Candles of hope lighting up our world as we pray together...

Many of you will have seen the encouragement we received from the presidents of Churches Together in England to light a candle of hope on 22nd March.

I know that in my own home and many of the homes of my friends and neighbours, a candle was lit, as we prayed together…

Here is an update from the CTE website about the wonder of this and the way it helped us to connect, even though we are physically distant from each one another:

“Tens of thousands of Christians across Britain united to pray as part of the National Day of Prayer and Action on Sunday 22nd March 2020, responding to the call made by Presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE). Amid the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe, candles were lit in thousands of homes across Britain at 7.00 pm on Mothering Sunday, symbolising the light of Christ shining into the darkness.Even those living in ‘social isolation’ were able to unite in this act of prayer, standing together in solidarity and faith at this time of global crisis.”

I am, along with many other I know, continuing to light a candle of hope and pray each evening at 7pm. Perhaps you would like to join us?

Cover photo of the candle I lit, in the name of Jesus, light of the world, as I prayed with others across the world, for hope and healing.

Sara Iles, FCG Media Support Officer

Images below courtesy of CTE

Are you involved in teaching RE or home schooling at this time?

Are you involved in teaching RE or home schooling at this time?

To help you during this difficult time, RE Today is working hard to support NATRE by producing resources that ALL teachers can use and share with pupils and parents in order to support with home learning.

You can check out these resorces HERE.

Keep learning and teaching RE from wherever you are… with these free resources for you and your pupils…

(photo courtesy of Markus Spiske at Unsplash)

A prayer from a schools' charity - Spinnaker Trust

Through our work with the Free Church Education Committee over the years, we have had good links with staff from the Spinnaker Trust.

Sharing this prayer today, which has been written by the Trust, for you to pray with… pray with us….

Father we lift our schools and our children to you in the second week of closure. We lift the school leaders having to make difficult decisions. We pray for safety for staff and children as they work together. We pray for families cooped up together in an unprecedented way and for worries about resources jobs and salaries. Please remind us that you told us not to worry. Like for the birds of the air and the little sparrows you will care for us. Even the hairs on our heads are counted. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen

(photo courtesy of Road trip with Raj at Unsplash)

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