January 2010
TRANSFORM
024
Renewing Prayer
Read online at www.baptist.org.uk/transform
BUGB President the Revd Kingsley Appiagyei’s
Prayer Call in collaboration with BMS world mission
Saturday 27 February 2010
IMPORTANT
Inside Transform Editorial Mission Ministry Faith & Unity Council Around the Union Staff News Communications Publications Home Mission Finance Legal and Property Issues Safeguarding Events Baptist Insurance Company
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Dear church leaders, as you know three editions of Transform are produced each year (January, April and September). Up until now we have sent one copy to each minister and two copies to church secretaries – one of which was passed on to the treasurer. However, we want to smooth the process for getting this valuable resource into the hands of church leaders. So starting from this issue, each minister, secretary and treasurer will now have one copy of Transform posted to them directly. And with the availability of Transform online at www.baptist.org.uk/transform we would like to encourage as many deacons, elders and ministry team leaders as possible to benefit from the wealth of information available in this publication.
Baptist House PO Box 44 129 Broadway Didcot OX11 8RT telephone 01235 517700 facsimile 01235 517715 email info@baptist.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1125912
Editorial
RENEWING PRAYER It’s easy to achieve agreement on the subject of prayer. People will readily agree that prayer needs to be our priority and that it is fundamental to living in relationship with God. So far so good. The problem lies in what we do with prayer, and people will generally agree that we make a mess of it. We don’t prioritize it as we should, and we often end up feeling defeated and guilty. Nothing could be more tragic than that. A New Year gives us a wonderful opportunity to renew our commitment to prayer. The last thing that God wants is for us to feel defeated and guilty. God, our loving Heavenly Father, comes to us with grace and invites us to enter into daily conversation with him in prayer, so that our lives will be renewed and revitalized by his life. As a Baptist Union we recognize the importance of prayer by having it as our first strategic objective. Obviously we can’t make prayer happen but we can encourage people and offer helpful resources and we are keen to develop this. I hope that we will be able to help you in your prayer life in 2010.
Kingsley Appiagyei, our President, has called our Union to a new commitment to prayer and I am so grateful to him for this encouragement. On 27 February, there is going to be a further Day of Prayer and I urge you to give this a special focus in your church. I’m delighted that the day will be shared with BMS World Mission. More information will appear on our websites in the new year. For the last few years we have offered a Prayer Diary for the year. I am grateful for all the comments that we have received. It has often been observed that, inevitably, the topics for prayer can be out of date by the time they arise. We have decided to respond to this by issuing a prayer guide alongside the quarterly Baptist Life magazine. We hope that you will find this helpful and, as ever, we will value your comments. Another important source of prayers and prayer topics is our website. I am glad to see that our prayer resources are widely used. The prayer part of our website receives more hits than almost any other area – and that’s exactly as it should be. Prayer is dynamic and I trust that as you continually renew the way in which you pray, you will know the Lord’s renewal.
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Mission Ian Bunce Head of Department
Introduction As we enter the New Year, I am challenged afresh by John 1:14, as recorded by Eugene Peterson in The Message, ‘The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood’. I wonder what it means to be the presence of Christ moving into the community in a way that makes a difference? The Mission Department is continuing to encourage churches to explore this. It has been so encouraging to us in the Department, and we hope to others in churches around the country, to hear about the inspiring and innovative crossingplaces in which Baptist churches are involved. At the recent Mission Executive meeting, a clear definition of crossingplaces was agreed in the following way: Crossingplaces are where I am • with non-believers • with the intent to be, to do, to say and to think as Christ would in the situation • with an expectancy that something transformational will happen A crossingplace may involve me as part of a whole church event, in a smaller group of which I am part, or on my own in my daily living. We hope that you have already had a look at some of the stories on the crossingplaces section of the website www.crossingplaces.org.uk and discovered some of the ways in which other members of our Baptist family have been putting this definition into practice and reaching their local community with the good news of Jesus. 4
The crossingplaces stories about The Vine, a Student Bistro set up by Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church in Leicester, and Café Church and the Dads’ Group set up at Leigh Park Baptist Church in Havant, have both featured in recent editions of the Department Newsletter. To enable your church to hear more about crossingplaces we’d like to invite you to come along with a group from your church to one of our crossingplaces days being held on Saturdays at different venues around the country. These days, being organised in partnership with the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC), will give you an opportunity to inspire and be inspired by stories of Baptist churches engaging with their local communities. The days are suitable for your whole church and we look forward to seeing you there. Days are planned for: Saturday 27 February - Friar Lane and Braunstone Baptist Church, Leicester Saturday 27 March - Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church Saturday 2 October – North of England, (venue tbc) Cost for the day will be £5 per person. For more details, and to book, please see www.baptist.org.uk/training_events/other.html
or contact the Mission Department on 01235 517713. Education Sunday and Love your Local School Local schools and colleges are often at the heart of our communities and are the places where almost every member of the younger generation is to be found. So these places of education are
central to our Christian desire to build good community and to influence the spiritual development of children and young people. Local schools, or other educational establishments with which the church could have a fruitful link, can be seen as crossingplaces where we can give Christian support through prayer and in practical ways, and potentially influence a generation. The response from Baptist churches to the request to send information about ways in which they are engaging with schools has been thrilling, so we are building up stories about effective good practice at a variety of levels. Some of these will appear in resources later in 2010 and on the crossingplaces website. There are two specific ways of highlighting and exploring involvement with your local schools happening soon: • Education Sunday on 31 January • Love your Local School workshop on 4 March at Baptist House Education Sunday is an annual national day of prayer and celebration for everyone involved in the world of education, both adults and children. Resources have been prepared by the Free Churches Education Group, which you can mix and match in your service, and these can be downloaded from www.educationsunday.org. This is a good day to involve teachers and others who work in schools in your congregation, as well as those who attend them. It’s a reminder to pray for them throughout the year too! Further thinking about supporting your teachers can be found in the Mission File Church and School: The Teachers in Your Church, available
for download from www.baptist.org.uk/ resources/resource_downloads/557.pdf The workshop Love your Local School will include a variety of ways that churches can relate to schools and curriculum issues of good practice, and the opportunity to explore resources. Hosted by Mission Adviser, Kathryn Morgan, the main speaker will be David Skinner of RE:inspired and Dare to Engage. You could use this day to see how you can begin connecting with your local school, how you could help more of your church congregation to be involved, how you might partner with other churches or organisations and how you might build on what you are already doing.
Almost half of the churches in the Baptist Union have fewer than 40 members and LIFEsize is a resource that has been designed especially for them. The fivesession studies have come out of the work done by the group set up by BU Council which focused on small churches. It is envisaged that LIFEsize will be used in the relaxed setting of a home group or a mid-week church group where a DVD can be played. Each session will last an hour and include about 15 minutes of video input and discussion from prepared questions, concluding with prayer. The Leader’s Guide will help the facilitator and provide photocopiable question sheets. The sessions look at ‘small’ as good news; effective discipleship; life together; mission; and presence. 5
Mission LIFEsize will be sent to small churches during Spring and additional copies will be available from the Mission Department. It could be a good five-week course for other small group settings too. Wellsprings Ladies, do you enjoy taking a break and being pampered? Do you appreciate being reminded that you have been made as an individual, special and valued in God’s eyes? If you are answering yes, then imagine being able to invite your nonChristian friends into a relaxed comfortable setting with candles, coffee and cream cakes. During a couple of hours, they can chat and enjoy some form of pampering, such as hand massage, receive a 10 minute low-key Christian message and leave with a small gift that will remind them of the evening. Wellsprings is a brand new eight-week low-key evangelistic course for women. This BUGB publication will include a Leader’s Book that will explain how to set up eight weeks of different pampering and wellbeing experiences and will include the script of the related short talks. For those who would prefer to use a pre-prepared talk, a DVD will be included featuring Leesa Barton, the Baptist evangelist who has developed the course. During 2010, there will be some training days, at Baptist House and elsewhere around the country, for women who would like to run this course. The publication will be available at the Baptist Assembly and from BUGB Publications from the beginning of May.
