Rural ministry
Welcome to the Rural section of the site.
For the last decade Canon Leslie Morley has been the Rural Officer for the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds. His task is to advise the diocese as a whole on issues facing both the countryside and the rural church. He also represents the church on a number of rural bodies and organisations, and is available to support rural clergy and churches in the changing patterns of ministry and mission which they face.
The countryside has been going through a period of significant change in recent years. Agriculture has faced challenges from devastating animal disease outbreaks, and from falling farm gate prices and farm incomes. The current concern with food security, climate change impacts, biodiversity and public access, raise important ethical and political questions about land use, food supplies and the environment, with which the church needs to engage.
Rural communities are also coping with major changes in their way of life with the loss of many vital services over recent decades. Demographic changes, the lack of affordable housing, loss of transport facilities, post offices, village shops and pubs, sometimes leave the church as the only public building in the community. In most villages the church continues to be a vital source, not only of spiritual support, but of community vitality.
Amongst his many roles within the rural community, he is involved with a Farm Business Project, sponsored by the churches, to engage with the ‘hard to reach’ upland farmers of the region, offering mentoring, personal and business support. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the Yorkshire Rural Support Network, Chaplain to the Yorkshire branch of Farm Crisis Network and a member of the local Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution committee. Leslie was recently appointed as Hon. Chaplain to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, based in Harrogate, providing support to its staff and for its work for the rural and agricultural life of the region. He is also a member of the Church on Show committee for the Great Yorkshire Show.
Documents
Below are a variety of documents linked to the work of Canon Leslie Morley, the Rural Officer for our diocese.
If you'd like to download a flyer for the forthcoming Rural Vision Day about Fresh Expressions of Church in the rural community, click here. The event will be:
"A day to find out more about fresh expressions of church at first hand, and to learn how some rural churches have developed new ways of being church in the countryside. The day will include an overview of developing fresh expressions alongside traditional styles of worship and of church; stories about fresh expression initiatives locally; workshops in particular areas of interest; sharing ideas and advice; worship, prayer and reflection."
Churches Regional Commission: Rural Project - Background paper
Rural Strategy for the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds