News from the Networks

East Kent network

Faversham Baptist Church

Following the SEBA conference, we had a word from God about 'twin sisters'.

We have two part time ministers at FBC, so we have been able to maintain our existing ministries and the traditional model of Sunday church, alongside new pioneering, fresh expressions of church in the community. The twins are non-identical!

Faversham BC Coffee and christ

It is early days, but so far we have a women's group meeting in coffee shop in Faversham every week and a men's group meeting in a pub once a month. The groups are challenging our concept of 'church'. They are a bridge between church and community, being witnesses in our discipleship in a public space and inviting connection with non-Christians who would never set foot in the church.

We have also started 'café church' once a month. A service intended for those who don't relate to or understand church. We provide free brunch and simple, Christ centred service with informal Bible studies instead of a sermon. There has been a little fruit from all these initiatives.

We have other initiatives hopefully to come, so watch this space and do pray for us!

East Sussex network

Uckfield Baptist Church

Uckfield BC logo We have had a very positive year as a church. New people have been coming and worshipping with us and we have gained a few extra children and their parents.

Our minister was able to take a sabbatical of 3 months recently and we managed to cover most of the responsibilities ‘in house’. We did have 4 visiting speakers all of whom provided valuable contributions to our worship on those Sundays.

Last December, in partnership with Kings Church, Uckfield, we once again were able to provide an immersive experience for the town called ‘Meet the Nativity’. This included, for the first time, live donkeys. It was a huge success with over 1400 people passing through and seeing the tableaux. This year we are praying for a similar amount of interest. So we would appreciate your prayer for that on Friday evening 6th December.

Uckfield BC Christmas meal
Photo: Uckfield Baptist Church Christmas meal

During this year we have trained folk and begun to run a local Kintsugi Hope group. Kintsugi Hope is a charity based in the UK striving to make a difference to peoples mental wellbeing https://kintsugihope.com/. It has started small but been well received and we are already planning our next course for March 25

Earlier in the spring we achieved a long-held desire to expand our work in the school where we worship. We were able to tell the Easter story to the two Year 3 classes using ‘The Great Hot Cross Bun Hunt’, material created some years ago by Rev Ed Jones minster at Battle BC. This was a great success and immediately both class teachers said they would like us to repeat this next year.

Some of our current challenges are as follows: -

Staffing a new preschool group for Sunday mornings.
Helping new people feel fully part of the church.
Reinvigorating our prayer life, we are going to try Zoom meetings again over the winter months.

If you have the chance to pray for us during December we would be delighted!

Gatwick network

Life Community Baptist Church

There is much to give thanks to the Lord for as look back over the year. It has been a privilege to share the love of Jesus through our everyday frontline mission field - those everyday places where we spend our time in relationship with people who do not yet know Jesus, such as at work, in the home, at school, or in the gym. It has been a blessing to break bread with guests at our monthly Sharing LIFE Meals, as we gather around the meal table to share food, share life and share communion. And we praise God for opening the door for our minister, Pete, to become the Development Co-Ordinator for Horsham Churches Together, bringing LIFE into closer working relationships with other churches and charities in Horsham District.

At Easter, we joined with local churches through volunteering at the open-air Good Friday service in the town centre, inviting people to meet with our Risen Saviour. In the summer, we helped run the Messy Church tent at Funday Sunday event in Horsham Park, where we offered free children’s crafts, gave away Bible story booklets, talked with people in our community and invited people to write a prayer on a ribbon, then tie it on our prayer tree. And we will end 2024 with multiple community carols singing events, sharing the Christmas story throughout our community.

Please pray for:

Our ongoing frontline mission fields, as we seek to share the good news of Jesus through our daily lives.
Guests who have become regulars through our monthly meals.
Our Christmas outreach opportunities in the community, that people will encounter Jesus during this festive season.

Mid Sussex network

Gateway Baptist Church

We give thanks for the church being in good heart, for growing relationships and a developing sense of vision around the simple statement, ‘Knowing Jesus and making him known’.

Gateway BC montage

After a long period of service in the roles, four of our five deacons came to the end of their terms which included interregnum, covid and other challenges. They have finished that leg well and are transitioning into various active roles within church. We are delighted to have four new deacons starting and looking forward to the combination of fresh leaders and the unfolding vision.

