Weymouth Baptist Church

WBC has a membership of about 130 plus other attenders. We believe we are to be building relationships with Jesus and others. Fulfilling our role as a priesthood of believers where everyone has unique gifts and opportunities to serve God and extend his kingdom. We have had a vibrant youth and children's ministry for quite a number of years (employing a full time youth minister). We are passionate about reaching children and young people for Christ and training them to be disciples and missionaries. We have various ministries both in the church and in the community and seek to continue listening to God for his leading into new areas.

In terms of youth and children we have a vision for a funnel where young people are firstly reached and drawn in through Friday Kids Club and Sanctuary Youth Club leading to further teaching and discipleship opportunities with Youth Cell and Sunday Groups as well as one to one or small group mentoring.  We have been involved with the development and training of young people for youth ministry both from among our own youth and through international placements from Pais, and have seen a number go forward to full time and volunteer ministry. A trainee would work alongside our youth minister and be part of our staff team as well as being able to develop their own projects (as appropriate). We have links with several schools and currently spend a day/week working with teenage individuals at a local secondary school. We have worked closely with other churches for town wide opportunities. We have 10 non-church families connected with our Girls Brigade and 20 with our Kids club and another 30 with our Toddler group. All offering plenty of opportunity for relational ministry.

Weymouth is a seaside town of around 45,000 with pockets of prosperity but also some of the most deprived areas in Dorset. High teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol use and lower social mobility expectation. Many young people (certainly not all) will leave town to go to college and most don't come back. This creates the need to reach and develop them before they go. Demographically there is a dip between the ages of 18 to 30 (this is reflected within the churches).

Specifically, for youth and children:

Treasures - toddler group - nearly all non-church people

Kid's Club (Primary school age) games and Bible teaching with a meal

Sanctuary Youth Club -teenage social night

Youth Cell - teenage Bible based teaching and discussion with a meal and social events

Sunday Bible based teaching for all ages

Youth Band (leads worship from time to time)

Girls Brigade (uniform group) for girls aged 5 to 16

Annual opportunity to go away (previously has been Soul Survivor)

Mentoring opportunities