All over the south God’s spirit is moving. Deep down in my heart God’s spirit is moving .

Is the Spirit moving in your heart as the ministry of Rural Chaplaincy is being birthed in rural communities in Southland and parts of Otago? 

Thanks to the work by Rev Richard Johnson and Ven Anne van Gend, and with the arrival of the Rev Barb Walker, the Rural Chaplaincy network is beginning, and interest is growing across a number of denominations throughout Otago and Southland. 

The first information day held in Winton on the 4th of March attracted over 27 people from different parts of Southland, all with an interest in rural chaplaincy, including sports chaplains, work place chaplains, local farmers, ministers and people involved in Dairy NZ and the Rural Support Trust Southland.

Then on the 11th of March in Alexandra another group of people from Central Otago and the Upper Clutha, interested in learning more about Rural Chaplaincy, met at St Aidan’s church. Those present heard from Rev Robyn McPhail, a person who has devoted most of her life to Rural Ministry and who is very involved in International Rural Church Association; Richard, who shared about the birth of rural chaplaincy; Barb, who is our first rural chaplain, and Anne, who shared about rural chaplaincy in the UK and what the practicalities of this ministry will be like. The information shared was well received and there was a real energy in the meeting.

With declining numbers attending church in the rural communities and the closing of rural churches in other areas, the idea of Rural Chaplaincy was a positive which many people will be thinking about in both Southland and Otago.

Further Training Days

There is a Rural Chaplaincy training day planned for April 29th in Gore for all who would like to explore this further. There will also be a rural ministry weekend in Alexandra on the 26 and 27th of May. This weekend in Alexandra will be a chance for those who are interested, to hear about rural ministry from those who attended the International Rural Churches Association conference (IRCA) which is being held in the USA in April.

The Spirit is moving and if you are feeling a stirring in your heart regarding Rural Chaplaincy then please contact Barb on ruralrevbarb@gmail.com or Anne on enabler@calledsouth.org.nz .