Emmanuel Baptist Church, Thamesmead Building a People who Love and Serve God and our Community Church Profile May 2017 Emmanuel Baptist Church, Thamesmead Foundation House St Katherine s Road, South Thamesmead, DA18 4DS Email: emmanuel_church_da18@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 020 8311 3976 www.emmanuelbaptistchurchthamesmead.co.uk 1
Information About The Area Thamesmead straddles the borders of two London boroughs: Bexley and Royal Greenwich. It is composed of mainly 1960 s social housing with several high rise tower blocks built in concrete on former marshland on the south bank of the Thames. EBCT is located in the Thamesmead East ward of Bexley borough which shares more characteristics with many inner London areas than with other Bexley wards. Thamesmead East has a population of 12,000 and is the only Bexley ward where the non-white population makes up the majority population with most of these being Black/Black British. 38.1% of the population are non-uk born, with most of these born in Nigeria and Ghana. 13.8% of the population do not have English as their main language. 59.7% of the population are in employment. Thamesmead East residents report better health and fewer long-term illnesses than the rest of Bexley, possibly reflecting the younger age profile of the ward (0-19 yrs old 33%, 20-64 years old 60%) The average household size is 2.65, higher than the Bexley average, even though the number of single adult households is high (41%) and 1 in 5 households have lone parents with dependent children. Most housing is social or private renting in mainly terraced housing or flats. Thamesmead East has the lowest number of pensioner homes. Economic activity levels are well below Bexley average and resident occupations are dominated by low-skilled occupations despite Thamesmead East having the highest proportion of people within Bexley educated to degree level. Thamesmead East residents have the lowest rates of car ownership and are therefore heavily dependent on public transport. Within Bexley, Thamesmead East hosts the greatest proportion of people identifying themselves as Christian (65%) and Muslim (6%) and the fewest claiming no religion (20%). 2
General Information About The Church History Emmanuel Baptist Church Thamemead was formed in January 1972, with members from a closed church in Upper Abbey Road and a few gathered by a former London City Mission evangelist, Rev David Manktelow. David was one of the first 20 residents in the town and laid the early foundations. Financial and planning responsibiity was taken by people from the churches in south-east London and North Kent, strongly supported by the London Baptist Association. Approximately 600 people attended the opening of the premises in January 1973. David left the church in the hands of the Thamesmead Action Committee and moved away from the area in August 1973. Pastor Victor Lambert, leading a church in Harlesden, preached and led worship a few times from Christmas 1973 onwards. In 1976 he accepted a call to the pastorate, moving into the church flat with his wife Lona in October 1976. The congregation grew in numbers and skills and a nearby manse was purchased as neighbouring churches continued financial and advisory support. The church cleared all original debts and grew to a regular Sunday morning congregation of over 100 people from a wide variety of Christian and international cultures. The London City Mission gave much valuable pioneering support to the leadership until 1991. The church remains in fellowship with the Evanglical Alliance and the London Baptist Association. After 40 years of ministry Victor Lambert retired in December 2016 and EBCT is seeking to appoint a new minister who will lead them into what God has planned for them next. The Church As It Is Now Membership and Congregation Over the years Emmanuel Baptist Church, Thamesmead (EBCT) has witnessed a steady growth and about 280 people regularly attend our Sunday services. There are 129 full members and an additional 70-80 regular attenders. We currently have 43 young people (11-18 years old), 40 children (3-10 year olds) and 10 toddlers. 3
Membership of the church reflects the ethnic diversity that characterises the surrounding community. Therefore, the congregation is made up of people from 16 countries, predominantly Nigerians, Ghanaians and Jamaicans. There is a strong bond between the members as many of them have been in the church for 10-20 years and some for 30 years or more. Marital Status of Members: Married Couples 30% Singles 20% Divorced 25% Students/Dependants 25% Employment Status of Members: In full-time employment 65% Self-employed 2% Retired 5% Students 25% Unemployed 3% Member Proximity to EBCT: 0-1 mile 46% 1-2 miles 38% 2-5 miles 10% Over 5 miles 6% Theological Stance Emmanuel Baptist Church, Thamesmead (EBCT) is an evangelical charismatic church with a strong pentecostal flavour. The Bible is important in worship and prayer gatherings and there is a hunger for Bible study. Our members have high Bible knowledge and recall. Although EBCT is probably the largest church in the area and is formally part of Churches Together In Thamesmead and Abbey Wood the level of ecumenical support is limited to the occasional joint service at Christmas and Easter which are generally poorly attended. EBCT has been represented by the minister at the Greenwich Church Leaders forum. It hires out its premises to Revive Church, a pentecostal church, which meets on Sunday afternoons and the two churches have occasional joint events and services. EBCT welcomes the movements and manifestations of the Holy Spirit during worship services and prayer gatherings. EBCT has a concern for the poor and has a financially generous attitude towards them. EBCT supports national and international evangelistic organisations such as Evangelical Action- Brazil, The CRIBS Trust and London City Church. Two of our members are Greenwich Street Pastors. 4