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The Incarnate Gathering – a resource for church planting Tuesday 23 – Thursday 25 March 2010 Who are you? Church planter? Facilitator of church planting? Are you wondering if church planting might become part of your life? All are welcome to this threeday houseparty to explore church planting themes through stories, discussion, coaching, worship, shared meals and workshops. For the fourth year, the houseparty will be held at Somersal Cottages in Derbyshire. The cost of £95 per person includes meals and accommodation in shared rooms (single rooms being available at a £75 supplement). This is a popular event, so book early at www.incarnate-network.eu Incarnate is the Baptist Union of Great Britain’s church planting network.
Ministry Paul Goodliff Head of Department
Consultation with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The Government Department concerned with employment conditions and employment law has, for some time, been working with churches and faith groups to ensure that those employed by them, or, more usually, who hold an office with them, are treated fairly. Our Baptist Union Recommended Terms of Appointment reflect that best practice and uphold conditions that are either the equivalent to, or more generous than, standard employment terms and conditions. For instance, our recommended maternity leave is more generous than the legal minimum, and the normal six month notice period offered to ministers is double the more usual three months’ notice offered to similar professional employees. The BIS is currently reviewing the submissions made by church and faith groups and has requested that the Baptist Union make known to all its ministers, most of whom are office-holders, that it, the Department of the BIS, welcomes any individual submissions that ministers might wish to make. This should be made directly to BIS, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET, marking the letter ‘Clergy Working Group’. Office-holder Status On a similar theme, I am aware that some groups of managing trustees, deacons or elders are unaware that ministers should not be considered as employees but rather as office-holders (unless an employment contract has already been created, and there is no desire to reserve
it). Perhaps drawing upon experience in the business world, those responsible for offering an appointment to a newly called minister all too readily seek an employment contract, with a salary being paid instead of a stipend, and a detailed job description being agreed. This makes the appointment de facto one of an employee rather than an office-holder. Is this important? I believe it is. There are very good reasons why we have fought to maintain office-holder status for our ministers, in common with many of the other churches and faith groups. While good practice must always be enacted by churches in regard to their minister/s, office-holder status does not give an automatic right of access to employment tribunals. Many smaller churches might be anxious about the outcome of a breakdown of relationship between them and their minister if it were to end up in the law courts. Conversely, many ministers might feel that something of their proper responsiveness to God is compromised if they, as employees of the diaconate or eldership, are subject to the explicit direction by their ‘employer’. There is always something of the prophetic challenge about ministry that is at variance with employee status, and ministers and churches alike need to understand that the minister owes first obedience to God. In some larger churches especially, the employment of non-ministerial staff has
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Ministry led to the expectation that all ministers will become employees, on similar grounds to those who are strictly employees. This must be avoided for a number of reasons: 1 Theologically, this is regrettable. The minister in pastoral charge is not an employee of the church, but its servant. Freed from obligations to follow the instruction of his/her ‘manager’ (presumably the diaconate or church secretary) the minister is able to both support the church and challenge it. Both minister and diaconate, together with the whole congregation remain subject to the will of the church meeting but the minister’s role is to offer both pastoral care (the cure of souls) and leadership. This is seriously compromised if the minister becomes an employee of the diaconate (managing trustees of the church). 2 Fiscally, it is dangerous. Should the tax concessions regarding manses be removed by the HM Revenue and Customs, many churches/ministers would find a large increase in the costs of ministry. While these two concerns are not automatically linked, the loss of one would suggest an easier way to lose the other. 3 Practically, it is confusing. A minister needs to remain available to do the Spirit’s bidding, and any micro-management of work by a diaconate or lay individual might weaken the offering of effective ministry by the minister of the church.
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4 Administratively, it is unnecessary. The important benefits afforded to an employee
are mostly already given to ministers as office-holders. They have the so-called Section 23 rights given to them: rights such as maternity and paternity leave, sick leave, annual leave, a written pay slip and agreed notice period. The right of access to an employment tribunal for unfair or constructive dismissal has generally been refused but recent case law in the Employment Tribunals division has gone some way to make these also available to ministers. I believe that this move to employment status for ministers is being driven by an ignorance of the facts, and their consequences (and perhaps by a covert desire on the part of some to ‘control’ their minister). I think these moves should be resisted at all costs, not least after the extensive discussion with the DTI (now Department of BIS) in the earlier part of the decade that resulted in the maintenance of office-holder status despite the attempts of the Trades Unions and some MPs to remove it. Waivers The Baptist Union Corporation has recently asked the Ministry Department to take over the work of issuing waivers for those churches that have called an unaccredited minister to the office of pastor or assistant pastor. These waivers are necessary whenever a church has a Trust Deed that makes it a requirement that its minister/s be accredited by the Baptist Union, and waivers are, in effect, exemptions from adherence to that legal requirement. Clearly, most churches
will seek in the first instance to call an accredited minister whose competence and character has been tried and tested by the wider Union but there is a tradition among our churches that they may call whomsoever they believe God has led them to, and occasionally that person is not an accredited minister. Churches considering such a move need to start the process of seeking a waiver early on in their search, as soon as they are seriously considering an unaccredited person. Strictly, a call cannot be confirmed until a waiver has been granted, and this can take some months to complete. The first point of contact should be the regional minister responsible for settlement in the churches of their association, and in the Ministry Department, Vikki Bunce
vbunce@baptist.org.uk is the person to
contact. Amongst the essential requirements of the process is a CRB/ISA check for the person called; a copy of the minute of the church meeting that called them; letters from the association and church, and a detailed letter from the minister concerned, committing them to certain things. It must be stressed that the granting of a waiver is not an automatic matter, and where there are serious concerns about the suitability of a person for the office of minister, the Baptist Union reserves the right to withhold a waiver, thus preventing the church from legally offering a post to them. This is to be avoided wherever possible, and so close consultation with regional ministers is vital at every stage of such a process.
Faith and Unity Graham Sparkes Head of Department
Introduction It often happens that someone will say, ‘I used the BUGB website prayers of intercessions in worship last Sunday,’ or ‘our house groups are working through the studies on political engagement at the moment’. Such comments are always encouraging! They show that in all kinds of ways the resources we produce and the events we organise are being used to deepen discipleship in our churches – and that is what it is all about! I hope that the following details will help introduce some
of what is going on and what is made available for your use. ‘How is Jesus revealed in other cultures?’ This was the question asked at The Gathering on 10 October, when Baptists met together at Edmonton Baptist Church to worship, study and celebrate together. The lens through which we were encouraged to see Jesus was that of South Asian spirituality, and so the day was shaped by the customs, practices and food 9
Faith and Unity that comes from the Indian subcontinent. All who came were encouraged to take off their shoes, and use the cushions provided for seating on the floor. The worship group included a sitar player and sang in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi and English. The prayer room was furnished with plenty of floor cushions, clay lamps, and a bowl of flower petals to put at the foot of a cross. And there was a wonderful curry lunch! The day expressed the wonderfully rich diversity that exists within our Christian family, and the talks, sermons and seminars explored this in depth. We learned of how Asian spirituality emphasises different aspects of the nature of God, seeing Jesus as teacher or guru as well as friend. Representatives from South Asia Concern talked about the demographics of the South Asian population in Britain and how to reach them. And a variety of seminars explored specific issues, such as the experience of living and working among Bangladeshi families in Hackney, and what it means to develop culturally inclusive leadership within the local church.
