LoveRural Conference

‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.’ Proverbs 27:17 

This week, I attended LoveRural. It was a great way to catch up with old and new friends. It was great to chat with people who all have something in common, working with and in rural churches and communities. Gathered together in St Edmundsbury Cathedral, a reminder of where generations have gathered in praise and worship. Yet the same God and Spirit continue to be glorified and worshipped and is still at work outworking in our lives and across the world.  
 
Throughout the conference there were moments of stillness, prayer, worship and listening to one another, sharing about each other’s context and how God is moving across the UK. It was a reminder that we sharpen one another when we come together; encouraging, inspiring, and strengthening each other in faith and mission.  
 
Rural Ministry can often feel lonely and isolating but the time gathered was encouraging and being about to have conversations of real authenticity and honesty of the realities of working in rural communities. Breakout spaces to be able to hear from others and who do it slightly different to one another. I was encouraged to hear about churches in smaller communities seeing movements by being intentional what they are doing.  

Maybe it’s a reminder for us all where in our ministries are we being the iron and how are being sharpened?  

If you’re feeling the need for a space to be open, to share, and to receive support, why not join us at our next online missional network? Or arrange a chat with our chaplain. You don’t have to do this alone.