How Village Churches Thrive: A Practical Guide

• Informed help and inspiring ideas from a variety of expert voices for rural churches everywhere. • Covers all aspects of a rural church’s ministry – regular worship, festivals, the occasional offices, pastoral care, community engagement, the church building and churchyard. • Addresses an often neglected subject. This inspiring and practical handbook draws on the wisdom of a wide variety of practitioners in ten key areas that enable village churches to flourish: 1 Extending a warm welcome2 Making the most of Life Events3 Using buildings creatively4 Caring for God's Acre5 Being the heartbeat of the community6 Celebrating our heritage7 Cultivating fruitful festivals8 Welcoming more children9 Reaching the isolated and lonely10 Communicating effectively Packed with practical advice and inspiring case studies, How Village Churches Thrive will encourage and increase confidence in all who work or worship in a village church.All the contributors are active in supporting the growth of rural churches through their roles in the Church of England or through organizations such as the Arthur Rank Centre, the Churches Conservation Trust, Caring for God’s Acre and Praxis.