Worship Style Our worship services do not have a formal liturgical structure. We use a blend of contemporary/charismatic worship songs (eg Hillsongs/ Matt Redman), gospel choruses and traditional hymns, most of which can be found in Songs of Fellowship books 1-5. The audio-visual team project song lyrics onto screens using the Songpro programme. Our worship services sometimes include opportunities for open prayer, speaking in tongues and waiting on the Lord for prophetic words and encouragements. Occasionally corporate prayer will be led within the service. Our sung worship is usually led by a member of the worship group (currently a rota of 5). Occasionally the youth team, a pastor or visiting worship leader will lead the worship service. It is rare for the preacher to also lead the service. Currently, a lay pastor takes responsibility, on a weekly rota basis, for welcoming, opening and closing the services and giving oversight to the services. Prayer ministry from lay pastors is available on request after services and is a regular feature of our twice monthly communion services. Children (in primary school) usually leave part way through the worship service for their own activities except during monthly family services. The young people (in secondary school) remain in the services. The worship group meets Thursday evenings to practice (8.30-10pm) and consists of 10 regular members; 5 musicians and 5 singers. Most weeks, our only keyboard player and most experienced drummer will play, accompanied by a guitar and viola. Church members sometimes form a temporary choir for Christmas/Easter performances. Church Activities Sunday mornings: 9-10am: Prayer Gathering attended by 20 adults 10-11am: Bible School led by a team of lay pastors and teachers where Bible books are systematically studied through the year attended by 50-60 adults. There are young adult and children Bible study groups and a youth group which meet at the same time. 11-1pm: Worship Service (see above) Cell groups: Meet midweek fortnightly and provide opportunities for church members to meet in smaller groups in more informal settings for Bible study and fellowship and to give pastoral support to each other. Ladies Fellowship: Meets midweek fortnightly on church premises for prayer and Bible study. Men s Fellowship: Meets weekly on Saturday mornings (8:30am) on church premises for prayer and Bible study. Prayer Gathering: Takes place on Friday evenings (8pm) and is open to all. There is a regular attendance of 20 adults. 5
Vessels of Destiny : A group for single people which meets monthly on a Saturday on church premises for fellowship and fun. Other Activities: The church organises other occasional social gatherings such as BBQs. There are regular family film nights. Weekend conferences for men/women/couples are run annually. There are monthly evening services of healing led by a visiting healing evangelist. A couple from the church run cet-c marriage support groups. Evangelism Typically the church engages in evangelism through a team of people who meet most Saturday mornings to either pray or to do outreach around the town, going out in pairs and approaching people to minister and lead those who need salvation to Christ, to pray, to hand out tracts and invite people to attend church events organised by the Church. Community Engagement there are a number of community projects which operate out of EBCT:- Foodbank: EBCT is a Trussell Trust Greenwich Foodbank distribution centre which operates on Tuesday mornings. Young Foundations: is an Ofsted-regulated pre-school run by members of the church using some of the church auditorium and office space five mornings a week during term time. CAP: operates from EBCT by appointment with about 5 CAP trainers who are church members. Bexley Council Children s Services: EBCT has good links with Bexley children s services and 2 church members run, as an outreach, Stay and Play, a term-time parent and toddler group funded by Bexley SureStart, who also rent 6
the building for Baby Massage another termly parent/child activity. Family Learning use the premises for parenting skills and other training for 6-week blocks about 3 times per year. Peabody Housing Association: EBCT has good links with this housing association and hosts quarterly meetings for Thamesmead Neighbourhood Group meetings. Police Panel Meeting: EBCT hosts these quarterly meetings and some church members are actively involved in these. Prison Fellowship: This is a monthly community prayer gathering run by a church member for the local prison. Other Churches: Rooms in the premises are rented out to three other churches during the week. Willowbank School: This local primary school uses the church for Christmas carol services. Comfort Kitchen: A free breakfast is offered from the church on the last Saturday of the month. Health Drop-in: A member who