By Hayley Beckett on 22nd April 2026
EBA Trustees with two apologies met on Saturday 18 April 2026. The trustees were joined by Claire Blatchford (EBA Regional Minister) and Gillian Jones (EBA Safeguarding Lead). Segun Fatumo a new co-opted trustee, also attended for the first time.
Lou Webber (EBA Moderator) welcomed everyone. In opening the meeting Lou read from John 6 Feeding the 5000. Often, we focus on our scarcity (our lack) sometimes this can limit what we offer as we fear it is not enough – what we do have won’t make a difference. We need to be ready to offer what we do have, it may not meet all the challenges we have but it may do something. Jesus does a lot with the little that is given to him.
Richard Lewis (EBA Treasurer) presented the financial information up to the end of 2025 which was signed off by Trustees. Richard also presented the figures up to the end of February 2026. Due to an increased level of Home Mission giving towards the end of 2025 there has been a slight increase in our income which has meant our budgeted deficit is not quite as high as originally stated. There is still work to be done on our financial position. It would be important that we keep talking about the plus 1% giving to Home Mission as we move through this year and churches plan their 2027 budgets. Trustees agreed and asked the team to ensure this communication piece was regularly included in association communications.
Hayley Beckett (EBA Company Secretary) presented the Administration Report which included the Trustee Annual report for 2025. The annual report was approved by trustees and will be available on the EBA website in due course.
Hayley also highlighted the vacancies on the trustee board saying the churches will be written to this week asking for nominations with an election for new trustees to be held in line with the AGM in July.
Gillian Jones (EBA Safeguarding lead) As Gillian was present at the meeting a verbal report was brought to trustees. This included the presentation to trustees of the revised safeguarding trainer volunteer agreement which was approved and will be circulated among our trainers in due course. Gillian is delivering another set of DPS training this term and there is also some verifier training being offered by DDC this month.
Claire Blatchford (EBA Regional minister) spoke about Project Violet and how she is involved in work to develop a menopause policy. Claire also talked about how she has continued to offer support to female leaders in the form of regular zooms, in person gatherings and retreats.
David Mayne (RMTL) presented the team report reporting on where EBA team members had been involved or spent time with churches and ministers. Amy Barker had started her role as Director for Vocations and Ministerial Formation on 1 April and was making great progress in getting involved in association life and picking up some of her responsibilities which includes coordinating the “The Learning Collective” (TLC) for our regionally recognised ministers in partnership with Regents College.
For 2026 one of our strategic priorities is to identify and connect with our 10% least engaged churches, which we have called Project 17. To identify the 17 that form the 10% we have used 3 metrics focusing on the last 4 years:
Work has begun to make contact with these churches. Trustees discussed these churches and ways in which we can initiate conversations, the team will keep this on our agenda.
Trustees spent some time reflecting on decisions specifically related to the Baptist Union Financial Model Review that had been made at BU Council in March. Those who are interested in the outcomes from BU council should take time to read the BU Council report that can be found on the BU website. These outcomes will have an effect on the income received by the association for both operational costs and grants. The EBA Finance and Admin group are meeting in May to discuss implications and will bring information to further discussion at future trustee meetings.
Trustees also spent some time on reflecting on feedback from the Listening and Sharing events held earlier this year, at each event three man items were talked about
The meeting closed in prayer.
28th January 2026
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6th November 2025
EBA Council Summary 01 November 2025 EBA Trustees with no apologies met on Saturday 1 November. Lou Webber (EBA Moderator) welcomed everyone. In opening the meeting Lou read from Psalm 95, sharing that worship should be at the heart of everything we do including working through a trustee meeting agenda….
3rd November 2025
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