A leaving message from Stephi.

 At the end of this month, I will be leaving Rural Missions to take up the call to serve as the minister of a local church.

It feels strange to write that.

For the last few years, I have had the privilege of travelling, listening, encouraging and dreaming alongside churches and Christian communities across rural Britain. I've heard stories of incredible things God is doing, as well as stories of frustration, uncertainty and struggle.

But through it all, I've seen something that I want to leave you with:

Hope.

So, as I leave, I don't want to give you another strategy or list of things you need to do. I simply want to offer some encouragement.

Don't underestimate what God can do

One of the greatest privileges of working with rural churches has been seeing just how much can happen through communities that, from the outside, might look small or insignificant.

A handful of people praying. A church opening its doors. Someone faithfully visiting a neighbour. A community gathering around a Christmas service. Someone choosing to keep going.

These things can seem small. But the Kingdom of God has always had a fascination with small things. A mustard seed. A little flock. A handful of loaves and fish.

So don't underestimate what God can do with you. Small does not mean insignificant. Faithfulness matters.

Look around you

I've become increasingly convinced that mission begins with noticing.

Before we ask, “What should we do?” perhaps we should ask: “What is God already doing?”

Look around your village. Listen to people's stories. Notice where there is pain, joy, generosity and longing. The rural church has an incredible gift here. You know the names. You know the stories. You know your communities.

That's a gift.

Mission doesn't always begin with a new programme. Sometimes it begins by paying attention.

Don't lose your expectation. Perhaps this is what I want to say most strongly:

Don't lose your expectation that God can move.

It is easy, after years of decline or disappointment, to lower our expectations. We stop praying bold prayers. We stop expecting people to encounter Jesus. We settle for simply keeping things going.

But Jesus is still Lord. The Holy Spirit is still at work. The gospel is still good news. God is still building His Church.

So pray bold prayers. Pray for your neighbours. Pray for new life. Pray for healing. Pray for the Holy Spirit to breathe fresh life into your churches.

And then wait… not passively, but expectantly.

And finally, thank you.

Thank you for the conversations, the hospitality, the stories and the prayers.

You have taught me far more than you probably realise.

You've reminded me that ministry is often slow, that relationships matter, that faithfulness matters, and that the Kingdom of God rarely fits neatly into our plans and strategies.

Most of all, you've reminded me that God loves rural communities.

He hasn't forgotten the villages tucked away between the hills. He hasn't forgotten the small churches. He hasn't forgotten the people who feel forgotten.

He is there… And he is still calling his people to join him in what he is doing.

So, Rural Church, as I leave, this is my encouragement:

Keep going.

Keep praying. Keep loving your communities. Keep telling the story of Jesus. Keep looking for where God is at work. Keep believing that the Holy Spirit can do more than you could ask or imagine.

And when the road ahead feels uncertain, remember: You don't have to know exactly what the future holds. You just need to know who holds it.

I leave Rural Missions with enormous gratitude for the privilege of walking alongside you. And I leave believing that the rural church has a future.

Not because we have all the answers. But because Jesus is still building his Church.