This has been a very good year (2011) for publications by CRES Personnel. John Reader (Senior Tutor of the CRES Diploma) was a co-author on “Christianity and the New Social Order – A manifesto for a fairer future.” Margot Hodson (CRES Tutor and JRI Board member) published “Uncovering Isaiah’s Environmental Ethics“, and was co-author with [...]]]>

This has been a very good year (2011) for publications by CRES Personnel. John Reader (Senior Tutor of the CRES Diploma) was a co-author on “Christianity and the New Social Order – A manifesto for a fairer future.” Margot Hodson (CRES Tutor and JRI Board member) published “Uncovering Isaiah’s Environmental Ethics“, and was co-author with her husband, Martin (Principal Tutor of CRES) on “Climate Change, Faith and Rural Communities.” These three publications give a very good idea about the range of material covered by CRES!

For some years now, CRES has hosted annual summer field trips to which we extend invitations to all those from the JRI and CRuC communities. The field trips move around the country, and are organised by different people each year. John Reader and John Neal organised this trip [...]]]>

June 2011 Field Trip Collage

For some years now, CRES has hosted annual summer field trips to which we extend invitations to all those from the JRI and CRuC communities. The field trips move around the country, and are organised by different people each year. John Reader and John Neal organised this trip (18th June 2011) to the rural area west of Banbury in Oxfordshire. We are often pleased to welcome back some of our former students, and this was the case again this year. About 20 of us gathered in the morning at Hornton Methodist Church where we had tea, coffee and cake whilst looking at some of the displays of local history. After brief introductions we then set off on a guided tour of Hornton village. It is evidently a community that has seen many changes, but it has a vibrancy sparked by the fruitful collaboration between the Church of England and Methodist churches. On our return to the Methodist Church we had a talk about the Ironstone Benefice from John Reader who is the vicar of this group of eight rural churches. We discussed how to bring spiritual life to rural benefices, and John described some recent research he and colleagues had conducted on the roles of church wardens in such situations. There were several rural vicars there to compare experiences with! We also discussed the recent development of a Facebook group on Multi Parish Benefices.
We then left Horton and drove the short distance to John Neal’s farm at Warmington. We had a wonderful lunch there provided by John’s wife, Sue. After lunch we had a short talk by John Neal on the history of his farm. Then we set off on a walk around the farm, particularly looking at the environmental schemes. In 1988 the land entered a voluntary scheme, and this was followed by a 20 year EU funded Habitat Scheme, which still has three years to run. During this time a one acre woodland has naturally regenerated as have the trees and bushes along the Sor Brook. A nine acre traditional hay field is developing. One small patch of orchids have sprung up. John told us that on sunny days his meadows had many butterflies. Unfortunately, we had some heavy rain showers, so the butterflies were in hiding! But what will happen after the scheme ends in 2014?? Then tea and cake back at the farmhouse before we departed.
Many thanks to John Reader and John Neal who masterminded the day, and to all those who helped them. Now where will we go next year?
Martin Hodson

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Although the CRES course starts and finishes in September each year the Spring and early Summer are the times when many people are looking for courses. CRES is now getting quite a few enquiries every week, and we recommend that students make their applications by mid-September as this allows us to find a local tutor [...]]]>

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Although the CRES course starts and finishes in September each year the Spring and early Summer are the times when many people are looking for courses. CRES is now getting quite a few enquiries every week, and we recommend that students make their applications by mid-September as this allows us to find a local tutor and give instructions on the course before it really gets going! If you are interested probably the best place to look first is our CRES Certificate page. Then you might have some questions. If so go to the Contact CRES page. Then finally if you would like to apply download an Application Form and send it back to us with your payment.

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, [...]]]> 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, in association with JRI and CRuC, had this year’s summer field trip visiting Anthony and Sandra Herbert at Whetstone Fruit Farm in Leicestershire. Fourteen of us came from all over the country. After coffee on arrival we  went on a tour of the farm on a trailer pulled by a tractor.  We [...]]]>

CRES, in association with JRI and CRuC, had this year’s summer field trip visiting Anthony and Sandra Herbert at Whetstone Fruit Farm in Leicestershire. Fourteen of us came from all over the country. After coffee on arrival we  went on a tour of the farm on a trailer pulled by a tractor.  We saw the agri-environmental schemes, the ponds, woods, a brook, and disused railway line. We viewed the ultra-modern cattle shed and then the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) scheme called Community Harvest Whetstone. After lunch we heard about the charity Send a Cow and then tried the pick your own before tea and heading home. Thanks very much to Anthony and Sandra for a great day!

If you would like to know more visit the farm web site at: http://www.whetstonepasturesfarm.com/

Pictures starting top left and going clockwise: the restored pond; the state of the art cattle shed; Anthony Herbert on the trailer explaining maize and wheat cultivation to our party; and a keyhole vegetable plot.