Journeying from Despair to Hope… preparing for Prisons Week 2021

Journeying from despair to hope is an online event coming up on the morning of the 20th July to help church and community leaders explore the prayer and support materials for Prisons Week.

For forty years, Prisons Week has prepared prayer literature to enable the Christian community, through individuals and churches, to pray for the needs of all those affected by prisons: prisoners and their families, victims of crime and their communities, those working in the criminal justice system and the many people who are involved in caring for those affected by crime on the inside and outside of our prisons. Prisons Week raises awareness and generates prayer.

(cover photo courtesy of Jeremy Bishop @ Unsplash)

Revd Bob Wilson, Free Churches Faith Adviser, invites you!

Our very own Revd Bob Wilson, who is a key member of the Prisons Week planning group, extends a warm welcome to church and community leaders, to an online event on the morning of 20th July - offering an opportunity to explore the theme and resources for this year's Prisons Week (held 10-17th Oct).

I had the opportunity to preview some of the thought-provoking and inspiring resources earlier last week, so I can thoroughly recommend this event; it will be a great support to us all as we prepare for praying during Prisons Week this year.

- Sara (FCG media support officer)

This will offer church and community leaders space to meet and hear about this year's campaign, its theme and the prayer resources available, and to consider how we can best encourage others to pray.

Event details
Time: 10.30-11.30 A.M.
Date: 20th July

(cover photo courtesy of Billy Pasco at Unsplash)

Do you have a heart for prayer? Do you want to deepen your prayer life in Prisons Week?

If you have a heart for prayer and seek to deepen your prayer life, why not join us on 20th July for an exploration of the prayer materials and resources for Prisons Week? This will be a thought-provoking and inspiring opportunity for us all to preview the resources and help guide and encourage our church and community engagement in Prisons Week.

The event will be hosted online on 20th July (10.30-11.30 A.M.) for church and community leaders to explore the theme and resources for this year's Prisons Week (which takes place in October): Journeying from Despair to Hope…

“This is an exciting opportunity for Prisons Week and church and community leaders to meet and hear about this year’s campaign, its theme and the prayer resources available, and to consider how we can best encourage others to pray.

— Prisons Week

Prisons Week raises awareness and generates prayer. It motivates volunteers to step forward and give their time and gifts, in prisons and in their own communities. It provides an annual focus and reason for Christians to work together, building capacity and motivation to make a difference for people who are out of sight and often out of mind.

Prisons Week – a week of prayer - 10th - 16th October 2021

(cover photo courtesy of Amaury Gutierrez at Unsplash)

Event: 20th July:- for church & community leaders, exploring resources for this year's Prisons Week

There will be an online event on 20th July (10.30-11.30 A.M.) for church and community leaders to explore the theme and resources for this year's Prisons Week (which takes place in October): Journeying from Despair to Hope…

Find out more information and register for this event

“This is an exciting opportunity for Prisons Week and church and community leaders to meet and hear about this year’s campaign, its theme and the prayer resources available, and to consider how we can best encourage others to pray.”

— Prisons Week

(cover photo courtesy of Olia Gozha at Unsplash)

Blinded By Your Grace... an awesome cover of Stormzy's song!

In these strange times, much of what we have done in our working lives has been different to usual. We may not have been able to visit those in our care or those we support as part of our ministry. Whilst this has been a challenge at times, many of us have been finding innovative and inspiring ways to work around the restrictions to reach people!

I am delighted to share with you a recording of a song by a singing group - ‘B-Naturals’ - it is a cover version of the classic Stormzy track!

They say, “We're a collective of musicians from various Brentwood Churches who enjoy playing together for various gigs. This recording was done to replace one of our regular visits to a local prison chapel. Hoping to go again once we see the back of COVID... ”

I hope that you enjoy this as much as I have and I pray that those whom it was able to reach in prison have been encouraged and inspired by this! A BIG SHOUT OUT to all of the prison chaplaincy volunteers who performed this song for us to enjoy, all their church fellowships and all the prisoners and prison staff they serve in their ministry. Thank you for all you do, in the name of Jesus. Amen

“I said a prayer this morning
I prayed I would find the way
To another day, I was so afraid
’Til... You came and saved me”

— Stormzy

(cover photo courtesy of Jackson David at Unsplash)