HUB JULY / AUG 2022 ISSUE 046
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The Call to Celebrate Ethnic Reconciliation I will never forget my wedding day. The copious amounts of chocolate cake; walking into the venue to see pictures of me in school uniform that I thought I had destroyed. But mostly, you’ll be glad to hear, what made the day memorable was the woman that I married. Rachel’s background is in some ways very different to mine. She grew up in an all-white clergy household in the north-east of England and then spent time in the Middle East. I grew up in an all-Black household in south-east London. But our wedding day was a miniature picture of what God is doing in the history of the universe: bringing all kinds of people together to delight in his Son.
The Big Picture
Whatever differences Rachel and I had, they pale in comparison with the differences between the protagonists of one of the Bible’s greatest love stories: Ruth and Boaz. Ruth was a Moabite woman who had arrived in Bethlehem with her deceased husband’s mother, destitute and in despair. Boaz was an upstanding and wealthy Israelite man. To grasp the weight of the differences between them, you need to know that generations earlier the Moabite people had tried to curse the Israelites and had then led them astray by encouraging them to worship false gods (Numbers 25). Because of this, God had declared: No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation ... Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live. (Deuteronomy 23:3, 6) Given this history between the two nations, the climax of the book of Ruth is one that we shouldn’t see coming: Ruth and Boaz get married. How was that possible? Because Ruth had come to seek refuge in the God of Israel,
and no one who does that is turned away. In doing so, she was reconciled to the people of God. Ruth and Boaz’s wedding day served as a preview of the radical reconciliation God intended to bring about through his Son—a Moabite marrying a Israelite so that the Messiah, who would descend from this couple, would be intimately connected with Moabite blood.
It is as if some strands of the church have been conditioned to see these details as less relevant to the grand narrative of salvation. However, ethnic reconciliation is one of the key fruits that God intended to make manifest through the gospel— in the book I co-authored with Jessamin Birdsall, Healing the Divides, we’re going to celebrate it fully.
Their wedding—and mine and Rachel’s— pointed forward to a future where people of all cultures and colours will be part of the family of God through their marriage to the Lamb who was slain: the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:6-9; 7:9).
This extract is from a chapter written by Jason Roach in Healing the Divides, a new book by Jason Roach and Jessamin Birdsall, which helps readers find ways to advance God’s vision for racial unity and justice in the church.
Ethnic Reconciliation: God’s Plan Since the Beginning
It may be that you’ve never heard the book of Ruth described along these lines. Despite the fact that the writer is at pains to point out Ruth’s ethnicity (the phrase “the Moabite” occurs five times and “Moab” seven times in the book’s four chapters), its importance from an ethnic perspective, at least in the preaching that we have heard, is often missed in British churches. I include my own preaching on Ruth as one of the culprits!
Jason Roach
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Jessamin Birdsall
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Central Baptist Church, Walthamstow
Associate Pastor
We are a vibrant Anglican evangelical church, situated 4 miles from the centre of Belfast, & are seeking to appoint a full-time...
...to help us reach, build & equip the next generation of young disciples. Closing dates for applications: Friday 29th July 2022. Interviews in September 2022. For an application pack, including job description and church profile please visit:
www.stelizabeths.church/jobs
If you have any questions please contact Johnny Beare (Associate Minister) on +44 (0)7801 480301 or johnny@stelizabeths.church
A full-time post, expected to be for three years We are a group of ordinary people who are seeking “to glorify God in worship, witness, spiritual growth and love”. We are an independent church affiliated to the FIEC. We currently have 48 members, a morning congregation of around 60-70 people and an evening congregation of around 25 people. The congregation includes people of different ages and from different nations (including countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and the Middle East). We are seeking someone to help develop discipleship in the congregation. This will involve working alongside the pastor in small-group teaching, training, one-to-one Bible studies, pastoral work and preaching. We aim to equip Christians to build up one another spiritually and for various works of ministry. The successful candidate will • have a love for the Lord Jesus • have an ability to encourage and disciple God’s people • be able to develop God-given spiritual and practical gifts within the fellowship • meet the Biblical qualifications for eldership For an application pack, including more details about the church, basic stipend, a job description and a full person specification, please email central101@btconnect.com Closing date: 31/8/2022
St James Chorley Christ
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Associate Minister We anticipate this being a senior role and that, alongside preaching, leadership of either evangelism or training will be a central part. The successful candidate will be:
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spiritually
mature,
prayerful, servant-hearted
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– theologically trained with substantial
experience of paid gospel ministry
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For further details see:
www.cccam.org.uk/jobs
Closing date for applications: 30 September 2022 An enhanced DBS check is required for all successful applicants. These posts carry a genuine occupational requirement to be a practising Christian.