We have a three term patten of small groups, where the Autumn term involves a variety of courses and activities, some with outreach potential – from creative writing to studying the humanity of Jesus to table tennis. The table tennis club has a great mix of those within and outside the church and has grown into a year-round activity.

Gateway BC Christmas

We started some new creative prayer initiatives, and our outreach is now developing in terms of invitations and going out, but we long for greater fruitfulness. This Christmas we are exploring the theme, ‘Great Expectations’.

Please join us in praying for:

The new leadership team – to continue good teamwork and to lead well
Our partnerships: with Befriended (a local ministry for older people) and our Fish & Bricks pre-school.
Fruitful outreach including a recently started initiative in Burgess Hill town centre
Christmas outreach activities and services to have a kingdom impact
Us to experience in greater measure what it means to live ‘knowing Jesus and making him known’.

North Downs network

Milford Baptist Church

In September, Revd Rachel Watson was inducted as the new minister at Milford Baptist Church. This meant a big change for Rachel and her family, from city life to ministry in a small, but very friendly village. The church has a strong community focus, and in this new season the vision is to reach out to support and show the love of God to local young people and families.

Milford BC induction

September began with a week of prayer, which included creative prayer stations in the sanctuary - a wonderful reflective space that was used by people of all ages. We seek to engage creatively with the different seasons of church life, and this included a beautiful and poignant display for Remembrance Sunday that included names of church family members who fell in the first world war.

Milford BC rememberance

We had a joyful harvest service, during which a collection was made for a local food bank, and the church and local community also donated very generously to an appeal asking for children’s clothes and toys for refugees from Afghanistan.

Milford BC montage The youth groups that meet on Friday night have been slowly growing, and provide a safe and fun space for young people to gather and explore faith and spirituality. We plan to host an Easter Club in 2025, using the theme of Deep Sea Divers from Scripture Union.

We are excited about what God is going to do in this new season as we seek to follow his Spirit out into our community with the Good News about Jesus!

As a church we ask for your prayers :

As Rachel settles into her new role, that she and the church will continue to listen to the Holy Spirit, and trust in God’s love and faithfulness.
For the youth and family work to continue to grow and flourish
That we would listen to the needs of our community and be able to respond
We would know when to work hard for the kingdom, and when to rest and listen
That we would demonstrate the love of Jesus in everything we say and do

North Kent network

West Malling Baptist Church

‘Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.’ (Psalm 127:1)

The vision that the Lord gave us as a Church in 2017 was to be a ‘Beacon of Hope’. We recognise that we live in a world where hope is often in short supply and we seek to hold out the hope of Christ – the love of Christ which has been poured out. May there be an overflow of this love and hope of Jesus.

Alongside this vision of hope, we have laid hold of the kingdom strategy of sowing, reaping, growing. We know that Jesus spoke of the journey of a seed in Mark Chapter 4 which outlines something of a journey towards faith as people receive the word and good news of Jesus.

West Malling BC

In order to be a ‘Beacon of Hope’ we have sought to work in seasons of sowing, reaping and growing. This was our aim for 2024. In terms of the season of sowing we were thrilled to launch our pilot CAP Life Skills Course in January. It was so encouraging to see the guests that signed up for the course get such a lot out from it. We also are excited at the potential of the partnership with a local Community Centre and plans for a course to be held there. Alongside this, other areas of serving our community as a Community Hub has also brought great encouragement:

Popin (our Warm Space) continues through the year and is proving to be popular and alongside our Church Charity Coffee Morning which continues to go from strength to strength.
The launch of the Ladies ministry has also provided a great platform for family and friends outside of the Church to connect. Recently we held a Ladies Breakfast with Julie Sheldon (former ballet dancer) as a guest speaker. This was well attended.

It is always our prayer through these outreach events that people would encounter the love of Jesus and go on a journey towards faith.

From the season of sowing we moved into the season of reaping. This was expressed through the launch of our Daytime Alpha Course. We were so encouraged at the number of people who signed up and attended Alpha. What was particularly encouraging was the fact that guests came to Alpha through our different our Community groups. There was also a really significant ‘Divine appointment’ through the Buckets of Easter Blessing event on the streets of West Malling. Meeting with a couple outside the Post Office was instrumental in them coming to Popin and then signing up for Alpha. The course itself was really positive with honest questions and reflections – difficult questions but a safe and caring environment where people were able to explore the Christian message and faith.

