A message from Regional Minister Graham

Dear friends,

You might have seen a cartoon which has been doing the rounds on social media - it shows the Devil saying to God: "With COVID-19 I closed your churches!" God replies: "On the contrary, I just opened one in every home!"

It reminds us that God is always at work –  often more so in challenging situations which provide fertile soil for God to grab hold of our hearts and minds and remind us of:-

• Who we are
• Why we’re called
• What’s important 

I know lots of us have been reflecting on these questions. As a YBA team we’ve been so encouraged to hear of the many creative ways in which our churches are facing Covid-19 – from the smallest to the largest, each using the resources available to them, to care for and connect people together, both inside and outside the church.
 
Three Spiritual Postures
As we’ve been praying for you over the last 3 or 4 weeks, we’ve sensed that there are three spiritual postures that it would be helpful for us all to adopt at this time – as follows:

Eyes up – asking, what have you got to teach us through this crisis, Lord? What is important and how you want us to be "church" when ‘normality’ returns?

Hands out – looking for those we can serve, among our families, friends and in the wider community; seeking where we can build bridges and invest in relationships. 

Hearts inclined – being more intentional in seeking God, who is Lord of the harvest – particularly in prayer, asking for wisdom, courage and an outpouring of His Spirit.

We want to encourage everybody to use this unique opportunity to practise these three spiritual postures regularly. We’re suggesting that it's helpful for deacons to reflect on the sorts of questions that are associated with these postures, paying attention to the way in which our responses shape our practice, both now and into the future. Also, if you’re part of a housegroup, you could share with others what God is saying to you. Alternatively, actively seek out others to talk to and offer helpful feedback to your church leadership team. These are key areas that we need to be exploring at this time, so please incorporate them into your daily spiritual practices.

Financial Support
We’re aware that many churches will be facing financial challenges over the next few months with a loss of rental income and potentially reduced giving from those who attend the church. Baptists Together are offering help through their Coronavirus Financial Support Scheme, which can be found here. If your church requires urgent/additional financial assistance, or you would like to talk through some of the specific challenges your church faces, please speak to one of the Regional Ministers or drop a line to Dean Thorpe, our YBA Treasurer.
  
We do want to assure you of our prayers and continued support at this time, and encourage you to keep in touch with us if there are specific things we can help with.

In Christ,

Revd Graham Ensor, Regional Minister Team Leader