0333 123 0880
Church Families Worker St James is an Anglican evangelical church in the Diocese of Blackburn. We are blessed with a number of families and have contact with many others through our school, holiday club, midweek groups, special services etc. As part of our vision to win people for Christ and to build them up in Christ, we are seeking a families worker to help us build and maintain links with families. ResponsibiliBes include: pastoral oversight of church families; building contacts with families; involvement in Sunday family worship; engaging with our schools. There is an occupaBonal requirement for candidates to be a commiGed ChrisBan. Experience of working alongside families and helping people become disciples of Christ is preferred. •Part Bme post – 24 hours a week. •Salary £14,000 to £16,000 dependent on experience. •This is a two year post which, we hope, will conBnue, subject to funding. •ApplicaBons from lay or ordained candidates welcome. For further details see www.stjameschorley.org or contact David Phillips (vicar@stjameschorley.org - 01257 233714). Closing date: 1st August 2022.
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Ministry Training Course for the Bath, Bristol, Chippenham & Taunton area A one-day-a-week course for those who want to understand the Bible better and be equipped to teach it to others. Includes Bible overview, study of different Biblical genres, practical ministry skills, and workshops. Ideal for ministry apprentices, preachers, youth workers, home group leaders, student workers or any Christian who has a desire to grow in their faith. Runs on a Thursday in Bath for 3 ten week terms, costing £215 per term. An optional 2nd year. The next course begins 22nd September 2022. For more information contact Jane Clark, the Course Administrator: St Bartholomew’s Church, 1 King Edward Road, Oldfield Park, Bath BA2 3PB, 01225 427428, jane@swgp.org.uk www.swgp.org.uk/train
Associate Pastor Kirkintilloch Baptist Church REDEEMER QUEEN’S PARK Children’s Worker Redeemer is a new church community being planted in the Queen’s Park community in north-west London. Redeemer is presently composed of a 25-person launch team with 9 children. Redeemer enjoys partnerships with a number of networks including Co-Mission Network and The London Project. We have a fantastic opportunity for a full-time role (35 hours pw) to oversee our children’s ministry (0-11s), while building up ties with and building discipleship among young families and the primary schools in the area. Salary: circa £30,000. Contact Thomas West for an informal chat or an information pack: Telephone 07932-048867 or email him at thomas@RedeemerQP.com
0333 123 0880
At KBC we sense God is doing a ‘new thing’ among us as we emerge from the pandemic. Our vision statement is ‘Growing Disciples Who Love Jesus’. Through the preaching of God’s Word and prayer we are increasingly aware of God’s grace towards us and are seeking an Associate Pastor to complement our team. Key Responsibilities • Oversight of pastoral care • Share in the preaching and teaching. • Encourage a culture of discipleship • Help equip the church for mission and evangelism Key Skills/ Experience • A love of Christ and actively walking with Him • An ability to lead and work well within a team • A gifted communicator of God’s Word • A heart for God’s people with experience in pastoral care • Mission-minded and skilled in discipling • Preferably an ordained Baptist minister Further Information Contact ruth.mitchell@kirkiebaptist.com Closing Date: Friday 29th July
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Pastor Harold Hill Evangelical Church www.hhevan.com
Harold Hill Evangelical Church is in Havering, on the outskirts of east London, bordering junction 28 of the M25. The church is centrally located within the community, and we have an attendance of 35-50 people on a Sunday, with a range of nationalities and backgrounds and a mixture of ages. There is a real sense of family within the church with messages posted online each week. We are seeking a godly man who is… • a faithful pastor who is thoroughly grounded in the word of God. • a caring, loving pastor who will care for and nurture the fellowship at the HHEC. • an evangelistic-minded man who is passionate about reaching the local community with the gospel. • a leader who will encourage and motivate God’s people, both young and old, to grow in knowledge and understanding of the word of God. • a teacher who can encourage growth through prayer meetings and Bible studies, and help develop both existing and new ministries. Job details Salary: £40,000 Hours: Full time (40 hrs per week) For more information and a copy of the Church Profile and Job Description, please contact Andy Pickford at: pckfrdaw@aol.com
Birmingham City Mission has a vacancy for a
Children’s Evangelist Full or Part Time Do you have a passion for outreach to children aged 5 -11 years? Join an existing team delivering assemblies, RE lessons, and after-school clubs in primary schools across Birmingham, as well as other outreach activities. Post subject to enhanced DBS clearance and satisfactory references. Full driving licence required. Start date: 7th November 2022 Closing date for applications: 25th July 2022 Interviews: 6th or 13th September 2022 For more information, contact Kathryn Hindley, Children’s Team Co-ordinator, Email: kathrynhindley@birminghamcitymission. co.uk Tel: 0121 766 6603 option 3
0333 123 0880
hook church
Female Pastoral Worker Hook Church is a Bible-based church for all ages and all people, located in Surbiton, Surrey. Our vision is to “win, build, send”. We want to win many people for the Lord Jesus. We want to build up those who have been won for Christ and send believers out to win others for Christ. We are seeking a Female Pastoral Worker to specifically serve among the women of the church community in a pastoral role of outreach, discipleship, care and support, wherever it is needed among all ages. This is an exciting new opportunity to help women grow in their faith through a variety of groups/settings. For an application pack, please contact Tim Neale (Pastor): tim@hookchurch.org There is a genuine occupational requirement under the provisions of the Equality Act 201 for this role to be occupied by a woman and a Christian believer
