'Home Mission' is the resource that keeps the national Baptist family functioning. It is the responsibility of all Baptist Churches to contribute to this. Click here to find out more about what happens to the money given to Home Mission. For a wider perspective, including the answer to the question "What has Home Mission every done for us?" visit the Home Mission section on the BUGB website.

Last year (2006) we raised £215,250 in the East Midlands which was 3.6% decrease on the previous year and meant that we missed our target of £225,000. This is rather disappointing, However as our 2005 figures did include a legacy of £5000 and an additional one-off gift of £7000 from one of our churches, this does mean that in 'real terms' giving from local churches was up by 2% on the previous year.

This year (2007) our target remains at £225,000. All churches should be aiming to contribute at least £30 per member to Home Mission this year.

At the end of November the total sum given to Home Mission by Churches in the East Midlands equalled £184,257. Needless to say as we are heading towards the end of the year, we are falling a long way short of meet our target for this year!

The work of the Associations - Twenty-five per cent of the money given by EMBA churches is returned to the Association to help support its work amongst the churches. In addition, we receive a further fixed sum to cover the cost of one of our Regional Ministers. Home Mission money is the main source of income and enables the Associations to employ staff to work with the churches. For details of EMBA Staff click here

>> The work of the National Resource based in Didcot - providing advice, support and resources on a wide variety of subjects. These include: advice and encouragement for work amongst young people and help with involvement in social action issues; the publication of books, manuals and helpful leaflets; support for training and in-service training of ministers; help in dealing with media related issues; and advice on a wide range of legal and financial matters. All of this is available to all churches in membership of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. For more details of what is available visit the BUGB Website.

Every church that belongs to the Baptist Union or one of the Associations is supported by Home Mission - we all benefit so we should all contribute to the family purse.

Each year around 400 grants are made nationwide. Of these over 300 are for churches, some of which will be calling their first minister to a newly-planted fellowship. In addition, support is given to chaplains working in the areas of education and industry, as well as evangelists and missioners. Within the East Midlands we have a number of churches who are benefiting from a Home Mission grant.

In 2006 these are Alvaston (Derby) - Bilborough (Nottingham) - Billesdon - Boston - Bottesford (Notts) - Desford - Earl Shilton - East Leake - Epworth - Fleckney - Greenhill Community Church (Coalville) - Hugglescote - Junction (Derby) - Newthorpe - North Evington (Leicester) - Pinchbeck and Gosberton - Stanground (Peterborough) - Swanwick

Note that some of these churches are not actually receiving the money at the moment as there is no Minister in post.

Other churches are involved in the 'Against the Stream' initiative, where funding is given to projects that have at their heart the alleviation of poverty, or the effects of poverty. Or, they might participate in the 'Green Shoots initiative', where funding is given towards imaginative evangelistic projects. If you would like to know more about 'Against the Stream' or 'Green Shoots' funding then contact us.