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View in Browser Photo : SafakOgu z | iStockphoto.com ‘ I w an t you to be woven into a tapestry of lo ve’ C olossians 2:2 | The Message Baptists Together Loan Fund New for 2018 Baptist Union member churches can Loans available above apply to our loan fund for help with a £25,000 variety of projects. Variable Interest Rate currently 3% above base rate We are able to help churches who are looking to enlarge, improve or redevelop their existing church premises – Loan repayments or who are wanting to buy new premises. We can also between 10 and 20 years help churches to buy a new Manse or other residential available depending on loan property for a church worker. The Loan Fund is also amount able to help churches faced with paying off their debt to the Baptist Pension Scheme. In addition we can offer Fee free bridging finance which is at a higher rate of interest. subject to certain conditions We are here to help Baptist Churches with their mission and we also understand the way Baptist Churches work. The BUC is only able to enter into a loan that is a relevant credit agreement (as defined by Having been around for many years we have helped the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005) as lender for hundreds of our churches in this way. the purposes of the business of a church (or if the church is unincorporated, the business of the church trustees) and not for any other purpose. For more information visit www.baptist.org.uk/loans CONTENTS FEATURES 6 A complex issue 13 Tracing society’s troubled response to multiculturalism Responding to 15 immigration Helen Paynter explores why Christians should respond Multicultural ‘Saying sorry is not enough’ 16 Congregations: General Secretary Lynn Green on the Apology 17 Greenford Baptist Church 10 39 19 Anderson Baptist Church 21 Six Ways Baptist Church 22 Stockton Baptist Church Cemetery Road Baptist 24 Church Many cultures, many tastes Multicultural Church Sharing a meal helps to break down - realising the heavenly picture barriers 27 Spurgeon’s A multicultural College REGULARS 28 Pastoring a multicultural European Baptist Prayer and Worship church 32 Federation (EBF) 36 Many ways of praying Insights from Justice Enabler, Pentecost all over again Wale Hudson-Roberts Events BMS World Mission 37 Special events for your church 30 Asking what really 33 Get equipped for cross-cultural matters mission Resources The value of conversation 38 Books and other resources Baptist People Black millennials 34 Claude Halm, senior minister of News 35 Finding that spiritual connection Alperton Baptist Church 42 News from around our Union SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Order your own copy of this magazine via annual subscription - starting with the current or next edition. Single copy subscription: £8.00 for three editions (Spring, Summer and Autumn) ck.com Photo: SafakOguz | iSto Multi copy subscription: £70.00 for ten copies of each of the three editions (Spring, Summer and Autumn) ove’ f l o ry t s e p a t essage a :2 | The M o s 2 t ian n oss i l o n C e ov ‘ w I w be ant you to See www.baptist.org.uk/shop to order your subscription, or buy individual copies 3 3273 Baptists Together Magazine 210x297_V2.qxp_Layout 1 15/07/2016 11:09 Page 1 If you’re not an expert in church insurance - don’t worry we are You can find all you need on our website to help you to protect your church and its users l Handy risk management guides including events and church activities l Straightforward risk assessment templates l Simple checklists for common risks such as working at height www.baptist–insurance.co.uk/guidance 0345 070 2223* *Lines open 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays). Experts in home and church insurance The Baptist Insurance Company PLC (BIC) Reg. No. 83597. Registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ. The Baptist Insurance Company PLC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Many cultures, one church The latest Blue Planet series is a reminder of the incredible diversity within the vast marine environment that covers much of the earth. New technology has enabled parts of our oceans to be filmed for the first time, capturing previously unknown creatures and behaviours. Like its sister series Planet Earth, it is jaw-dropping television, and it seems the public can’t get enough: Blue Planet was the most watched TV show of 2017. As Christians we believe God created the earth and all in it, and celebrate such diversity as being a sign of the Lord’s creative ingenuity. We also recognise that sin is in the world, and humanity has the capacity to misuse Photo: SafakOguz | iStockphoto.com and abuse this wonderful God-given diversity. Alongside its amazing This edition of the magazine takes But another thread is the joy it can sequences, Blue Planet carries warnings the 10th