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Towards the end of the day, Champions for Justice Awards were presented to Fred George and the late David Richardson, in recognition of their significant contributions to promoting racial justice within BUGB. In keeping with the South Asian theme, the recipients were
garlanded, Angela Richardson accepting the garland on behalf of her husband. Then there followed an evening celebration. Indian snacks and sweetmeats were produced, including cups of Chai – a milky spiced tea – and gulab sherbet – a rose and cardamom flavoured drink. A BMS Action Team shared their experiences of working in a school in India, and we were taught about how Indian dancing can be used to tell the gospel story. The Gathering is an annual event for all Baptists! We live in a culturally diverse society, and we need occasions such as this to help us in our ministry and mission. If you are not there, you are missing out! To find out more about future Gatherings, contact: whudson-roberts@baptist.org.uk 13th Assembly of the Conference of European Churches
Back in July, 300 delegates representing some 120 churches throughout Europe gathered under the theme, ‘Called to One Hope in Christ’. BUGB was present to share in the debates and decisions that will help shape the shared life of Christians in Europe over the coming years. Together we sought to give direction to the work we do together in deepening our faith commitment to one other, in representing the churches within the institutions of
the European Union, and in addressing the concerns of migrants in Europe. At such meetings as this, no one can doubt our diversity! Christians come in all colours, shapes and sizes and that creates both rich variety and challenging debate! Europe has changed so much since CEC began 50 years ago, and the Assembly recognised that we need to do some careful listening to one another as we plan new ways of working that will sustain our life together in the future. If you want more information, go to www.cec-kek.org or contact the Faith and Unity Department for a full report of the Assembly: gsparkes@baptist.org.uk
‘Hope in God’s Future’ Faced with the threat of climate change and the call of scripture to care for creation, this report and study guide helps us explore what it means to live out our Christian hope in the future. It has been prepared by the Joint Public Issues Team – Baptists working together with Methodists and the URC – and it contains a variety of resources. The report is rooted in the study of scripture, helping us understand how we approach God in the context of climate change; there are details of the scientific research that has taken place; guidance is given as to how we as churches and individuals should live out our Christian discipleship in response to the threat of climate change; liturgical resources offered
for use in worship; and there are questions for reflection, enabling the report to be used by house groups. This significant resource is available from BUGB Publications. Price: £5. You can order at: www.baptist.org.uk/resources.html For further information on continuing BUGB involvement and campaigning on climate change, contact the Faith and Unity Department: gsparkes@baptist.org.uk Citizens for Sanctuary As a result of the resolution on asylum seekers passed at last year’s Baptist Assembly, BUGB is supporting the ‘Citizens for Sanctuary’ campaign. This aims to secure justice for people who are fleeing persecution and rebuild public support for providing sanctuary. It is a campaign building on the research carried out by the Independent Asylum Commission and the many recommendations it made to improve the asylum system, including an end to the detention of children and families. A ‘Saving Sanctuary Pledge’ was taken to the conferences of all three major political parties, and one of the main aims of the campaign is to ensure that, during the forthcoming election campaign, politicians of all persuasions commit to responsible, sensitive campaigning on the issues. Together with the other major Christian denominations, we believe that the UK should offer sanctuary for those who need a place of safety. Details can be found on the website: www.citizensforsanctuary.org.uk
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Faith and Unity For more information about the campaign and how to get involved, contact the Faith and Unity Department: rkidd@baptist.org.uk Charity Registration for LEPs and ‘Union’ churches The Charity Commission for England and Wales has approved model constitutions that can be used by LEPs and Union churches. All churches with an income above £100,000 need to be registered, and this should be straightforward providing the new model constitutions are used. Full details, together with a copy of the model LEP governing document, are available on the CTE website. Go to: www.churches-together.net. If you need more information, please contact the Faith and Unity Department: gsparkes@baptist.org.uk Resources A number of resources from the Faith and Unity Department appear on the BUGB website. You may want to search out the following: Prayers of Intercession – are posted monthly as a resource for use in public worship. Go to: www.baptist.org.uk/prayer_worship.html
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Social and Political Issues – covers many different areas of current work. We have recently added briefing papers on the Equality Bill and the misuse of alcohol. Also
look here for information on the forthcoming General Election. Go to: www.baptist.org.uk/ resources/social_political.html
Monthly Newsletter – this is always available on the BUGB website and can also be sent to you direct. It gives information about dates, events, resources and campaigns. Go to: www.baptist.org.uk/news_media/latest_news.html
Events 18-25 January Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Churches around the world traditionally mark this week, and the theme this year is, ‘You are witnesses to these things’ (Luke 24:48). You can download or order a variety of worship resources from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. Go to: www.ctbi.org.uk/414
2-4 March – Training for Ecumenical Officers If you have been appointed to serve as an Ecumenical Officer, perhaps by your regional association, then there is help and training available! In March next year you can attend a course at High Leigh Conference Centre that is particularly designed for • Recently-appointed County Ecumenical Officers • Recently-appointed Denominational Ecumenical Officers • Ecumenical facilitators who wish to build on their experience For full details, including how to book, contact: gsparkes@baptist.org.uk
Council Richard Nicholls General Manager
Alongside the many items that the Mission Executive took to Council, including an update on Back to Church Sunday, Crossingplaces, Get in the Picture, and an introduction to Biblefresh, the Executive brought two major items. These were Encouraging Young Missionary Disciples and an Interfaith Strategy. In the paper ‘Encouraging Young Missionary Disciples’ we began a consultation to radically rethink the way in which we nurture the faith of children and young people. Council described this as a radical look at children’s and youth ministry that could be the biggest change since the end of afternoon Sunday School. A task group will be set up and report back in March 2011. The Interfaith Strategy took its first step, identifying many needs including the need for a theology of interfaith engagement, and the acute need to build confident disciples that can be empowered to engage in a multifaith world. Council approved the Home Mission Budget for 2010 with an Appeal of £4,300,000 and a budgeted deficit of £450,000. The Treasurer, Malcolm Broad, emphasised that churches continue to be asked for at least 5% of their general fund income to be given to Home Mission. Though the potential budgeted withdrawal from reserves is uncomfortably high, the Union is fortunate to have sufficient reserves to cover continuing ongoing work in this difficult financial climate, in which there was increased demand for assistance from Home Mission.
Council were informed of the issues facing the Pension Review Group, and that an interim consultation document was to be circulated to churches and pension scheme members during December. Council began a process of considering which aspects of belief and practice were crucial to an understanding of Baptist Identity. The Faith and Unity Executive invited Council to reflect together on a paper entitled ‘Knowing What We Believe: theological authority amongst Baptists’, exploring issues of identity amongst us and some of the practical implications for our life together. This paper is now available on the website and is being used to help shape our response to several key issues facing BUGB. Council were informed of a valuable report and study guide, ‘Hope in God’s Future’, looking at a theological response to climate change. This is now available for purchase from the BUGB and it is hoped churches will make good use of this. See Faith and Unity section for maore information. Two new ecumenical representatives to Council have been appointed – from the Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church – and they were warmly welcomed. The key features of the Communications Committee Report to Council included updates on ‘outcomes and way forward’ concerning a communications audit (National Resource and associations), undertaken following the Roles and Tasks Report, the BUGB Online Strategy
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Council Development, and a new Fundraising Policy Council questions focused on the Fundraising Policy and also how Leading Edge fits within the developing BUGB strategy ‘Encouraging Missionary Disciples’.
beyond the probationary period was at an advanced stage, with implementation of a range of options for personal support being ready for later in 2010. These included peer supervision, individual supervision, cluster groups and spiritual direction.
