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. 


Induction Service - Revd Daniel Clark

Saturday 15 February 2025, 2pm
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Gravesend (DA12 1BB)

Emmanuel Baptist Church, Gravesend is delighted to inform you that we have now called a new Minister, Daniel Clark. Daniel’s induction service will be on Saturday February 15th at 2p.m. and we would like to invite you to the service which will be followed by light refreshments. For catering purposes it would be helpful if you could let me know if you can attend. Email:  Secretary.emmanuelgravesend@gmail.com There is a public car park behind our Church, DA12 1BB which will give you 2 hours free parking on a Saturday.


Parish Nursing - Explore Online

Parish Nursing Feb 25

Thursday 20 February 2025, 10am and 7pm
We are so excited to be continuing our Explore Online sessions in 2025. These were created as a result of the Covid lockdown but form an important part of our work in getting parish nursing as a ministry out there to Churches of every denomination in the Christian faith. 

Parish Nursing is really filling in the gaps where the healthcare system is struggling at present, and we are seeing churches up and down the country respond to the needs of their communities by exploring what parish nursing would bring to them as a church. What a great way to witness to people, who are often in desperate need.

Email Dawn Stephens for more information - enquiries@parishnursing.org.uk


Life Issues programme for 2025 (Godalming Baptist Church)

 
  • Supporting Those Living with Cancer and Beyond - from a Relative's Perspective - Saturday 15 March 2025, 10am-12.30pm - led by Daphne Bleach
    * Do you know what to say, and not to say, when someone says “I have cancer”? * How does a diagnosis of cancer affect someone? * How we can encourage someone to “live well with cancer”? * What help and support is available to patients and their relatives? * Living beyond treatment - the “elephant in the room” * Who is there for those when no further treatment is available’? Following her talk in 2024, Daphne will lead another informative and sensitive talk about how to come alongside and support those living with cancer, to help all of us make the best of the precious time we have together. Please reserve a place, with payment of £7, by Friday 28 February
  • 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: 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 

 

**new** Administrator - Operation Agri (based at home)

Operation Agri is looking to recruit a part-time Administrator who will work from home.

As the first point of contact for supporters, both individuals and churches, Operation Agri’s Administrator will present a positive and friendly image of the charity. The Administrator will need to be able to vary their hours to cope with the fluctuating demands of the position while maintaining their contracted hours, (20 per week), as an average.

For further details please follow the link https://operationagri.org.uk/about/join-the-team/
Or for an informal chat about the role, please contact Nigel Jones nigeljones@operationagri.org.uk

Applications should be submitted by 20th February 2025.
Interviews will be held in March 2025 with an April starting date.


Property Paralegal - Baptists Together (Didcot)

Their busy Legal & Operations team, part of Support Services based at Baptist House Didcot, are looking for a Paralegal to join them to support their work with Baptist churches, associations, and colleges.

This is a new role within the Legal and Operations team, and the Paralegal will be supporting the Legal Services Manager with a wide and varied caseload of work.

For more information, please check out their website.


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 

 

Kent Workplace Mission

KWM have put together a daily prayer calendar - if you would like to join them in praying for the group and local chaplaincies in the area, you can view the current calendar here.


Spurgeon's College


Open Day for Undergraduate & Postgraduate Studies in Theology

Saturday 8 March, 9.30am-12.30am
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 

Free Taster Day for Undergraduate & Postgraduate Studies in Theology

Tuesday 11 March, 10am-2.15pm
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, sit in lectures with our current students and hear about the various courses we offer. You will be able to take part in our weekly lectures, 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


Bristol Baptist College


Young People and Far Right Extremism: The Church as Help or Hindrance

Saturday 15 February, 10am-4pm
Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8EP

Bristol Baptist College and the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence have come together to put on this event with speakers from HOPE not Hate, and Youthscape among others.

To book your place, go to https://young-people-far-right.eventbrite.co.uk 


The College of Preachers 


Preaching the Story of Holy Week

Tuesday 25 February, 10.30-13.00 | Online via Zoom
Workshop Leader: Michael Beck
This workshop will explore the narrative that connects these events and consider ways in which our preaching through Holy Week can tell a coherent story of the journey to the cross, while still managing to be effective ‘stand-alone’ sermons. The workshop will be led by the Revd Dr Michael Beck. Dr Beck has been a priest for 44 years in a variety of settings: mainly parish but also 5 years in a major cathedral, as well as having been a police chaplain and a locum hospital chaplain alongside parochial work. He has been a member of the College of Preachers since 1980 and a tutor for over 20 years.

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).
 
For more information about these workshops, including prices and links to book tickets, please visit www.collegeofpreachers.co.uk/events.

Save the date! In addition to our workshops, our next preaching conference, with the theme of ‘The Wonder of Words’, will be taking place in 2025. The conference will be held at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick from 9th to 11th September.