Rural & Wild

As you will be well aware, Rural Ministries partners with a variety of prayer-based communities and retreat centres around the UK to host several Rural Mission Hubs. These hubs exist for rural pioneers, ministers and practitioners to gather for encouragement, support and prayer and to provide a regional connection point for worship, witness and collaboration.

One thing that we have been observing these past couple of years (it’s actually quite hard to ignore) is how God is moving and drawing people to wild places, to explore what faith looks like in connection to the beautiful, created world that we’ve given to inhabit and to steward. The growth and general interest in forest church is undeniable; people meeting outside for prayer and creative and active pursuits; community groups coming together for creation care, beach cleans, wild life research and data collection. Nature immersion is even being diagnosed by doctors and others in the medical community to combat mental health issues and the decline in overall personal well-being.

(As a side note, a recent research project completed a study into individual nation’s connectedness to nature. Commissioned by the Ambio Journal, the study revealed that the UK ranked at a lowly 55 out of 61 countries. The aim was to uncover how the nurturing of a nature-connected lifestyle affects one’s psychological well-being and what factors need to be present in establishing and sustaining a thriving relationship with nature. Not surprisingly, increased urbanisation, mean income and high internet use were contributing factors linked to less connection with nature. Interestingly for us Christians who connect deeply with God in nature, ‘spirituality’ - in general terms - was one of the most integral factors present when linked to a country’s nature connectedness and well-being. For those who had considerable connection and depth of relationship to nature but who also valued their place in the living world, an element of spirituality was significant. If you’re interested, Nepal came out on top.)

With all this buzzing around, it was with great joy and expectation that this week saw the first gathering of Rural and Wild. RM partnered with Alan Taylor and Sacred Spaces to host this at Dunkeld in Perthshire, home to the Hermitage Trail and one of the best places in the country to see the vibrant array of autumnal colours. The idea was a simple one: boost an invite out to anyone who finds connection with God in wild spaces, anyone who may lead or be  involved in a forest/outdoor church or any other outdoor activity that may have Jesus at the centre; to gather in some wild beauty and share ideas and stories, to encourage and inspire each other and to pray and discern what God might be saying to each of us.

A small but dedicated crew amassed, and the conversation flowed immediately as we walked through the pine and larch trees that formed the ‘forest cathedral’ that begins the trail. Just like the theme that runs through many of the hubs, the idea that ‘we’re not on our own’ surfaced in the group. We’re not simply doing this ‘outdoorsy-thing’ over here in a forgotten corner of the countryside, there are others who are being moved by God to explore the same things.

We stopped for reflection several times along the 7km trail. Under the grandeur of these woodland gentle giants and beside the fast-flowing River Tay, we each read aloud passages from the Psalms, verses that speak of nature and the glory and provision of God. We also shared a quote by Catholic eco-theologian Thomas Berry:

The Divine communicates to us primarily through the language of the natural world. Not to hear the natural world, is not to hear the Divine.

(I like the way this connects to the ancient Celtic idea of the Big Book and Little Book. The Big being nature and the Little being scripture. In an age of illiteracy, this was a helpful concept.)

Berry also suggests the idea that while the Bible is our sacred text, there are in fact three sacred texts we need to listen for our spiritual well-being (stay with me people). They are scripture, nature (God’s created world), and our own soul/heart (the dwelling place of Holy Spirit and in our truest original self, made in the image of God). So, we listened for God speaking through scripture, through nature, and within our hearts.

One word that surfaced in our conversations and that stayed with us as a ‘takeaway’ was the word re-enchantment. This word has been mentioned on numerous occasions by social observers and prophets in recent times. The world is being slowly de-mystified, and we need some form of re-enchantment to awaken us to the beauty, glory, magnitude and mystery of God once again, all encapsulated in the life of His Son, Jesus.

We closed off the day in typical British fashion, with a nice cup of tea, a biscuit and a well-earned sit down. We departed feeling encouraged and excited to see how things might unfold with this group but also with the possibility of other groups forming around the country. A few folks were keen to see something similar happen in their own regions, a little closer to their own homes. If that’s you, or if you’d just like to connect and maybe have a conversation, then please do not hesitate to give me a holler on jon@ruralministries.org.uk.

In the meantime, get out there people. If you can’t walk far, then have a pootle around the garden or a park or grab a chair and simply sit and breathe in the morning air. If you have a bit more in you, head out to some wild spaces. As John Muir said, ‘Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn’.

Whatever corner of our stunning rural spaces you inhabit, may you meet and encounter the beauty and goodness of God today, and discover more of the wild heart He gave you, a heart to live full and love well.

Shalom

Jon Timms

Joint CEO, Rural Ministries