Regional minister inductions at the LBA  

A new season in the life of the London Baptist Association (LBA) began on Saturday with the induction of four regional ministers

 


Around 300 people gathered at the Salvation Army Regent Hall in Oxford Street to welcome Winston Bygrave, Carol Bostridge, Hany Abdelmasih and Lee Johnson to their new roles (pictured from left to right, alongside Team Leader Phil Barnard, centre).
 
Lynn Green, General Secretary of our Baptist Union, led the act of induction, and friends and colleagues gathered to pray for the new team. Lynn also preached, taking 1 Peter 5 as her text, and particularly highlighted the need to stand firm.
 
Hany has been pastor of Alliston Alliance Church in Ontario, Canada since 2012, having previously ministered in London at Hammersmith Christian Fellowship and East Hill Baptist Church. He will oversee the Western, Thames Valley and Central Districts when he takes up his new role in January.
 
Carol was the long-standing minister of Crofton Park Baptist Church (2000-2014), and has more recently worked across churches, coordinating foodbanks, street pastors and other projects. She will oversee the South East and South East Thames districts.  
 
Winston taught in secondary schools for more than 20 years, before becoming the minister of West Hendon Baptist Church in 2011. He will oversee the North Western district.
 
Lee has been a church minister for 21 years, most recently as pastor of Stoke Newington Baptist Church. He is also a director of the London Baptist Property Board. He oversees three districts in his new role: Northern, North Eastern and Eastern. He said, ‘As I take up my role as a Regional Minister I am looking forward to supporting the churches, ministers and association in our mission of growing healthy churches across London.’
 
The LBA represents a family of more than 300 churches, and is the largest association in our union.
 
Regional minister team leader Phil Barnard said, ‘These appointments represent the opening of an exciting new chapter of ministry for the LBA and I am looking forward to what Lee, Carol, Winston and Hany will contribute to Baptist life across London and the UK.  

'As we reconnect with our churches, we want to be an Association for the 21st century, equipping and enabling churches to be missional communities across our capital city.'