Beltinge Baptist Church

We are a small elderly fellowship and due to the physical limitations with which many struggle, we are no longer able to reach out into the community in the way we would wish. We have lost a couple of members of our fellowship who passed away last year, and a number are dealing with ongoing health issues.  We do however actively support the local Food Pantry run by a church in Herne Bay. We have been in pastoral vacancy since June 2021, and rely on a number of visiting preachers who continue to help us fill the pulpit. We are continuing with our BMS church partnerships with two workers from Justice Livelihood Health (JLH) Uganda and support them in prayer.
 
We give thanks for those who faithfully come to take our Sunday services week by week, and pray that they will be enabled to continue to help us in this way. We pray for the Lord’s guidance for our church in the future, and for the continued health and wellbeing of all in our fellowship, and for new folk to join us.
 
We look to our text for the year – “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

North Kent Network

Bread of Life

In 2025, God blessed us with 4 baptisms – all of which we conducted at the coffee shop (either in front of the counter or in the outside seating area) midweek. Even more encouraging than the baptisms themselves was the sense of these transformed lives representing church emerging. 

Alongside the encouragements, there have been challenges, not least the unsustainable amount I have been doing – baking, running a new business, planting a church, responding to pastoral needs of customers (e.g. taking funerals after bereavements). At the beginning of December we were able to appoint a paid, part-time deputy, Mark. This has been a significant step forward and is beginning to make things feel more manageable, not least a sense of sharing some responsibility.
 
Please pray for Mark as he develops into the role.
 
Please also pray for further building of the team. We especially need a finance director and permanent chair of directors. Do pray for the right people to take on these roles. (And if you know of someone in your church, not too far from Strood, who might be suitable for one of the roles do let me know!)
 
Finally, please pray for myself, Mark and the volunteers that we may be conscious of the leading of the Holy Spirit, that we know how to share the grace of God in the encounters we have and that we may see more evidence of kingdom growth day by day.

John Western

West Kent Network

Dormansland Baptist Church

It’s been a real joy to see how God has been at work in and through our little church over recent months. We’ve been reminded again and again that God delights in working through ordinary people in ordinary places.

Our regular Friday Hub continues as a warm, welcoming space with chair exercises, coffee, cake and lunch; but more than that, a place of belonging. Our lunch club offers the same welcome and a real place of community.  Our youth and children’s groups, formerly Urban Saints, continue under a new name, with a residential weekend planned for June and our annual Fireworks Night now a real highlight in the village calendar; a wonderful expression of community and connection.

We’ve begun visiting local care homes to sing familiar songs and pray; simple gatherings that allow everyone to join in. At Christmas we took the local school choir with us to sing carols as one of our deacons helps to run the school KS2 choir. Our minister also takes regular assemblies.

Christmas was a special season: we ran a Community Christmas Choir who sang at our Carols by Candlelight service, we had fun dressing up for a ‘pop-up’ nativity, and sang carols in the local pub. All gentle but powerful reminders that the message of Christmas is for everyone.

Inclusion has been a key focus. We long to be a church where everyone knows they belong. Our activities for children with special educational needs and their families have provided a safe, understanding space where children can be themselves and parents can relax, knowing they are among people who “get it.” Our "Parent Carer Café" has grown to be a real place of peer support. Inclusion isn’t an add-on for us; it’s at the heart of the gospel. We are committed to lowering barriers and making our services accessible and welcoming to all.

We also celebrated a baptism in November and have welcomed new members, always signs of encouragement and new life.
When we look back, we don’t see flashy programmes or big numbers. We see faithfulness. Cups of tea served, chairs set out, prayers prayed, songs sung and time given generously. And in all of it, we see God quietly at work.

As we look ahead, with Easter just around the corner, our prayer is simple: that we would stay rooted in Jesus, open to our community and committed to inclusion. We want to keep noticing opportunities, responding with creativity and courage, making space for those on the edge, and celebrating every sign of new life. We would appreciate prayer for all of the above!

East Sussex Network

Eastgate Baptist Church

Next month marks Eastgate Baptist’s 4-year anniversary of launching Breakfast Church. Since we started, we have seen a significant shift in the congregation's demographics. Before we had 1 child and 1 foreign person. We now have 6 children and 1 on the way, and 13 nationalities in our fellowship. Our prayer request is for more leaders to manage ongoing growth and diversity, and to freshen up the leadership team.

Freedom Church Bexhill

We are a small but vibrant church which is going forward in a new spirit of unity, and we are beginning to see signs of growth.

We are very involved in our local area of Bexhill, which is Sidley, a rather deprived area but which has a strong community spirit. We have good relationships within the community and run The Market Place – a community larder and cafe, which welcomes about 50 people each Tuesday morning. We also have a toddler group called Little Seeds, which is very successful.

From the church we go out monthly litter-picking under the heading ‘Jesus Loves Sidley’ and we also have a monthly Prayer Walking session round the area. We have four regular prayer meetings each week (one on zoom). We have seen wonderful answers to prayer, especially with the Prayer Walking. We had focused some of our prayers on the local medical practice which seemed to be in trouble – hardly any doctors, bad reputation etc. We have seen new doctors coming in, including a ‘troubleshooter’ and the practice now seems to have a completely different ethos.

Points for prayer:

• For the unity among us to grow with love and compassion towards each other as we build community.
• More families with children to join us.
• For God to move in those who come in weekly to the church because of Market Place and Little Seeds.
• For those coming to the current and future Alpha courses or similar.
• For God to provide for our ongoing needs (financial and manpower) and also for future ventures.

Gatwick Network

Reigate Baptist Church

It's so exciting to be a part of the work our heavenly Father is doing in Reigate Baptist Church. Whilst there has been continual growth throughout the life of the church, it seems we are in a special season where growth and unity are working in tandem.

We are passionate about seeing as many as possible gather not just on Sundays but throughout the week. One of the highlights of 2025 was the forming of a men's group following a home Alpha course, which has resulted in numerous men coming to faith, marriages transformed, many answered prayers, and the need to open more men's home groups to cope with the waiting list! Something special is happening among men and women.

Our Children's work continues to blossom with between 150 and 200 attending on Sundays and gathering throughout the week in various activities. Our youth group has grown to around 70 youth which is a major prayer point as we cannot all fit in our building, leading us to hire a second building for Sundays. I'm delighted to say that some youth will be baptised at Easter.

Our toddler group continues to see around 200 parents and toddlers a week over several sessions. Many have attended church through this wonderful ministry. Some have come to faith, some baptised, and still several toddler parents are on our Alpha course running right now with 50 attending.

Finally, and not exhaustively, we thank God that we have been able to plant into Lee Street Church in Horley, which is has seen the fellowship there double in size and strengthen in missional zeal.

How can you pray for us? Pray we keep seeking the Lord, if we get this right...then we will grow and will be successful in whatever we do. We need more space, more grace, more laughter, more love and more of the Holy Spirit!
 
Keep our Alpha course in mind, ask the Lord to protect the many who are sacrificially ministering to folk of every age, and pray that we will always do what the Lord requires. Oh, and a lot more parking please Lord!