News from the Networks
East Kent network
Sittingbourne Baptist Church
SBC is a growing fellowship of believers. Morning Services are hectic and of the 150ish folk who attend some 40+ are under the age of 20.
We are very privileged to have recently welcomed in a new Youth Worker and have a team of volunteers who provide junior church each week.
Prayer points would be
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The leadership team Revd Nathan Gordon and the deacons (who were having a retreat day in January 2024, see photo)
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All the active departments of the church and those who lead/oversee them
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Pray that all members would seek God for their own area of gifting and ministry within the fellowship
East Sussex network
Seaford Baptist Church
We have just completed a month of Reset during March where we looked at our individual relationship with God, our relationships within the church, and how we relate to our community of Seaford.
We focussed on prayer for our community, including a Saturday morning prayer time outdoors at Seaford Head where we were blessed with sunshine and a calm day!
Following on from this month, we hope to continue the focus on prayer, encouraging church members in different parts of the town, and in Newhaven, to prayer walk their neighbourhoods.
We are also looking at how we can build closer links with all the different groups who use our buildings, by encouraging our church members to be building hosts for individual groups. We have estimated that we have potential contact with 1400 children and adults using our buildings each week. There is a need to improve our internal signposting to church-based events, and to point people to Jesus through appropriate scriptures.
We have been encouraged by 2 baptisms this year and welcomed 5 people into membership at our recent church meeting.
We would welcome prayer for these particular challenges:
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Of our membership of 145, 70% are over 60 and we see an increasing need for pastoral care for those who are unable to come to church, or face difficult personal situations.
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Our Leadership Team accomplish an amazing amount of work, but we have great difficulty in finding new leaders and we will be reduced to 6 trustees this month, with 3 of those coming to the end of 3 & 6 year terms in the next 12 months.
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Although our desire is to fulfil Jesus’ great commission to go and make disciples, inevitably much of our time and energy is spent on maintenance rather than mission.
Gatwick network
Brighton Road Baptist Church
God continues to bless us in many ways. We give thanks for the three baptisms that have taken place in the last couple of months – it has been encouraging to hear how God has been at work in transforming lives.
During the Easter break, we held a special event for families, providing a Bible story, themed craft, activities and lunch. This was attended by around 30 adults and children - the majority from beyond our church family - and we were delighted at the buzz in the room. It’s good to be able to engage with our local community and we pray for further opportunities to show and share God’s love in practical ways. We’re already planning some similar events for the school summer holidays.
Mid Sussex network
Downs Baptist Church
Our first thoughts at the moment are of thanksgiving to God for his goodness to DBC in this time of interregnum which has lasted so far since August 2022.
God has blessed us and built us closer to each other during this period and we give thanks for this and also for the fact that we have seen new people starting to come to our services over the last few weeks.
Also we are so grateful to all who have come and preached on Sundays during this period and to our Moderators Jac Parsons and Bryan Pickard for their help and wisdom.
(photo of our recent walk of witness on Palm Sunday - donkey and cross included)
Prayer requests
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that God would continue to bless us as a Body together
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that he would guide us in search for our next pastor
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for blessing on the outreach of our community shop and its manager Sue Foster and volunteer staff
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for the Holy Spirit to work as we look to engage with our community and how we can make Jesus love relevant to people who have no church attachment
North Downs network
Mytchett Baptist Church
Following the death of our beloved pastor, the Rev Christopher Russell last August, we found ourselves with a frozen bank account and a realisation that we had to learn fast! We formed a diaconate and have set to work with God’s help and guidance to build on all Chris’s hard work over the past ten years. Although a small congregation we have found a love and support for each other and especially in our midweek Bible study group that God is deepening us in Him. The Sunday after Chris died, one of our congregation asked for baptism which took place in October. It lifted our hearts, filled us with joy and renewed hope for our church’s future.
Our bank account will hopefully be restored to us shortly, nearly 9 months later. We had to start from scratch and set up a new bank account which took three months in order to pay what became a backlog of utility bills. Happily God provided for us in that from generous donations, tithes and offerings and rentals, the bills have all been paid and we have built up our resources.
We had an Outreach event before Christmas to provide a Christmas meal for our local village community and were able to buy a badly needed new cooker beforehand.
We also started a Craft/drop in for tea and natter afternoon for the local community. For several weeks just three church ladies came but we enjoyed each others company. Now we have two other ladies from the village who thoroughly enjoy our time together and we pray that in time we can show them the way to Jesus.
We are now upgrading our sound system but are in great need of someone to play piano/guitar for Sunday services. Chris’s wife Ruth had always played the piano for us but following her stroke three years ago is no longer able to do so. We are sending out an SOS to local churches to see if they can help us out. Sadly we are not very tech savvy so we are looking for a foolproof alternative asap!
