Join as we pray for schools in Wales on Thursday 9th September

Every day we hear more about the many serious effects of lockdown on children's schooling - but we thank God for the gift of prayer.

The last three Wales Pray For Schools Zoom meetings in February, April and June were amazing! So many of you came and many of us renewed or made friendships in our 'randomly' assigned break out groups.

Free Churches Group are honoured to be part of the Pray for Schools steering group and are delighted to share news with you of the forthcoming prayer event.

With the new school year beginning we'd love you to join us again and invite any friends along to this 45 minute event. There will be input from Scripture Union, Urban Saints, TLG and others with a passion to bring the love of Jesus into our schools.

All are welcome!

Thursday 9 September at 12.30-1.15.P.M.

Click the button below to register your place:

There'll be a special breakout group for those who prefer praying in Welsh.
Os hoffech fynd i is-ystafell weddi cyfrwng Cymraeg, rhowch wybod i ni

(cover photo by Catrin Ellis of Wrexham @ Unsplash)

Education Sunday is this Sunday - A Word in Season - join us

Join us as we get ready for Education Sunday which is held this year on 12th September!

For well over one 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.

This year the theme is: A Word in Season.

There are lots of inspiring and helpful resources and materials to help you in your church to celebrate this day. As well as a thought-provoking sermon, there is a theme introduction from FCG Moderator, Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, a ‘Commissioning Prayers’ for Education Sunday, an all age worship outline, primary and secondary school age collective worship and a new hymn written especially for the celebration.

We hope you enjoy using and sharing these resources (via the Churches Together in England website) which you can access by clicking the button below:

(cover photo courtesy of Aaron Burden at Unsplash)

Get ready for Education Sunday - coming up next week!

Join us as we get ready for Education Sunday which is held this year on 12th September!

For well over one 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. This year the theme is - A Word in Season.

There are lots of inspiring and helpful resources and materials to help you in your church to celebrate this day. This year, we are delighted that a preacher, who was one of the Sermon of the Year contest* (in 2020), has written a sermon for this year’s Education Sunday. You can download and share Jan Thompson’s dynamic and inspiring sermon HERE.

As well as this thought-provoking sermon, there is a theme introduction from FCG Moderator, Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, a Commissioning Prayers for Education Sunday and lots more to come! We hope that you enjoy using and sharing these resources which you can access at the Churches Together in England link below:

EDUCATION SUNDAY RESOURCES

*Sermon of the Year is an annual competition held by Preach magazine.

(cover photo courtesy of Tamanna Rumee at Unsplash)

World Suicide Prevention Day - September 10th

On Friday 10th September it will be World Suicide Prevention Day.

Our Free Churches Secretary for Healthcare Chaplaincy, Revd Dr Mark Newitt, shares some helpful reflections on this difficult matter:

“Over the course of someone’s lifetime, 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts and 1 in 15 people attempt suicide. That may not sound like a lot, but a statistic that shocked me was that every two hours in the UK a man takes his own life. In fact, in the UK, suicide is the highest cause of death among men under the age 45. While women are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and make suicide attempts than men, men are 3 times more likely to take their own life than women.

The British Psychological Society suggests that one reason suicide rates are lower among women is that they are able to manage complex emotions, have more flexible coping strategies and, perhaps most importantly, are more likely to ask for help or express depressive or suicidal feelings,” writes Mark.

Mark goes on to say, “In the era of Covid-19, with all the uncertainty and anxiety it has brought, it’s more important than ever that we’re there for each other as well as looking after our own mental health.

You don’t need special training to have an open, authentic conversation about mental health. Being honest about our own feelings and vulnerabilities, and simply listening without judgement when someone is open with us, are important first steps.

If you would like more information around mental health generally, the charity Mind provides a wealth of resources, as does the NHS Every Mind Matters website.

For resources relating particularly to suicide prevention, supporting those who have been bereaved due to suicide, and using appropriate language around suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Alliance has links to national and local organisations. In Addition, I recently came across the Campaign Against Living Miserably website, which has lots of helpful information and guidance.”

(Cover photo courtesy of Kristina Tripkovic at Unsplash)

Connecting Communities, Serving People - The Church & Social Cohesion event: Liverpool 30th September

Register now for an exciting and thought provoking event coming up in Liverpool on 30th September!

Connecting Communities, Serving People, The Church & Social Cohesion will take place on the afternoon and be hosted at Liverpool Town Hall. Find out more and register here:

“An opportunity to hear about the Free Churches report on the Church and Social Cohesion in the North of England Context”

You can download a copy of The Church and Social Cohesion report HERE.

(cover photo courtesy of Nathan Dumlao at Unsplash)