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About 400 worshippers pass through HTB on an average Sunday. The biggest national group is British, a bit less than half the total. Most of the rest come from other English speaking countries. But not all. We have French-speaking Anglicans from Rwanda and Congo. We have increasing numbers from other European countries who just choose to worship with us. Europe and Africa account for three-quarters of our membership, but we have Asians, North Americans and South Americans and people from down under too.
The congregation of HTB turns over fast. We have some long-term residents, but the average stay is about 3 years. Some stay for less than a year, some stretch to 5 years or more.
This gives HTB an unusual age profile. We have a large group of members in the 30-55 age range. We have lots of small children, but relatively few in the late teens (they tend to go away to study) or retired members. So we have plenty of baptisms, but relatively few marriages or funerals – perhaps half-a-dozen each year. We have a lively African young-people’s group – the Ambassadors, who dance and reach others for Christ.
Belgium has a strongly Roman Catholic tradition with small Protestant groupings. HTB has good cooperation with the other Christian churches.
The Belgian Catholic church has a long history of good relations with Anglicans and practical help. For example, when John Stott visited Brussels, the Catholic cathedral of Brussels was made available to us and the Head of the Catholic church, Cardinal Daneels, came to welcome him. Belgian Protestant churches participated in the event.
Brussels is home to 3 Anglican congregations as well as Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist and other free churches who use English as their main language. Holy Trinity is the oldest of these.
Clergy of the English-speaking churches meet regularly in an association which has been the vehicle for strong co-operation. Roman Catholic and Anglican clergy have recently been the most active in this. Proselytism is not a cause of dispute. The issue for all the churches is to help people meet with Christ. The Belgian Roman Catholic and Protestant churches share that view and support us in it.