It is our prayer that God will show us the next step in the church’s future as we consider the possibility of having a new minister. This would be a great leap of faith for such a small congregation but we look to God for his guidance and provision. We have come through many trials and tribulations but every step of the way God has brought us through what had seemed impossible at the time. Thanks be to our great and wonderful God
North Kent network
Maidstone Baptist Church
This last year has been an exciting one for our fellowship. It has been a great joy to welcome a new Pastor, Rev. Nigel Riley and his wife among us from 1st September 2023, after four years without a Senior Minister. Nigel has adapted so well to our growing fellowship and his gifts and spiritual leadership are taking us forward as we plant for the Kingdom of God.
Our verse of the year this year is from John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” and we are challenging ourselves to love in new ways."
There has been a growth in building of housing around the church over the last few years. When the building was started to take place we concentrated on prayer walking the area. It seems God is now really answering our prayers and bringing in so many newcomers virtually every week, for which we praise God. We have also been able to start five Connect Groups this year, which are blessing many.
Prayer Requests:
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That we would know how to welcome all those who come in and draw them towards a closer walk with God
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That we have wisdom to engage those from many different nationalities
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That Nigel and Margaret and the church leadership can discern God’s plans as we go forward.
South Kent network
Brabourne Baptist Church
BBC has just entered into the third year of its partnership (strapline Two Churches- One Family) with Willesborough Baptist Church (WBC) Ashford. This last year has seen significant blessing come to both Churches as a result, but especially to our aging Church family at BBC.
In a nutshell, it has brought new life into the membership, fresh energy, new vision, improved prayer and spiritual life, Church refurbishment, ministry and teaching, preaching and worship support, social media improvements, practical community outreach opportunities, fresh mission opportunities, media and admin support and so much more!!!
Oh and we have painted the Church a bright colour following a local resident declaring she thought our Church had closed years ago!!
Prayer:
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Vitally, please pray for both Churches as we enter into a time of prayer and Godly discernment with regards to making the partnership more permanent and what that would mean practically and Kingdom wise.
West Kent network
Paddock Wood Baptist Church
A New Chapter
We have begun a new chapter at Paddock Wood Baptist Church. We said goodbye and a big thank you to Pastor Steve Collingwood at the end of 2023 and welcomed our new part time Pastor, Jennifer Roberts on 1 January 2024.
As we do not have a church building, we hired the appropriately named Sovereign Room in the new Paddock Wood Community Centre for Sunday worship, starting in February. Because we believe God is asking us to reach out primarily to the unchurched, our Sunday services are more like a café church. There is themed activity (photo shows five or six weeks’ worth of activities), songs, poems, short talks with a simple message, time to chat and ask questions, prayer and refreshments available throughout.
We also hold a Discipleship Group on Thursday evenings where we meet for a deeper look at God’s word and hearing from the Holy Spirit, prayer for the Kingdom of God in Paddock Wood and strength for the small group of people who make up the church.
We work together with the other Paddock Wood churches, specifically at Lent, Easter, the local Carnival and Christmas – the Good Friday Walk of Witness (photo below) was a particularly special time shared with St Andrews CofE and Methodist, St Justus Catholic and the Chinese Church.
Prayer requests:
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For hearts to be opened as people react to our posters and cards – that God will bring them in to give church a try and find hope in Jesus.
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That we meet and build up relationships with people who have needs that we can fulfil in God’s power and compassion.
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For a deepening of our faith and focus, strengthening and protection for our bodies and minds as we step into the unknown, listening to God’s word and walking in it (we’re none of us getting any younger!).
West Sussex network
Littlehampton Baptist Church
It has been an exciting time for us all here at Littlehampton Baptist Church. We have welcomed Pastor Darren Lewis to be our new minister, celebrated and given thanks to God for children within the fellowship, seen people attend Sunday mornings from our midweek groups, completed the resurfacing of the church car park and even picked up a couple of medals at the Pancake Olympics run by our local council.
It has also been a time of reaching out. We are thankful to God that we have been able to work with other churches in our area and have done so with a renewed enthusiasm aiding the instigation of a regular Churches Together Prayer Meetings for our local community. There was a real sense of togetherness in the Lord at the Good Friday walk of witness that concluded with a packed church with people from all backgrounds and denominations. We have sought to further reach out to our community with the Gospel using the community stall the week before Easter at our local market, an Alpha course, and inviting years 5 and 6 from our local primary schools to Saltmine Theatre Company’s performance of ‘Rhyming Bible’.
Finally, it has been a time that has stretched us. As a membership we have journeyed the path of bereavement together as we have had three, much loved members go to be with the Lord and numerous deaths of loved ones. We have also gone through the process, very recently, of appointing a new Diaconate as terms of office came to an end. Through these things, and the other struggles that come with life, we have seen God’s goodness, gentleness, and grace in marvellous ways.