Webinar: Reflective Practice: a Pathway to the Heart

Photo by Guillaume LORAIN on Unsplash

““Thanks very much for this helpful and encouraging session.””

We’ve talked to a lot of chaplains and other leaders recently, and understand something of the range of new pressures that the Coronavirus pandemic has brought with it. These pressures and challenges have opened up new opportunities for many people, but there has been little time to stop and reflect.

On 2nd June, the Free Churches Group held a webinar on Reflective Practice, attended by over 60 chaplains and pastoral workers from a range of setting. Even if you were unable to attend the event earlier in June, you still have the chance to take some time out and reflect on your own work. You will find the link below to recording of the webinar session. This will hopefully give you the opportunity to take a bit of time out for yourself – time to ponder, time to think, and time to learn how to embed reflective practice in your ministry. Here’s some feedback from those who took part:

“The session made me look again at the way I’ve been working over the last few months, and I realised I just haven’t stopped. Now I know I need to stop: I need to make space to reflect and to find the hooks on which to hang the bags I’ve been carrying.”

“I would have burnt out in ministry a long time ago had it not been for reflective practice/supervision. I'd encourage people to find the places and safe spaces that are possible for them.”

If you missed the live webinar, you can now watch the recording, using the link HERE. You will need to use this password: 1n#7=O$e

It’s about 80 minutes long, with the main presentation lasting about an hour.

Documents to accompany the webinar are available here, including copies of the PowerPoint slides used in the presentation.
Participants’ Guide
Clouds document
Reflective Practice PowerPoint
Reflective Practice Pdf of PowerPoint

Who is it for? Chaplains in healthcare, prison or education settings, or any other setting; Christian leaders; anyone who is interested in ways of engaging with others in a pastoral situation.

Our presenter: Mark Stobert is Lead Chaplain to Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) and came into post in November 2018 having previously been a healthcare chaplain for over 25 years in the West Midlands. Mark is currently studying for a Doctorate in Practical Theology (DPT) using critical reflection to explore the chaplaincy practice of creating ‘Safe Space for Slow Questions’ with patients, visitors and staff of CUH.

“A ‘Slow question’ is a question that can’t be replied to by a fast answer. Sometimes there are no answers but in asking it can be enough just to be understood. Sometimes the slow question is simply, ‘Why?’ Sometimes it is the nagging or delicate thought that can only be voiced when it is safe to do so.”

““Thank you for the Reflective Practice Session. I thoroughly enjoyed it.””

““Very beneficial””

Free webinar for Chaplains and Christian leaders: 2 June at 1.30 p.m. Reflective Practice: a Pathway to the Heart

Photo by Guillaume LORAIN on Unsplash

Date: 2 June, 2020 at 1.30 p.m. – 3.45 p.m.

Venue: wherever you like – as long as you have a screen and are connected to the internet (we’ll be using Zoom)

Cost: Free!

Who is it for?: Chaplains in healthcare, prison or education settings, or any other setting; Christian leaders; anyone who is interested.

We’ve talked to a lot of chaplains and other leaders recently, and understand something of the range of new pressures that the Coronavirus pandemic has brought with it. These pressures and challenges have opened up new opportunities for many people, but there has been little time to stop and reflect.

We’re offering you the opportunity to take a bit of time out for yourself – time to ponder, time to think, and time to learn how to embed reflective practice in your ministry.

Mark Stobert, chair of UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy (UKBHC) and Lead Chaplain at Cambridge University Hospitals, will present the webinar.

More details and information are available HERE

Please register here to book.

You will receive the links to join the webinar if you book in advance.

A participants guide to Reflective Practice Sessions is available to download here:

Reflective Practice – Reflection on Action

Clouds

Resources for children, young people and families

It seems likely that some children may return to school in a few weeks’ time (recognising, of course, that some have been attending all along). However, they probably won’t be attending full-time, and some year groups may not return for some time yet. It is also unclear when churches will be able to resume their usual activities for young people.

We’ve collected links to resources that some of our member churches and other organisations have developed to help children and young people learn at home, for families to enjoy together, and ideas to support well-being at an anxious time.

Resources for: Children, Young people and those who work with them, Families, Students, Parents, Mental health and well-being, Bereavement and grief

We’re delighted to see so much creativity and we’ll continue to add to our list as we find new treasures.

You can download, use and share there HERE.

(photo courtesy of Sharon McCutcheon at Unsplash)

Coffee and Cake - school and college chaplains get together each Friday @ 4pm

The pattern of meetings and our ability to get together in person has changed much over the last few weeks. - so we are pleased to share that the Centre for Chaplaincy in Education are be hosting a ‘Coffee and Cake’ chaplains’ chat each Friday at 4pm.

Friday Coffee 'n' Cake (bring your own!) for Chaplains in Schools and Colleges 15th May 2020

Every Friday for the foreseeable future, Maggie Everett, the Centre’s Lead Development Officer, will be hosting a ‘coffee and cake’ hour on Zoom, for all chaplains in schools and colleges. Come and join in with others, (sorry you will need to bring your own coffee and cake!) and have a chat about what’s happening with you, your community/ies and the wider world. Invitation:

Topic: Coffee and Cake

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 829 0639 4114

Password: 780537

Sarah Lane Cawte, our Free Church Education Officer, has been working closely with this group and other partners over recent months and there are some exciting developments in the field of chaplaincy in education which you can read about here.

(photo courtesy of Annie Spratt at Unsplash)

Open the Book...

The Free Church Education Committee, as part of its wider work with networks, are part of the Pray for Schools steering group. In this group, we work alongside many agencies who are interested and passionate about supporting Christian education. One of those agencies is Open the Book.

You may well have come across the work of Open the Book in the past. In recent times, the way they have been able to work has changed, due to the pandemic and wider copyright issues, it means that unfortunately all training sessions have been cancelled and the Open the Book Storytellers do not have permission to use The Lion Storyteller Bible on media platforms. But they have come up with a solution that can support us!

Bob Hartman (the acclaimed Christian writer and storyteller) has recorded some of the Open the Book stories for us which we have made into complete assemblies and will be sharing on our Facebook page, one each Monday until the end of the Summer Term. If your school remains open for key worker children you might like to send them these stories.

You can see the films and download their latest resources HERE.

(photo courtesy of Samantha Sophia at Unsplash)