is involved in the health sector arranges occasional community health drop-in sessions. Youth and Children s Work Currently the children s activities take place on Sunday mornings with an Bible school from 10-11am, led by a team of 3 church members, in which the children are systematically making their way, week by week, through the Lion s Children s Bible in 365 Stories. Midway through the morning worship service the children leave to go to their own activities and teaching sessions, led by a different team of 10 church members in Kings Tot s (for Foundation stage children) and Kings Kids (for KS1&2 children) which use Scripture Union materials. EBCT employs a part time youth worker who organises and leads, with a team of 3 other church members the youth activities. The youth (11-18) have their own activities and teaching on a Sunday morning from 10-11am. They also meet socially and for informal discussions on a Friday evening and a youth social is arranged by the youth worker each month. The youth lead Sunday morning services approximately once a quarter and are beginning to form links with another LEP church in Thamesmead for joint youth worship events. 7
The church has a safeguarding policy, a safeguarding officer and deputy safeguarding officer who ensure the policy is implemented, with the help of a designated deacon responsible for safeguarding. Leadership and Staffing The church has a team of 9 deacons including the Secretary and Treasurer. There is also a team of an additional 11 lay pastors who have oversight of some of the church ministries and help to provide pastoral support. The church employs 5 staff:- Administrator part time Youth Worker/Caretaker part time Cleaner part time Caretaker/Handyman part time Interim Minister part time for the duration of the interregnum Finances and Building The church finances are healthy with 11% budgeted for supporting national and international mission, evangelism and humanitarian relief. The church has current repayable loans totalling 115,000 which were taken out to complete building works. The premises consists of two floors with an auditorium that comfortably seats 350, another 4 smaller meeting rooms, 4 office spaces and kitchen and toilet facilities on both floors. There is a lift between floors. A quinquennial survey has been recently done and works being undertaken to ensure the building and facilities are kept to standard. Areas where the Church is Strong EBCT has a stable congregation with many of the members having been attending for many years. Consequently the sense of loving and caring fellowship and friendship that exists between members is strong and just under a third of them consider this to be the best thing about EBCT. There is a good biblical knowledge in the congregation and a strong desire to grow in this knowledge, with just over a third of the congregation stating that the teaching received is the best thing about EBCT. EBCT enjoys good relationships with the local community and would like to see these maintained. The church has a strong sense of generosity both financially and in the way its buildings are used. Areas where the Church is Weak EBCT needs to work at creating more opportunities for people to grow and develop in the gifts that they have so they can reach the full potential God has for them. Although EBCT is an inclusive church where there is a warm welcome to people from all ethnic and denominational backgrounds there is work to be done in recognising the needs of different age groups and integrating them more constructively in to the life of the church. EBCT would benefit from identifying ways of actively fulfilling its vision of Building a People who Love and Serve God and our Community which was adopted about 6 years ago. Pastoral care is given but not in a systematic way and thus it relies on the attentiveness of a few individuals. 8
What does the Church need in its next Minister? EBCT is looking for a minister who can, with the deacons, give clear leadership to the church into the next phase of God s purposes for EBCT and:- Has experience of life and of leading a large multicultural church. Is comfortable with manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit Is able to maintain and develop community links Can identify and encourage the development of potential and gifts in others Will be able to improve the pastoral care system Can develop the cell group structure Practical Matters EBCT has good office space which a minister can make use of for study or pastoral and small group meetings. The church owns a three-bedroomed townhouse manse with a garden less than five minutes walk away from the church. This is currently being rented out on a six monthly contract. EBCT is within easy distance of many amenities including: several supermarkets, The Link Community Centre, a leisure centre and swimming pool, restaurants and eating places, and two recreational parks. The ruins of Lesnes Abbey are nearby. Abbey Wood Crossrail station is due to be completed in 2018 and will make access to central London easier. There are good bus services in Thamesmead. There are five primary schools in the immediate area of which 3 were rated good by Ofsted. Two of the nearest secondary schools are mixed nonselective schools within Bexley which operates the 11+ system. Another two secondary schools are within Greenwich, one a boy s school and one a mixed Catholic school. 9