Nigel fears opposition. Alan experiences lots of opposition.

Radio Times: Alan prays for strength at the PCC meeting.

Characters: Alan, Bert, Chris, Jill, Nigel, Ruth, Shula

• Bert gives Ruth a hand with a difficult calving. She’s glad it didn’t happen when the school was visiting, but Bert thinks it would have been good for them to see nature as it is. He’s keen to treat the children to a lecture on the history of ploughing.
• The eternally silent Chris comes to life, She, Shula and Jill are making a straw man for the farm visit, and psyching themselves up for the PCC meeting to discuss re-ordering St. Stephens.
• Nigel enjoys watching the heavy horses at Lower Loxley, and dreams of having one of his own. But he might face some opposition from Lizzie. Bert shares his opinion; he’d like to try his hand at ploughing with horses. He’s still lying 3rd in the competition for vintage tractor ploughing.
• The PCC meet to discuss Alan’s plans to scrap the pews. Shula’s all for it, though distinctly smug in her comments. Jill can see both sides, but Chris and Bert entrench themselves ever further in their opposition to any sort of change. When Alan says they’d have to relay the floor and buy chairs, Chris and Bert are almost speechless with antipathy. It seems that bringing new life to St Stephens is a long way off.