Nourishing Routes - at the Loreto Centre, Llandudno - with Rev Bob Wilson

A day of walking and spiritual reflection based in the stunning hills of Llandudno, North Wales, with time at the Loreto Centre.

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 10:00 - 16:00, Loreto Centre, Abbey Road, Llandudno, LL30 2EL

Please join us on Thursday 17 July at the Loreto Centre in Llandudno, North Wales, for our next Nourishing Roots event - 'Nourishing Routes'.

Nourishing Roots retreat days, held three times a year, are an opportunity for chaplains in healthcare, prisons, education and beyond to retreat, reflect and recharge spiritually and emotionally from their challenging ministry contexts.

This retreat will be based at the Loreto Spirituality Centre near the stunning coastline of Llandudno, and will include times of reflection alongside guided walks around Great Orme and the surrounding area.

The day will be led by Rev. Bob Wilson, Secretary for Prison Chaplaincy and Free Churches Faith Advisor. Bob is a Baptist minister and Free Churches Faith Advisor to both publicly and privately run prisons. This work sees him regularly visiting all 124 establishments across England and Wales for the pastoral support of Prison Chaplains, and to support prison management. He is also a keen rock climber and outdoors enthusiast, and has many years experience in helping chaplains retreat and reflect on ministry.

The ticket price is £15 for chaplains from FCG denominations and £25 for all others. (Please ask Thandar <thandar.tun@freechurches.org.uk> for an FCG Chaplains discount code).

Please note that refunds can be issued up to 7 days beforehand, but for catering reasons not beyond that date.

The Loreto Centre may be able to offer a limited amount of accommodation before or after the retreat day. Please note on your sign-up form if you are interested in this.

Register your place HERE.

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 - 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.

Prisons Week 24 Resource preview for Chaplains and Church / Charity leaders, 12th Sept 2024

This is an opportunity for voluntary organizations, church leaders and prison chaplains to gather to consider the new 2024 Prisons Week resources.

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 18:30 - 20:00 BST, Online

The event will include:

an opportunity to hear from Revd Tim Bryan, Chair of Prisons Week working group talking about the value of prayer for and with all affected by imprisonment

the opportunity to see the Prisons Week film 2024

the chance to comment on the prayer campaign and ask questions of the Prisons Week team

preliminary discussions about next year's theme

Prayer!

We hope to see you there. Book your place here.

Prisons Week 2024 runs from 13th – 19th October. Visit here for more information.

Nourishing Roots - with Nicola Slee, 2nd July 2024 at Queen's Foundation, Birmingham

Photo by Dawn McDonald on Unsplash

A day of reflection and retreat for chaplains with Nicola Slee at Queen's Foundation, 18 Somerset Road Birmingham B15 2QH on 2nd July 2024, 10:00-16:00

Please join us on Thursday 2nd July in Birmingham for a day of reflection, retreat and recharging at the Queen's Foundation. Our day will be led by Prof. Nicola Slee. A two-course meal and refreshments for the full day will be provided.

Professor Nicola Slee is Director of Research at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, and Professor of Feminist Practical Theology at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. She has wide ranging interests in theology, spirituality, poetry and literature, and is a regular speaker at conferences and leader of retreats. Her most recent publications are Fragments for Fractured Times: What Feminist Practical Theology Brings to the Table (SCM, 2020) and Abba Amma: Improvisations on the Lord’s Prayer (Canterbury Press, 2022).’

Cost: £10 for FCG chaplains and £20 for all others (including lunch and refreshments).

For more information and a discount code for Free Church Chaplains, please contact Mark Newitt at mark.newitt@freechurches.org.uk