Baptist Union Council March 2017
Reflection on our vision for mission and the Futures Process were among the main topics during the March gathering of the Baptist Union Council. The Baptist Union pension situation, the future of the Baptist Assembly, ministerial guidelines relating to Same Sex Marriage and a petition calling for the reinstatement of the Baptist Union directory were also discussed when Council members met at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick March 16-17

Children and family ministry training
A new course that aims to equip children’s and families workers could be 'just what churches are looking for'

Baptist founder at heart of charity identity
Spurgeons children’s charity is putting Christ, and its founder Charles Spurgeon, at the heart of its identity and mission as part of its 150th anniversary

‘Making a real difference in people’s lives’
This Baptist church is in an area in the top one per cent on some of the National Indices of Deprivation.

Busy year for anniversary church
A Local Ecumenical Partnership is finding its full voice as it celebrates its 50th anniversary

Director of Girls’ Brigade to step down
Ruth Gilson has announced she'll be stepping down from her role at the end of August 2017

Baptist scholar to deliver BWA lectures
Anthony R Cross will be the presenter at a special forum on baptism as part of the upcoming Baptist World Alliance Annual Gathering

Lebanon: learning to hope again
Fleeing ISIS and learning a new language is not stopping refugee children from moving forward, thanks to a project supported by BMS
 

Where there's nowhere to hide
How smaller churches can open a door to leadership opportunities (even in partnership with larger ones)

Questions we’re afraid to ask about the Bible   
Have you noticed in church when we have an Old Testament reading, the reading always stops JUST before it gets gruesome?

'God is there, if you feel his presence or not'   
Former Baptist Times editor Hazel Southam had always been scared of horses – until one helped her through the hardest year of her life

Four reasons to go on a BMS Insight Team
Why going on a BMS World Mission Insight Team is a great way for your church to engage more in world mission

Who is this shining man of light?
What happened when a Muslim man saw Jesus in a dream: a testimony from North Africa

'A land of heroes of the faith'
I am convinced that were it not for the presence of heroic yet ordinary Christians, the whole of Eastern Ukraine would descend into complete chaos



Reviews:
Digitally Remastered by Guy Brandon
Practical book which attempts to address the issues that flow from the most significant invention of our age

The Shadow Doctor by Adrian Plass
Plass's latest book is challenging, raw and refreshing - and brings us back to Jesus

Christmas as Religion: Re-thinking Santa, the Secular and the Sacred by Christopher Deacy
Deacy makes a good fist of challenging the misconception that Christmas has been emptied of its religious meaning as a result of secularism and consumerism
 

Ebenezer Baptist Church, Scarborough: Jon Charter & Steven Kinsella (Ebenezer Baptist Church) Julie White (Burniston Methodist Church)

Know anyone preparing for baptism? Check out our range of cards

Death
LE QUESNE, Sue
Sue was a faithful servant through BMS in Bangladesh and in the UK, before moving to Exeter where she was church secretary at South Street Baptist Church for a number of years. She died on Thursday March 16, and a thanksgiving service will be held at South Street Baptist Church, Exeter at 14:30 on Monday April 3.

Obituary
ISAACS, the Revd Dr Marie: 1936-2016

For more, visit www.baptist.org.uk/obituaries


Send your notifications and stories to phobson@baptist.org.uk

New resource from the Joint Public Issues Team
Conversation Welcome: Exploring the future of the UK after the EU referendum
The resource is designed to bring people, with their many different thoughts, hopes and concerns, together and  help churches explore the important underlying questions about the sort of society we wish to live in and wish to leave to future generations.
http://bit.ly/2mTLABG

Church leaders – survey on science
When was the last time you had a conversation about science? Are there scientific issues which you struggle to understand?  What do you think today’s church leaders need in order to feel confident to engage with science in the public arena?
A three year funded ecumenical project, ‘Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science’, based at St. John’s College, Durham University aims to resource all levels of Christian leadership in their engagement with questions, challenges and opportunities created by science – from supporting senior Christian leaders in their engagement in public debate to building the confidence of congregations. The project needs to hear from Baptist ministers and here is an opportunity for you to contribute to this significant piece of research by filling in a 10 minute online survey: https://durham.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/survey-on-science-and-christianity-1.

The survey is open to all Baptist ministers and you do not need to be from a scientific background to take part. All results are anonymous and the results/findings will be shared with the Baptist Church.
 
Lent reflections
Each week through Lent we are offering an image, prayer and reflection for you to use personally and to share at church

Baptist Assembly – 13 May 
Bookings are open for this year’s Baptist Assembly, which will take place at the Harrogate International Centre (HIC) Saturday 13 May 2017. Through the generosity of HIC, there will also be a communion service on Sunday morning which will be open to all.
Visit http://www.baptistassembly.org.uk

Lest we Forget
Studies prepared to equip Baptists to reflect on the 2007 Baptist Union Apology and explore ways to address the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, ten years on.
http://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/488872/Lest_we_Forget.aspx