Council consists of 200 members who are mostly drawn from churches, Associations, colleges and co-opted delegates.

They have been receiving their papers this week for the forthcoming meeting, which is another crucial one in determining the future shape of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. Council will look at a series of proposals and reports which have arisen out of the year-long Futures process.

The specially-arranged June Council meeting affirmed the general direction of developing plans for BUGB, focused on the underlying vision 'Growing healthy churches to participate in the mission of God'. These included the formation of Association partnerships, changes to how Home Mission grants are allocated and a re-organisation of the national resource in Didcot.

Over the summer seven task groups were set up to report more specifically on a number of areas. These were: leadership and governance; diversity and inclusion; specialist teams; general secretariat; networking; mission and stopping the decline of the church; and culture.

All bar the latter will be brought to this Council. Work in this area is progressing well,but how the new culture is embedded needs time for Council to engage with this in depth. Given the other agenda items, the culture report will now come to March Council 2013.

Council members will also be asked to consider the reports from the task groups. The leadership and governance report makes a number of recommendations that Council will be asked to approve or adopt on new structures and how these will be held accountable to each other; and where and how the denomination discerns the mind of Christ together.

The areas it includes are the composition of the new leadership team, suggestions for a reformed Council itself, and guidelines to encourage the required diversity.

One of the reports relates to the specialist teams at the National Resource in Didcot, following the June recommendation to close five departments and create three new teams . The report – from the Specialist Teams Task Group – identifies and suggests the range of tasks to be carried out by the new teams.

Staff in Didcot were informed of the proposals on Friday, being told that, if approved, there will be a reduction in 14 full-time equivalent positions from 46 (this includes five fulltime equivalent roles which are currently vacant).

Council will also consider the 2013 budget and hear reports on the future of the Baptist Assembly. Representatives of the European Baptist Federation, BMS World Mission and the Baptist Younger Leaders Forum also have slots to share news.

The summer and autumn also saw the beginning of a season of prayer for the Union.

Thousands participated in a Day of Prayer for BUGB on September 9; since September 21 an Association team leader has been posting specific prayers, prayer points and reflections each Friday.

It is hoped that this environment of prayer will continue into the November Council, with churches asked to pray before and during the meeting. 'This will be an important Council to hold in prayer as we seek the mind of Christ together,' a statement on the BUGB website said.

'As we share, listen and discuss both reports from a range of committees and also the future of BUGB, please pray that we will know the presence of the Holy Spirit with us.'