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Local, National and International PartnersDenmead Baptist Church is committed to seeing its values and purposes fulfilled in many different places - and gives at least 10% of its income to support many partners - some of whom you will find details about here. We believe a church is judged on its sending/giving capacity - not its seating capacity!
Local Partners Churches Together in Denmead is a collaborative initiative between Denmead Baptist Church, All Saints Church of England and Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Together we run activities for young people, adults and older persons - as well as joining for worship throughout the year. Our partnership is confirmed through a local 'Covenant'. THE DENMEAD COVENANT Congregation, part of the Sacred Heart Waterlooville, and All Saints' Church Denmead covenant with one another as follows:- This covenant we deem to be binding on us, to be confirmed annually. scriptures, and acknowledge our calling to serve His mission in the World. We give thanks for what we have in common, yet recognise that we are not perfectly united. We therefore pledge ourselves to seek that unity which Christ desires for His church, believing that through His Spirit He will guide us into His truth. to undertake activities as we are guided, and enabled by the Holy Spirit. progress under review, and to support ecumenical activities in the area as appropriate.
Denmead Baptist Church is an active participant in a local 'cluster' of Baptist churches, meeting with those from Emsworth, Hayling Island, Horndean, Leigh Park, Warren Park and Waterlooville. Denmead Baptist Church is a partner church within the Southern Counties Baptist Association (SCBA). The SCBA provides resources and support to Baptist churches, administers certain grants and helps provide opportunities for ministers and churches to network together.
National Partners Denmead Baptist Church is a member of the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB), with its headquarters at Didcot, Oxfordshire. The BUGB provides a national resource through supporting churches with advice, accrediting ministers, evangelists and youth ministers, and offering financial assistance to a number of churches. Organised in departments they provide resources for mission, ministry, communication, finance and administration. Alongside these departments the Baptist Union Corporation covers legal and financial advice to churches and ministers. Didcot is also the home of the Baptist Times, an award-winning weekly newspaper covering the work of Baptist churches and Christian work generally.
Spurgeon's Childcare is a specialist Christian agency working with children and their at Christmas and through prayer. We were delighted in January 2005 when Daniel Cheeseman from The Base Project in Crawley, a Spurgeon's Childcare supported project, was able to come and tell us something about the work of Spurgeon's Childcare and his work at The Base Project.
International Partners Denmead Baptist Church also directly supports the work of international partners. Didcot, Oxfordshire is also the headquarters of BMS World Mission (formerly the Baptist Missionary Society). The BMS trains and sends women and men into the overseas mission field, and increasingly seeks to support overseas partners as they share the Gospel, plant churches, and alleviate human suffering. We regularly pray for Pat Woolhouse, a BMS supported worker, as she works in education in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Operation Agri arose from the Baptist Men's Movement and is a Christian development and relief agency whom we regularly support through their Harvest Appeal and through prayer.
Geoff and Heather lived in Denmead before the Lord called them to serve overseas in South-East Asia. We seek to support Geoff and Heather in their work through regular prayer, financial support and on their home visits.
Their work involves sharing the love of Jesus to the slum communities surrounding the bustling city. They work with families and orphaned children, providing education, food, clothing, and holiday activities. They have also been actively involved in the relief effort following the 2004 Tsunami. We were delighted in August 2005 to have them visit Denmead for a week. During their visit they shared a great deal about their work, got to know our local area and met with a good number of our congregation, members and friends. They also enjoyed our hospitality - here sampling an English Cream Tea in the Manse garden! Denmead Baptist Church were pleased to send them back to India with about £12,000 to aid their work in the tsunami-affected area of Tamil Nadu. We look forward to developing our partnership with them in the months and years that are ahead.
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