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Children & Families Community Worker New Life Church [Gt. Cornard] Sudbury, Suffolk
A strategic role focussed on building further links into our community. This exciting opportunity will further develop the work of Abi’s Footprints Baby Bank and NLC Community alongside being an integral part of the church’s leadership. This role has evolved out of our existing community work and the growth of Abi’s Footprint Baby Bank project locally. We are aware of the broad scope of this role summary and responsibilities. We understand that the successful applicant will have strengths in some areas and not others. Before competency, the most important requirement for us is the character and faith of our new leadership team member. We are seeking someone who is grounded in the bible, is a clear communicator and who can build relationships with people easily. The post holder also needs to have some experience in working in the field of children’s and family work or has just completed their training in this field. Full Time: 37hrs
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Start: Autumn / Winter 2022
Salary £22,000 to £24,000 |
Closing Date: 22nd July
To find out more about the post, request an informal chat or an application pack, please email Ben at ben@newlifechurch.community or phone o n 07934432286
Christ Church, Sidcup is seeking to appoint a full-time
Children, Youth and Families Minister to oversee and develop our church’s ministry to children and young people and their families. We are looking for a leader with the energy and vision to shape the future of our ministry among children and young people and their families, and to harness the potential of church members involved in this vital work. We are a Jesusloving, Bible-teaching, conservative evangelical church, and would expect the role-holder to share these convictions in their life and ministry. Sidcup is located on the south-eastern edge of London. Salary: £29,000–£33,000 depending on qualifications and experience From summer-autumn 2022 Application details available at www.christchurchsidcup.org.uk Closing date for applications: Friday 8th July 2022 For more information contact Kelly Newman, Church Coordinator (kellychristchurchsidcup@gmail.com).
is looking to appoint a
Children’s and/or Youth Worker
Pastor
King’s Church Guildford A Family on Mission
An exciting opportunity to join a reformed evangelical gospel church which seeks to glorify God by preaching Christ to make disciple-making disciples in and around Guildford, Surrey. Salary
c. £30,000 per annum
Hours
Full time
Benefits Housing, pension and expenses will be paid for by the church For more information, visit: www.kcg.org.uk/seeking-to-appoint-a-pastor To apply: please submit your CV and a covering letter to: admin@kcg.org.uk
0333 123 0880
ChristChurch Harpenden is an independent evangelical church with a thriving children’s and youth ministry, which is well supported by parents and volunteer leaders. We are looking to appoint a Children’s and/or Youth Worker who, under the leadership of the Associate Minister for Families, will further develop the work among children/youth. The role will be shaped around the experience and gifting of the individual. This role will include: • planning, leading and teaching at children’s/youth events and regular meetings • managing and training volunteers • providing pastoral care for families • building and developing one-to-one and small-group discipling opportunities • playing an active part of a growing staff team The successful applicant will be: • passionate about their personal walk with Christ • experienced and excited about evangelising and discipling children/young people • a servant-hearted team player • actively involved in their current church If required, further ministry training could play a part in this role. Start date: ASAP (Jan ’23 at latest) Competitive remuneration dependent on experience For more information, contact office@christchurchharpenden.org.uk There is a genuine occupational requirement for the successful applicant to be a Christian believer.
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Cranleigh Baptist Church Assistant Minister CBC is an independent evangelical church which has been at the heart of the village of Cranleigh in Surrey for nearly two centuries. With the growth of the village and new families arriving, the time has come to expand our team to meet new challenges and opportunities. We are looking for an Assistant Minister to join our Senior Minister and newly appointed Youth and Children’s Leader to serve and grow the church. This is an exciting opportunity for development for a man with a heart for the gospel and an enthusiasm to build up and reach out. • Theological training or ministry experience is essential, but we would accept applications from those currently training. •W e are keen to appoint as soon as practical for an initial 3-year period. Full details from office@cranleigh.org.uk or 01483 275371. Closing date 31st July. For an informal conversation, please contact the office to speak to our Pastor, Dave Burt.
Ipswich Full Time: 37.5 hours per week
Church Leader with responsibility for families and outreach Salary: Circa £28,000 3-year fixed term contract subject to review
We are seeking to appoint an additional full-time member of the leadership team to: - contribute to the spiritual direction and growth of the church fellowship - present the good news of Jesus and to get alongside newcomers to the church and those who have not yet made a Christian commitment - lead and develop our work with children, young people and families You will: - need to be a committed Christian, baptised by immersion - fully accept the Church’s Basis of Faith - have a passion and heart for others to meet Jesus and lead them to a life changing encounter with God - have appropriate qualifications and/or experience in Church leadership and/or Christian Youth Work - be an excellent communicator with strong inter-personal skills with people of all ages - have strong IT skills Closing date for applications: 6th August 2022 For full Job Description and information on how to apply: https://media.bethesdaipswich.com/leader2022.pdf
0333 123 0880
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