Background
Keswick Ministries is the working title of the Keswick Convention Trust, which is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. An annual Bible Convention has been held in Keswick, Cumbria since 1875.
The purpose of the Trust is the ‘advancement of the (Christian) religion by the emphasis of certain Christian doctrines, such objects being pursued by holding an annual Convention at Keswick, by promoting similar Conventions and meetings elsewhere, by distribution of suitable literature and by making grants of money for the said purpose’.
Vision
The spiritual renewal of God’s people for His mission in His world.
Position Statement
Keswick Ministries is committed to the deepening of the spiritual life in individuals and church communities through the careful exposition and application of Scripture, seeking to encourage the following:
Lordship of Christ
To encourage submission to the Lordship of Christ in personal and corporate living
Life Transformation by Word and Spirit
To encourage a dependency upon the indwelling and fullness of the Holy Spirit for life transformation and effective living
Evangelism and Mission
To provoke a strong commitment to the breadth of evangelism and mission in the British Isles and worldwide
Discipleship
To stimulate the discipling and training of people of all ages in godliness, service and sacrificial living
Unity and Family
To provide a practical demonstration of evangelical unity
What we do
The Keswick Convention is our main event and has been taking place since 1875. It offers something for everyone. Life-changing Bible teaching, uplifting worship and great fellowship combined with the chance to relax and enjoy a holiday in the wonderful setting of the Lake District.
In addition to holding the annual Keswick Convention, we organise a number of Bible Weeks in Keswick and give support to regional “Keswick” meetings around the country. We provide Youth Ministry Training through Root66.
Keswick also publish an annual ‘Ministry Book’ which contains talks from the Convention, as well as a series of Study Guides. More recently we have launched a new ‘Keswick Foundations’ series.
The Convention Centre has self-catering accommodation for up to 42 people in 17 rooms and is well used by churches and other groups who organise their own programme.
Keswick in the Community
The Keswick Convention and its team of workers, volunteers and organisers are committed to working with the local community. This means supporting the local economy and causing as little disruption to local residents as possible. Keswick Ministries aim to build on the long tradition of Christian teaching in a way that enhances and respects the spirit, history and prosperity of the Lake District.
We make every effort to honour this undertaking in the following practical ways:
- Listen and respond to the views of local residents. We do this via our regular Town Liaison Meeting with representatives of various bodies and local residents. We have also had the opportunity to meet with the Keswick Town Council and share our plans at a Neighbourhood Forum Meeting organised by Cumbria County Council.
- The Convention will do all it can to encourage Convention-goers to make full and responsible use of local amenities. We are grateful for the support of Keswick businesses and Keswick Tourism Association for their assistance in helping us make Conventioners aware of the many attractions and facilities on offer in the area.
- Parking – The Convention will make every effort to minimise the disruption caused by visitors’ cars. We make additional parking available in partnership with the Rugby Club, and work with the Police and local authorities to reduce congestion. We also run a free minibus service from the town’s car parks to our Skiddaw Street and Rawnsley sites.
- Noise – We are aware of the potential noise disturbance of such a large event. We will make every effort to keep noise at an acceptable volume, and take regular readings of noise levels to ensure they are kept within satisfactory limits.
- Litter – All Convention staff and volunteers are aware of the beauty of Keswick and the surrounding area. We will not tolerate any litter problems whatsoever. Specific measures will include a large number of litter bins on site and regular clean-up patrols by our volunteers to ensure that areas used exclusively by the Keswick Convention are kept clean and tidy.
- Fair Trade – In support of the town’s Fair Trade status, we are working with the Keswick Fair Trade group to promote Fair Trade in the town. Both our cafés will be serving many Fair Trade items, and the Convention’s catering team will source Fair Trade products where they are available.