The Report of the Ministry Executive included the adoption of guidance to ministers not to engage in the blessing of civil partnerships, and guidelines for the Ministerial Recognition Committee regarding those ministers who contract civil partnerships themselves. Reports on chaplaincy and a grievance procedure for ministers in pastorates were also received. It was also reported that the development of new support structures for all ministers
For more information about the event including information on the programme, how to get involved and other conferences connected to the Congress including the Woman in Leadership Conference, see: www.bwacongress2010.org To register see: www.bwacongress2010.org/Register-Now.htm#register For help with planning your travel, contact Phil Hindle at Thyme Travel on 01823 690 091 or enquiries@thymetravel/gtmail.co.uk For self-booking accommodation options, see: www.bwacongress2010.org/Register-Now. htm#accommodations
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Around the Union Central Administrative contact: Stephen Copson 01462 442548
Eastern Administrative contact: Hayley Beckett 01263 826377
stephen.c@centralba.org.uk
secretary@easternbaptist.org.uk
The CBA Ministers’ Conference took place 12-14 October at King’s Park, Northampton, this year taking the form of a retreat led by Roy Searle from the Northumbria Community.
Having had an influx of new ministers into the association, we held a lunch to welcome them into the EBA. This also enabled us to introduce the Association Team and outline the way we work together to resource churches in mission. Now that Sheila has completed her MPhil on empowering ministers who have been bullied in their churches, she has been presenting the findings to various groups. Training has been organised for our local preachers in two venues in the . We have a number of new church plants and emerging church projects throughout the East and it has been exciting to watch them develop.
East Midlands Administrative contact: Rebecca Nicholls 0115 981 8645 administrator@embaptists.co.uk
Our Autumn Café-Style Roadshow highlighted many inspiring stories of evening services being revived by café church, advent café style services reaching new people and the success of the Costa coffee initiative. Cross Hills BC, Bagworth and Oundle Road BC, Peterborough have recently opened new extensions, creating exciting mission opportunities. A prayer initiative in our Derbyshire churches for a baptism in each church has shown encouraging results, 20 baptisms to date! A few of our churches have grown from small churches to medium churches over the last year too! Good news for which we all praise God!
Since Chris Duffett, the evangelist who dreamt up ‘Get In The Picture’ lives in the EBA now, we hope that many of our churches will be picking up this simple but effective Christmas outreach idea.
Heart of England Administrative contact: Karen Martindale 0121 472 4986 mailbox@baptist-heartofengland.org
The partnership between HEBA, the Baptist Colleges in Bristol, Oxford and 15
Around the Union Manchester, and BMS World Mission has brought about the formation of a new programme called ‘Learning at the Centre’. Under this title, the association seeks to provide members of churches with opportunities for learning, including access to the modular programme provided by the colleges which will be a requirement for those seeking accreditation as local pastors and preachers. In January/February 2010 the module ‘Baptist Belief and Practice’ will be on offer at the BMS International Mission Centre. With these and other partnerships, the association plans to provide learning opportunities both at IMC and around the region covering a wide range of topics and skills.
London Administrative contact: Paul Martin 020 7692 5592
North Western Administrative contact: Mandy Howarth 01942 221595 baptnw1@aol.com
Our autumn forum saw us unpacking a little of what it means for churches to work ‘beyond the boundaries’. Seminars considered this within the context of youth work, different cultures and also reconciliation and mediation. The day was well received leaving those who attended with much to take back to their churches for prayer and thought. We have now said goodbye to Cath Mawson as she retires from her role as BMS World Mission northern co-ordinator. Cath will be greatly missed but goes with our love and prayers for God’s guidance for her future.
paul@londonbaptist.org.uk
The London Baptist Association has begun to implement its strategy ‘Making disciples, sharing the good news of Jesus’ which was adopted in 2009. The Baptist Union Communications Department has been helping the association with the redesign of our website which we hope will be launched early in the New Year. During the early part of 2010, the LBA directors will be considering the future shape of the LBA’s staff team.
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Northern Administrative enquiries: 0191 273 7641 admin@thenba.org.uk
‘Building Together for Christ’s Kingdom’ is the new strap-line for the association which adopted new vision and mission statements at its Autumn Assembly. The speaker was Jonathan Edwards who addressed the Assembly on the theme of ‘Inspiring Missionary Disciples’. The association’s mission partnership with Tryon Evergreen Baptist Association (Texas) has continued to
develop with visits by a team to the NBA in September and an NBA team to Texas in November. We look forward to several mission teams visiting us in the summer of 2010.
in September and October, in six venues across the region. Nearly 200 deacons, elders, and pastors attended the evening meetings which, following on from ‘round one’ in the Spring, showed that there was clear interest in engaging with issues such as – where we are as a church, where do we go next, and how might we get there?
South Eastern Administrative contact: Steph Tidy 01444 233431 admin@seba-baptist.org.uk
Our innovative partnership with The Baptist Times was very successful with 10,000 copies of the edition with the SEBA News supplement being distributed free to everyone in the congregations of our churches. The new SEBA Team is becoming established and, in October, held a consultative day with representatives of our nine geographical networks. The Evangelism Strategy Group have been busy arranging events under the two strands of our mission statement – Enabling Mission and Enabling Christian Living. Plans are also in hand for a MAD Week (Make A Difference!) when young people can engage in mission in Kent Thameside.
South West Administrative contact: Chris Wooding 01392 433533 chris@swbaptists.org.uk
Following some staffing changes, we’ve been reviewing how we operate in a number of areas. This includes amongst other things how we deal with ministry issues and how we deliver Min Rec services; a new Ministry Task Group meets for the first time in January to begin looking at these matters. A number of ‘District Ministers’ have been appointed to take the lead on pastoral care amongst our ministers locally and we’re looking forward to working with them in this new way forward.
South Wales Administrative contact: Mark Thomas 02920 491366 mark@swbabugb.org.uk
The second wave of leadership roadshows (aka Beyond our Imagining 2) took place
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Around the Union Southern Counties Administrative contact: Keith Hawton 023 8041 0691
their spiritual life as a team together. Roy asked questions such as ‘Do you run the church?’ and suggested that leadership team meetings should be asking ‘How can we help people love God?’
k.hawton@scba.org.uk
One hundred leaders and delegates met on 22 October for our AGM and Leaders’ Day, when the keynote speaker was Viv O’Brien (BUGB Ministries Adviser). She addressed leaders about the dangers we face and how we can combat them. Dennis Eaton, has concluded seven years as Moderator, and has been succeeded by Revd Andrew Hall. Littlemore, an historic church in South Oxford, was given the Church of the Year cheque towards its purpose-built, move-on accommodation for people who have been homeless, which they are developing in collaboration with a housing association.
West of England Administrative contact: Geoff Starling 0117 965 8828 office@webassoc.org.uk
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In October, WEBA Regional Ministers joined with those from SWEBA and SWBA for a two-day retreat near Cardiff with Roy Searle of the Northumbria Community. Before Roy made his way home on the Saturday, he met with leadership teams and individuals from around 17 WEBA churches for coffee, croissants, and some time to reflect on
Yorkshire Administrative contact: Deborah Gamble 0113 278 4954 debbie.gamble@yba.org.uk
Following a special YBA Executive Away Day in November 2009, we are now introducing the YBA’s new strategy to every Baptist church in the region. This is an exciting time as we recognise the need to look in a radical way at how we do things and how we use our resources of people, buildings and money, if we are to make a difference. Our prayer is for a renewed confidence in the gospel as we endeavour to foster a strong witness through Baptist churches across Yorkshire.
