Connect The Changing Face of Ministry
Building Bridges at Sheddocksley Baptist
September 2017
Autumn: a season for harvest As the first tree in the street begins to change colour, I wake to dew covered grass, with mushrooms which have appeared overnight, and worm casts defacing the manicured lawn. I know that autumn is on its way. Soon the apple tree will release its ripe fruit, the root crops will be ready for pulling and rural churches will gather in thanksgiving for the harvest. Similarly, the National Team have been involved in several services of thanksgiving in the past few weeks which marks a changing of seasons. In this edition of connect you will read of changing ministerial roles at East Mains Baptist church and a celebration of the fruitful years they have experienced as they have grown as a congregation and developed the village centre. We have celebrated with Glenrothes Baptist church this month the excitement of a new building, opening with increased capacity and greater flexibility. The Rev Archie Macmillan, a former pastor, dedicated both the building and the people afresh to the work of mission, commenting that it was a delight to see years of prayerful sowing of seed come to fruition in this generation. This has also been a time of inductions, with almost every weekend a new minister beginning a new season of ministry. Several of our churches are in the early stages of building development, seeking planning permission or obtaining architects feasibility studies, in a season of long term preparation of their infrastructure. It has also been a privilege to visit several of our new church plants this month, to hear the stories of hope and of challenge that face them. These early phases of planting seed and waiting to see if it will germinate are testing, for those who have personally invested so much with the hope that their service will produce much fruit. When Paul wrote 1 Cor 3:6, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow”, he was addressing jealousy issues in the church; but it also acts as a reminder to us that, apart from Christ, we can do nothing. This month has been a month of great rejoicing for us, as a Baptist family, as we have celebrated God’s goodness. It has not been without its challenges, but there have been a great many reasons for hope: reasons to encourage one another and embolden faith. As we approach Assembly, we are looking to gather these stories of what God has been doing amongst us. We are encouraging everyone who comes to Assembly to bring a ‘message of hope’, a story of where they have seen God at work, in their lives and in the life of the local church. In advance of Assembly, we are collecting 1 minute ‘videos of hope’, filmed on your phone, that can be uploaded to our site and which will be shown throughout Assembly. In this season of harvest, may you know God’s presence and power wonderfully at work in your life. And, “May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Rev Alan Donaldson
General Director
Messages of Hope To upload a 1 minute message of hope 1. Film the video 2. Use https://wetransfer.com/ to upload the video 3. bushope2017@gmail.com is the email address to use on the we transfer site 4. You will receive a message to say that we have received it.
#BUShope
The Changing Face of Ministry Across Scotland, Baptist Union churches are responding to the challenges and many opportunities for mission and ministry in fresh and exciting ways. Our way of doing church depends on strong, vibrant community. Where every member is a minister of Jesus Christ, active in participating in the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ. We need lead-ministers who will inspire, motivate and release others into Jesus-centred service. In this, ministry is about developing team. In East Mains Baptist Church in East Kilbride, a church that has consistently grown and developed ministry into the wider community, senior pastor Jim McGillivray is changing roles with Mark Cairney, his associate pastor for 11 years. Jim is becoming part time associate and the church plans to appoint another full time associate pastor in the near future. Senior Pastor Mark comments, “One of the great benefits of being in a dynamic team ministry is that you can spur one another on in the common goal of the local church you serve in”. On the south-side of Glasgow, an exciting new development in Pollok Baptist Church is the appointment of two pastors, Mark Bentham and Dave Murray, working together in leading the church. Mark Bentham observes, “Team or ‘shared’ ministry is modeling a leadership style away from the solo pastor who, traditionally, was expected to do everything and have all the necessary giftings & competencies. I believe it’s a better ‘fit’ biblically and as the team members grow of themselves so others around them will grow in Christ too. Of course, like in any relationship, it requires a certain humility - both on the part of each team member and the congregation being served. But, probably, there lies its weight and success!!”. Dave enthuses, “ What I’m looking forward to in regards to team ministry is the opportunity to meet together, pray together, share together and grow together then encourage others. To be able to express our individual gifts and to support each other throughout”. In Stirling Baptist Church, within a lead-ministry team of 6, Rob Fraser-Binns has recently been ordained in his role as pastor for the ‘under 25’s’. Executive pastor David Gooding comments, “Rob’s ordination has been a significant time for us at Stirling Baptist as we affirm his calling to minister to us and particularly to our younger generation. It has been important to recognise that this role requires of him equally as much passion, sacrifice, gifting and dependence upon God as all other ministry positions and that it is vital to our church family”.
Prayer Link September September 3rd • Scottish Baptist Lay Preachers’ Association • Lerwick Baptist Church • Leslie Baptist Church
September 10th • Scottish Baptist Women’s Fellowship • Leven Baptist Church • Linwood Baptist Church • Lochgilphead Baptist Church
September 17th • Scottish Baptist College • Lossiemouth Baptist Church • Maybole Baptist Church • Milestone Christian Fellowship
September 24th • Baptist Union of Great Britain • Montrose Baptist Church • Motherwell Baptist Church • Mull Baptist Church
Leven BC Please pray for our Leadership as we undergo Leadership Studies together in order to grow as a Leadership Team and seek God’s vision for our future. Please also pray for us as our Youth Worker of the past 8 years (Katie Shaiman-White) moves back to Seattle. Give thanks for opportunities for growth that are in place and the growing recognition for the need for mutual accountability as we seek to facilitate tangible discipleship growth to all who are part of our community.
Linwood BC Give Praise: for our Pastor, Robert Voysey’s twenty years of faithful ministry Pray: for our forthcoming Alpha course in conjunction with Johnstone BC and Linwood Parish Church. Lochgilphead BC We would especially value prayer for lasting links from the Holiday Club which ran during the first week in July. As well as a full children’s programme we ran a few evening events for families to come along. Please pray for lasting connections from these meetings. We are also looking to start a youth café drop in sometime in September. Please pray that God would use these to further his kingdom and encourage his church.
