Ministry on the edge: a free webinar for chaplains in higher education on 15th July

The Free Churches Group are hosting a free webinar for chaplains in higher education on 15th July from 2 p.m. until 3.30 p.m. This is entitled: Chaplaincy: ministry on the edge - Exploring and communicating the value of chaplaincy in today’s universities.

Exploring the value of Higher Education chaplaincy in the context of

the COVID-19 crisis and in an environment where budgets are being cut.

Please register HERE

Universities, like all other parts of society, have had to implement rapid change and are facing enormous challenges. Higher Education chaplains have had to work out how they can continue their ministry when campuses are empty and students and staff are operating online.

Some chaplains have been furloughed, and many are feeling vulnerable. Some have been busier than ever, whilst some have struggled to know what to do.

The COVID-19 crisis has had a huge impact on university finances, and managers are faced with big decisions about whether to cut some services.

In this webinar, we will explore the value of chaplaincy from the perspectives of research, university management and churches. There will be an opportunity to think through how your ministry is part of the missional life of the church, why the continuing provision of chaplaincy is essential for the life and health of the institution, and how to communicate the value of chaplaincy to different audiences, including management committees and employers. Presentations from our speakers will be followed by group discussions.

The webinar is for Higher Education chaplains. The emphasis will be on the Free Churches, but chaplains from any tradition are welcome to join. It will be recorded and available on the Free Churches website as some chaplains may wish to invite their managers to watch the webinar at a later stage.

Further further information and to register for this event (through Eventbrite) click HERE

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(photo courtesy of Sylvia Zhou at Unsplash)

Be yourself....

Be yourself… At the beginning of the Bible, we are reassuringly proclaimed to be made in God’s image…: “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, NRSV).

I wonder if you have felt more yourself in these strange and turbulent times we have been going through? …or perhaps you feel like parts of the old self, which you appreciated are missing now, due to lockdown?

It can be hard to work out who we are sometimes, especially when we are under pressure or our circumstances are changing beyond our control… our relationships with friends and family might be shifting. We might need help with supporting children in our care to think about how we can all best be ourselves… help is at hand…

BeSpace activities to bring a sense of peace and identity to your life...BeSpace has created a worksheet to work, play and pray through… They say, “Christians believe that we are called to be ourselves... that we all have different gifts,are made differently and are totally unique and God thinks that we are totally awesome.” You can download this free resource HERE.

You could also use this worksheet to support children’s activities with families in your church.

As part of our partnership work for the Free Church Education Committee, we are members of the Pray for Schools network, working alongside lots of other dynamic and engaged Christian organisations. One of the other groups who are also on the Pray for Schools network is BeSpace… BeSpace is a Christian charity who encourages churches to work together to see prayer and reflection spaces happening in all areas of the community. Their vision to see every child, young person and adult connect with God in their daily lives from the school into the home.

(photo courtesy of Inga Gezalian at Unsplash)

Tea and cake - get together online Fridays at 4pm

Revd Meg Burton, the Free Churches Secretary for Healthcare, has got the kettle on! Meg would like to invite you to bring a cuppa and have a get-together each Friday at 4pm through Zoom. Healthcare chaplains welcome!

There’s a lot going on for us all at the moment and finding space to chat and relax together can be challenging. Often things come up in our working week we want to share or we might just appreciate a friendly face and a cuppa on a Friday… so here’s the link. Join us if you can!

Zoom Meeting ID: 819 1769 4407  Password: 585847

Meg says, “I will be there between 4pm and 5pm if anyone would like to join me for an informal chat about anything.”

(photo courtesy of Rumman Amin at Unsplash)

Free webinar: Role of Faiths & Non-Faith in the Emergence of Healthcare from this Pandemic

This free event is coming up soon!

Title: Role of Faiths & Non-Faith in the Emergence of Healthcare from this Pandemic

When: July 1st 14.00-16.30

Further information on hosts of event:

• Great Ormond St Hospital Paediatric Bioethics Centre & Chaplaincy

• UK Paediatric Chaplaincy Group

• Mission and Public Affairs Department of the Church of England

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The event is free but registration is required: HERE

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(image courtesy of Guilherme Stecanella at Unsplash)

Praying alongside the Prison Fellowship...

Prison Fellowship Prayers for Sunday 21st June

This Sunday,

we pray for prison Chaplains, who are faithfully continuing to support those in prison. God of grace, will you give them compassion, insight and words of wisdom and encouragement as they interact with those in their care.

Amen

The Free Churches Group and our work in prison chaplaincy have worked with The Prison Fellowship (PF) for many years. Last year the Prison Fellowship celebrated 40 years of working with prisoners… their mission is : “to show Christ’s love to prisoners by coming alongside them and supporting them.” Find out more about their work HERE.

You can read and pray through their June Prayer Diary HERE.

(photo courtesy of Ye Jinghan at Unsplash)