Naturally from reaping we have moved into growing. As we looked at where the Alpha group had journeyed to, we just didn’t feel we could just leave it there. We felt we needed to continue the journey with them. Under the Lord’s prompting we began, as a follow up, we began the Bible Course (produced by The Bible Society) in September. There was a great turn out from the Alpha group and brilliant to see them exploring and learning about the bible. The course is aimed at helping people understand and engage with the Bible.

And the journey hasn’t stopped as we are now exploring Baptism with a small number from that group

So this then has been our journey of being a ‘Beacon of Hope’ this year. We have sought to follow the journey of a seed through sowing, reaping and growing. It has been a journey with people exploring faith which has been so encouraging.

We give thanks to God for His mighty work in the lives of so many.

As we continue into 2025 we would value prayers for:

The Ladies Ministry – may God lead the team to be inspired what shape the events should be to bring the Gospel.
The attendees of Alpha – that the Lord will bring others to a accept the Good news and ask Jesus into their lives
Popin – as winter approaches many more will come and find, not only a warm space, but love and fellowship that comes from God.
CAP Course and Life Skills - that the Life Skills Course will continue to reach those who would benefit. Pray that the team will be led to the best way to publicise both courses.

As we look back we give thanks and glory to the Lord. As we look forward we submit to the Lord, seek His face and look to him to build His kingdom.

South Kent network

Headcorn Baptist Church

Since my arrival at Headcorn Baptist Church in September, I have had the privilege of hearing and seeing Spitfires as they fly in and out of the nearby aerodrome. I have had an interest in Spitfires from boyhood and have made many Airfix models of its various guises.

The Spitfire was a weapon of war which helped to win the Battle of Britain and ultimately WW2 but has also played its part in peacetime like flying over hospitals with a THANK U NHS message on its underwings as a way of saying thank you to NHS workers during the Coronavirus pandemic. In doing so, it fulfilled what it says in Isaiah 2:4 (paraphrased) ‘warplanes will be turned into peace planes.’

Headcorn BC spitfire model

As I was reflecting on all this, I hit upon the idea for a new missional initiative combining my love of the Spitfire and making models, with my desire along with the church to “share the love of Jesus with people so that they truly come to know him.” The plan is to purchase pre-made Spitfire models from eBay, remove the guns, re-paint them in bright colours; sticker them with a message of love and then leave them in the town with an invite to the church and its activities.

Please could you pray that these mini-Spitfires will be fruitful as they fly out and that those in the town, who find one with its message of God’s love on it will be curious and join us to find out more about Jesus and the hope we have in Him.

Thanks, and blessings, Rev. Robert Foster and the Headcorn Baptist Church family.

West Kent network

Vine Baptist Church

Our fellowship has been blessed with new families joining with us on Sunday mornings, and fully entering into church life.

In October there was great rejoicing as 5 young people (10-12 year olds) were baptised. Each giving clear testimonies on how they had reached this public declaration of their faith. Not a dry eye in the sanctuary!

Our well-being centre on Tuesday mornings has welcomed people of all ages and walks of life, They enjoy refreshment, craft activities and friendly company. We come together for a time of reflection and prayer in a quiet designated prayer corner. More and more are joining in with this reflective time.

Please pray that, as a church family, we encourage and nurture our young people as they continue in their walk of faith.

Pray for the well -being centre that those who come will meet and experience God's love and encouragement.

We give thanks that our church building enables such a variety of uses. We are truly blessed'.

1 Corinthians 3 vv 6&7 (NLT) "I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow."

West Sussex network

Ferring Baptist Church

During the summer we had a good number of children attend our annual Holiday Club, which this year was based on the Olympics, with the children learning what it means to be on Jesus’ team.

Ferring BC holiday club

We were also joined by a special guest leader who photobombed many of our photos.

Our Friday evening Youth Group has seen strong growth in the months since, with numbers being at high at 19 in recent weeks.

Church membership continues to grow too, with 8 people coming into membership over the last year.

Points for prayer:

Please join us in thanking God for all that he has been doing here, and for the encouragement that He is giving us daily.
That we will be able to direct this momentum into outreach into the community and introduce those around us to Jesus.
That our planned Christmas services and events, including family services, carol services and Carols by Candlelight, will bring joy as well as serving their secondary purpose of drawing people into the kingdom.
That we will be able to transfer the growth of the youth group on Friday evenings, into growth with their families on Sunday mornings.
Finally, that we will be able to successfully deal with the problems we have recently discovered with our building.