A Vicar's Life

This episode introduces three vicars - Matthew, in a small Shropshire market town, Ruth, in the cathedral city of Hereford, and Nicholas, in the scattered hill farming communities of the Black Mountains. These vicars have to take every opportunity th…

It is harvest season, a busy time for the rural church. In the village of Breinton, the ladies of the church are creating a spectacular display for the harvest festival. On the surface it is a picture of a healthy village church, but to new deacon Matthew Cashmore it is clear that they need to attract newcomers to the village. He is determined to bring something of Breintons harvest to help the homeless and needy much further afield, but they are people who many are wary of. In the Black Mountains, Vicar Nicholas is sowing rather than reaping, hoping that the young couple getting married in his church - and their congregation - will be touched by the experience. Back in Breinton, Matthews colleague Ruth believes that if people are not coming to church, the church needs to go to them. The village Bonfire Night proves to be the ideal occasion.

The festive season is a busy time for clergy in Hereford Diocese, which is covered in an early blanket of snow. Vicar Ruth Hulse visits a local training centre for young people who have struggled in mainstream education. Matthew Stafford is lending his support to a local farm, run by a member of his choir, that helps young people with special needs. Vicar Nicholas is snowed in.