Leslie BC Give Praise: for our growing Youth and Children’s work. Pray: for our newly elected Elders, Deacons and Pastor Selection Group
Scottish Baptist Lay Preachers’ Association Pray for:An embedding of our ‘2020 Vision’ as we journey together, guidance for the Committee as they prayerfully discern future appointments and for new, younger members to join under our ‘Investing in the Next Generation’ initiative. Praise God for:The way we’ve been able to systematically support Scottish Baptist churches over the last year, new members who’ve benefited from our mentoring programme and our recent Retreat at Gartmore facilitated by Colin Mutch where relationships were deepened.
Lerwick BC Give thanks for the appointment of our new pastor after three and a half years vacancy. Thanks, too, for the faithfulness of our people and our lay preachers and others from within and outwith our islands who have brought the Lord’s word to us week by week. Pray for our leadership as they pray for wisdom and God’s leading and guidance as we move into the future.
Scottish Baptist Women’s Fellowship We give thanks to Almighty God for the way He has sustained the faith and commitment of SBWF over the years gone by and for an open mind as the ladies sense God’s Spirit moving amongst them. We pray for the Lord’s leading as we develop our organisation for a future that is relevant and real for the women of our denomination.
Mull BC The church meets in Bunessan in the Ross of Mull. It benefits from three things: A closeness of fellowship which is greatly helped by having a fellowship meal after the Church Service each Sunday, a wide variety of visiting speakers mostly from the mainland (more volunteers necessary - phone Rob Jones or Alan Berry) and also the joy of receiving many visitors over the summer season. Give thanks for all of these benefits and please pray for more local attendees. Alan Berry (Moderator) Scottish Baptist College Give thanks for the new academic year at SBC and for the new and continuing students at SBC. Praise God for bringing them to this point and where He will lead them in the future. Pray for the on-going work of the College and for the resources to continue the development of SBC. Pray for wisdom and favour as SBC undergoes its institutional review in November.
Lossiemouth BC Thank God for Rae Mackenzie’s ministry, for growing numbers, for the many baptisms and for a fruitful alpha course. Pray for our plans for the future development of our premises that we can continue to serve our fellowship and our community as God leads.
Maybole BC We do give thanks for those who attend each Sunday, we also give thanks for the speakers who willingly travel to minister to us, for our interim moderator and his work here and we pray that the Lord would strengthen him. Please pray for the leadership of the church as we seek the Lord’s leading, pray also for the recovery programme which is beginning and we thank God for this door which has been opened. Pray that we would do the Lord’s will in all things and that the ministry would continue and grow here in Maybole.
Baptist Union of Great Britain Please praise the Lord with us as we continue to see many of our churches being Beacons of Hope in their communities reaching out with the good news of Jesus. Lives and communities are being transformed! Please pray with us that we have the resources we need to be faithful to God’s call to us and wise in our stewardship of what He entrusts to us.
Motherwell BC We are in great heart and give God thanks for all he is doing through our Community Cafes, Messy Movies and Messy Church. Included in this is grateful thanks for Gillian Falconer our Community Development Worker, Bethany Christian Trust and our Union which makes this possible. Pray that we might have wisdom as we continue to seek the mind of Christ for the way forward with various opportunities in the Community work and with various challenges regarding our premises.
Montrose BC Give thanks for: -new people coming to church -developing of links with the local primary school -the continuing success of our community Cafe and its interaction with our neighbouring residential unit for vulnerable adults Pray: -that we make more impact on our immediate area -for the older people in our community and church that they will be well cared for and valued -for our young people that they will remain part of our church family and follow Christ’s way
Building Bridges at Sheddocksley Baptist Church
After appointing our first ever paid youth worker 3 years ago now, we have seen God’s faithfulness and blessings in incredible ways. We have continued to ‘build bridges’ with local young people through the development of our weekly street football project (in partnership with Aberdeen YMCA), weekly school lunchtime drop in club and weekly youth café. These bridges allow many young people to find a safe place to express their passion and a belonging that most have never known before. Alongside our Friday night youth cafes we launched Youth Alpha last year and God has really answered our prayers with the number of young people engaging with Alpha on a weekly basis being the highest it has ever been (20 local youth). The team have been touched that young people ask after them when they are not there and the fact that young people “know my name” has shown the impact these young people have on our church family. Hosting our first Romance Academy for local teenagers as part of their school curriculum was a real highlight, being able to journey through the minefield of healthy relationships with a group of local teens was such an honour. Simon Dennis (Lead Pastor) commented that “recently one of our local teachers said that pupils in our local secondary school felt that our church’s presence in their school was “a positive experience”. She continued to describe our input as fun, and added that we are a calming presence in the school and that we come with “understanding and a non judgemental attitude”, but that they
recognise this being linked to the faith in Christ we hold. God has really blessed us with open doors into his Kingdom in this neighbourhood, the BUS ministry resource fund has enabled us to build a long term fruitful partnership with the school which provides endless opportunities for the love and hope of Christ to be made known in words and actions. We are trusting Him for His continued provision for our ministry as 2017 unfolds... Testimonies from local secondary teachers: “Many vulnerable children have found your youth cafe through going to the Friday lunchtime drop in sessions at school, and ventured out of their houses for the first time ever. Something that is really lacking in their world, a connection with the real world....” “I found the experience very positive. I always feel I am speaking to someone who won’t judge me.... It is an honour to work with you because it feels like I was working with a person who is working and living the way you want to. That you truly believed that what you do can make a difference.....you radiated faith in something.....”
Registered Scottish Charity SCO04960