Central and Eastern Baptist Associations Joint Safeguarding Lead The Central and Eastern Baptist Association Safeguarding Lead has moved into retirement, and we are looking to replace them. We are therefore seeking a person with experience in safeguarding to fulfil this part-time post commencing March 2024. The post is for 24 hours per week, 12 for each Association, which includes four hours’ protected time for paperwork, and will mainly involve working from home. An applicant who already has, or applies for, another part-time safeguarding lead role would not be prevented from applying for this part-time post in addition, subject to a readiness to be able to travel to both regions from time to time for meetings. Job sharing would be considered for the right candidate(s). We are looking for a skilled and enthusiastic person to continue to inspire excellence in safeguarding amongst our member churches. You will provide guidance and support …

Report from EBA Council September 2023 The meeting was held on zoom with one Trustee and the moderator, who was ill having sent apologies. In the absence of the Moderator, Adrian Ward (Council Member) was elected Moderator for the meeting. Adrian opened up the meeting the reminding council that Jesus needed to be at the heart of everything and read from read Matthew 11:28 asking us to reflect on this scripture being mindful of ourselves, people we know and the community around us then opened in prayer. Paul Smith, a Minister from Norfolk was co-opted onto council as a new Council Member, he will serve for a term of two years. There is one space available for co-option onto Council if anyone is interested? Please speak to the Moderator for more information. There wasn’t an update from the Home Mission resilience group as they are not meeting until September with …

The new school year starts during the week beginning Sunday 3rd September. We have put together some simple ideas you can use to mark this in your churches. Children and young people will return to, or even head into new pre schools, schools and colleges with a variety and mix of emotions that range from terrified to excited. Teachers and other school staff will be beginning the new year at a time when many of them feel under pressure and under resourced. This is a time when the church should be praying, engaging and encouraging. Ideas for Back to School Sunday Hear from the children, young people and teaching staff Before we can pray or aim to support effectively, we need to hear from those people. You could invite people to share from the front or go around the congregation with a microphone. In your church this may be better structured …

Gale Richards as an EBA regional minister was invited to be the ‘Lifeline’ speaker leading daily bible studies from Monday, 31 July 2023, to Friday, 4 August 2023, as part of Frinton Mission (frintonmission.net). She spoke on the theme of ‘Sharing the peace’ an exploration of John’s Gospel from a missional perspective.  Monday: John 1 ‘The Prologue’  Tuesday: John 14 ’The Promise of a Comforter’ Wednesday: John 15: ‘The Vine and the importance of abiding’ Thursday: John 17 ‘Pray that they will all be one’ Friday: John 20 ‘Sharing the peace’ Frinton Mission ‘an evangelistic summer mission event has been held in Frinton-on-Sea for more than a hundred years. Until 1992 it was run by Scripture Union as a CSSM beach mission’. ‘In 1993 the local Frinton area churches (FACT) agreed to take on the running of the event under its new name of Frinton Mission. Every summer, around the …