A Day for Baptist Chaplains

Monday 13 April 2026

Online via Zoom

For the last four years, Baptist chaplains have gathered for a national day online. We are delighted to be able to repeat this in 2026, on Monday 13 April. It provides the 200 or so ministers and volunteers who are committed to chaplaincy with a chance to pause, connect, learn, and support one another. There are three sessions – morning, afternoon and evening – each lasting up to one hour and three quarters. You are welcome to attend one, two or all three of these, as time permits. Anyone who is a chaplain in any role, whether full-time, part-time or volunteer is welcome to join us, as is anyone who is interested in or wishes to support chaplaincy. We have a great programme lined up and hope you can join us!

All three sessions will begin with worship led by Bob Wilson, Baptist minister and Free Churches Faith Advisor to the Prison and Probation Service. Bob also serves on the Baptists Together Chaplaincy Forum. After worship:

In the morning, 10:00 to 11:45, there will be an opportunity to listen to each other and share stories. After which our key note speaker, Leon Dundas, will speak about 'Cultural Fluency.' Leon spent his formative years in Guyana, the son of a preacher. He has since lived and studied in the Caribbean and North America but has spent the last twenty years in the UK where he is now a Methodist Minister and the managing chaplain at a prison in the South West. He has explored extensively the themes of mediation and restorative justice. At our chaplains’ day, he will explore cultural fluency in contrast to cultural competence. Cultural competence describes our ability to learn enough about the circumstances of another person to speak competently to them - as a professional talking to one who is helped. But cultural fluency requires greater humility as we aim to enter the worldview of others in such a way that we receive from them as well as share with them. Leon will explain more!
In the afternoon, 14:00 to 15:45, Leon will return to facilitate a discussion - in dialogue with him and with each other - around the theme of cultural fluency that he introduced in the morning. He will summarise his earlier talk for the sake of those who cannot make the morning session.
In the evening, 19:00 to 20:45, we will start with a conversation with Lynn Green, BUGB General Secretary. We will then be led by Ruth Goldbourne who has been given the title and aim of 'Feeding the Soul'. Ruth has been a Baptist minister for over 35 years, serving churches in Bedford, London and, now, Cheadle Hulme. She is well known as a Baptist theologian and a former tutor at Bristol Baptist College.

Cost per person: The event is free.

Registration closes on Friday 10 April 2026.

Those who register will be sent joining details for the three Zoom sessions in the week before the event.