BAPTIST churches in Leicestershire have joined forces in an unprecedented partnership to encourage more mission work in the area.

The Soar Valley Gospel Partnership (SVGP) is a coming together of around a dozen Christian churches along the northern part of the River Soar.

The partnership is based around a vision of planting and supporting Christian communities in a region which has seen a number of church closures in recent years.

It was launched at the end of June, and its official purpose statement says it aims, 'In dependence on God, to encourage a network of mutual support between member churches as they work together to fulfil their God-given mission in the Soar Valley'.

The vision states, 'We believe God's call to us is to plant and support Christian communities in every town and village in the Soar Valley.
'These may range from local cells to larger churches, with each providing a place for fellowship, discipleship, service, evangelism and worship.'

The Revd Mark Turner, minister at Barrow Baptist Church, is the chairman of the partnership.

He explained it has been borne out of a 'growing unity' between ministers in the area.

Around ten years ago, he recounted, a small group of ministers began meeting to pray together and encourage each other. Several new ministers have since been called to the area, with the result that friendships in the group have deepened and strengthened.

'We wanted our churches to experience this growing unity,' Mr Turner told The Baptist Times.

'Some churches in the area have closed down, and this caused a lot of pain and sorrow.

'There is a real desire to prevent other churches going down the same route.

'We are therefore hoping that the smaller churches in the area might not feel as isolated in the past.

'We are also hoping and praying for the planting of new congregations in the Soar Valley. There is a sense of excitement about it.'

It is thought to be the first Baptist partnership of its kind to have such a focus on mission, and its founders believe it could act as a template for other groups of Baptist churches to follow.

Mr Turner said, 'Traditionally Baptist churches are independent. What we are doing could be something really relevant to the future.

'It's flexible and informal, and encouraging churches to be in active partnership with another church. It's about giving and receiving, but with church planting on the agenda of every church.'

Barrow, Castle Donington, Hathern, Kegworth, Long Whatton, Loughborough, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Shepsed, Sutton Bonnington and Rothley are the founding members of the SVGP.

The partnership was welcomed by the Revd Ian Bunce, head of mission at the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

Mr Bunce, who was at the launch, told The Baptist Times, 'The partnership is about breaking new ground and mission priorities, planting new Christian expressions in the Soar Valley.

'It's more than just supporting our smaller churches and maintaining what we have, although that will obviously come into it.

'It's the first partnership of it's type I am aware of, in that it's so mission focused, and is a good example of clustering working well together.'
'The launch was a superb evening of unity,' Mr Bunce added.