OurMission

Downs Baptist Church seeks to support projects both at home and overseas through prayer, financial giving and offering practical help. One tenth of our offerings are used to support mission projects. The main areas of support abroad are Kenya and the work of the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS World Mission).

Support is given to other churches in this country through such organisations as the Home Mission Fund and locally through the Brighton & Hove City Mission. We also support Off the Fence, a local Christian charity offering spiritual, practical and emotional support to the homeless; women experiencing periods of crisis, abuse, isolation and mental health issues and a Schools and Youth Team offering a quality resource to schools. Another local project dear to our hearts is Living Hope Ministries,  the work of Richard and Elaine Brunton.  This ministry’s aim is to build the church through equipping and supporting pastors and leaders, both in the UK and overseas.

Kenya

We are privileged to have a close link with Pastor Daniel Gitau and his wife Fennih in the village of Dundori near to Nakuru in Kenya. There they care for four congregations, a school and a clinic. Daniel also has administrative responsibility for six other churches in the area.

The faith and work of this group of people has been a source of inspiration to DBC over the past 25 years as we have seen how diligently and sacrificially they have used limited resources to benefit the community they serve.

The Medical Centre at Dundori in the Rift Valley region of Kenya near Nakuru started from modest beginnings as a health clinic, but has now grown into a medical centre with overnight accommodation and male and female wards.

Living Hope

This ministry is the work of Richard and Elaine Brunton. The work began in response to the call of God following a trip to Africa in 1994. As a result, they began this ministry to build the church through equipping and supporting pastors and leaders, both in the UK and overseas.

Richard recently spoke about the future of Living Hope in which he saw the media ministry playing a significant part.  As well as the radio programmes which are listened to worldwide, weekly tv programmes are being produced to be shown in Africa, India and the Philippines.  Podcasts can now be downloaded from the Living Hope website and there is a YouTube channel and substantial literature.

BMS Birthday Scheme

Want to make a difference and support world mission? Here are details of an exciting opportunity  – DBC’s very own Baptist Missionary Society Birthday Scheme.  The Birthday Scheme supports BMS medical work and health ministries amongst some of the poorest and most marginalised people around the world.  These vulnerable peoples would have no access to medical treatment if it were not for BMS-supported medical projects. Every year, Birthday Scheme members donate over £300,000 and these gifts are having a huge impact, saving and transforming lives in countries across the world.

How does it work?  Well, all you have to do is complete a simple form and return it to the Birthday Scheme Secretary.  You will then receive a lovely birthday card and a Birthday Scheme gift envelope on your birthday.  You put your donation to BMS  in the envelope, fill in the back and return it by placing it in the offering bag at church on Sunday morning.  You can also make your gift online by visiting

https://www.bmsworldmission.org/get-involved/fundraising/birthday-scheme/

If you are a UK taxpayer you can increase the value of your gift by 25% by completing a Gift Aid declaration.

By giving a gift to the BMS Birthday Scheme every year on your birthday, you’re doing something amazing, you’re sharing the gift of life!

For more information or if you would like to join, have a chat to Maria Nwanwene our scheme secretary. 

The DBC scheme raised £210 in 2022 and we were able to claim an additional £57.50 under the Gift Aid Scheme increasing the total raised to £267.50.