News from the Networks
East Kent network
Herne Bay Baptist Church
Thank you so much for asking for an article about Herne Bay Baptist Church. It is wonderful that our wider family of Baptist Churches are interested in our progress and will be praying for us her on the coast adjacent to the North Sea. As you can see our colourful congregation are in full celebration outside the church; This is due to the amazing blessing of more Baptisms taking place inside.
We are thrilled to share the incredible highlights from the baptism service that took place on February 11. It was a day filled with great joy, heartfelt testimonies, and a deep sense of celebration as we witnessed the baptisms of our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Stephen Hughes and Nina Marsh. They stood before us & publicly declared their faith and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. Their testimonies were sincere and deeply moving, touching the hearts of many who were present. We rejoiced with them as they took this significant step in their journey of faith. As a church community, we are called to support and encourage one another in our faith journeys. Baptism is a public declaration of our commitment to Christ and our identification with the body of Christ. Not just our Church but the Baptist family of Churches & beyond. It signifies our belonging to a spiritual community that walks together in love and unity. We understand that our role is to make disciples and lead others to Christ.
During this baptism service, we made every effort to ensure that all individuals, including those who may be disabled or frail, felt included and accommodated. Our commitment is to extending the love of Christ to all. Looking back on this incredible day, we express our gratitude for the opportunity to witness the transformation and commitment to Christ displayed by our brothers and sisters. We are grateful for the support and love from our church family and appreciate the love shown to us by our SEBA network as they pray for us & for the continued flourishing of our Church.
Grace & Peace to you all.
Rev Steve Kirk-Smith
East Sussex network
Eastgate Baptist Church
At Eastgate Baptist Church, Lewes, we have been gathering to worship in the breakfast Church format for just over two years. There are now more new members than original members with a ration of two to one.
Our challenge is to disciple the new families and young children, so please pray for our ongoing weekly bible study groups, and more people to hear a call to do children’s work.
Gatwick network
Due to unforeseen circumstances the church who were asked to submit something this month have been unable to do so; instead please pray for the churches of the Gatwick network: Brighton Road Baptist Church, Crawley Baptist Church, Crossways Community Baptist Church, Earlswood Baptist Church, Forest Row Baptist Church, Godstone Baptist Church, Green Fields Baptist Church, Haywards Heath Baptist Church, Horley Baptist Church, Life Community Baptist Church, Merstham Baptist Church, Redhill Baptist Church, Reigate Baptist Church, Trafalgar Road Baptist Church & Westvale Community Church.
Mid Sussex network
We are waiting on a reply to our request for news and prayer items - they will be updated as soon as we hear back. In the meantime please pray for the churches of the Mid Sussex network: Downs Baptist Church, Gateway Baptist Church, Good News Brighton, Holland Road Baptist Church, Lighthouse Community Church, New Life Christian Church(Hove),
One Church Brighton, Portslade Baptist Church, Sheddingdean Baptist Church, Shoreham-By-Sea Baptist Church & Southwick Christian Community Church.
North Downs network
Knaphill Baptist Church
Some members of the congregation are continuing to worship with us on Zoom because they could not otherwise attend. We are grateful for this technical miracle and to those who serve at the desk at the back of the church. Our current membership is 24 and we are financially blessed, but please pray for more members.
During 2023, our minister preached three sermon series: on John 1-4, on Jeremiah and on the things we can say about God. The sermons are afterwards published in the weekly notices. As usual, we received some charities on Sunday mornings: in 2023 these were the Barnabas Fund, the Leprosy Mission and the Baptist Missionary Society.
Among the local councillors and in the residents’ association, the Baptist Church is known as an active church, and we are not ashamed of the Gospel. We organised a second street party (for the king’s coronation) which enabled us to be in contact with the residents of the High Street where the church is situated. The church was the hub of the occasion and people are still speaking about it.
Another successful event was the Tear Fund Big Quiz Night, which for us was an afternoon. Our children’s choir, The Little Lights on Saturday mornings, remains small. The same is true for our Renew Wellbeing hub, Renew 88. We had most visitors in the period of Christmas and the new year.
