Churches and farming

[Hindsight]

Church schools were there first to be fair.

I think those who haven't been to church should consider trying it. And not just one. I only went for the first time in my early 30s. At the very worst, an hour or so of quiet time in a historic building will cost you nothing and may open up a whole new dimension for you all.

Hi, I concur in that a church can and is a perfect place for quiet reflection. And as such I do worry about their upkeep as buildings of historic note.

But the church has previous on becoming involved in education. You are probably already aware of the 1870 Education Act which is the initial start point for a universal education system in Great Britain so I will not go further. Many schools carry a date stone from the that period when new schools were built and existing refurbished. My own village it is 1872. My opinion. And I totally accept others will take a different view.

Church schools were there prior to the 1870 Act. But as I understand the history, the Church managed to get various amendments to assist the Church to access funds but maintain some 'control and influence' some of which is still in force today. Someone will come along to correct me if I am wrong - which I usually am.

Best wishes,

 

[teslacoils]

The 1870 act was the Forster Education Act. This was preceded in 1833 with the first parliamentary grants towards schools. Prior to this education was fundamentally organised by religion. In the first 25 years, out of 175 schools established under the grants, four were non-religious.

I don't know the latter reforms. But I know that a basic level of knowledge of world faiths should be compulsory for all children in all schools - given my child has had a year at secondary school doing "food tech" and hasn't produced more than one meal (a salad) I can hardly see that 45 mins of re a week distracts from other subjects.

Four of my cousin's went to private schools which were all, nominally, church based. None of them now go to church.

It was church business meeting yesterday. Five months without being able to let our building for the normal community things that go on there has been....difficult. Not financially, but there has been nowhere for these groups to do their thing.

 

[sheldenwhobrey]

In our area, farmers are the biggest part of the people who come to church. They are the most religious because they were raised in a religious and conservative environment.
They also are more likely to trust God in terms of weather. The crops depend on the rains a lot, and farmers often pray for rain to ensure the harvest will be fine. One more factor why mostly farmers attend places like a pentecostal church is that they live in a closed community that does not change its habits over time. They do not contact people who do not believe in God or are less obedient – all they know is all they do. It is neither good nor bad – it is the way it is.

 

[steveR]

In our area, farmers are the biggest part of the people who come to church. They are the most religious because they were raised in a religious and conservative environment.
They also are more likely to trust God in terms of weather. The crops depend on the rains a lot, and farmers often pray for rain to ensure the harvest will be fine. One more factor why mostly farmers attend places like a pentecostal church is that they live in a closed community that does not change its habits over time. They do not contact people who do not believe in God or are less obedient – all they know is all they do. It is neither good nor bad – it is the way it is.

USA?

 

[SteveHants]

Science has never been wrong....except when new science shows its wrong.

That's the point of science.
As much as it's detractors would like to make it appear dogmatic, it is perpetually dynamic, changes forever upon the publication of each new paper or discovery.

 

[Lowland1]

It’s a choice really. Faith is just that a choice i know it’s six miles from home to town because i’ve driven it. I believe the distance from Earth to the Moon is 240,000 miles not because i’ve driven but it’s what i’ve been told. Same way i believe in God not because i’ve heard from him but because i choose to believe. All the other theories require some level of faith in what you are told or taught so make your choice. I do think farming and working with nature does push you one way though.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

I was a Treasurer for a Methodist Church for some years. I became disheartened with the amount of time and money spent on the building which was far greater than that spent on reaching out to people. I left that Church and joined an independent Church that meets funnily enough in the Parish Hall. Overheads are minimal and from a much smaller membership there is many times more given to causes which I think Christians should be supporting. I think mainstream buildings have had their day. There are plenty of people who want to use them for "hatch, match and dispatch" but as shown by some posts, there is so much historical "baggage " associated with these buildings that it deters those who have a genuine interest in exploring the Christian faith.

When Jesus said build my Church he was talking about people not buildings

 

[toquark]

Our church dates from the 14th century, the congregation ages and shrinks a little every year. I drive past it most days and it’s closed and locked 99% of the time.

Totally agree with the OP, churches should be the heart of a community and should have their doors open more often than not. Fairs, markets, shows, after school kids care, whatever these building need to be used. I get fed up of the constant pressure to “give a little for the church roof”, what’s the point if the building is never used? One of the biggest barriers is the CofS, which is too busy trying to reach out to an uninterested youth with naive and misguided initiatives.

 

[BRB John]

Yeah 100% agree churches should be used as community centers. It's ridiculous that such beautiful buildings only get used for 2 hours on a Sunday and the occasional funeral and wedding.
Sometimes things have to get real bad before they can get better again... And we haven't reached real bad yet...

And as a farmer it's impossible not to believe in God. There's been too many instances of "random" luck or instances of sod's law that naturally shouldn't occur but do.
In science god hides in the randomness.

