As the “Rural Mission Lead” for the Diocese of Durham, I invite you into this space of spiritual and theological reflection. I intend to share my experiences in this role, interviews with missional people, and Christian stories heard in rural settings. I hope that by sharing these reflections, others may find encouragement and inspiration in their own Christian mission. May the blessings of God be with you today.
Link to the latest Rural Mission reflection
Objectives for the newly created role of Rural Mission Lead (Feb 2026)
- The Rural Mission Lead will work with others to develop principles, practices and resources for effective mission in rural parishes, and share this with the other rural parishes of the diocese.
- Where some good practice is relevant and helpful for other multi-parish Benefices / incumbents with multiple charges, distil and share these aspects of the work in a suitable forum.
- The Rural Mission Lead will draw together a Rural Mission Task Group (RMTG), under the oversight of either the Archdeacon of Auckland or the Growing Mission Lead, of lay and ordained Christians committed to developing rural mission (initial meeting to take place within 3 months of licensing).
- The RMTG will work together with the RML to identify opportunities for and good practice in rural mission, with the explicit aim of growth in the number of disciples and growth in discipleship in rural churches.
- The RML and RMTG will, within two years of the appointment of the RML, share the RML/RMTG’s learning with other rural clergy and parishes. This could be through day conferences, a roadshow to be taken to other deaneries with rural parishes (working with the BLT and Area Deans and Lay Chairs to plan for maximal participation), and/or other suitable strategies (to be decided).
- The RMTG will then make recommendations for further work to promote excellence in rural missional praxis and end (though a new group with a new remit may itself be part of the recommended next phase of work).