'Enabling churches to house the homeless' 

Hope Into Action, a charity helping churches fight homelessness, is inviting Baptists to its annual conference

Hope Into Action works by combining the resources of a local church with technical expertise to give vulnerable people a home. It was set up by Ed Walker of Bretton Baptist Church, Peterborough, and is currently in partnership with more than 10 Baptist churches (and 60 in total). Each church runs a home for the homeless or refugees in partnership with the charity, the winner in the housing category at the 2017 Guardian Public Service Awards. 

Each year it hosts a conference for those interested in its innovative model, and this year's 'promises to be the best yet,' says Ed.

'The aim of the conference is to inspire and equip churches to house refugees and people who are homeless with a theme of ‘loving across boundaries.’

'The range of seminars covers everything a church needs to know in this field: investing, refurbishing, working with vulnerable women, working with those in recovery, working with those in refuge, working with mental health issues, working with trafficked victims, ministering in the holy spirit to name a few.

'Hope into Action's catch phrase is ‘professional excellence with spiritual passion’, and the programme certainly gives a sense of being committed to that. Excellence is honouring to God, yet at the same time we are trusting in the Holy Spirit.'
 
Ed is among the speakers, and will focus on the latent power of churches (financial, social and spiritual). Joel Edwards and Mike Royale will be sharing from their on the ground and leadership experiences.
 
'If you have noticed the rise in homelessness on the streets, read the increasing number of articles and want to do something about it, then this is the conference for you,' Ed said. 

The annual conference takes place on 22 March at Kingsgate Community Church in Peterborough (9.30-15.30).