Andrew Bowden – författare

Some years ago, 'Faith in the Countryside', the report of the Archbishop's Commission on Rural Areas (Acora) was launched at Lambeth Palace. It was widely accepted as a good document, and a worthy companion to 'Faith in the City'. But while it seemed to put the rural Church on the agenda, it failed to come up with acceptable ministerial solutions. Andrew Bowden's book offers a model for future rural ministry which is practical, positive and a much needed follow-up to the Commission's report. He recognises that although rural dioceses have taken new initiatives, rural clergy and congregations need an overall vision and a practical strategy. This excellent handbook is as significant as the report itself for the future of rural ministry. It is now reissued with an expanded text to take recent developments fully into account.

There are ways to begin walking Wainwright's Coast to Coast. Things that must be done. It's compulsory. It's written in the rules.First you must stride purposefully to the starting point. You must fill your lungs with a deep breath. You must have a photograph taken next to the sign, monument or obelisk that marks the beginning of the trail. And you must proclaim loudly and clearly to all who will listen... "e;And so it begins!"e;Of course it's best to do all that whilst there is no one else watching. And preferably whilst not wearing waterproof trousers that are three sizes too small for you.One Coast to Another is the truly inspirational, heart-warming and awe-inspiring book of two thirty somethings who follow hundreds of other people walking from one side of the country to another, just because it's there.Following Alfred Wainwright's route they traverse fells, get stuck in bog, get wet, dry off, drink pints, get dismayed at the lack of pies and wear bandanas of dubious design for 190 miles with one aim and one aim alone. To get a fridge magnet at the end.What greater reason for doing it, could there be?This second edition also includes a guide to planning your own Coast to Coast walk.

Ordained Anglican ministry is changing rapidly. Soon the majority of clergy are likely to be volunteers and, especially in rural areas, female. All mainstream Churches recognise that new contexts need new forms of ministry. Ordained Local Ministers (OLMs) are priests specifically called out by their local congregation and ordained to minister in that locality.Half the dioceses in England and elsewhere in the Anglican Communion including Australasia, Scotland and North America have established formal schemes to enable this type of ministry. Some dioceses believe the process has helped to revitalise parishes and raise the spiritual temperature of congregations. Others have called a halt, believing their schemes have somehow gone wrong or have not ''delivered''.The time has come for a calm assessment of available evidence about an experiment into which the Church has poured considerable time, effort and money over the last twenty years. Does it have ongoing value, or is it just one more bright idea that has flourished for a season and has now had its day?

Ordained Anglican ministry is changing rapidly. Soon the majority of clergy are likely to be volunteers and, especially in rural areas, female. All mainstream Churches recognise that new contexts need new forms of ministry. Ordained Local Ministers (OLMs) are priests specifically called out by their local congregation and ordained to minister in that locality.Half the dioceses in England and elsewhere in the Anglican Communion including Australasia, Scotland and North America have established formal schemes to enable this type of ministry. Some dioceses believe the process has helped to revitalise parishes and raise the spiritual temperature of congregations. Others have called a halt, believing their schemes have somehow gone wrong or have not 'delivered'.The time has come for a calm assessment of available evidence about an experiment into which the Church has poured considerable time, effort and money over the last twenty years. Does it have ongoing value, or is it just one more bright idea that has flourished for a season and has now had its day?

This title provides an authoritative and timely review of the OLM experiment - its achievements, its weaknesses, and its ongoing relevance for the Church today. Ordained Anglican ministry is changing rapidly. Soon the majority of clergy are likely to be volunteers and, especially in rural areas, female. All mainstream Churches recognise that new contexts need new forms of ministry. Ordained Local Ministers (OLMs) are priests specifically called out by their local congregation and ordained to minister in that locality. Half the dioceses in England and elsewhere in the Anglican Communion including Australasia, Scotland and North America have established formal schemes to enable this type of ministry. Some dioceses believe the process has helped to revitalise parishes and raise the spiritual temperature of congregations. Others have called a halt, believing their schemes have somehow gone wrong or have not 'delivered'. The time has come for a calm assessment of available evidence about an experiment into which the Church has poured considerable time, effort and money over the last twenty years.Does it have ongoing value, or is it just one more bright idea that has flourished for a season and has now had its day?