“Rural life, however, is life in eco-context: discussing the weather is no ‘small talk’ and to be rural is to know your neighbours and know that you need them. To reflect upon life in this situation is to consider relatedness - with non-human creation and with one another. For ecotheology is about connections: the relationships between individual and creation, individual and community, community and creation; the delight of knowing one is a thread in the web, motivated to act for its well being; and the sobering experience of breaking the threads then turning back to reconnect.”

- Robyn McPhail (2001). Living on the Land: Ecotheology in Rural New Zealand.
Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, 6(2), 138–151.

Rev. Dr. Robyn McPhail ministered to rural parishes for over 30 years. She retired to Alexandra after many years in parish ministry in Presbyterian and Union churches, from the deep south to the far north. She continues ministry as communications person for the International Rural Churches Association, volunteering and working as an ambulance officer with St John, as well as supporting her local church – the very same one she began ministry with. Over the years she has written a variety of material about faith and life in the rural context, exploring biblical texts in a way that relates to Aotearoa New Zealand communities. "Ecotheology" is one way of describing it. You can find Robyn's musings - and other resources for rural churches on the International Rural Churches Association website.

Robyn’s publications on rural ecotheology:

Living on the Land: Ecotheology in Rural New Zealand. Ecotheology 6.1, 6.2 (2001) 138–151.

A Christian Perspective on Sustainability in Rural Areas

Holding on to Hope: Encouraging and Resourcing Rural Churches

Building bridges in Aotearoa - an article on the rural-urban divide. From Knox News (Dec 2020-Jan 2021) No. 323.

Rev Bill Bennett comes from a Southern Hawke’s Bay farming background. He has served much of his ministry as an Anglican priest in rural parishes in the Diocese of Waiapu as well as in the Norwich and Lichfield Dioceses in England. He worked as Ministry Enabler and twice as Regional Dean in Hawke’s Bay between 1994 and 2015. His interest in rural communities is reflected in his publications (see below). A musician and composer of many hymns, he continues to write hymns and songs today. He is on the Editorial Board of the international periodical, Rural Theology. He was tutor in Rural Ministry Studies for the Ecumenical Institute for Distance Theological Studies (EIDTS). He and his wife Wendy live in retirement in Napier, New Zealand.

Bill Bennett’s publications on rural ministry:

The Shepherd’s Call – Te Karanga o te Hēpara: Prayers and liturgies for rural Aotearoa New Zealand (2018) - print book and e-book.

When the Tui Calls: Rural Ministry – Origins and Futures (2017) - print book and e-book.

God of the Whenua: Rural Ministry in Aotearoa New Zealand (2013) - print book and e-book.

Other resources on rural ecotheology:

"I See God Out the Back of My Farm" Exploring Christianity and Sustainability on NZ Farms. (2021) Kelly Koon. Victoria University of Wellington.

Abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between Christianity and sustainability within the context of rural New Zealand meat and dairy farmers. Looking at the various definitions of sustainability that were given through my fieldwork in the Waikato and Nelson/Golden Bay areas, I describe the contested, ambiguous, and diverse understandings of sustainability that farmers employ. Within this contestation, I explain how Christianity plays a vital role in farming practices and beliefs. Using in-depth case study analysis, I explore the textured and nuanced ways that farmers engage, critique and support sustainability on their farms. Questions of sustainability are explored through farmers’ descriptions of their relationships with both their land and surrounding communities.

In May 2021, the Anglican Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki hosted the Tikanga Pakeha Ministry Council Rural Ministry Conference. Keynote presentations on the theology of the land were recorded and can be found on the Waikato and Taranaki Anglican’s Rural Ministry page.

An example of fresh expression for a rural church - The Rail Trail Church: Planting a church outdoors and on the move - On two Sundays of the month, The Rail Trail Church welcomes participants at the church’s outdoor pavilion for prayers, scripture reading and conversations. Then they stroll on a cleared path through an adjacent meadow - The Hope Meadow - created by the church as a pollinator meadow with native plantings and plants that host wildlife. The host teaches attendees about the meadow’s natural gifts and promotes the church as a new place for new people wanting to enjoy and honor God’s creation. After enjoying peaceful moments in the meadow, attendees then literally hit the trail, walking on one of many Rail Trails located in Pennsylvania.

The Rural Church’s Gifts - An article exploring the unique demographics of rural churches which bring not only the potential for intimacy and neighborliness but also an inherent diversity that forces smaller churches to do the hard work of creating unity amid differences.

