News from the Association


SEBA Events

    

Events 

Please note - with all events advertised below, whilst we are publicising them, the views and comments expressed are not necessarily approved by the Association - unless they have been organised specifically by the Association. 


 

Life Issues programme for 2025 (Godalming Baptist Church)

  • Engaging & Empowering Older People - Saturday 26 April 2025, 9.30am-1pm - led by Louise Morse.
    What does life hold for us as we get older? How can we continue to make a difference, stay involved and keep well? Led by Louise Morse, a Christian Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, author, and speaker and trainer for The Pilgrims' Friends Society, the morning will cover: God's purpose for older people Faith in later life Christians supporting older people Empowering communities to care How to develop resilience in later life – physically, spiritually and psychologically Please reserve a place, with payment of £8, by Friday 11 April

  • Pastoral Care in Challenging Times - Saturday 14 June 2025, 9.30am-1pm - led by Andy Peck
    In this session, we aim to step back and provide an assessment of what pastoral care is and what it isn’t, look together at our mind-sets as we face challenges, and provide a faith-filled expectant outlook that takes Romans 8:28 seriously, knowing that ‘in all things God is at work for the good of those who love him’. Areas looked at will include: • What is pastoral care according to the Bible? • What role might you play in caring for others? • Looking at the five stages of church involvement and the care needed for each • How do we understand the suffering that God allows? • How do we serve at a sustainable pace? • How do we involve others? • How might our care extend beyond the local church? The morning will be a mixture of teaching and small group discussions with time for questions, and notes will be provided. Please reserve a place, with payment of £8, by Friday 30 May
  • Trauma: More relevant to every day life than we realise - Saturday 5 July 2025, 10am-12.30pm - led by Libby Williams
    Do you notice yourself or others reacting to seemingly small things in ways that seem out of proportion? Where do these (over) reactions come from? Do you find yourself struggling with certain topics of conversation - feeling like you’d like to escape or noticing you can’t concentrate or keep zoning out? What goes on inside us that makes staying present hard? Do you ever get halfway through a sentence and your mind goes blank, or have a to-dolist but find yourself feeling overwhelmed or procrastinating forevermore? What is happening inside our minds/bodies when this happens? We are familiar with trauma resulting from an accident, abuse or illness, etc. but trauma also encompasses much more. During the session we learn what trauma actually is, where it comes from, and how it is surprisingly relevant to most of our lives. Find out how it effects our bodies, minds, and behaviour, and explore what can be done to help in practical ways. Please reserve a place, with payment of £7, by Friday 20 June
For more information, or to book a place, please contact Sally Pollard pollard3@hotmail.co.uk tel. 01483 428646 

BAPTIST MINISTRY FOR THE GOSPEL IN THE 21st CENTURY

A study day for ministers and church members organised by Walderslade Baptist Church
Speaker: Rev Steve Finamore
President of the BUGB 2024-25, and Principal Emeritus of Bristol Baptist College (Principal 2006-23)

Monday 28 April 2025, 10am-4pm
Walderslade Baptist Church, Catkin Close, Chatham, KENT ME5 9HP – near junction 3 of M2. Nearest train station: Chatham.

Cost: £10 per person

Programme: Steve will lead four 1-hour sessions around the theme above, relating to:

  • Biblical/theological foundations
  • Witness: evangelism and serving
  • Discipleship: nurturing spirituality and maturity
  • Pastoral care

Steve will speak for 30 mins, followed by informal questions and discussion. Please bring your own lunch.
Booking: ASAP by email to waldersladebaptist@gmail.com


Oasis in the Desert - Ladywell Retreat Centre Away-Day

Saturday 20 September 2025 10 am–4 pm
Ladywell Retreat Centre, Godalming, GU7 1ST

Led by Linda Chamberlain

A day of refreshment & encouragement for Ecumenical women, in the peace and beautiful surroundings of Ladywell Retreat Centre.

Who would wish to live in a desert? Such an extreme environment - vast, dangerous, lonely & barren. Is there any beauty or benefit to be found in such a harsh place? Many Christians experience 'spiritual deserts'. Let's explore together some aspects of desert life through worship, the Word, testimony & creative activities, & discover God's presence & purpose in desert times.

Cost £28 per person (to include lunch & refreshments) - please reserve your place by Friday 22 August 2025 by contacting Sally Pollard, pollard3@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 01483 428646.

  

Jobs and Vacancies 

 

Website & National Emails Coordinator role - Baptists Together

BUGB are looking for someone with specialist skills to manage our website and national emails, both key ways for us to communicate with over 1,800 churches, associations and colleges. The site requires ongoing design, development, and maintenance alongside training of team members.    This needs a strong creative eye both visually and strategically as well as in terms of digital content and design.  The Christian and cultural landscapes continue to evolve rapidly, so the post requires confident technical skills and abilities.

The right person will be able to demonstrate their experience of working with content managed website solutions and expertise with creating and managing bulk emails. Used to working with precision, great accuracy and with a strong eye for detail,.

For more information, please follow this link to the full job description https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/711749/BUGB_Website_and.aspx. The closing date for applications is 9.00am on Monday 7 April, and interviews will take place at our Didcot offices on Tuesday 15 April.


Vacancies to represent SEBA across the area

SEBA have some vacancies on groups that you may be interested in (see list below).

