Wellingborough Centre

Our team, although smaller than Llanelli, serves the same vision of developing self financing indigenous mission primarily in the non-western world. We have particular links to Asia, India and Africa. It is our joy to pray and support those seeking to serve the Lord in these nations and especially with the build up of links to North-east India over recent years.

The content of this part of the website describes the team vision and activities and we always extend a welcome to anyone who feels they would like to know more about sharing in our work.

The team is drawn from a variety of churches around the area and is led by Robert Chirgwin, who is also the charity’s Finance Director. Robert, and a colleague Dan Hulland, are the two full time members of the team and have been involved since the outset. All who are part of the team do so voluntarily and between them take responsibility for its ongoing viability.

Along with our focus on God’s work overseas, we also have a desire to be salt and light in our local setting. You will read how we partner with local churches and organisations. This is a result of prayer prompted by a couple of aspects of the site that were noticed when we purchased it. The old pub sign surprisingly carried the opening words from Psalm 27 - ‘The Lord is my light’ - in Latin. Also adjacent to the site was an old capped off town well (one of the many in Wellingborough), with the name ‘Wychus, signifying “Salt Well”.

Your support is always welcome, whether it is in prayer or the offer of your skills - general office work, book-keeping or DIY always much appreciated. Financial help is a blessing, including Gift Aid. Speak to Robert for any further information you may require.

‘Opening the Wells’, launched in 1997, is an area-wide initiative in co-operation with local churches, encouraging prayer, unity and mission, and this is reflected in the name of our magazine – 'Opening the Wells' - which also reflects the wider work of Nations. Through strong links with local churches, one of our main objectives is to help in the re-opening of 'wells' of prayer, mission and resources in this part of the country where William Carey and others pioneered a major new phase of western mission over two hundred years ago.

For many years we have had strong mission links with indigenous teams in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and these continue. Over recent years we have been actively involved in Mission Training through a Korean family who have been based with us since 2006 and we are now supporting Korean missionaries working in the Middle East and Asia. We have recently developed strong and growing links with NE India and have had four young people train with us - this is a current area of growth.

We run the Carey Academy of Language Learning [CALL] as a Business with Mission project. Indeed, we have a particular interest in exploring how indigenous mission can be facilitated through business projects, both for income generation and training purposes.

Our Centre is regularly used by both Christian and community groups. A three bedroom flat allows us to host visiting mission and ministry groups and young students from Europe. There is ongoing use by local churches, including Churches Together in Wellingborough, regular weekly use by Teen Challenge in their work among homeless people and a Russian speaking church group.

Other local users include English, French and German language classes and community groups such as the U3A [University of the Third Age – interest groups for the mature] a residents association, allotment users, a mental health Rethink group and a Community Services group.

The team handles a lot of the legal and financial aspects of maintaining Nations , including the day-to-day accounting. Every Thursday we have our Prayer Day from 9.30am – 1.00pm to which you would be most welcome.