Urban Expression Annual Report 2005

The following are the main developments over the past 12 months:

1. Our church planting work in East London has continued to develop. Although we have not recruited any further church planting teams (we hope to do so in 2006), two of our existing teams have reached the stage where we have recognised that churches are now in existence and their relationship with Urban Expression should change. We have, therefore, encouraged remaining team members to become Associates. In effect this means that 7 teams have become 5 teams and 2 new churches. Recognising and marking this transition is important, reaffirming our calling to be a mission agency and releasing the newly planted churches to develop without our oversight (although strong friendship links will continue).

2. Urban Expression Associates held a second annual gathering in November 2004 at the International Mission Centre in Selly Oak. 44 adults and 20 children participated in this event, representing most of the East London teams and initiatives in other parts of the country. The Associates’ network has grown during the past year and there are now over 60 Associates in different parts of Britain and beyond.

3. Urban Expression (Glasgow) has not developed as quickly as we had hoped but we anticipate that two teams will be launched in the east of the city by Easter 2006. The steering group continues to guide this development, liaising with existing churches and organisations and recruiting team members.

4. Urban Expression (Manchester) is also taking shape, with a team of 6 now in place and planning to start work early in 2006 on an estate in the east of the city. A steering group for this initiative will shortly be formed.

5. A major initiative this year has been the development of a year-long urban church planting training programme, called Crucible (see further www.cruciblecourse.net), building on our experience in the past two years of running short courses on the same subject. This operates over three weekends in Birmingham, supplemented by open learning material (validated by Spurgeon’s College) and placements.

6. In order to facilitate the diversification of Urban Expression into other regions and forms of ministry, we have changed the structure of the organisation. A new board of trustees oversees the whole work of Urban Expression but devolves responsibility for work in particular cities to regional steering groups. This new structure (in place since September) is already proving helpful.

7. Juliet Kilpin has continued effectively to promote the work of Urban Expression and to recruit new team members. She now has administrative support from Lisa Young. Juliet has also this year taken up a part-time appointment as a mission adviser for the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

8. 2005 has been a year of significance progress and diversification, but also a period in which we have reaffirmed our primary commitment as planting churches, whatever ancillary activities and structures we develop to assist in this core task.

9. A particular challenge we face as we look to the future is to find sufficient funding to continue our work. Many Trusts look more favourably on new initiatives than on requests for ongoing funding, in the hope that initiatives will at some stage become self-supporting. By the nature of our work, Urban Expression will never make this transition, so we will need to depend on financial support from committed individuals and from Trusts that appreciate the need for continuing funding.