(Editors note.  The following article was received before the A.G.M. reported above.)

 

Whither the rural Church In Wales?

By Revd. Ray Smith

If you speak to any older person in the villages , they will recount how before the 1950s, every village had its own incumbent living in the local vicarage. Since then all has changed.   Now many rural incumbents have to look after several villages and parish churches. If we examine the ages of existing clergy and compare that with the numbers of those being ordained, we can see that in the foreseeable future, we shall have far fewer clergy available for the country areas. They will become as rare as the rural ‘bobby’.

Thanks to the Renewal Movement, all need not be lost.   The re-awareness of the work of the Holy Spirit has meant that such passages in the Bible as Romans 12 v 4-8, 1 Corinthians 12 v 7-11 Ephesians 4 v 1 - 13 with their emphasis on every member ministry have taken on a new meaning.   In these passages is laid out the expectation that within each church there will a team of people exercising ministries, gifts, and leadership.  Modem scholarship has demonstrated that many of the congregations that Paul was writing to were small in size - frequently comparable to that of a modern country congregation.   Yet Paul expected that under the activity of the Holy Spirit a full complement of ministries and gifts would be exhibited.   Why not today?

To return to New Testament experiences would require a mighty revolution in attitudes.

For the person in the pew, it would mean that they came to church not just to sit but to be fully involved. (To create this attitude we might have to redesign our churches because they give the impression of the schoolroom, the parson-schoolmaster up front and the congregation-scholars in neat rows in front of him; so encouraging passivity) To move nearer to the New Testament picture, each congregation could nominate to the Bishop, several of its members to be trained to lead worship. They would be responsible for the conduct of the majority of services.   Others would be responsible for the pastoral care of the community.   Those licensed would be for a limited number of years.   The main learning method would be through the mid week study group rather than the sermon.

For the Priest, it would mean that except from time to time celebrating Holy Communion in each of the congregations under his or her care, the main role would be to be a trainer and enabler of the congregation.   Instead of being the performer, the priest’s role would be that of helping the congregation to fulfill their potential and ministry under the Holy Spirit.  It would become more an oversight role  For the majority of clergy this would mean not simply a change in their thinking but also there would need to be much training to develop these oversight skills.   Each group of licensed worship leaders would meet on a regular basis with the incumbent to plan and prepare the worship.

In 1 Corinthians 14 v 26, the picture Paul gives of worship is like the performance of an orchestra, all the musicians blending to produce the beautiful sound of worship.

Perhaps we might make our way back to such a situation and what is suggested may provide a possible way to attain that goal.

It may be said that the rural scene could not produce people from the congregation to exercise such gifts and ministries.   How is it that the country areas have produced the Women’s Institute and the Young Farmers Clubs with their wealth of leadership. Could it be a case of James 4 v 2 being fulfilled you do not have because you do not ask God. ?