Pray with us at the start of this new term

Pray with us at the start of this new term…

Loving Lord,

We think of the children and young people close to our hearts and know that they are precious in your sight, fearfully and wonderfully made; and so we place them into your hands today. Strengthen and nurture them. Be with them in their coming in and going out, at home, at school, at college, at university, In their sports, activities and clubs, their friendships and their quiet times.

Mould them in your image, forming and reforming, through the positive influence of those whose lives cross theirs, through the love and example of those who care for them, and through the constant love of your Son, Jesus, who walks alongside them each step of their lives, known or unknown. Amen

(prayer shared from the Education Sunday resources from 2019)

(photo courtesy of Milada Vigerova at Unsplash)

As students go off to university for a new term, pray with us...

To help you to pray for students from your churches as they head off to begin a new term in 2020, and to support your church, your young people and family in this time of transition… The FCG Free Church Education Committee launched a range of flyers last autumn that can support you all. Feel free to download, print and share…

• Branching Out - supporting young people who are going to university

• Keeping in Touch - supporting young people who are at university

• Making a Difference - supporting university students in your community

• Home from Home - supporting university students in your church

Join with us as we pray…

Merciful God, we pray for all those on university courses for degrees and vocational programmes. We know this is a time of great change, so we humbly ask that you uphold and guide the students at this time of transition.

Living God, we pray for the parents, carers and church families who are waving off their church / family members who are embarking on university courses. Give the parents, carers and our churches the courage to be brave about this change in their family and church community, as they see their loved ones go on to a new phase in life. Amen

(photo courtesy of Sincerely Media at Unsplash)

Did you get a new diary for Christmas? Here's some dates for 2020 for you!

Ah, the joy of starting a new diary for the new year! There is often a feeling of so much to look forward to at the start of the new year…. We have some key dates to share with you, to help you to be part of the educational year ahead through prayer and Christian engagement in 2020.

2nd - 16th February - Love Our Schools. As we look forward to the new hope that springtime brings, we thought it’d be great to encourage Christians up and down the country to join together to ‘Love our schools!’

16th February - Student Sunday - Join students and churches around the world in February each year to mark the Universal Day of Prayer for Students (UDPS) or 'Student Sunday'. The Universal Day of Prayer for Students (UDPS) is coordinated by the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), and has been celebrated since 1898, making it one of the oldest ecumenical days of prayer.

10th - 24th May - Pray for Schools Fortnight - The vision of Pray for Schools fortnight is to bring together people from local churches and others involved in education – parents, students, teachers, governors, staff and volunteers – to pray strategically for schools in their area and those involved in them.

13th September - Education Sunday - theme to be agreed. For well over a hundred years there has been an annual recognition of Education Sunday in England and Wales. It is a national day of prayer and celebration for everyone in the world of education.

17th November - Pray Day for Schools - Pray Day is the third Tuesday of November every year when schools across Europe and around the world are the focus of prayer.

Here’s to a happy new year of prayer and community work in our churches, schools, colleges and universities. You can download free resources which the FCG has developed to help you in this work.

(photo courtesy of Essential Living at Unsplash)

Pop-Up Nativity

Over the last few years, the Education Team at FCG has enjoyed a fruitful and productive working relationship with Open The Book, through our work as part of the Pray for Schools steering group.

You may well have already come across the dynamic work done by the Christian charity, Open The Book, who support programmes to develop Bible reading in primary schools. Their work is thought provoking and engaging.

This year they have been celebrating two decades of involvement and sharing by churches and volunteers in primary schools. They have some excellent resources you can use and share - why not take a look at the materials for the Pop-Up Nativity? Go on… Open The Book…! Share the Good News

(image courtesy of ProChurch Media at Unsplash)

Working in schools? Christmas teaching materials to share

Barnabas in Schools have produced an interesting and engaging range of resources for churches to share with schools they work with.

They’re all about how Christmas is celebrated around the world.

You can see the way that people in Peru celebrate the birth of Jesus HERE.

They have produces materials about other countries too, including Uganda and the Philippines.

Around the world Barnabas and celebrating Christmas as a global church…

The Barnabas in Schools Prayer

Jesus, you chose a child as a model for adult maturity and of God’s presence among us. Thank you for our schools with their teachers and children. 

Together may they create: safe places for lives to flourish; happy places for wonder and discovery; hopeful places of peace and healing; stimulating places of learning and laughter; places where everyone feels valued and respected; places that offer security and stability to all; places where both old and young can find purpose and direction in life.

Amen

(photo courtesy of Catherine AGM at Unsplash)