WEYMOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2022
At the end of 2021 we said ‘2022 will be a year of challenge and change’. Whilst we were aware that our Minister in Training was going to move to a new role, we had not foreseen our Senior Minister and our Church Administrator both resigning in the Summer of 2022, nor the resignation of our Youth Pastor in the Autumn.
We were advised by the Baptist Union that recruiting a new Senior Minister would take time, and should not be rushed. During the Minister vacancy, we have invited an Interim Moderator to help us through the recruitment process, and to support us during that time. We felt blessed that our Interim Moderator is an extremely experienced Minister who has known Weymouth Baptist Church for over 20 years. We were also able to offer a short-term, part-time role to a member of our congregation (a qualified minister), to coordinate pastoral support to the church. A further blessing was that our Minister in Training, whilst taking on a new role outside our church, was able to free 10 hours per week to help with our youth and children’s work until we can recruit a new Youth Pastor.
We encouraged members of our own congregation to preach at our Sunday services during the interregnum and have also invited several outside speakers to preach at our church.
It was an unusual year for the youth and children’s ministries at our church, post-pandemic. For the 5-11’s, there was a drop in numbers since the pandemic, with some families not attending church consistently. However, our youth clubs have experienced a steady growth in numbers, and some of our youth went on a camping trip together. Our Girls Brigade began 2022 with staffing problems but were pleased to end the year with six adult volunteers. This meant they were able to support their 15 regular girls well, some who have their own special challenges, and need additional support. ‘Treasures’ is a weekly preschool activity club which continued to attract over 20 families, many who are completely new to the church.
Many of our ministries continued to be ‘volunteer hungry’ in terms of numbers of leaders and volunteers required to enable them, not just to happen, but to grow.
Our over 50’s group celebrated 25 years in November and continues to grow in number. Their programme of events is varied, from monthly walks to trips away together.
Regarding other ministries associated with the church, the Foodbank continued to operate from the building twice weekly. The Lord continues to bless this work abundantly, with both donations of food and finance. Two not-for-profit community shops and a public café continued to thrive, providing cheap, good quality, nutritious food for those on limited disposable income. Both ministries work closely and regularly supported the local Christians Against Poverty (CAP) group in Weymouth.
On a practical level, the annual income increased by £5,300 from the previous year, which was better than expected, partly due to reduced staffing costs. This meant we were almost able to absorb the major expense of further (essential) fire security work.
2023 will yet again be a year of challenge and change, as we seek to recruit our new Senior Minister and Youth Pastor. We look forward with hope and faith, trusting and waiting on God.
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