 

[teslacoils]

There shouldn't be such resistance to knocking down buildings that don't meet the modern needs.

 

[Hindsight]

There shouldn't be such resistance to knocking down buildings that don't meet the modern needs.

I am typing this looking out of my office window at the 13 Century spire of the village church some 200 metres distant. I am afraid I cannot agree with you, though of course I have no solution to the problem. But then I am not a church attendee but like the buildings as a reminder of history. I struggle with the abstract concept of a God, and am always amazed ordinary folk believe in a divine being.

 

[BRB John]

There shouldn't be such resistance to knocking down buildings that don't meet the modern needs.

Shouldn't there be? I mean surely there should be some right?
They do represent our shared history and culture in many cases and if everything else is forgotten at least we have the churches left.
Sure not all are going to survive but flattening them should always be a last resort not the first.

 

[Treg]

Most modern church buildings are locked , very few old churches are kept locked and are there for people to find sanctuary/ quiet time / prayer , I'm surprised there not full to be honest.

 

[muleman]

Most modern church buildings are locked , very few old churches are kept locked and are there for people to find sanctuary/ quiet time / prayer , I'm surprised there not full to be honest.

They maybe will be full before long, when things get bad people will maybe start to think more on these things.

 

[kfpben]

There shouldn't be such resistance to knocking down buildings that don't meet the modern needs.

Really!? Our village church was built in 1160. Knocking it down to replace it with something modern would be an act of cultural and historic vandalism.

It’s still used every Sunday plus weddings, funerals, baptisms including those of my own family. It’s unlocked every day during daylight hours.

 

[DrWazzock]

Sadly, our church roof is finally falling in. That roof has probably been on 300 years. It’s done well to last this long. It’s way beyond its design life. For me the sensible thing to do would be to reroof with modern but sensitively chosen materials (plastic coated rolled steel sheets or fibreglass) for practical reasons and so that’s it’s something approaching affordable. But we aren’t allowed to do that. If we do anything it has to be done in the original material types. So slate and lath and plaster ceiling etc. Probably cost half a million to restore it to an energy inefficient heat sink. So we are stuck at an impasse with the authorities and now it’s falling down. I’ve enough trouble keeping my own property repaired to be honest. The village only really needs a portacabin or can use one of the many leisure properties now springing up for meetings etc.
The effect that subjective aesthetics and sentimentality has on local government is crippling and the damage it does in terms of economic loss and resource wastage should not be under estimated.
Just an engineers view.

 

[Hindsight]

Most modern church buildings are locked , very few old churches are kept locked and are there for people to find sanctuary/ quiet time / prayer , I'm surprised there not full to be honest.

Yes, our village church is open every day. And on Twitter I follow a few folk who visit without appointment churches around the country and explain the history of each building. Quite fascinating. And in the main most are open, and these Twitter folk call out the ones that are locked. I concur a Church during the day is a most peaceful and reflective place. Even better if one happens to stumble across folk actually in the church chatting away. Hey ho.

 

[DrWazzock]

I did th

Yes, our village church is open every day. And on Twitter I follow a few folk who visit without appointment churches around the country and explain the history of each building. Quite fascinating. And in the main most are open, and these Twitter folk call out the ones that are locked. I concur a Church during the day is a most peaceful and reflective place. Even better if one happens to stumble across folk actually in the church chatting away. Hey ho.

Unfortunately closed here for health n safety. Do these folk who call out the closed ones contribute anything to keeping them open? Folk seem to expect the church to be there when needed but they aren’t maintained without effort.

 

[Treg]

Sadly, our church roof is finally falling in. That roof has probably been on 300 years. It’s done well to last this long. It’s way beyond its design life. For me the sensible thing to do would be to reroof with modern but sensitively chosen materials (plastic coated rolled steel sheets or fibreglass) for practical reasons and so that’s it’s something approaching affordable. But we aren’t allowed to do that. If we do anything it has to be done in the original material types. So slate and lath and plaster ceiling etc. Probably cost half a million to restore it to an energy inefficient heat sink. So we are stuck at an impasse with the authorities and now it’s falling down. I’ve enough trouble keeping my own property repaired to be honest. The village only really needs a portacabin or can use one of the many leisure properties now springing up for meetings etc.
The effect that subjective aesthetics and sentimentality has on local government is crippling and the damage it does in terms of economic loss and resource wastage should not be under estimated.
Just an engineers view.

Yes part of the problem can be the listing and then it makes it to expensive to keep up , your right modern materials should be used in some circumstances to keep the buildings going .

 

[DrWazzock]

I am typing this looking out of my office window at the 13 Century spire of the village church some 200 metres distant. I am afraid I cannot agree with you, though of course I have no solution to the problem. But then I am not a church attendee but like the buildings as a reminder of history. I struggle with the abstract concept of a God, and am always amazed ordinary folk believe in a divine being.

I struggle with the concept that people can believe in a stone building yet can’t believe in the concept of God.