Staff News Regional
North Western We said goodbye to Jo Williams who, while remaining in the region to develop her ministry in mediation, has formally finished as Regional Tutor for Northern Baptist Learning Community. Northern It is a time of significant change in the association as important team members have retired and others join. David Lennox retired as Regional Tutor in June and as Association Secretary in October. Cath Mawson retired as BMS Coordinator in October having served the three northern associations. Chris Bambrough began working as the Association’s Youth Specialist in September. Carol Taylor has become the Association’s Administrative Support Worker.
Baptist Church in Blackwood. One of his colleagues is recorded as saying, “we are delighted to see Mark going to Blackwood”, whilst Mark is trying to work out quite what that means! The search for his successor is on and it is hoped that the person will have been appointed by the time you read this. West Of England
Nigel Coles will have served this area as a Regional Minister for ten years in 2010. We thank God for his commitment to this role and ask for his wisdom and blessing for Nigel, as he takes us forward as team leader following his recent sabbatical. We also give thanks that after two years as a WEBA Regional Minister, Gordon Hindmarch is finally about to move into his new house!
South Wales Mark Thomas, our Association Manager, will be leaving at the end of the year to become the next minister of Mount Pleasant 19
Communications Amanda Allchorn Head of Department
Introduction The last few months have been very creative as the Communications Department have been fine tuning plans for 2010. As we enter the New Year, we look forward to the countdown to the Baptist Assembly in Plymouth. The team plays a big part in helping this event to happen. Also this Spring, we have some publications being updated - 2010 BUGB Directory and Baptism, Belonging and Breaking Bread which is a new version of Baptism and Belonging. We will be out filming the 2010 BUGB DVD and much much more! A major project about to move into a new phase is the development and restyling of the BUGB website...so watch this space! Lights, Camera, Action! - downloads In our media savvy, multimedia age we are becoming ever more confident in using films for illustrations in our church services, house groups and meetings. As more short films are being produced here at the National Resource, we are seeking to make it easier for you to access and download them. Apart from accessing them at www.baptist.org.uk you can also go onto You Tube and our very own channel www.youtube.com/BUGBBMS to find the new films (and podcasts) that are being created. Look out in every edition of the new Baptist Life magazine for the symbol that tells you there are more resources online and on the BUGB website home page www.baptist.org.uk. Prayer Guide 2010 Traditionally an annual BUGB Prayer Guide has been sent out with the January mailing of Transform. From January 2010, the 20 Prayer Guide will be a quarterly four-page
insert in the Baptist Life magazine. This will enable us to provide more up to date information for your prayers and to encourage more prayer across the wider Baptist family. Make sure you get your copy of Baptist Life from your Home Mission representative or alternatively download a copy of the Prayer Guide at www.baptist.org.uk/prayer_worship.html BUGB Communications Awards 2010 The BUGB Communications Awards are back for 2010! This time, in collaboration with our media partner The Baptist Times, we are not only looking for excellent church websites but the best church magazines too. How to nominate You can nominate your church website or church magazine from 12 January 2010 until 26 March 2010. For church website nominations go to www.baptist.org.uk/commsawards2010 For church magazine nominations please email a pdf version of your magazine to communications@ baptist.org.uk or post a copy to BUGB Communications Awards, Baptist Union of Great Britain, Baptist House, PO Box 44, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 8RT Judging The church magazine category will be judged by a panel of expert judges. The website nominations will be shortlisted by the judging panel for an online vote open from 1 to 23 April. And the winner is... The winning entries will be announced at the Baptist Assembly and will be featured on the BUGB website and in The Baptist Times. Winners will receive the coveted glass computer mouse award.
Publications Jenny Stewart Manager
Countdown to Baptism
to baptism Bible readings and studies for four weeks before baptism
Redesigned and updated, Countdown to Baptism is a series of 28 daily bible readings designed to be used for individual study in the four weeks running up to baptism. Selling Price: ÂŁ4
Look out for new publications in the first few months of 2010: The 2010 BUGB Directory and Baptism, Belonging and Breaking Bread, a new version of Baptism and Belonging, rewritten for BUGB by Paul Beasley-Murray with extra chapters on the Lord’s Supper. Designed for churches to use for baptismal classes.
The BUGB Communications Awards are back for 2010! This time, in collaboration with our media partner The Baptist Times, we are not only looking for excellent church websites but the best church magazines too! Nominate your church from 12 January 2010 at www.baptist.org.uk/commsawards2010 THE BAPTIST TIMES
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Home Mission Home Mission Promotion Home Mission enables our Baptist family to do an immense range of things. When your church gives to Home Mission, you are helping grow God’s Kingdom by enabling the dreams and visions of other Baptist churches to become a reality, as they respond to God’s calling in their local communities. Here is a reminder of some of the resources you can use to inform your church about Home Mission and encourage their support. The Little Introduction to Home Mission: This free booklet is the ideal introduction to what Home Mission is all about. Order as many as you need for your church from the website www.baptist.org.uk/ resources/home_mission_booklet.html or get in touch with us at communications@baptist.org.uk
or call 01235 517708. ‘Go…’ DVD Based on Matthew 28, these four short and inspiring stories reveal what God is doing through his disciples in local churches. Copies were sent to churches in May 2009 and the films are also available on our website at: www.baptist.org.uk/dvdfollowup
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Baptist Life – our new, inspiring Baptist Union quarterly magazine, is sent free to all churches. Make sure your copies aren’t left to gather dust at the back of the church! It’s also available to read online at www.baptist. org.uk/baptistlife. Both the online version of the magazine, and Transform are becoming very popular in the new easy to read format! Website resources
Go to www.baptist.org.uk/homemission to find promotional PowerPoints, fundraising ideas, collection boxes, offering envelopes and much more. You’ll also find details of how your used stamps or old coins can be used to help raise money for Home Mission.
Finance Philip Putman Head of Department
2010 Stipend The Trustees have fixed the Home Mission Stipend for 2010 at £19,350. Treasurers should also note that the value of a Manse for Pension Fund purposes is £5,825 per annum as from 1 January 2010. This increases the amounts that churches and ministers pay as pension scheme contributions, and significantly increases the benefits which will be received in due course from the fund. 2011 Stipend The Trustees have not yet established a Guideline Stipend for 2011. Deposit rates The Baptist Union Corporation currently (from 1 November 2009) pays interest at 0.80% on money deposited by churches in the Baptist Union Loan Fund. The current rate is advertised each week in The Baptist Times. Deposits assist the provision of loans to churches, and are welcomed by the Corporation. Loan rates The Baptist Union Corporation is willing to lend at 3.50% (from 1 November 2009) to churches buying, extending or renovating buildings or manses, subject to suitable repayment arrangements being in place. This rate is also subject to change in line with national interest rates. The current rate is advertised each week in The Baptist Times.
Mileage rates The recommended mileage rates continue at 40p per mile for the first 10,000 miles within each tax year, and 25p for each mile thereafter.
Compiled by Philip Cooke FCA., Honorary Taxation Adviser to the Baptist Union
A further miscellany of Questions & Answers from my email box! End of year PAYE returns: Q Is it right that we can now only file the end of year PAYE return online? A Yes - as from the current year (200910) all employers will be required to file their annual returns (P35 & P14s etc) online and this requirement also extends to the filing of starter and leaver forms (forms P45 & P46). The penalties for non-compliance are quite steep (up to £3,000) so it would be a good idea to begin the process. Help is available through the Revenue website, using the link: www.hmrc.gov.uk/paye/ onlinefiling-understanding.htm or from the Online Service Helpdesk on 0845 6055 999. Incidentally, whilst on this topic, the A5 size of form P45 is no longer accepted by HMRC and the new A4 size form must now be used.
