JOIN US IN PRAYING WITH PRISON FELLOWSHIP this Sunday and in the weeks ahead

Will you join us to pray alongside Prison Fellowship this Sunday and in the days ahead?

For over 40 years, they have been working with, supporting and praying with and for prisoners across England and Wales.

The Free Churches Group and our work in prison chaplaincy have worked with The Prison Fellowship (PF) for many years.

This Sunday, we are encouraged to pray with Prison Fellowship for all of those preparing for and listening in to the National Prison Radio … With so many of our prisoners restricted to their cells for most of the day, this service is so vital.

Prison Fellowship has put together a service airing on National Prison Radio today.

Please pray that it would bring comfort and encouragement to those listening.

Amen

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers…

Find out more about their work HERE. You can read and pray through their January Prayer Diary.

“to show Christ’s love to prisoners by coming alongside them and supporting them”

— Prison Fellowship’s mission

Photo courtesy of Matt Botsford of Horizon Christian Fellowship at Unsplash)

Renewed call to persevere in prayer for the NHS

Rev Paul Rochester, General Secretary of FCG, regularly attends meetings with the National Ecumenical Officers of CTE Member Churches. That group, along with reps from CTBI and other networks, have welcomed the call issued by the Baptist Union of Great Britain to persevere in prayer. We are all invited to the new call of the Baptist Union of Great Britain to sustain our prayers for the NHS. 

We were very aware that all our Churches will have been praying for those who work in the NHS throughout this situation, and many have been providing resources for churches and individuals to do so. We are also aware of various different calls to prayer and of days of prayer which are being organised by different groups.

However, there was a feeling this morning that this is a key period in which we are being called to pray in a sustained way. We are therefore commending to your attention the suggestion of the BUGB that we focus our prayer on five key areas:

• Pray for all the NHS staff for their own safety, energy and peace in dealing with each and every patient.

• Pray for those in hospital leadership, for wisdom and for good decisions to give the best outcomes for patients.

• Pray for patients; for healing, for peace and ultimately to fight this disease and get home and pray for their relatives who feel helpless.

• Pray for the vaccine, that it will and is working against this latest strain of Covid-19.

• Pray for a reprieve and an end to Covid-19.

We very much feel that this is a call, not only to Baptists and to Baptist churches, but to the whole family of Christians in this country – and indeed, it is of relevance to those of other faiths.

The Baptist Union of Great Britain asks for your help in promoting this call to prayer through your denominational channels. Please do feel free to circulate the text as widely as you can.

cover photo courtesy fo Jonathan Borba at Unsplash)

Praying for schools tomorrow - 13th Jan 12.30-1.15pm

As you may already know, FCG play an active part in the work and mission of the Pray for Schools network. I have been part of their steering group over the last 4 years and am pleased to be able to share with you some information about the Pray Day coming up on Wednesday 13th Jan. (Sara, FCG Media Support Officer)

Dear praying friends, we're all deeply concerned about the current lockdown - schools closed, and with just a few exceptions, children are once again confined to their homes and learning remotely. Pray for Schools is hosting an interactive Zoom session to pray about this and we’d love you to take part. Please also forward this to anyone who may be interested. Joining us will be representatives from Association of Christian Teachers, CARE, Free Churches Group, Open the Book, Prayer Spaces in Schools, Scripture Union and YFC and many other individuals with a heart to pray for young people at this time.
We invite you to log in at 12.30pm on Wednesday 13 January, using the Zoom link we’ll send you.

The fast-moving 45-minute session will focus on three key areas:

• School leaders, teachers and other staff

• Children, parents and carers who are home-schooling

• Government plans, concerns for young people's futures and the hope we have in God's mercy and grace.

As well as praying, Christians can offer practical acts of kindness and support to local schools. We pray that many of you will be inspired by our 2021 'Love our Schools' resources, at www.prayforschools.org/loveourschools with many suggestions about sharing God’s love throughout the Spring – albeit within the restrictions of Covid! Let’s take heart, believing in Jesus’ wonderful promise that ‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.’ John 15:7 (NIV)
Please click register on Eventbrite in order to receive the Zoom link.

God bless you

Celia and Jane

Celia Bowring: Chair Jane Newey: England Coordinator england@prayforschools.org

(cover photo courtesy of PFS website)

Prison Fellowship - prayer diary for this month...

The Prison Fellowship Prayer Diary for this month is out now!

Will you join us to show Christ’s love for prisoners by coming alongside them and supporting them in prayer? Take a moment each day to pray with us as we pray for prisoners…

(photo courtesy of Aaron Burden at Unsplash)

University of Exeter seeks applicants for the post of Free Church Chaplain

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: