We have produced some video resources for Christmas If you had to describe Christmas using just three words, what would they be?: This sermon from Claire is ideal for use in services leading up to Christmas or even Christmas day itself. Permacrisis at Christmas is a series of 4 short videos (2-3 minutes each) exploring the nativity through the lens of permacrisis – this is explained in the introductory video. (The word permacrisis has been chosen as the Collins Dictionary’s word of 2022. The definition is ‘an extended period of instability and insecurity, esp one resulting from a series of catastrophic events’.) These videos were produced as a result of what people shared at our last EBA prayer meeting, so thankyou to those who took part. This link will take you to the YouTube playlist which contains all the videos. We are also in the process of recording a sermon …
57 West & Clarence Road Baptist Church Charity number 1192598 News from Southend! 57 West & Clarence Road are two member churches of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and have worked independently of each other for 5 years out of our city centre premises. Making the bold decision to open the dividing door between the two communities, we now work as one faith community seeking to reach out to others across the city. Church In October 2022 we joined together for interactive Sunday services, exploring our values under themes of storytelling, mission, worship, communion, baptism and more. A new community member has already expressed a desire to be baptised, so we’re planning for that alongside our advent themes which are both really exciting! Groups We continue to facilitate a number of groups including café sessions, art & wellbeing clubs, cooking courses and rough sleeper drop in. We hope to …
We all felt moved to prayer when we heard the first stories coming out of Ukraine after the Russian invasion. My husband Derek and I were glued to the news, hardly believing that this was happening in 2022. The people we saw fleeing their country looked very much like us or our adult children leaving homes and towns similar to ours in Dereham. In March Dereham Baptist Church had a week of prayer where we sign up for hour-long slots and go to The Sanctuary, a beautifully decorated dedicated prayer room. I had an hour on Tuesday that week, and prayed fervently for Ukraine. I started to get the feeling that we should open our home to a Ukrainian family but when I discussed it with Derek later that day we came to conclusion that as very private people, not particularly given to hospitality and having got very used to …
Pam Davies a minister in Southend and part of the EBA Justice Group writes the following article: Much has been written already about the cost of living crisis that is affecting all of our communities. Rather than repeating that, this update shares what we’re doing at 57 West in the hope that it might be useful to other churches who aren’t sure where to start, or what to explore next. Sessions: Drop in sessions – our daytime drop in sessions create safe spaces for people to be in the warm, charge their devices, chat over coffee and receive support with form filling, signposting to housing provision, mental health services and debt management organisations. This is generally the first point of contact for somebody joining us for the first time. This is also the session that is easiest to run, requiring only two DBS checked volunteers and a risk assessment that …