Germinating Conversations: Stories from a Sustained Rural-Urban Dialogue on Food, Faith, Farming, and the Land (2021) Marta Bunnett Wiebe (ed.) - Nearly a decade ago, the Germinating Conversations initiative began nurturing relationships between Manitoba food growers and eaters by paying close attention to the art of listening well. Through carefully designed gatherings, the initiative encouraged respectful story sharing and dialogue across a wide array of perspectives. Germinating Conversations, the book, emerged from that initiative. In 248 pages, the book contains dozens of reflections from people with diverse opinions about food, faith, farming practices and relationships with the land. Over the past decade, producers and consumers, rural and urban dwellers, large-scale farmers and small-scale, often organic growers, attended Germinating Conversations meetings and events. What emerged from these gatherings was the willingness to continue to hold space for diverse opinions and practices while challenging personal and broader community narratives.

“Germinating Conversations embodies an ongoing dialogue on how to be in community with the land and our human neighbours. At a time when we are so quick to assume we have the right answers, Germinating Conversations invites us to patiently listen to the voices of people and the land that we so easily dismiss and models a way to discern together the pressing questions of our time.”

- Marta Bunnett Wiebe, editor of the book.

Exploring ‘Germinating Conversations’ - An interview with Marta Bunnett Wiebe.

Climate Change, Faith and Rural Communities: How rural communities are affected by climate change and peak oil. What will be the future? (2011) Martin J Hodson and Margot R Hodson.

International Rural Churches Association’s Worship Resources page.

Arthur Rank Centre website - an ecumenical national charity in the UK, which resources, trains, and advocates for rural Christians, rural churches and the communities they serve. Our vision is of confident rural Christians, encouraged to engage in effective mission and ministry. Their website include resources on worship resources, discipleship resources and building resources for rural churches.

Rural Church Network of the United States and Canada website - features worship resources for rural life and ministries.

The Anglican Diocese of Nelson has made available the result of various Rural Forums on their website. The following themes are covered:

• Christmas

• Drought

• Weddings

• Various Reflections

• Various Services

• Contemplative

Dave Bookless’ presentation of “Land as Community, not Commodity: Biblical approaches to land”.

Resources to understand environmental issues from a rural perspective:

NZ Landcare Trust’s Farming with Native Biodiversity - A range of resources for organisations, environmental groups, ecologists, researchers, and advisors to use including: Biodiversity management plans, farm biodiversity management template, and curated resources for improving on farm biodiversity including e-learning modules, webinars, podcasts, and videos.

Rural Community Resilience and Climate Change (2011) Ann Pomeroy, Centre for Sustainability: Agriculture, Food, Energy, Environment. University of Otago.

Growing Kai Under Increasing Dry. (2021) Hosted by The Deep South, Resilience to Nature's Challenges, and Our Land and Water National Science Challenges. Three short background webinars, bringing you the latest in climate projections, drought resilience research and land-use science, culminating in an all-day event to generate evidence-based conversation around future drought policy.

• Drought: What Does the Future Look Like for Farmers and Growers? This webinar covered recent drought projections for New Zealand to the end of this century, describing a wetter west and drier east (particularly in winter), a broadening of the drought season from summer into spring, and an earlier peak of drought intensity.

• Drought: Farm Profits and Community Resilience. This webinar looked at the strong relationship between more intense future drought and drops in farm profit, and how we might identify vulnerable rural communities and match them with the drought relief resources they need.

• Drought: What to Grow and Where? This webinar discussed the on-farm effects of projected changes in climate, such as a shift in pasture growth season, land use opportunities that might arise, and how we make decisions when the future is uncertain.

Building Resilience in Rural Communities: Toolkit (2008) This toolkit is the outcome of a three year research project examining resilience in a rural community. The University of Queensland and University of Southern Queensland.

Relevant stories / articles:

It’s important to hear from farmers - they aren’t all climate-change-denying rednecks (2022)

How one iwi is navigating farming while caring for wai māori (2022)

Farming and sustainability – perhaps not an oxymoron? A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand E-News. July 2019.

Daring to Dream: The story of Dreamview Creamery. A young woman returns home to the family dairy farm to launch a new venture producing milk for the local market which she delivers in glass bottles. As featured on Hyundai Country Calendar, 2019, Episode 31.

South Waikato dairy farmer's wetland punt pays off (2019)

No free lunches for farmers investing in environmental stewardship (2017)