By Hayley Beckett on 6th July 2026
EBA Council Summary 29 June 2026
EBA Trustees with one apology met on Monday 29 June 2026. The trustees were joined by Claire Blatchford (EBA Regional Minister) and June Love (Moderator of EBA Grants Committee)
Lou Webber (EBA Moderator) welcomed everyone. In opening the meeting Lou read from Acts 8 (Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch). It is good to remember that God is already at work in places that we are not. What are we noticing in the places that we are, are we listening to God’s leading and joining in with what God is doing and speaking hope in the places that we find ourselves.
June Love (Grants Committee moderator) joined the meeting to introduce the recommendations for 2027 grant awards following applications for both Pioneering and Planting Grants and Mission and Ministry Grants. The committee was given a budget of £85,000. The committee prayerfully considered each application in line with the grant criteria, the information provided in the applications and the visitors report. The recommendations were approved by trustees. Grant applicants will be informed in the next couple of weeks of the outcomes. This was the first year of our new grants process which included emphasis on mission and plans to develop sustainable future income.
Richard Lewis (EBA Treasurer) presented financial information up to the end of May 2026. Our situation looks slightly better than originally budgeted as the true-up from BU due to increased HM giving from 2025 came in as one lump sum within this period. The forecast deficit for 2026 is around £30,000.
David Mayne (RMTL) presented the team report reporting on where EBA team members had been involved or spent time with churches and ministers. David then went on to share about the changing nature of team meetings as the EBA team is made up of a number of part-time roles and how these will look going forward.
David also shared the one of the strategic priorities of BU nationally is to aim for 350 new ministers across Baptist Together. As an association we make up 9% of the Baptist Union in membership numbers so 9% of these new ministers should come from the EBA area. Exploring your call and minister development is part of Amy’s role and we plan to make this a focus at the next minister’s conference.
Hayley Beckett (EBA Company Secretary) presented the Administration Report which reported that our annual submissions to both Charity Commission and Companies House had been completed.
Council also received reports from Gillian Jones on safeguarding, Claire Blatchford on progress with and the next steps for Project Violet and those that were present at the BU assembly which included handshakes for several of our NAMS. A short video has been produced that introduces those that received their handshakes and can be viewed here.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AoY9XbQet8Q
The meeting closed in prayer.
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