One Saturday was set aside as Day of Prayer. Every other Thursday evening there is a prayer meeting in the church, with some attendance on Zoom. On the other Thursday we had a series of ten evenings ‘Let’s talk about…’, during which we spoke about Baptist identity, Jesus, sexuality, the end of life, politics, the last days, climate change, growing the church, our Sunday services and the Baptist Union consultation process on sexuality and ministerial recognition. After this series we began working with the brilliant course on Romans offered by the Bible Society.
North Kent network
Riverview Park Baptist Church
At present we are a smaller church that meets in a Hall on a Housing Estate on the outskirts of Gravesend. Not having our own building does have advantages but it can also have disadvantages.
In 2023 three of the regular attending Fellowship became Members, two of whom were also baptised. However, we do lose a few as well as they go home to be with the Lord.
During last summer we produced a Flyer about the Church with a warm welcome and delivered them personally to homes on the Estate introducing ourselves as we went. This seemed to be generally well received.
At Christmas time we went back to those who we had conversations with and delivered Gift Blessing Bags with an invite to our Christmas Candlelight Carol Service on Christmas Eve and it was good to see a few of those we had met come along.
At present we are looking at the possibility of starting a Renew Well being group and a few of us have been to see such a group and see how it operates.
We would very much appreciate your prayers as we seek to establish God’s vision for His church in Riverview. We are mainly an elderly church but we are prepared and ready for children. We would love to see people coming to Christ and it would also be good to see Christians joining us as well
Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
South Kent network
Dover Baptist Church
Greetings to you all from Dover Baptist Church!
Our church is just coming to the end of 3 years of interregnum. We have been truly blessed during this time. There are a number of church members who have been preaching on a Sunday morning who all bring something different of what the Lord is saying to them for the church. We have had a few visiting speakers as well. Our Sunday Workshop has seen a large increase in numbers with 30 regular attendees. The Youth Ministry team are amazing at what they do to nurture the spiritual lives of these young people.
We recently had a prayer day to discern what God wants for our church The Bible verses we focused on was: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.’ Proverbs 3:5-6
Prayer requests
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We would ask for prayer on a practical issue of a continuing leaking church roof.
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Also, for God to continue blessing us with new members of our fellowship who will eventually become church members.
God bless
Alison
(Church secretary)
West Kent network
We are waiting on a reply to our request for news and prayer items - they will be updated as soon as we hear back. In the meantime please pray for the churches of the West Kent network: Bessels Green Baptist Church, Dormansland Baptist Church, Eden Church, Eynsford Baptist Church, Paddock Wood Baptist Church, Pembury Baptist Church, Tonbridge Baptist Church, Tunbridge Wells Baptist Church, Vine Baptist Church, Westerham Evangelical Congregational Church & Westerham Hill Baptist Church.
West Sussex network
Pulborough Brooks Baptist Church
My name is Judith Ellis and I am the part time minister at Pulborough Brooks Baptist Church, (PBBC) in West Sussex. I would love to share with you some answered prayers we have had in the last few months.
We continue to meet in the marvellous Pulborough Village Hall facilities every Sunday and on Thursday afternoons for the Wellbeing Café.
We have had a number of new comers to the Wellbeing Café and some who have decided to join us each week. Jo is the cleaner and friend of Mary who is in her 90’s. You can see her in the picture as we celebrated Mary’s birthday at the café. After covid Mary had refused to go out. Eventually, Jo persuaded Mary to try the Wellbeing Café. Soon Mary looked forward to coming and enjoyed the new friendships formed, the wellbeing talks and especially the chair exercises. Unfortunately, she is in hospital at the moment, but we hope she will join us again when she recovers. The impact Jo saw on Mary resulted in Jo coming to Wellbeing for her own benefit. Through the friendships she has formed she has begun to see how God cares for her, the impact of prayer on her life and the way Scripture teaches us how to flourish. In Jo’s own words, “it is not a matter of if but when she joins an Alpha Group.” Jo has now brought another client to the café and hopes to bring in more to encounter God’s love and care through others. PBBC’s vision is to Work together to build the Kingdom. Our Mission is: united in faith and empowered by the Holy Spirit aim
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To grow in our knowledge & love of Jesus
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To love, care for & encourage each other
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To help others get to know Jesus through words and actions
Please pray that we would fulfil these through our daily lives and activities planned.