Home Mission provides

... funding for the thirteen associations. Each association has a team of regional ministers and other staff who support the local church pastorally, advise on mission and practical matters and organise a variety of useful training events.

... funding for the national resource centre at Baptist House in Didcot, Oxfordshire. Every member church benefits from advice and help on mission, ministry and communications matters, on legal and financial issues and a variety of useful publications for Baptist churches and colleges. Many staff come from either professional (e.g. accountancy, finance, HR, legal, communications, secretarial, social work) or ministerial backgrounds and are all here to serve the Baptist family. The old slogan - `Every church is a Home Mission church!’ is very true!

... grants to churches and other organisations. This year around £1.9m will be given to churches and other organisations (mainly churches) to help them in their mission. Most grants are given to fund the cost of ministry but some are given to help start a variety of mission projects.

Supporting Home Mission

With costs increasing there is a need to look for savings elsewhere in the budget and an apparently easy target is giving to others.  However, most of the cost increases impact right across the Baptist family and they are a particular challenge in those churches receiving Home Mission Grants.  The national grants budget was overspent in 2010 (which in one sense was encouraging!) but it means there is very limited scope for grants to be increased to help some of our smaller/less fortunate churches with rising costs. 

Every church can help by moving their giving towards the target of a minimum of 5% of general fund income being designated for this cause.  

Our giving to Home Missiion across the Association this year is currently a bit more than in 2010, for which we are very grateful. Please consider Home Mission to be a priority in your church budget and aim for your giving this year and next to be at least as high as in 2009 or 2010 (whichever was higher)!

Thank you to those churches already giving at or above 5% of income to Home Mission.

Please make sure your church is playing its part in the Baptist family and also find out how you can contribute as an individual. Cheques should be made out to 'HEBA': please write 'Home Mission' on the back.  Contact the HEBA Office for more details, including a Standing Order form.