Prisons Week 2019

We’ve got a date you need to save in your diary!

Each year, for a week in October, churches and groups are especially encouraged to pray for prisons. We want to encourage you to join this wave of prayer.

This year Prisons Week will be: 13th - 19th October.

Did you know… There are over 82,00 women and men in prison in England and Wales.

Did you know… There are over 93,000 children in England and Wales who have a parent in prison. Read that again…

93,000 children. That is more than the capacity of Wembley stadium.

As Christians, we know and feel the power of prayer. We are assured that God works in the world through His almighty grace & mercy, and hears our prayers.

The theme for Prisons Week this year is based on Psalm 111:9: what does freedom mean to you?

---

You can find out more and register your interest in praying during Prisons Week here:

This coming Sunday, why not chat to those in your church fellowship about this and see how you can get ready to support this wave of prayer and action in autumn.

The Free Churches Group are proud to be among the many sponsors and supporters of Prisons Week.

(photo courtesy of Nathan Dumlao at Unsplash)

Forty seconds to pray...?

The Free Churches Group has been developing active links with the Christian charity, Festive, who are dedicated to support students and staff in further education. You can subscribe to their newsletter here to keep in the loop with their important work.

Each month Festive give their network the opportunity to join with them to pray for the specific needs of the lives of those in further education. So join with us all this month, as we pray together….

Seems like the summer is finally here! Colleges and sixth forms around the country start to wind up for the summer and students and staff look forward to a break. Half of our contacts will be heading off to university or employment and many Christian Union’s will have already been handed over to younger students.  Here are some prayer requests for July that should take no longer than 40 seconds to read through:

• Joshua asked for five copies of ‘Beyond Beans on Toast’ (an evangelistic book we produce and send out for free for year 13 leavers) to give to his friends who are not Christians yet. Pray that God would use the books to lead Joshua’s friends to himself. Pray for the hundreds of other copies of this book we have sent out this term. Pray that God would work powerfully through them.

• Joe at Sir John Deane’s is excited that a non-Christian has started to come to the CU. Normally only three come along, all Christians. Pray for this girl. Pray that the girl would be drawn into the wonderful truth of God’s Word and put her faith in Jesus. Pray that CU’s across the country would be welcoming places where non-Christians can feel comfortable attending.

• When Sharon became a Christian her father, who brought her up and is a practicing Pagan, rejected her, and she had to move in with her grandmother. Pray that God would keep her strong and give her grace for every situation. Pray for many other students who have met Jesus this last year through CU’s, chaplaincy and friends at college. Pray their faith and relationship with God would grow and flourish.

• Becci is new to chaplaincy at Shrewsbury College and just finding her feet. Pray for her that over these summer months that God would be building her up and equipping her for all that lies ahead from September. Ask God to make her very effective for the Kingdom in the place he has called her to.

Thanks for praying. Love from, The Festive team

Please share these prayers in your churches, house groups and networks…

(Photo courtesy of Igor Rodrigues at Unsplash)

Prison reform - then and now!

Did you know that The Howard League is the oldest penal reform charity in the UK?

Did you also know that it was set up in the name of John Howard, who was an active free church member?

The Howard League was founded in memory of one of England’s earliest prison reformers, John Howard (1726-1790). The League are still active in all sorts of work and play a vital role in prison reform.

For over 150 years the Howard League for Penal Reform is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison. They work with parliament and the media, with criminal justice professionals, students and members of the public, influencing debate and forcing through meaningful change to create safer communities.

They campaign on a wide range of issues. Recent programmes have focused on transforming prisons, reducing child arrests, promoting real work in custody, and ending the criminalisation of children in residential care. They use our legal work to transform and shape the law for children and young people.

Free Churches Group and Free Church chaplains continue to play a key role in the lives of prisoners and prison staff, to support and pastor men and women. You can read more about the work of FCG in prisons in England and Wales HERE.

Let us give thanks for the work of the Howard League over the last 150 years, giving thanks to God for the brave and active work they do in making the lives of prisoners healthier and rehabilitative.

Let us pray

Lord, you offer freedom to all people.
We pray for those in prison.
Break the bonds of fear and isolation that exist.
Support with your love prisoners and their families and friends,
prison staff and all who care.
Heal those who have been wounded by the activities
of others, especially the victims of crime.
Help us to forgive one another.
To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly together with Christ
in His strength and in His Spirit, now and every day. Amen.

Photo courtesy of Mitch Rosen at Unsplash

Exploring Chaplaincy in Education - conference on 10th July - Manchester

Are you interested in exploring chaplaincy in education? Have you felt a calling to serve in this way? Are you currently working in education, but want to find out more about how your church can engage with colleges?

The Church of the Nazarene (who are members of FCG) in partnership with Festive, Chaplaincy Central and FCG are hosting a conference on 10th July in Manchester.

This will be a great opportunity to learn more about chaplaincy in education and to find out ways that you can support churches and colleges to work together to support the pastoral needs of students.

The event will be hosted by the Nazarene Theological College and tickets costs £20. You can find out more and book your place HERE.

The kind of student support services, prayer and encouragement that chaplains can provide in colleges are crucial to the progress and confidence students have - although FE serves people of many ages, further education is a key time of transition from youth to adulthood for younger students and so the work and witness of a college chaplain can be vital in offering guidance and support to them.

You can read more about what an FE chaplain can offer here. Please join us as we pray for the work of college chaplains and the staff and students at colleges whom they support and encourage.

To find out more about FE chaplaincy, why not read this?

Reforming Christianity

Do you work with children aged between 7 and 16 years old? Then you might be interested in these religious education teaching resources.

These resources have been commissioned by the Free Churches Group and The Methodist Church, sponsored by the Westhill Endowment and produced in association with RE Today Services.

The resources were written and launched to commemorate The Reformation. They are a dynamic and engaging range of teaching and learning materials you can share as part of your work with children and young people.

If you are working as an RE teacher in schools or know someone at your church who is, why not pass these on to them too? It could help them with their planning for the next academic year.

A CALL TO PRAYER

For teachers and support staff in the teaching of RE and those studying RE at primary and secondary school. We pray for NATRE (National Association of Teachers of RE) and pray for wisdom as we engage with all faith traditions. Amen.

A CALL TO ACT

RE Reformation resources and why not register for the NATRE newsletter if the RE curriculum interests and inspires you to dig deeper

(Image courtesy of Masaaki Komori @ Unsplash)