Last week the EBA team were away together on retreat along with the new regional team of Central Baptist Association. We prayed for each other, and our associations and we look forward to continuing to develop this relationship over the next year.
During 2022 we have celebrated the year anniversary of both Gale and Claire joining the regional team. Both have been a blessing to us and the churches they serve. Graeme enjoyed a well-deserved sabbatical and as we write Gale has just started hers until the beginning of March 2023. The regional ministers have preached in 101 locations and have had the privilege of being involved in 29 Inductions and Ordinations. It was also good to be back in person for the minister’s conference even if it was slightly later in the year than normal. This did mean that we enjoyed the warmer weather and break-out times were mostly outside in the sunshine.
In our monthly prayer zoom we have been asking the questions “which way Lord?”. The privilege of working across the association is that we see the big picture of what God is doing and we see first-hand churches building deeper relationships with their communities and hearing from the frontline of how God is working in people’s lives. We see churches supporting refugees and offering spaces of warmth and sanctuary. We hear about churches engaging with national Jubilee celebrations and being a place of mourning when the nation lost its Queen.
However 2022 hasn’t been without its challenges and as we start 2023, we will be preparing to say “Happy Retirement” to Beth and looking for a new team leader. We are confident that God knows the right person for the EBA, and we trust in him to bring this together at the right time. Our nation is facing a crisis and we will see many people struggle and experience brokenness. Help us all to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus.
Prayer points:
3rd November 2024
27th October 2024
20th October 2024