Home Mission Annual Report to the ABM 2011
Once more we do record our thanks to God for the faithful work of outreach and evangelism which is carried on in and by local churches; much of this work these days is being undertaken by aging workers, as we see in many churches a scarcity of younger people. Churches with young people need to be training and trusting them, and thrusting them out to witness to the communities around them.
We praise God that over these past 34 years, the work of Beach Missions has continued, but in recent years we have suffered from the lack of helpers. Although the team at Hunstanton this was small, we were most encouraged by their enthusiasm and dedication to the work. Over these 34 years, we have seen quite a large number of people, mostly young, who have benefitted greatly by the experience of serving the Lord in what is, ‘front-line’ evangelism. We also recognise the fact that quite a number have gone on to serve the Lord in different ways, some in their local church and some in full time Christian service today. We thank Greg Noller and Colin Grimwood for their able leadership this year; not forgetting their wives who bore the brunt of feeding the team. We do ask churches that have young people to seriously consider sending them on beach mission next year.
Our Suffolk Tracts continue to be used by some churches and individuals, but it would be encouraging to see more making good use of this literature. We first produced the original tract, ‘Finding the WAY in Suffolk’ in 1997, which is now out of print. The second, ‘New LIFE in Suffolk’, is still available in large quantities, and it is surprising and disappointing, that less than half of our churches have ever used the tracts! The stocks we have are doing no good at all if left in my garage!
Church planting is on our Committee Agenda, and at our meeting in May, Simon Robinson, representing the Pastors’ and Elders’ Forum ‘Church Planting Stream’, tabled a strategy programme relating to potential church planting / replanting opportunities in our region. The matter of church planting was highlighted by Robert Powell, the speaker at one of the Autumn Prayer Meetings, when he challenged us to consider what had happened in the field of church planting over the past 50 years. During that period, it turned out, that just one new church had been planted, but in that time, 7 had been closed! We need to pray earnestly for the Lord to send out labourers into the vast spiritual ‘harvest fields’ here in East Anglia.
Our work of Home Mission involves us all, whether we get involved in one-to-one witness in the near locality where we live, or in reaching out to the wider ‘un-churched’ communities and areas of East Anglia. The latter can more easily, practically and efficiently be achieved if we as churches work together. This is what Association is; and by supporting and pooling resources, human and financial, by God’s grace we can achieve much more than could be achieved individually. We see the ‘harvest fields’ all around us – let us pray and work together, that with the Lord’s blessing we may see Him wonderfully at work in this whole area of great need and opportunity.
To end on a financial note; we thank the Lord that from Home Mission funds we have been able to help some churches in their responsibilities to support their Pastors,. We thank the Lord that in years past, the funds in Home Mission were built up, so that we are and have been able to meet most of the requests for help. However, we are in lean times and the present situation this year is, that our total income of £4372 falls short of expenses by £3319! For instance, the average interest earned on investments during years 2004 – 2008 was £2446; last year, interest was just £346, and will be even less this year. May the Lord bless us now as we make our offering to Him for His praise, and with our prayer that Home Mission funds will be able to give continued support where most needed.
David J. Piper
N.B. GIFTS towards the support of Home Mission (Evangelism & Outreach) may be made to Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East Anglia) Ltd. Please mark for dedication to Home Mission Fund in general or Beach Mission in particular.
ASSOCIATION OF GRACE BAPTIST CHURCHES (EAST ANGLIA)
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