, who are both based at the ARC.

A Rural Officer is available for consultation on a wide range of issues and can offer locally relevant advice on topics such as:

• Food and farming issues
• Community partnerships
• Pastoral care in rural communities
• Ministry and mission in rural areas
• Development of church buildings for community use
• Worship and the celebration of festivals such as Harvest, Rogation and Plough Sunday
• Relationships with organisations such as Rural Community Councils and National Farmers Union or others