Association Gathering & AGM 2021

A season of change for the YBA

AROUND 70 people were welcomed to the YBA online AGM. Chair of the Trustees Liz Allen led the evening, which was one of both reflection and looking ahead to a season of change and exciting new developments.
 
Regional Minister Revd Dr Clive Burnard gave thanks for the many ways our churches had responded to the Covid-19 crisis since March 2020. He spoke of the creative and inventive ways that churches had cared for their congregations and reached new people beyond the walls of the church community.
 
Much of the evening focussed on looking forward. Those present were reminded that Regional Minister Revd Mary Taylor will retire at the end of March, 2022, and Clive at the end of July, 2022 - although Clive will be half-time from May.
 
This significant staff change led to the YBA Trustees reviewing the make-up of the team as they looked to the future. The focus was primarily on determining YBA priorities and then reviewing how a staff team could help realise these. After much prayer and discussion, 6 priorities were determined that will provide a clear focus for the YBA over the next 5 years – as follows:  

• Prioritise planting – revitalising – reimagining
• Leadership development (Continuing Ministerial Development)        
• Develop a pipeline of (younger) missional leaders
• Create new pathways into missional ministry     
• Promote justice and encourage diversity          
• Support digital development   

News was then shared of the new team make-up that will help realise these priorities, consisting of:

• 2.5 Regional Ministers;
• A Regional Minister for Pioneering and Church Planting;
• A part-time Trust lead;
• A part-time discipleship lead;
• A new part-time digital lead;
• A new part-time younger generation lead;
• A new part-time Children Youth and Families lead;
• Additional admin support. 

So a number of new part-time specialist posts have been created to help our family of churches think through how we grow the church younger.
 
YBA Treasurer Dean Thorpe provided a financial update, referring to the significant investment being made into the new posts. Over the next 10 years more than £2 million of YBA reserves will be released - into the staff team to serve the Association’s churches and through increasing grants for planting and pioneering.
 
Mary outlined a new pilot listening service to support churches who experience conflict and struggle to manage difference. The Association will work alongside the Blackley Centre to train a team of listeners to be the first point of contact for churches going through challenging times.
 
A highlight of the evening was hearing from Alex Harris, who shared his story and vision for renewed pioneering and planting within the Association.
Alex becomes Regional Minister for Pioneering and Church Planting on November 1st and his first priority is to connect with and listen to what God is already doing among our churches.
 
The breakout groups provided helpful feedback and questions for our Trustees and staff team. Topics included added emphasis in the area of justice and diversity and a challenge to invest more of the Association’s resources into missional ministry.
 
Regional Minister/Team Leader the Revd Graham Ensor adds: “Of course this overview only captures key points from the presentations and discussions but is intended to update everybody on key decisions that will shape our direction of travel over the next few years as a network of churches.
“Let’s continue to pray together as a family of churches, that we will experience renewal and an increasing realisation of the kingdom of God among us.”