Religious Education Matters

The FCG, through the Education Team, has had active representation on the RE Council of England and Wales for many years.

The RE Council says: “The ability to understand the faith or belief of individuals and communities, and how these may shape their culture and behaviour, is an invaluable asset for children in modern day Britain. Explaining religious and non-religious worldviews in an academic way allows young people to engage with the complexities of belief, avoid stereotyping and contribute to an informed debate.”

You can find out more about the work of the RE Council and register for its newsletter at the bottom of this page linked HERE.

There are lots of interesting debates, resources and links from across the worlds’ religions in each newsletter. One of those recently featured is from Barnabas in Schools. You may find these materials featuring ideas and worksheets from Christianity Around the World interesting.

You can read more about the Barnabas in Schools resources HERE.

Photo courtesy of Ant Rozetsky at Unsplash

Every school a prayed-for school

The Free Churches Group has been an active partner with Pray for Schools for many years.

The Steering Group of Pray for Schools met earlier in March to pray for and plan for how to engage even more churches in praying for our schools.

Does your church pray for the local schools?

Would you like to find out more? Check out the latest events, resources and news HERE.

Pray for Schools Fortnight is coming up soon - 16-29 May. Find out more and how to get involved HERE.

The steering group is made up of many Christian groups who are involved in education, some of whom are featured in the photo from our latest meeting, which includes partners/guests from:

Open The Book

Prayer Spaces in Schools

Youth for Christ

CARE

Church of England

Scripture Union

ACT

You can read more about the work that FCG are doing in the field of education HERE.

Are you a chaplain working in FE in the West Midlands?

Then this event is for you!

If you’re a chaplain working in an FE college in the West Midlands region, you’re invited to join a conference on Wednesday 15 May at the Priory Rooms, Birmingham! The day includes contributions from Prof. Trevor Cooling (on spiritual development in secular settings), Garry Neave (on the current state of FE chaplaincy), stories from chaplains around the region, and plenty of scope to share ideas and good practice. The conference is organised by Phil Metcalf, WM regional FE chaplaincy ambassador (a three year ecumenically funded role*), and the WM Churches’ FE Council.

You can find out more information and book your place HERE.

The Free Churches Group are committed to developing and enhancing our member churches’ capability to engage with the local FE sector - you can read more about this work HERE.

Please join with us as we continue to pray for the staff and students in our FE sector, particularly our FE chaplains.

Let us pray.

Living God, we pray for students, tutors and support staff in the further education establishments in our area. May students be filled with strength, determination and wisdom to fulfill their potential in their vocational and academic studies.

In the name of Jesus, we pray.

Amen.

---

You can download and share a helpful little flyer for your church about churches and FE HERE

Religious Education resources for Lent and Easter

Barnabas in Schools is part of the Bible Reading Fellowship and they have some interesting RE materials for Lent and Easter.

Barnabas in Schools are committed to helping children explore Christianity confidently and creatively - you can watch a short video about their work HERE.

You can read all about the resources HERE.

There are worksheets to download and use and share freely with children in your churches.

“Tried-and-tested resources for assembly / collective worship, RE, festivals, drama and crafts".

Barnabas in Schools is a professional education service provider to primary schools. They work throughout England and Wales, offering quality creative arts-based Barnabas RE Days for pupils and specialist INSET sessions for teachers.

Forty seconds to pray for colleges

As part of our ongoing work with the Further Education Christian charity, Festive, we invite you to pray with us, at FCG, for…

• Emily is an RE teacher in the greater London area. She has had some really interesting conversations with other staff and is planning to run an Alpha course for them. She already has five staff members signed up. Please pray that her colleagues would be deeply challenged by the message of Jesus and feel compelled to offer their lives to him.

• At the last Festive staff team day we spent some time praying specifically by name for non-Christian friends of many of our contacts. Luka, later wrote to tell us that his friend Joe became a Christian that day. We had been praying for Joe at our meeting. Praise God for a wonderful answer to prayer! Please continue to pray with us for the non-Christian friends of our many student contacts that they would be open and respond to the good news of Jesus!

• Varndean is a huge college but the CU is only very small – just three or four people. Thank God for Gemma who has been leading it faithfully for two years now. As exams approach and she has to pass leadership on to others pray that God would supply motivated and eager people in Y12 to take it on. Pray for other CU’s leaders around the country who are also looking to pass on the leadership of their CU’s ready for next year.

• Last month we asked you to pray for us as we had lost our free office space and urgently needed to find some more. Praise God, for he has provided for us in a wonderful way with a great new office, for free! Please continue to pray for Festive’s financial needs as two funding streams come to an end in three months’ time. Pray that God would wonderfully supply all that is needed for the work to continue and to grow.

You can read more about the work that FCG have been doing in the field of FE HERE

You can download and share this FE FCG flyer in your churches too HERE

Photo credit courtesy of Diana Simumpande at Unsplash