After sixteen very successful years as the European Baptist Federation (EBF) Youth Training Co-ordinator, Jeff Carter together with his wife Deann are to return to Canada in summer 2018. Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM), which has supported their work in Europe, and the EBF announced their departure publicly this week.

In a move described by Jeff Carter as ‘simply good missiology’ CBM sees the bringing to an end of the Carters’ ministry in Europe as the next step in what it hopes will be a continuing partnership with the EBF, a movement from interdependence to independence of the youth training work in Europe. It will now be up to the EBF, and especially its Youth and Children’s Work Committee, to take forward the important work of training youth leaders to lead young people in their Christian faith.

Jeff Carter’s work began with a comprehensive survey of the needs of youth work in the EBF region, in which he visited almost every EBF member Union. As a result he went on to develop HORIZONS, an online youth leader training course which has proved very successful, has been translated into several languages, and is now used in other parts of the Baptist world beyond the EBF.

He expressed his own and his family’s sadness at leaving Europe which has been their home for so long, but continued, ‘We have deeply appreciated how completely embraced by the EBF family of Baptists we have felt these past sixteen years… We understand the rationale of our mission (CBM) and therefore are willing to move on and seek those doors which we pray God will open towards new ministry and for us as a family together.’

EBF General Secretary Tony Peck said that Jeff and Deann will be greatly missed in the life of the EBF. ‘Jeff’s ministry has been hugely appreciated and valued right across our EBF family and the HORIZONS training course has been one big success story that goes on multiplying. We are thankful to CBM for its very significant investment of human and financial resources over so many years. Deann has played her important part in all that too, and has also worked as a member of the EBF admin team. We wish Jeff and Deann God’s leading and blessing wherever their journey takes them from here.’

Bob Morris, Chair of the EBF Youth and Children’s Work Committee commented, ‘The EBF Youth and Children's Committee are very grateful for the immense contribution that Jeff has made to the ministry over the years and will miss him sorely. His commitment to the annual conferences and Horizons, our online training programme have been diligent and consistent and we wish him God's best going into the future"

Terry Smith, General Secretary of CBM also highlighted Jeff and Deann’s contribution: ‘Our partnership with EBF is one of mutual blessing and I am excited to see the impact of Horizon continue to grow throughout the entire EBF region and beyond. Jeff and Deann have helped crystallize this strong partnership and as we now we move to a new phase of collaboration, those who have benefited from their ministry can move it ahead with a new generation of leaders. As Canadian Baptists, we celebrate this shared journey.’

Jeff and Deann Carter will attend the EBF Council in Lviv, Ukraine, in September which will provide an opportunity for the whole EBF family to express its thanks and appreciation to them.

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