As winter approaches and the need for heating our churches arises, many will be worrying about the recent big hike in energy prices.

Well there is some good news with the announcement of an energy bill relief scheme for churches.

This week, the government announced a package of support to help with rising energy bills this winter. Under the Energy Bill Relief Scheme wholesale prices are expected to be fixed for all non-domestic energy customers, including churches.

Energy prices will be capped at £211 per MWh for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas for six months from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023 – the crucial period for heating our churches. Churches do not need to contact their suppliers or apply to the government scheme; the support will automatically be applied to bills.

This is one of the items reported in the October edition of the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership’s newsletter, issued this week.

Later in October – on Sunday 23^rd – one of the most important meetings in the history of the SEP will take place at Christ Church, Stantonbury, at 12.30pm.

The six church newsletter editors and all the attendees of the SEP Council have received a document showing a draft of what future ministry in the partnership could look like. All congregations are asked please look at this and then make your opinions known to your church council. If you can make it, please come along to the SEP Church (all six of them) meeting to discuss the future of our ministry in SEP.

The full SEP newsletter can be seen here.

The induction of four new Central Baptist Association Regional Ministers will take place on Saturday October 1 at 2.30pm at Christ The King Church, Kents Hill.

The Rev Andrew Openshaw of Homelands Baptist Church, Frinton-On-Sea will be a full-time Operations Manager/ Regional Minister and the Rev Nathan Toseland of Long Buckby Baptist Church takes the role of a full time Regional Minister serving the churches of Central Baptist Association.

Andrew, pictured left, will start in January 2023, and Nathan in December 2022, when they will join with team leader Rev Lisa Kerry, and Regional Minister Mary Moody to complete the new team.

Lisa commented:” We are so thrilled and excited to welcome Nathan and Andrew to the team. Along with Mary and myself we cover a range of personalities, gifts and experience which I know will be a real blessing to the CBA.

“God has been so good to us and we look forward to all that he will do in us and through us in the CBA, as we walk together in ministry and mission “