29/04/2009British Baptist Christians head to Bournemouth this Friday (1 May) to celebrate 400 years of Baptist witness in Europe.This year’s Baptist Assembly, held jointly by BMS World Mission and the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB), will mark the 400th anniversary since the establishment of the world’s first-ever Baptist congregation, founded in Amsterdam in 1609.
Speakers at the Assembly will include humanitarian campaigner Baroness Caroline Cox, bestselling writer Adrian Plass and General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, Neville Callam.
Andy Duncan, who is a member of a Baptist church in Croydon and also Chief Executive of Channel 4, will be coming to speak on ‘God and the media – an unholy alliance’.
The theme of the Assembly is ‘Who do you think we are?’ Rev David Kerrigan, BMS General Director, feels this is an important time for Baptists to question their identity.
“It is not every year we celebrate 400 years of Baptist witness – this will be a special year and a special Assembly.
The theme of Baptist identity is not only about looking back. It is important to explore this as we look to our future as Baptists, both here in the UK and around the world.”
BMS will focus on its work around the world with live link-ups with mission workers, video presentations and, on Sunday, holds a seminar on creation care, linked to new resource
FutureShape? which BMS developed in partnership with BUGB and others.
The Assembly is also working towards the goal of being
carbon-neutral in a couple of years’ time.
To start this journey, in
Bournemouth, there will be a series of measures in place, including an
opportunity for delegates to offset carbon emissions from their
Assembly travel, extensive recycling points and no plastic carrier bags
at the exhibition.
The Assembly takes place at the Bournemouth
International Centre from Friday 1 May to Monday 4 May.
Click here for
more information, plus updates during the event.
And for details of the special event in Amsterdam to mark 400 years of Baptist witness in Europe, click here.
Rev Kingsley Appiagyei, who has founded
the two largest Baptist churches in the Baptist Union of Great Britain,
will become BUGB President for 2009/10 at the event.