anniversary of the Apology bring. One of the churches we feature of our impact on the oceans and its as the context in which to explore uses tapestry as a key metaphor (p18), marine life. our multicultural Union, highlighting based on Colossians 2:2 (The Message). just some of the places where we In a tapestry the picture is revealed only The Apology was a significant moment are recognising and respecting the by the distinctiveness of the threads. in our Union, a collective calling out of contributions that can be made by Looking too at John 13:34-35, the racism and our propensity to divide. different cultures to each other. One church explains that it’s only through It resulted in a commitment to ‘work thread that connects the stories is the acceptance and development of with God to see the kingdom come and just how difficult and complex this is; difference than an image of God is God’s will be done in a manner that Journeying to Justice, the title of the revealed. reflects the heavenly picture of every recent publication marking the Apology nation, tribe, people and language 10 year anniversary, certainly suggests We hope this magazine gives a glimpse living and worshipping together, on we are not there yet. of where that’s happening. earth as in heaven.’ (The Journey) The Editorial Group EDITORIAL GROUP: PRODUCTION TEAM: Baptists Together Stephen Keyworth Paul Hobson is produced three times per year by: Sarah Fegredo Mike Lowe The Baptist Union of Great Britain Colin Pye Mary Parker Baptist House, PO Box 44, 129 Broadway, Jonathan Somerville Tracey Vallance Didcot, OX11 8RT Tel: 01235 517700 Ruth Whiter Email: [email protected] Website: www.baptist.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 1125912 Contact [email protected] for a plain text version of any articles. Further copies LETTERS: For additional copies and subscriptions, see We welcome your views and ideas for future editions of Baptists Together. www.baptist.org.uk/shop Write to the Editorial Group at: [email protected] For an electronic copy, see or using the Baptist House address www.baptist.org.uk/baptiststogether To advertise in future editions The views of individual writers expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect Please contact Tracey on 01235 517711 or the views of the Editorial Group or Baptists Together. email [email protected] Printed and distributed by Verité CM Ltd Photo credits: Unless otherwise stated, photos are taken from Baptist Union archives www.veritecm.com Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .ai www.facebook.com/baptistuniongb uk.pinterest.com/baptistunionGB @baptistuniongb Baptists Together is printed on paper which is fully FSC Certified 5 Photo: dolphfyn | iStockphoto.com Photo: GENERAL SECRETARY ‘Saying sorry is not enough’ Lynn Green on the Apology General Secretary Lynn Green was a member of Baptist Union Council that offered an Apology for Slavery ten years ago. She reflects on the journey our Union has made since The well-known expression, “saying someone else did so many years Spirit when we come together, but this sorry is not enough” conveys much ago. But through prayer and deep was the most profound experience of truth. It is, of course, not telling us we listening, our friends David Shosanya, that that I have ever had. I was changed don’t need to bother with apologies. Joe Kapolyo, Richard Kidd and Graham at that Council, and although I am still Rather it is reminding us that words Sparkes enabled us to come to a place growing into that change in many ways, alone cannot heal hurt and fractured where we began to see differently and it remains a decisive moment for me. relationships. For healing and understand our share in, and benefit Some months later, a delegation of restoration, a sincere apology is needed from, our nation’s participation in the British Baptists travelled to Jamaica to that is also embodied in renewed transatlantic slave trade. We talk a lot as offer The Apology to the Jamaica Baptist attitudes and actions in the present Baptists about discerning the mind of Union (JBU), where it was graciously and for the future. And, as believers, Christ through the guidance of the Holy received. we understand this through the biblical concept of repentance. The Greek word used in the New Testament is ‘metanoia’ and points to a complete turnaround. Representatives Saying sorry, repentance, involves of BMS World words which lead to us changing as a Mission and result. the Baptist Union of Great Ten years on from the historic Apology Britain present for Slavery offered by Baptist Union the statement Council it is important that we ask of Apology to ourselves searching questions about representatives whether we have put our words into of the Jamaica action and demonstrated the changed Baptist Union - lives called for by our repentance.
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