Dynamic millennial Pentecostal leader appointed to CTE team

Churches Together in England (CTE) is delighted to announce the appointment of Shermara Fletcher to the role of Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations, commencing in March 2021. Shermara will lead CTE’s work amongst Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, as well as facilitating CTE’s new Racial Justice Working Group.

For the full press release and learn more about Shermara:

On behalf of the Free Churches Group, we offer hearty congratulations to Shermara and we look forward to working with her in our ecumenical groups!

Shermara Fletcher

Vacancy for Free Church Chaplain at The University of Exeter

The University of Exeter are welcoming applications for the post of University Chaplain.

They are looking for an enthusiastic and creative person with excellent interpersonal skills and pastoral sensitivity, to take up this exciting new post as part of the Exeter University Multifaith Chaplaincy team. It will be a half time post of 20 hours per week.

Applications are invited from members in good standing with one of the sponsoring denominations (Baptist, Methodist, or United Reformed).

The closing date for the vacancy is 12th February 2021 and interviews will take place on 26th February.

For further information about the post and how to apply:

Churches will play vital role in bringing communities together post-Covid-19

CHURCHES WILL PLAY VITAL ROLE IN BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER POST-COVID-19 

Churches in the UK have a unique opportunity and rich resources to bring local communities together in a post-Covid-19 world where loneliness and inequality look set to rise, claims the Free Churches’ report on The Church and Social Cohesion.  

The report calls on every church in the UK to assess whether it is using its resources to the best of its ability to improve social cohesion at the very grassroots level. It identifies the following assets that local churches may have, including the vision to serve, which is based on a local knowledge of and commitment to their neighbourhoods:  

• Buildings - to hold community events (which can foster everything from church events to mother and toddler groups or foodbanks).  

• Networks - that bring people together from different backgrounds and can be used to send information quickly into communities in times of need.  

• Leadership – not just faith leadership at a formal level but also encouraging and nurturing young Christians to lead, something which should be further developed.  

• Convening power – bringing people together offering conversational space.  

• Volunteering – providing and co-ordinating volunteers and events.  

• Vision - the desire to shape and transform communities, which is intrinsic to the core values of Christianity. 

The Church, with its strong vision and desire to “love your neighbour as yourself”, has an important role to play in helping to bring communities together.   

“Most Christians wouldn’t naturally think of the work they are doing in communities as “social cohesion” work, because that is the language of policy makers. However, in their quiet, everyday ministries of neighbour-love, they are building the links we rely on to call ourselves ‘a community’, all the time. We hope this research helps both policymakers and churches themselves to recognise this.”

— Elizabeth Oldfield, director of Theos

The challenge for each local church is to look at what you’re already doing to encourage and support social cohesion in the places God calls you to serve.

What needs strengthening and where can you do more?   

(Article adapted from press release by Theos Think Tank on 26th November. The areas visited for the research were: Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Cornwall, Croydon, Derby, East Lindsey, Haringey, Middlesbrough, Newham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Solihull, and Thanet.)

Student mental health and the pandemic: webinar on 14th December

We will be hosting a free webinar on Monday 14th December on the vital and timely topic of student mental health and the pandemic.

This is a free event aimed at supporting university chaplains and anyone else who is interested in this topic. It will take place from 10.30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

“The conditions created by the pandemic have taken their toll on the mental health of students. Chaplains are increasingly having to deal with issues connected with mental health, but may lack confidence to do so. This webinar aims to give chaplains access to the latest thinking from both institutional and student perspectives, and to signpost further sources of information and support.”

— Event organisers

Our speakers will be Dr Ruth Caleb, MBE who is Chair of the Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education (MWBHE) Working Group and Pete Gaffney who is Student Engagement Officer from Student Minds.

The event will be chaired by Revd Dr Stephen Heap, Chair of the Free Church HE Working Group.

Please register for the webinar using the link below

(cover photo courtesy of Deniz Altindas at Unsplash)

REGISTER HERE FOR WEBINAR

Hidden sentences: the voices of prisoners' families...

Hidden sentence is a phrase sometimes used by those whose relatives are serving time in prison - although it is a member of their family who is serving the actual prison sentence, many say they also feel that they are serving a sentence too - a hidden sentence.

Our very own Rev Bob Wilson (FCG Secretary for prison chaplaincy and Free Churches Faith Adviser) had the opportunity to attend The Sir Harold Hood Memorial Lecture which covered a varied and thought provoking programme of materials. One of the most poignant and important aspects of this Lecture was the premiere of a brand new film ‘Hidden Sentences: Voices of Prisoners’ Families’, created for Prison Advice Care Trust (Pact) by Martin Freeth.

“The Lecture and series of events were really encouraging and the film - Hidden Sentences - was particularly inspiring”

— Rev Bob, Wilson, Free Churches Faith Adviser

You can find out more about the vital and life changing work that Pact undertake with prisoners and their families here:

The Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) is a national charity that provides support to prisoners, people with convictions, and their families. They support people to make a fresh start, and minimise the harm that can be caused by imprisonment to people who have committed offences, to families and to communities.

What they do:

• Build stronger families and safer communities.

• Reduce risk of harm to prisoners and their children.

• Remove barriers and increase awareness in public services.

• Influence commissioning, policy and legislation.