Rural Life
The Synod employs a full time Rural Officer – the Revd Chris Coe. Chris is based in Llandrindod Wells allowing travel to all parts of Wales. The role is at present mainly mission based and is an exciting element of the Synod's ministry in Wales enabling the Synod to be a part of the everyday lives of the people in Rural Wales, whilst maintain a good understanding of the issues affecting life in Wales.
Rural Chaplains on Show
In preparation for this year's Royal Welsh Show 14 new Chaplains were trained. Pictured here are the ecumenical members attending the first training session. Over the course of the show we had between 11 and 7 Chaplains on duty each day, and a 24/7 phone line was manned for the whole week.
The response from the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and the visitors to the show was very positive. Prayers were said each morning in the Cytun Tent, before the chaplains spread out over the whole show ground. At the end of each day we gathered together again to bring the ministry of the day to God, and to share our experiences. Over 100 people asked for ministry and we were received very well throughout.
£40k for crisis-hit communities
THE Prince's Countryside Fund has donated £40,000 in emergency relief to two rural charities. The money is being donated to the ARC Addington Fund and Farm Crisis Network. Designed to provide immediate support to farming charities, it is being drawn from the countryside fund's emergency funding stream.
This is a busy time for farming communities with lambing, spring planting and all the usual duties that farmers need to do to survive. It is hoped that this fund can go some way to helping people who are in genuine need. In my Role as Rural officer I can access these grants and offer support to those in the farming industry in need. If you, would like more information about the ARC Addington Fund, or the work of FCN and how either could help you, please be in touch.
Chris Coe
Rural officer
Chaplains to offer Showground support
For the first time, chaplains will be on hand to support showgoers at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show next week. In a new scheme, a dedicated team of professional pastors will provide care and support on and around the showground. They will also man a 24/7 helpline.
The new chaplaincy has been set up in response to a huge need identified on the Showground in recent years.
Chris Coe, Rural Life Officer for the United Reformed Church in Wales, is coordinating the Chaplaincy Team under the banner of the Welsh ecumenical body, CYTÛN.
“The show attracts people from the whole of Wales, and from all walks of life,” says Chris. “With them come their needs, worries, hopes and fears. There is too, the other side – when so many people meet, there is always the possibility of death, illness, disaster and so on.