Ready, steady, pray... for prison chaplains across the world!

The Free Churches Faith Adviser to the Prison Service, Revd Bob Wilson, serves as the Vice Chair to the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA). We are invited by Rev Bob and all the the members of the IPCA network to join in a global wave of prayer for the work and ministry of the IPCA!

A day of prayer is taking place for prison chaplains across the world on 25th August 2020. Please encourage your church fellowships to get involved by praying in your homes or by safely physically distancing in your churches (as appropriate).

Join with the Free Churches Group and many other ecumenical partners across the globe for the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA).

The theme for this year is: The Grace of God

The IPCA has produced an order of service, complete with readings from Scripture and prayers for you to share and pray through.

Join us as we pray together… you can download the prayer and worship resource HERE

(photo courtesy of Mike Labrum at Unsplash)

Compassion, resilience and COVID-19

“Compassion, resilience and COVID-19” is a thought provoking article which has just been published in the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and written by Andrew Gillies, who is a healthcare chaplain.

Rev Gillies writes, “Pandemics change perspectives, and the unique global impact of COVID-19 has offered little in the way of predictability that would otherwise inform what new, or helpful perspectives we might carry forward to cope with all that is unfolding. As a healthcare chaplain I spend a lot of time ‘holding stories’. These are the ones that patients tell as their lives come to an end, or as their health circumstances change. These are also the stories that healthcare colleagues tell of how unacceptable and painful their work can be, or of how dull and disconnected their emotions are compared to when they started. These stories are important because in speaking them, and having them heard, they are in some way validated, made real and understood …”

You can read the full article HERE.

(photo courtesy of Annie Spratt at Unsplash)

Tea and chat - Fridays @ 4pm - for Healthcare Chaplains!

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!

Revd Meg Burton, the Free Churches Secretary for Healthcare invites you to bring a cuppa and have a get-together each Friday at 4pm through Zoom. Healthcare chaplains welcome!

Zoom Meeting ID:870 5327 8978  Password: 669993

Meg says, “I will be there between 4pm and 5pm if anyone would like to join me

for an informal chat about anything.”

You can find out more about the work the Free Churches does in the field of healthcare and download helpful resources HERE.

(photo courtesy of Jess Bailey at Unsplash)

Building community in a virtual world - webinar for HE chaplains on 9th September

A free webinar for HE Chaplains is coming up soon… on 9th September (from 2pm-3.30pm)

In these strange times and in the days ahead, chaplains in universities are faced with new opportunities and challenges in building community, so this webinar aims to support them to face this challenge and create new ways of working.

Universities are managing their return in a variety of ways, with more activities and formal input happening online, and fewer staff and students on campus. Lawrence Moore, Church Mission and Discipleship Consultant, has been been building communities online for many years. In this webinar, he will help HE chaplains to look at theological perspectives underlying community-building, and explore the new opportunities for chaplains to connect with students and staff in a changed environment.

Latest news and prayers from the Christian charity who work in further education - FESTIVE

The Free Churches Group has been developing productive working relationships with Festive, the Christian charity who actively engage with the Further Education sector. We have been doing this to strengthen strategic links and to empower our FCG member churches to be able to engage more with the world and the life, issues and joys of Christians in FE (see link to FCG church resources below). (Festive stands for Further Education and Sixth Form Initiative).

You can read the latest news from Festive HERE. Why not subscribe HERE to their newsletter so you can keep in touch with their work?

In the month’s edition, there is lots to read, learn about and pray for, including….

• Prayer for students & workers in FE

• Interview with Miriam Lay, who supports a Christian Union in the north east

• Some updates for your prayers

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus

and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers..” Ephesians 1:15

You can find out more about the work FCG has been doing in the world of further education and check out our resources to support churches HERE.

(photo courtesy of Scott Webb at Unsplash)