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Finance Manse lighting and heating expenses:
Q I know that for tax purposes I can claim up to 25% of the total manse lighting and heating expenses which are reimbursed to me by my church, but where on the MoR pages of the return do I claim this? A The claim for the church-business element should be made in box 25 on the MoR pages, whilst the amount reimbursed (which should be shown by the church treasurer in Section N of the P11D form) should be entered in box 17. The relevant notes in Taxation Guidelines for Churches & Ministers (document F5) and in Self Assessment and the Minister (document F13) are being extended to make this clear. Hospitality expenses:
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Q We make an allowance to our minister of £250 to cover manse hospitality expenses. Is this tax-free? A If you mean that you actually pay over £250 each year to your minister towards hospitality costs then the answer is that such an allowance is not tax-free! This,
like any other round-sum allowance (eg for books), has to be treated as additional stipend and suffer PAYE and NICs. If, however, you mean that you allow up to £250 for this purpose but actually pay specific sums for expenses actually incurred in official entertaining (for which there must be some supporting documentation) then such payments will not give rise to tax or NICs. If such expenses are covered by a P11D dispensation there is no need to report them on the form P11D. Accommodation provided for youth workers: Q We have a young couple in the church who lead our youth and children’s work and we would like to provide them with living accommodation which would also be used to some extent in their work. Will this accommodation benefit be exempt from tax in the same way that it is for a minister? A The Revenue have made it clear that the exemption from charge to tax in respect of manse accommodation customarily provided for a minister of religion for the better performance of his or her duties does not extend to youth or other pastoral workers. In order to fulfil the Revenue’s understanding of the term minister of religion it is necessary to be able to demonstrate that an individual has been both ‘called’ and ‘inducted’ to perform those pastoral and spiritual duties normally undertaken by a minister of religion. So in order to bring one or other (or both) of these young people within the ambit of the exemption, the
church would need to call and induct such person(s) to ministerial office (eg as youth minister) to serve alongside any other ministers on terms comparable with those which normally apply to ministers. Incidentally, attempts have been made from time to time on behalf of all of the churches to persuade the Revenue to extend the exemption to other pastoral workers but, so far, without success. Expenses of looking after the manse garden: Q Because our minister is extremely busy looking after the church and congregation we would like to help him by providing the services of a gardener. Could this be said to be in the nature of ‘exterior’ maintenance of the manse thereby not giving rise to a taxable benefit? A I guess we would all like to have our gardening looked after on a tax-free basis but, alas, this is not possible. The provision of manse gardening services will give rise to a taxable benefit (reportable on form P11D) though one might be able to justify a partial claim (as for manse lighting and heating expenses) for church business use - especially if the garden is used for occasional church events! Ex gratia gift to moderator: Q We would like to make a modest ‘thank you’ gift to our moderator as he steps down after guiding us through the pastoral vacancy which is just coming to an end. Can we make such a gift without it giving rise to a tax liability?
A I take it that (as is normally the case) your moderator has served the church in a voluntary capacity, except possibly for payment of occasional preaching fees (which the moderator must include in his or her tax return) and travelling expenses? In these circumstances a church will, at the conclusion of the moderatorship, often wish to give expression to the esteem in which the moderator has been held by the church and congregation by making an ex gratia gift in money or kind. Provided such a gift has not been the subject of any prior agreement, it ought not to give rise to a charge to tax. Work-related training:
Q We have recently appointed a new minister who has just completed his ministerial training at college. However, it has been mutually agreed that it would greatly help both the minister and the church if he enrolled for a course in a particular aspect of ministry which will involve attendance at college one day a week during term time throughout the academic year. Is it in order for the church to meet the costs of this training course without giving rise to a taxable benefit on the part of the minister? A Yes - this kind of course will meet 25
Finance the criteria for ‘work-related training’ and if the costs are borne by the church there will be no tax implications for the minister. It should be noted, however, that there is no tax relief for any expenses borne personally by the minister. Ministers’ tax returns: Q When will it be possible for ministers to file their tax returns online? A HMRC has still not got around to making it possible for ministers to file their tax returns online using free HMRC software, so unless one has recourse to commercial software a paper return is still necessary, the deadline for filing of which is 31 October. Accounting for PAYE tax and NICs: Whilst not arising as a question, church treasurers need to be aware that as from the next tax year (2010-11) interest will be charged if the correct amounts of PAYE and NICs are not handed over to the Revenue by the appropriate monthly or quarterly due dates. At present interest is only charged if the correct amount for the year has not been paid by 19 April following the year-end.
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These notes are issued for general guidance only. The author or publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of material contained herein. If you are in any doubt about the correct treatment of any matter you should seek further professional advice. I am prepared to respond to questions of a general nature via email: philipjcooke@aol.com. In order to avoid any such emails being treated as ‘spam’ please state under ‘Subject’ the name of your church plus the words ‘Taxation enquiry’.
Legal and Property Issues Linda Holder Manager of the Baptist Union Corporation Charity Registration Baptist churches with an annual income that exceeds £100,000 should now be registered with the Charity Commission. There is now an approved constitution for Single Congregation Local Ecumenical Partnerships to use, particularly if they need to register with the Charity Commission. A framework document is also available for Union churches. For information about both documents and the registration processes for these churches, please contact the Faith and Unity Department. See page 9. Registered Charities Registered charities are required to submit information to the Commission after the end of their financial year. The Commission will contact churches when their submission is due; the deadline for submission is ten months after the church’s year end. Newly registered churches are expected to submit their first Annual Return and accounts for any financial period ending six months or more after the date they were registered. More information about the submission requirements can be found on the Commission’s website under ‘Meeting our Requirements’. BUC guideline leaflets are also available: F6 Accounting Guidelines on Charity Accounts with income under £250,000 F7 Charity Accounts with Income over £250,000
F10 Annual Reports C30 Registered Charities and Public Benefit Shared Ownership of Manses At the time of writing, it is very difficult to obtain commercial mortgage finance for the purchase of a manse on a shared ownership basis. These schemes are more complex than standard domestic loans. Churches wanting to enter into a shared ownership arrangement with their minister should contact the Baptist Union Corporation, or local trust Corporation. Each situation will need to be considered on a case by case basis. The A4 leaflet Shared Ownership of a Manse has already been updated to explain what is involved in this kind of arrangement, but we will keep it updated as the situation may change. Churches Charities and Incorporation The Charity Commission continues to work on the framework documents for a new kind of incorporated organisation, the Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Further information is expected to be available in late spring 2010, but there could be further delays. We will keep the leaflet C29 Churches Charities and Incorporation up to date and announce new editions through Webwatch. Churches that are considering incorporation for any of their activities are encouraged to read this leaflet and consider the issues carefully.
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Safeguarding Alan Elson Safeguarding Administrator
Preparation for ISA The ‘roll out’ for the ISA and the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) is under way. Since last October it has been mandatory that we report people to ISA who have been disciplined for behaviour deemed to place vulnerable people at serious risk of harm. See the ISA website for all the information about this and the referral form (www.isa-gov.org). You have been recommended to talk to your Regional Minister when these situations arise and link up with the relevant person in the Social Services Department. Even if someone else is reporting the case, you must do so too because you will have a different perspective on the problem. Examples of relevant conduct are: endangering or likely to endanger a child, child pornography, inappropriate use of violent pornography, behaviour that is of a sexual nature involving a child and is inappropriate.
