Student Christian Movement appoint new CEO!

The FCG, through our work in the Free Church Education Committee, have had good working links with the Student Christian Movement, particularly in our Higher Education Working Group.

The Student Christian Movement (SCM) is an ecumenical student-led movement passionate about faith and justice.  SCM brings students together to explore how to live out the Christian faith in today’s world.

Last month, the SCM appointed a new Chief Executive. A warm welcome to Rev Naomi Nixon in her new role! Naomi (pictured below) joins the charity from the Diocese of Coventry, where she has been Ministerial Development Adviser for the last seven years. She also serves as a Minister at St Clare’s, a pioneer community based at Coventry Cathedral. Previously Naomi served as an Ecumenical Chaplain at North Warwickshire and Hinkley College where she also established a Youth Work teaching department.

You can read more about this new appointment and check out other news from the Student Christian Movement HERE.

Rev Naomi Nixon

Praying for head teachers and those in school leadership

The FCG, as part of our work with the Free Church Education Committee, are delighted to be part of the Pray for Schools steering committee.

I have been following prayers for Pray for Schools through their social media outlets, and I am sharing a prayer today from Cheltenham Prayer for Schools Network….

Pray for all the Heads and all those in leadership. They have so much to take on board as this situation is changing all the time. Pray that they would see a clear path through all the confusion. Pray for wisdom in their decision making as they work out the right strategy for their school over the next few weeks and months.

In Jesus’s name, our teacher and our friend. Amen

(photo courtesy of Aaron Burden at Unsplash)

Sara Iles FCG: Media support officer

Working in a primary school or leading children's groups at your church?

Barnabas in Schools has produced a wide range of engaging and thought- provoking materials for Lent, Holy Week and Easter.

Barnabas in Schools is a professional education service provider to primary schools and works throughout England and Wales. They offer quality creative arts-based Barnabas RE Days for pupils and specialist INSET sessions for teachers. They also provide free ideas for collective worship, RE and classroom reflection, as well as books and resources. Their overall aim is to enable schools to explore Christianity creatively and confidently.

Check out their Lent and Easter resources HERE.

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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

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(photo courtesy of Neal E. Johnson at Unsplash)

A message from the Chair of the RE Council of England and Wales

The RE Council of England and Wales reports,

“It is with a mixture of pleasure and sadness that I announce that our CEO Rudi Eliott Lockhart has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Schools Association (ISA) with effect from the 1st August 2020. My pleasure is for Rudi and his family as this position offers them opportunities the REC could not offer. My sadness is that we are losing a talented and highly committed CEO. He will be greatly missed.”

Rudi took up this post with RE Council in November 2014. He has made a considerable and positive impact in the life and work of the RE Council. He will be greatly missed. We wish him every blessing in his next role and pray for the work of the RE Council going forward, as they chart a way through this new phase.

(photo courtesy of Colin Watts at Unsplash)

A day of prayer across the planet - for students

This Sunday (16th Feb) marks a day of prayer across the world! The Universal Day of Prayer for Students (UDPS) is co-ordinated by the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF)

It has been celebrated since 1898, making it one of the oldest ecumenical days of prayer. Join us and many others across the earth as we pray together for students… The Student Christian Movement (SCM), who have been active members of the FCG Higher Education Working Group, says… “We invite all our members and friends to unite in prayer for the world, the church and students on 16th February 2020.” SCM has produced a resource toolkit for 2020 that can be used by churches, student groups and individuals. You can download a copy of the 2020 Student Sunday resources here. The theme this year is Known By Name.

Here is one of the prayers from the SCM Known By Name toolkit for 2020