CRES » Uncategorized

CRUC, CRES & JRI: Summer Field Day on Saturday 18th June 2011

Martin Hodson — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:19:50 +0000

The CRUC, CRES & JRI: Summer Field Day on Saturday 18^th June 2011

An opportunity to visit the picturesque village of Hornton in North Oxfordshire, well known for stoneworkers, to have a guided tour round the village and learn something of its history. John Reader, the Anglican Priest responsible for the eight Churches in this benefice, will introduce “The challenges of being Rural Church in the Ironstone Benefice Today.” Then travel to Manor Farm Warmington for lunch and in the afternoon take a farm walk to the land in Hornton Parish that was allocated to smallholders in the eighteenth century and is now set-aside from farming within an environmental scheme.

Please register for the Day (DOWNLOAD FORM) before 4th June to Mr J Neal, Manor Farm, Warmington, Nr Banbury OX17 1JL. Phone 01295690253 Email njohnneal@aol.com Travel instructions etc. will then be sent to you.

CRES Open Day Report

Martin Hodson — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 12:47:08 +0000

Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES) OPEN DAY

This Open Day took place on Saturday 12th March 2011 at Ripon College Cuddesdon nr. Oxford, and over 20 people attended This included students, staff, former students and people interested in finding out about the course. The day was intended to be an introduction to CRES. The programme was as follows:

10.00-10.30 Arrive and Coffee.

10.30-10.45 Welcome and Introduction to CRES (Dr. Martin Hodson)

10.45-11.45 Talk: Revd. Margot Hodson will give a talk on “Mission in a Rural Context.” This was a really good introduction to the topic, and there was a lot of discussion following it.

11.45-12.30 Groups

(1) Students meet with Martin Hodson (mostly discussing projects that they are undertaking)

(2) Everyone else- Discussion with Margot Hodson led by John Neal

12.30-1.00 Past and Present Students spoke! Thanks to Martin Dominic, Simon Brown and Joy Gadsby.

1.00-2.00 Lunch (excellent)

2.00-3.00 Talk: Lizzie Rushton spoke on ‘Climate Reconstruction using Missionary Sources’. Ever wondered how you might work out the past climate in regions where there are no temperature or rainfall records? Well one way is to look at the written records of people who lived there at the time. Christian missionaries kept very detailed records. Lizzie will talk about her own work in Belize and also consider British Missionary accounts from Mexico and Africa, and New Zealand. The missionaries underlying theology may have impacted upon their beliefs, and also what they wrote about the weather and the environment. It was a fascinating talk!

3.00-3.30 CRES news. Martin Hodson described the course and what is happening in the near future.

3.30-3.45 Short service (John Neal)

3.45 Tea and Depart

Four new CRES graduates for 2010

Martin Hodson — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:54:14 +0000

We are pleased to announce that four more students have now completed to CRES Certificate course. At the annual Residential at Ripon College Cuddesdon we awarded certificates to Chris Halliwell, Caroline Hewlett, Heather Poxon and Andrew Wilkinson. Unusually this year two students, Chris and Caroline, had such high marks that they were additionally granted distinctions. The photo shows l. to r. Caroline Hewlett, Heather Poxon and Chris Halliwell (inset Andrew Wilkinson). Congratulations to all four students!!

These four graduates take our totals since CRES began to 18 Certificates (5 with distinction) and 3 Diplomas- 21 altogether!

2006 Residential

John McKeown — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:12:59 +0000

A group photo of participants at the 2006 CRES residential

The Annual CRES Residential took place this year at Offa House, Offchurch, nr. Leamington Spa on 15th /16th September 2006. The meeting began on the first day with the AGM of Christian Rural Concern (CRuC), followed by lunch. The four 1st year students then gave short talks on the modules they had taken in the past year.

After tea we discussed a whole range of issues concerning the future development of the course. Before dinner Rev. Margot Hodson led us in a time of informal worship.

The invited speaker for the evening was Dr. Peter Thomas (Keele University), a noted expert in trees, who gave an excellent talk “Rural New England”. The day closed with Compline led by Joy Gadsby.

After a good night of sleep we were up for Morning Prayer led by Rev. Philip Wagstaff. The morning was devoted to the four presentations from our 2nd year certificate students. The topics varied from tourism in rural churches to lifestyle issues, and the standard was very high indeed. After lunch our one completing Diploma student looked at the topic of land in the Bible.

The examiners then retired for their deliberations, and for brief interviews with the five completing students. A short time later and the external examiner, Rev. Dr. Richard Clutterbuck announced the results. He was pleased to announce that the five CRES students had completed their studies successfully. Timothy Fox, Martyn Johnson, Paul Rathbone and Tony Roper were all granted Certificates. Paul Rathbone was commended for the exceptionally high standard of his work, and was given a distinction by CRES. John Kirkby completed the work for his Diploma. Many congratulations to all five students, and we hope you will keep in touch with CRES, CRuC and JRI!

Successful CRES graduates. Left to Right. Back: Timothy Fox and Tony Roper. Front: Martyn Johnson, John Kirkby and Paul Rathbone