More than 130 people gathered at Bagley Baptist Church, in Wedmore for this year's Rural Forum. Bath and Wells Deanery and Parish Development Adviser (Rural), Rob Walrond, said of the day, “It was wonderful to see and hear from people about how God is at work in our rural communities.”
Bishop Michael, one of the main speakers, discussed the different gifts that we all have and talked about recognising and releasing our gifts to serve God. author, Brian Draper, shared the inspiration for his book, "Soulful Nature: The Space in Which We Come to Life", which encourages us to get outside and make deeper connections with God through nature.
A question-and-answer session "Tapping into shared wisdom", offered an opportunity to discuss, question and share examples of church and community partnerships. There were examples of opportunities, initiatives and experiences from by people in different rural contexts from all corners of the Bath and Wells diocese.
In the afternoon those attending were able to join seminars sessions on a variety of topics including shared local ministry, working with your local primary school, building new Christian communities and listening to your community.
Rob Walrond said, “The Rural Forum is a testament to our love of God and the power of coming together, sharing ideas, and finding inspiration in one another. It is an opportunity to reaffirm our Chrisitan faith and our shared belief that community connection remains at the heart of rural life.”