'Listening, learning, knowing, hearing and respecting'

Hayley Young shared joys and challenges as she reflected on her year as President and its theme of Building a Bigger Table 

The theme of Building a Bigger Table has provided us all with the opportunity to 'think about putting hospitality at the centre of our mission and life together as a movement,' said outgoing President Hayley Young. 

In addition, it was about 'embracing the unity of Christ in our local context and within our national movement.'

Hayley was speaking during the BUGB session on Saturday afternoon at the Baptist Assembly after having been invited to share some reflections following the 'awesome privilege' of serving Baptists Together as President. 

In this time she had connected with 49 different expressions of churches and missional communities; spent time with some of our NHS Chaplains and with pioneers in different associations 'as they seek to put Jesus at the centre of the communities they live in and serve'. She had attended online and onsite church prayer meetings, had been invited by seven Associations, and shared communion with many across our movement. She had 'loved' seeing how children in our movement have embraced building a bigger table.

As well as being in the conferences and in the buildings, she had also been blessed by getting outside and sharing with churches that gather in forests and those seeking God in the outdoors. 

It had been 'amazing to see how creative churches and missional communities have been with embracing a bigger table,' Hayley continued.

'I have seen so many ministers and pastors move tables to create more space – it’s been wonderful to see.

'Building a Bigger table connected with so many people because you have already been doing it so well in your local contexts for years – it was a joy to join with Pippins Community Café (Axminster) – where all serve and our served; creating a space for people to be community.

'Being with you all in your local context has for me been the highlight of this year; seeing how churches have sought to engage in their communities; wrestling with what creating space for others means for you in your context.

'I have seen how many are serving their local communities through new and traditional forms of church which is creating a depth of traditional church to fresh expressions, bringing people to know Jesus.'

 

General Secretary Lynn Green prays for Hayley Young 
 

Hayley said she had been challenged this year about what tables she was prepared to sit at, and referenced her invitation to the coronation of King Charles. 

Building a Bigger Table was ultimately about 'listening, learning, knowing, hearing and respecting,' she said. 'Some are really up for that, and I have many more stories I could share with you.'

However, it had been 'disappointing' that some have sought to 'put an agenda on that and close spaces to myself and others.'

She said there had been times when she felt 'defeated and disrespected by a few.'

'It can be painful to be on the receiving end of the comments some people make it the name of ‘correct theology’.  However, I have attempted to continue to serve the movement in the places where I have not always been welcomed, and I remain determined that it will not distract me or others from building a bigger table and to keep making space for those who we do not regularly hear from.' 

As she has listened, Hayley reflected back what she had heard across the movement:

• The need to be seen in your context 
• The strain and toil ministry and mission is taking on people 
• The desire to put ministers, chaplains and pioneers wellbeing at the heart of association life
• The hope in a future for the church that is authentic and caring for its communities.

She hopes in this time of listening to each other in our movement was that we 'may truly listen, and not just shout from the sidelines.' 

'My hope,' she continued, 'is that we will continue to create Jesus-focused community: locally, regionally and nationally and online.

'Let me remind you of the words of Bonheoffer: The person who loves their dream community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.

'My hope is our communities will not be built on our agendas that keep people out, but that we will truly love those God has placed around us.

'As a millennial minister, I hope that we can truly listen to each other, hear each other’s hearts, know Christ in each other, respect each other and learn from each other.'