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BUGB is working with ecumenical partners to prepare training for trainers and Regional Ministers on the implementation of ISA. These sessions will be delivered during February and March with the aim that local training can be done from April to June. Information about these sessions has been sent to Regional Ministers; if you think they apply to you, please contact your Regional Minister to obtain a booking form. Local training will be ecumenical so may not necessarily be offered in your area by a Baptist – however, please do still attend these
local sessions. All churches will have to be compliant with the new regulations and we will all have to fulfill the same requirements. Given the tight deadlines, working ecumenically is believed to be the most economical way forward for us all. New CRB / ISA registration forms will be issued to us from April – news about how to obtain these will be published after that date. The ISA website now has a number of guidance documents available for you to read; these can be found in the Resource Library. This includes the latest Guidance document and also the decision making process that will be followed where they are ‘minded to bar’. For further information on VBS, please phone 0300 123 111 which is a lo-call number. Safe To Grow Clearly Safe To Grow will need to be changed to reflect the new systems. Work is already under way and we are hopeful that the new book will be available at the Baptist Assembly. Transport
Most of you will have seen the criticism levelled at ISA over the issue of transport
for children by family members. This has been referred back to ISA for further consideration – it is hoped that clarification will be available soon after Christmas. It seems that the issue is over transport arranged by an organisation, as arrangements made between parents are exempted from the regulations. CRB Over the coming year the CRB are working towards giving us one single phone number as the service point for any questions or issues that need to be resolved by them. This should mean a quicker service and prevent callers being passed from one person to another in order to get their questions dealt with. Refreshment of CRB Disclosures At the moment, the rule that BU Council established, that the life of a CRB Disclosure is five years, still stands. If you have people who need to refresh their Disclosures before the end of 2010, please do this (before the end of May). Inevitably, there will be some difficulties around the launch date of the ISA scheme – by getting Disclosures before the end of May you should avoid any problems that may arise. People with relatively new Disclosures will come into the system later in the programme. Do not try to get everyone registered at the start of the scheme – it isn’t necessary and will create difficulties. There is a timetable to follow, please adhere to it.
Key Dates for your Diary • October 2009 – duty to refer to
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ISA those who have given cause for concern about their behaviour and the risk of serious harm to children or vulnerable adults February / March 2010 – training for trainers run by Christian Forum on Safeguarding April – June 2010 – local church briefings May 2010 – target date for submitting CRB Disclosure applications that need refreshing before the year end May / June 2010 – new forms should be available to BUGB 26 July 2010 – new workers may apply for ISA registration before they start work 1 November 2010 – new workers must apply for ISA registration before starting work November 2010 – employers will be able to make online checks of workers to determine registration status (volunteer and paid) 1 April 2011 – those people currently working in ‘regulated’ positions can apply for registration and an enhanced Disclosure (further details to follow) From 2011 – 2014 – all current holders of Disclosures to enter the new system, starting with the oldest Disclosures first. For more information go to www.isa-gov.org.uk or phone
0300-123 -1111
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Events Jenny Stewart Events Manager
National Leading Edge 9-15 August 2010, Warwick
Enclosed in this edition of Transform is a copy of the Leading Edge brochure. It would be great if you could encourage your church family to consider attending this exciting event in 2010. Perhaps you could consider it for your church camp this year. Leading Edge offers a refreshing, fun and inspiring holiday week. People of all ages from around the UK come together to worship God, learn, play, relax and simply have a great time. Many come as a church group as it provides an easy way to have a high quality church week away. Others come with family and friends or alone. Most who attend the week camp onsite at the Warwick School, although there are many affordable B&B’s and hotels close by. The school is an excellent, conveniently located, and well equipped venue with many facilities both on site and further afield. This allows us to provide the important holiday element as well as the teaching programme. Afternoons are left free for folks to relax, play sport, visit local attractions or fellowship together. BUGB sees this as an important event in the life of the Union. Year after year, more and more lives are impacted 30
as a result of coming to the event. It is overwhelming to hear the many testimonies of how God has spoken into people’s lives. In their Innovation programme, many young people have made commitments – for the first time or to be baptised. Many children too, hear God speak to them and can be seen praying for each other and making commitments to follow Jesus. It is exciting to see young adults that have grown up through Leading Edge, now taking leadership roles in a number of the venues. Adults have the opportunity to receive quality bible teaching, sharpen their skills/ knowledge in seminars, worship together and seek prayer support, as well as relax with friends and family. The relaxed atmosphere (away from home and the usual pressure of life) allows God to speak into people’s lives in a new way, giving them a new impetus to move on in him and their mission and ministry for him. In 2010, we will be looking at the theme: ‘Walking The Wire – following Jesus in a confusing world’, and look forward to welcoming Joel Edwards (Micah Challenge) and David Kerrigan (BMS World Mission) as two of the speakers. Mission Crossingplaces Days Organised in partnership with the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC), these days will give your church group an opportunity to inspire and be inspired by stories of Baptist churches engaging with their local communities: Saturday 27 February: Friar Lane &
Braunstone Baptist Church, Leicester Saturday 27 March: Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church Saturday 2 October: North of England (venue to be confirmed at a later date). ‘Love your Local School’ Day Thursday 4 March: Baptist House, Didcot The day will help you to develop links with your local school and explore various resources and materials which might be helpful in your church as you support schools and those who work in them. Further days are planned on Saturdays in July in the Midlands and South East. Incarnate Gathering Houseparty 23-25 March: Somersal Cottages, Derbyshire The fourth annual houseparty for church planters, see www.incarnate-network.eu Toddler Group Leaders’ Day Tuesday 30 March: Baptist House, Didcot. A day with Fiona Burt (Care for the Family’s ‘Playtime’) and Richard Hardy (Care for the Family) to encourage and equip your church’s toddler group leaders. For more information on any of these Mission Department events, and to book, see: www.baptist.org.uk/training_events/other. html or contact the Mission Department on mission@baptist.org.uk or 01235 517713
Regional Central ‘Making the Most of the Church Meeting’ – an event being held across the association on five occasions in January and February. 23 January: Church Secretaries’ Meal 6 March: Church Quiz night – both to be held in Northamptonshire. 17 April: ‘Help I’m a Deacon’ – a oneoff re-run of a previous training event in Milton Keynes. East Midlands 17 January: Central Baptist Church, Leicester, will be welcoming the BUGB President, Revd Kingsley Appiagyei, as the Baptist churches in the city hold a united service. 18:30 service. January: EMBA will be facilitating a supper for seven churches who are without ministers to seek a way forward in ministry. 24 April: Association Day & AGM where we will be joined by Revd Kwame Adzam, Evangelist at Trinity BC, West Norwood. Eastern 22-24 February: our annual minister’s conference will take place at High Leigh. The speakers will be Stuart Henderson and Viv O’Brien. In March we will be inviting our Home Mission visitors to hear some of the inspiring stories of what God has been doing among our smaller churches and projects, and to hear how we can better support them in the ministry they undertake throughout the association each year. 31
Events London 1-3 February 2010: Pastors’ Consultation at High Leigh Conference Centre. The theme of the consultation is ‘Making disciples, sharing the good news of Jesus’. North Western 22-24 February 2010: Ministers Conference at the Norbreck, Blackpool. 27 February 2010: Regional Resource Day, Laird Street Baptist Church, Birkenhead. 27 March 2010: Association Spring Forum & AGM. 29 & 30 March 2010: Easter Retreats. Northern 21 January: Leading Together (training and networking evening for elders and deacons). 8-10 February: Ministers’ Conference jointly with the Yorkshire Baptist Ministers. 23 February: Association Council Meeting. 1st week of March: Child Protection/ Vulnerable Persons Safeguarding Updates, venues and dates to be confirmed. 7 March: Celebration Evening with Kingsley Appiagyei at Corporation Road Baptist Church, Darlington. 8 March: ‘Preach The Word’ Lay Preachers’ Training Evening. South Eastern 26 January: n:vision Youth Leaders’ Retreat Evening at Reigate Baptist Church. 30 January: SEBA’s 3rd Anniversary Celebration to be held at Tenterden (Zion) Baptist Church. To include the induction of Revd Paul Kerley as Regional Minister, 32
affirmation of Revd Stuart Davison as Team Leader and re-dedication of the SEBA Team. Speaker: Revd Jonathan Edwards. 13 February: Building for Growth with Bricks and People at The Church on the Heath, Fleet. 20 February: Seniors for Christ at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Gravesend. 7 March: n:vision Kid’s Play and Praise. 13 March: Seniors for Christ at Farnborough Baptist Church. 21 March: n:vision ADORE Youth Event. 27 March: Building for Growth with Bricks and People at Willesborough Baptist Church, Ashford. South Wales 8-10 February 2010: All Wales Baptist Ministers Conference in Saundersfoot with Krish Kandiah. Bookings are now being taken via the association office. South West 8-10 March 2010: Ministers’ Conference at Sidholme, Sidmouth. Guest speaker Malcolm Duncan of Church and Community. Southern Counties 22-24 February: At the Ministers’ Conference in Bournemouth the theme of Christian leadership will be explored. Myra Blyth of Regent’s Park College will develop the association’s ‘Made in His Image’ project which explores leadership roles of women and men. Ian Coffey of Moorlands College will be covering contemporary leadership. Margaret Gibbs of BMS World Mission will report on the recent new China initiative.
