Join Us for a Hybrid Seminar on Artificial Intelligence and Ethical Use in Churches and Faith-Based Organisations

A Hybrid Seminar on Artificial Intelligence and Ethical Use in Churches and Faith-Based Organisations

Date: Thursday, 13th March 2025

Time: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Location: Free Churches House, 27 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9HH

We’re excited to invite you to an engaging and thought-provoking seminar exploring the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within churches and faith-based organisations. This event will address how AI can transform faith-based work, from organising services and social action to optimising resources and improving outcomes for vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Keynote Speakers

We’re honoured to welcome:

Revd Professor David Wilkinson – ECLAS (Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science)

Sara Speicher – World Association for Christian Communication (WACC)

What to Expect

The integration of AI offers immense potential for churches and faith-based organisations. However, with these opportunities come critical ethical questions:

• How can AI be harnessed to uphold the values of human dignity and justice?

• What risks does it pose to vulnerable communities?

• How can faith-based organisations develop guidelines for ethical AI use?

Organised by Eurodiaconia, the Free Churches Group, and the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), this seminar will provide a platform for:

• Exploring the risks and opportunities of AI in faith-based social action.

• Discussing its implications for vulnerable communities.

• Reflecting on how churches can integrate AI ethically in their mission-driven work.

This seminar marks the beginning of a series designed to foster a shared understanding of AI and its implications for faith-based organisations.

Spaces are limited, so secure your place today! Join us in person or online for this timely discussion on the future of AI and ethics in faith-based contexts.

We look forward to seeing you there and building a collective vision for ethical AI in service to communities.

Revd Paul Rochester

General Secretary

Photo by Pixabay.

The First CoNNECT Day

Cover image from fauxels - Photography

Chaplaincy: opportunity for Networking, Nurturing, Encouragement and Community Together

Date: 13th February 2025, 10:30 - 16:00

Venue: Free Churches House, 27 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9HH

Cost  £30 per participant to cover the cost of a light lunch/refreshments and administrative costs.

As part of the development of our  “Chaplaincy Hub”, which we hope to grow into a key resource space for those engaged in or exploring chaplaincy this first CoNNECT Day aims to draw together those with an interest in the development of chaplaincy from different settings and perspectives, including church and denominational leaders, suppliers of chaplaincy training and education as well as providers of chaplaincy services (particularly those beyond traditional settings).

The day will include a keynote address from Mark Birch, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, input exploring evidencing impact, opportunity to hear stories of chaplains (Pecha Kucha presentations) as well as space to network.

 Timetable

10:30  coffee and pastries

11:00  Welcome

11:15  Introduction to outline and purpose of the day

11:30  Keynote address: Mark Birch

12:15  Q & A

12.30  Lunch

13:30  Pecha Kucha presentations

14:00  Evidencing impact

14:45  Refreshment break

15:15  Next steps: facilitated discussion

15:50  Closing remarks and close

Nourishing Roots - at Oriel College Oxford, with Rev. Grace Allick on 19th March 2025, 10:00-16:00

A day of reflection , restoration and retreat for chaplains with Rev Grace Allick, held at Oriel College, Oxford.

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:00 - 16:00

Oriel College, Oriel Square Oxford OX1 4EW

Please join us on Wednesday 19 March 2025 in Oxford for a day of reflection, retreat, and recharging at Oriel College, Oxford University. The day will be led and facilitated by Rev. Grace Allick, who is a member of the Free Churches Group Healthcare Chaplaincy Steering Committee and who leads on Healthcare Chaplaincy for the Assemblies of God denomination. Grace has a wealth of healthcare chaplaincy experience and will lead us in reflection and encouragement around our chaplaincy roles.

To learn more about Grace: Hello. I’m Grace Allick — Free Churches Group

Tickets cost £15 for FCG Chaplains or £25 for non-FCG Chaplains. Please note that refunds can be issued up to 7 days beforehand but for catering reasons, not beyond that date.

For more information, please contact Mark Newitt at mark.newitt@freechurches.org.uk

The First CoNNECT Day

Chaplaincy: opportunity for Networking, Nurturing, Encouragement and Community Together.

Thursday 13th February 2025: 10:30 to 16:00. 27 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9HH.

The day includes input from Mark Birch – Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sarah Lane Cawte, Mark Newitt and Bob Wilson Free Churches Group.

This is a day aimed at those with lead responsibilities for chaplaincy, particularly those who work in non-traditional sectors, to come together, share stories, network, and be encouraged. There will be the opportunity to talk with chaplaincy education providers about training needs. If there is other input into the day that you would value, please let us know to help shape our planning.

Booking is to come, but an expression of interest can be made to Thandar Tun at thandar.tun@freechurches.org.uk or 02036518338.

Cost: £30 (including lunch and refreshments).

This event poster is available to download here.

Nourishing Roots - with Rev. Narinder Tegally at St Michael's Church, Bath, 13th Nov 24

Nourishing Roots days are retreat/quiet days by the Free Churches Group for anyone working within a chaplaincy setting. The title comes from a line in a paper David Ford gave at a healthcare chaplaincy conference back in 2017 where he wrote ‘essentials for wise chaplaincy, such as compassion, hope, and reverence for human dignity, need deep roots and constant nourishment.’ The days recognise that to sustain them in the spiritually and emotionally demanding work they do chaplains need a spiritual maturity and grounding and so provide an opportunity to pause, reflect, and nourish their spiritual roots. While planned with chaplains from a Free Churches Group tradition in mind, they are opened up to anyone interested in attending and we have had chaplains from Anglican, Roman Catholic and Quaker backgrounds attendings alongside those from Free Church traditions. One of the joys of the days has been meeting chaplains from a mix of contextual settings and feedback from previous sessions has commented on the value participants found in of meeting chaplains who worked in different areas from them.

Our next session is on the 13th November 2024 10:00 to 16:00 at St Michael's Church, Broad Street, Bath, BA1 5LJ. The day is led by Narinder Tegally who is the lead chaplain at Royal United Hospitals Bath.

Cost is £10 for chaplains from FCG denominations and £20 for all others (cost includes refreshments).

Booking is through Eventbrite HERE.