New Team Leader for Eastern Baptist Association 

The Revd Beth Powney, currently the minister of Sandy Baptist Church in Bedfordshire and a former occupational therapist, will take up her appointment on 1 September 2017

She will succeed the Revd Richard Lewis, who is retiring in the summer, and will work alongside the current Regional Ministers, the Revds Simon Goddard and Nick Lear.
 
The EBA shared the news to its churches in December.
 
‘This is an exciting and important time in the life of the Association,’ said Linda Turner, moderator of the Association. ‘Beth’s skills complement those of the other regional ministers and together they will lead the Association into the new missional phase of its life.’
 
There was 'a real sense of God working in and through our conversations’ at the end of the day of interviews, added a member of the nominating panel.
 
‘As we went round the group for the final time, God had spoken through his people, and there was an overwhelming sense of God directing in the nomination, and subsequent appointment, of Beth as the EBA Regional Minister Team Leader.
 
‘I am truly excited by what I have heard and seen, and believe wholeheartedly that Beth will bring the best out of Simon and Nick and together they will form a very strong Regional team, continuing on the excellent work of previous Regional Ministers.
 
‘Thank you for your prayers for us – God heard and answered.’
 
Beth is no stranger to the Association. She moved to Essex with husband Stephen in 1980, where she worked as an occupational therapist for the NHS. The couple became members of Billericay Baptist Church as their family grew.
 
In 2001 she was called by God into full time Christian ministry, accepting the role of Gap Year Co-ordinator with Viz-A-Viz ministries. 
‘I had a delightful and exciting seven years with them as I worked both with the young people on their Gap year and more widely with the leadership of the charity,’ she said.
 
In 2008 God led Beth into pastoral ministry, and she started training with Spurgeon’s College to become an ordained minister. It was at this time that the family moved from Billericay to Sandy Baptist Church. 
 
‘In local church ministry in Sandy I have loved working with our community, with the other churches across this rural area, as well as forming relationships with many people who are seeking to grow in the their knowledge of Jesus,' Beth said. 
 
‘God has been good to us here, but the time is right to move on and see what new challenges lie ahead. 

'I look forward to what the future may hold as we work together to further God’s kingdom across the diverse region of the EBA.’