Support Services Team Leader to join London City Mission 

Support Services Team Leader Richard Wilson is to leave his role in early 2023 to become the Director for Property, Finance and IT at London City Mission (LCM)

 
Richard was offered and accepted the position earlier this month after what LCM described as 'an extensive and thorough appointment process’.
 
LCM is an organisation which shares the gospel alongside the local church of London having been founded in 1838, and Richard will begin there in February. 
 
Richard, who became Support Services Team Leader in 2017 and is the treasurer at Caversham Baptist Church in Reading, said it had it had been 'a privilege and a pleasure to serve Baptists Together’.
 
'I feel strongly that I was called to this role for this period, and I like to think I have done my best,' he said. 'I've tried to ensure that everything we do is focussed on serving our churches in their mission.
 
'It's been a great help to be a Baptist church treasurer, as it’s helped me understand the frontline challenges our churches are facing and how we should help.
 
'I will miss all my colleagues, not only in the Specialist Teams but also across Associations and colleges.
 
‘I have also treasured my interactions with local church ministers, treasurers and secretaries, I whether by email, phone or in person.  It is rewarding to help them navigate the challenges they face in their local context. 
 
'I now feel called elsewhere, and I look forward to watching the future development of Baptists Together as a local church treasurer.'
 
Richard's period as Support Services Team Leader has coincided with several significant challenges. He arrived with our Union facing a pensions crisis, and his leadership contributed to the Family Solution. There was more good news on this front last June when a deal was closed with a financial services group to underwrite The Baptist Pension Scheme, and Baptist churches involved in the scheme could reduce their monthly deficit payments to £1 from August.
 
He was an instrumental part of the team which produced and updated our Covid guidance, and helped to create a coronavirus grant scheme for churches.
 
His desire to support churches resulted in the creation of Church Healthcheck (a self-assessment tool) and a Facebook group for treasurers, while a new welcome pack for Baptist church treasurers and secretaries will be available in the New Year.  
 
He initiated the Financial Model Review we are currently undertaking, and led the support Baptists Together offered Spurgeon's College in 2019 when the Office for Students (OfS) declined the College’s application for registration. This support contributed to the OfS overturning its decision. Richard also instigated the creation of the Funding for Ministerial Training Working group, which resulted in a series of initiatives aimed at widening training support to encourage more women and men into Baptist ministry.
 
General Secretary Lynn Green has worked closely with Richard. She said, 'I am very appreciative for all that Richard has brought to our team since 2017. He really has been a great and gifted colleague and I for one am really going to miss working with him. 
 
'But whilst we are sad that he is moving onto pastures new, we also want to bless him as he moves into this new season of service and takes up this great opportunity.
 
'Please join me in praying for Richard, his family and his team in this time of transition. Pray too for the recruitment process as we seek to appoint a worthy successor.
 
'The Lord has been faithful to us in the provision of wonderful colleagues like Richard, and I believe that we can trust that He will provide us with the leadership we need for this next stage of the journey.'
 
Graham Miller, LCM's CEO, said he is delighted Richard is joining in the new year.
 
'Richard has demonstrated a clear gospel heart and a passion to make Jesus known.
 
'He also brings an impressive amount of financial and accounting management experience as well as leading teams in IT, property, restructuring, service delivery and strategy.
 
'Richard will be a blessing as he joins our Leadership Team and leads us to steward our resources in order to sustain ministry alongside the church in London.'