West of England 6 February 2010: WEBA Treasurers’ Day 8-10 February 2010: WEBA Ministers’ Conference 10 March 2010: Leaders of Larger Churches Conference 9 May and 23 May 2010: 3 in 1 Events Yorkshire 23 January: Baptists Exploring Issues of Homosexuality at Blenheim Baptist Church, Leeds (10:00-16:00). Information and bookings through the YBA office. 8-10 February: Yorkshire Baptist Ministers’ Fellowship Conference ‘Listen again: Stories of the Old
Testament’, to be held at Cober Hill, near Scarborough. Information and bookings through Revd Sally Nelson, revsal96@aol.com
27 February: Pastoral & Spiritual Care of People with Dementia at The Blackley Centre, near Elland, led by Gaynor Hammond, NBLC. Information and bookings through the YBA office. Saturday 20 March: YBA Leaders’ Day at the Blackley Centre. Information and bookings through the YBA office.
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Looking after your church building Baptist Insurance fully understands the challenges currently facing Baptist churches such as the continuing problem of theft of metal, liability claims and the general maintenance and upkeep of church premises. And in the current economic climate, these issues are becoming more challenging. Baptist Insurance offers some useful tips on how to reduce the risk of these problems and lessen the impact to the church. Theft of Metal 2008 saw an enormous increase in the number of claims for theft of metal from Baptist churches and there was little let up during 2009. You can help protect your church in the following ways: • Restrict access by keeping gates locked, removing ladders, bins etc that are in close proximity to the building, as well as applying anti-climb paint to drain pipes and guttering • Churches insured with Baptist Insurance would have received free SmartWater kits. If you’ve not used this, ensure it is applied to metal and the product has been registered with SmartWater. Alternatively, you can order more packs from www.cpsonline.co.uk • Ensure good visibility. Cut back trees and hedges and ask local neighbours to keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour and report it to the police • Install CCTV and intruder alarms to the buildings for extra security 34
Slips, Trips and Falls Slips, trips and falls are the most common causes of accidents in church buildings and in our increasingly litigious society, there is an expectation that every accident should be rewarded with compensation, whatever the cause. Churches can minimise the risk by appointing a health and safety representative, implementing a health and safety policy and carrying out regular risk assessments of the church, associated buildings and the grounds including footpaths, driveways and ramps. Churches should read the BUC guideline leaflet C7 Health & Safety and Fire Precautions. Keeping your church building well maintained Every church building is unique and so each will have different maintenance requirements. Neglecting routine church or hall building maintenance leads to expensive and disruptive remedial work eg failing to clear gutters may cause a blockage leading to damp and damage to the building. Things to check on a regular basis include: Roofing • Remove moss from roofs as this may damage the roof covering or block gutters • Check for slipped slates/tiles and replace Drainage and Rainwater Apparatus • Gulleys beneath rainwater pipes should be cleaned and drains rodded to prevent overflow • Clear gutters and rainwater pipes of vegetation and falling leaves at six monthly intervals as a minimum
• Look out for water stains on walls and plant growth. Repair rainwater apparatus to remedy Services • Ensure the electrical and gas installation are checked on a regular basis by a qualified engineer • Pipes or tanks should be lagged to reduce the possibility of frost damage in winter months Windows, Doors and Facias • Identify decaying wood and replace. Then repaint on a regular basis using suitable materials If your church is listed, repairs must be on a ‘like for like’ basis using appropriate materials. Any change will require Listed Buildings consent. Local support and advice for our customers For Baptist Insurance customers, the Insurance Consultant & Surveyors will undertake regular risk management and valuation visits to churches and manses. Make contact with your local IC&S via email on enquiries@baptist-ins.co Working with regional associations, they plan to deliver local seminars on risk management and insurance issues to help enhance the knowledge of these specialist topics to church officials. If you are currently not insured with Baptist Insurance and would like to receive a no obligation insurance and risk management review, please contact 0845 070 2223.
Did you know...? A key aim of the Baptist Insurance Company (BIC) is to support our wider Baptist family by providing advice, church and home insurance products and by returning a large percentage of their profits to Baptist causes. Since the company was formed in 1905, more than £3m has been returned to our Baptist community by way of support to different spheres of Baptist work. Over the past 10 years alone, grants have totalled in excess of £2.1m. Within BUGB, these generous funds go to support the work of Home Mission. Amanda Allchorn (Head of BUGB Communications and BIC Director) said: “In 2009, a donation from BIC to the BUGB Communications Department to support the BUGB website enabled a special online consultation process to take place with an external specialist web agency. The consultation brought together people from local churches, associations and the National Resource. The result of these discussions is that the Department can confidently start the online redevelopment project in January 2010. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to BIC for this grant and the many other ways they have enabled Baptist initiatives to be developed over the years.” For more information about how BIC can support your church and your family, please do check out the BIC website www.baptist-insurance.co.uk and the advert on the next page. 35
baptist-insurance.co.uk
Insurance cover especially for Baptists As the UK’s leading ethical insurer of Baptist churches, for more than 100 years we have supported the Baptist community by providing insurance solutions for Baptist churches and their members. We are proud to provide charitable grants to the Baptist community and to date these grants total in excess of £3 million. With expert staff who understand the insurance needs of both large and small Baptist churches, our friendly and caring service makes us the natural choice for your church and home insurance. Our latest church and household policies offer a wide range of covers whilst also allowing choice to purchase cover that is right for you and your budget.
Please call:
0845 070 2223
Or visit: baptist-insurance.co.uk The Baptist Insurance Company PLC, Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester GL1 1JZ Registered no. 83597 England. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. A member of the Association of British Insurers and the Financial Ombudsman Service.