  • Three SACRE vacancies - on the panels, who provide input into how Religious Education is taught and collective worship is undertaken in our schools - the vacancies are in LEA areas of Surrey, Medway and West Sussex- click here for the role description - and here for the terms of reference. If you would like more information about the role of a SACRE representative, our current East Sussex SACRE rep, Peter White, is more than happy to have a chat - if you would like his details, please contact Steph Tidy (admin@seba-baptist.org.uk) 
  • up to two Trustee vacancies for the Kent Workplace Mission - the KWM work in Kent, Medway, Bromley & Bexley supporting people of faith, at work; developing chaplaincy ministries in workplaces and helping local Christian communities to actively engage with their local economic community.  For more information, go to their website


If you are interested in being involved in this way, please email Steph steph@seba-baptist.org.uk 


If you would like to add a church-based, or Christian charity vacancy to the weekly emailing, please let me know steph@seba-baptist.org.uk

Please note, we cannot post vacancies for Church Minister positions, as these should go through your Regional Minister and the Settlement system.


 

Resources and Information 

 

The Passion of Jesus

Good Friday, 18 April 2025, 12 noon and 3.15pm
live in Trafalgar Square, London

No tickets or booking are required, the 90-minute performances are completely free of charge – a gift to Londoners and visitors. This event is very popular – please arrive 40 minutes before your chosen performance. 

For those who cannot make it to the Square the performances will be livestreamed on their Facebook Page.

Supported by the Mayor of London, one hundred Wintershall players bring their electric and moving portrayal of the final days of Jesus to this iconic location in the capital. The production is open air with visibility maximised using a large screen. There is a realistic interpretation of the crucifixion so parental guidance is advised. British sign language interpretation is provided.

For more information, please check out their website https://wintershall.org.uk/event/the-passion-of-jesus/


Spurgeon's College

 

Open Day for Undergraduate & Postgraduate Studies in Theology

Saturday 21 June 2025, 9.30am-12.30pm
Spurgeon’s College, South Norwood Hill, London, SE25 6DJ

Are you interested in studying Theology at undergraduate or postgraduate level and would like to find out more? We are delighted to open our Campus and invite you to come and meet some of our academic staff and hear about the various courses we offer. You will be able to hear presentations, tour the campus including the library as well as discuss funding options. For more information, please register here or contact the admissions department for further information: admissions@spurgeons.ac.uk 


The College of Preachers 


Preaching and Apologetics

Saturday 22 March, 10.30-13.00 | Online via Zoom
Workshop Leader: John Woods
“Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3.15)
This workshop will explore the importance of apologetics within the Church, the relationship between preaching and apologetics, and how our sermons can become effective and powerful tools for equipping Christians to think and speak confidently about their faith. This workshop will be led by Rev Dr John Woods, who is the Training Director of the School of Preachers Trust. He has had four decades of experience in pastoral work in the UK and since 1993 has taught preaching in Latvia and other parts of Eastern Europe. He is the author of God is in the House, which seeks to reimagine how we prepare sermons. 

The Language of Resurrection: Finding the Right Words

Wednesday 2 April, 10.30-13.00 | Online via Zoom
Workshop Leader: Rod Garner
This workshop is for preachers wishing to engage with preaching the resurrection in a secular age. Preparing for Holy Week and Easter provides the fitting, even urgent context, in which teaching and faithfulness to the word of God can be  enriched by the fruits of theology and the creative imagination. This workshop will be led by Rod Garner, Anglican priest, writer and theologian. Rod has served in four urban parishes and taught at colleges and universities in the UK and America. He is an Honorary Fellow at Liverpool Hope University and Emeritus Canon of Liverpool Cathedral. He is the author of numerous books, his most recent being Outsiders: Marching to a Different Drum (Liverpool Hope University Press 2022).

Interpreting Texts for Preaching

Saturday 10 May, 10.30-13.00 | Online via Zoom
This session will explore questions of biblical hermeneutics. Thought will be given to ancient / modern / post-modern hermeneutics and how they might help us interpret the Bible both critically and constructively to build up the Christian faith of our congregations. This workshop will be led by The Revd Martin Little, Vicar of St John the Evangelist, Highbridge.

Sermon crafting

Monday 7 July, 10.30-13.00 | Online via Zoom
How a sermon is put together is as important as how it is delivered. In this workshop, we'll look at ways of crafting sermons that tell a story, helping our congregations to think afresh about the scriptures and see how they relate to their own life and faith. This workshop is designed primarily for those new to ministry and preaching. The workshop will be led by the Revd Dr Jennifer Brown, Director of Training for the College of Preachers. 

Preaching the Jesus of John’s Gospel

Saturday 12 July, 14.00-16.30 | Online via Zoom
This workshop will explore the importance of the relationship between Jesus and the Father and, by extension, the divine family, to John's theology, including the invitation extended to us to become part of that divine family through following Jesus. We will consider how we can draw on John's theology of the divine family to find new insights for our preaching. This workshop will be led by Dr Rebecca Dean, Lecturer in New Testament at Ripon College Cuddesdon. 

Preaching the Psalms

Saturday 20 September, 10.00-13.00 | Online via Zoom
The Psalter was the prayerbook of Jesus, quoted more by him than any other book. In this workshop, we shall explore ways in which we can bring the Psalms to life and encourage our congregations to make them central to their prayer and spirituality.
This workshop will be led by the Revd Dr Philip Jenson, former teacher of Old Testament at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. 

Conference booking now open!

In addition to our workshops, our next preaching conference, with the theme of ‘The Wonder of Words’, will be taking place from 9th to 11th September at the Hayes Conference Centre.
 
Further details, including pricing, and booking links for workshops and the conference can be found on the College of Preachers’ website, www.collegeofpreachers.co.uk/events.