Rural ministry in the Church of England is now being undertaken in ever-larger multi-church benefices. Recent literature indicates that complexity, fragility, and a mission imperative are key features and also challenges for such groups. This paper summarises these challenges and proceeds to suggest that a shared ecclesial identity might help to mitigate the challenges described. Recent writing on multi-church benefices together with work from the field of organisational theory is used to support this suggestion. Theological resources are also considered, and it is argued that an expanded view of 'parish' and place, a communal calling and a commitment to mission could be key features of a possible shared identity. The paper describes an underpinning ecclesiological methodology for establishing a shared identity and concludes that both operant and espoused voices must also contribute to a context specific ecclesiological identity for rural benefices.
Sharon Roberts (Sun,) studied this question.