Anti-racist RE resources and recording of recent panel discussion

As you may already know, in partnership with Methodist Schools, the Free Churches Group commissioned Lat Blaylock of RE Today to write and develop a dynamic and thought provoking range of RE resources - Anti-racist RE - which you can access for free HERE.

We are now delighted to share in full the 'Anti-Racist RE Panel' session

from Strictly RE @ Home 2021.

With thanks to our panellists Anthony Reddie, Alexandra Brown,

Saima Saleh & Sally Elton-Chalcraft.

You can watch a recording of the panel discussion here:

We are grateful to the Westhill Endowment for providing financial support which enabled us to develop these Anti-racist RE resources.

(cover photo courtesy of Alexis Brown at Unsplash)

Distress, loss and bereavement - a support pack from MHA

As part of the regular mailings which our Healthcare Secretary, Mark Newitt, shares with healthcare chaplains, I am passing on a recent publication by MHA, which you may find useful. It is a report aimed at those who are relatives and friends of those living in care settings, but will be helpful to others too.

The support pack, entitled ‘Relative Recovery’, which you can access at link below covers things such as:

• Distress, loss and bereavement

• Grief

• Supporting children

• Guilt

• Dementia

• Two short orders of service for memorials

(cover photo courtesy of Cristian Newman at Unsplash)

Palm Sunday - praying with Prison Fellowship

On this Palm Sunday, we are invited to join Prison Fellowship in praying this prayer:

“Loving God, we are reminded on Jesus entering Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace.
Pray for God’s peace throughout our prisons this Holy Week.
Amen”

May I take this opportunity to invite you to pray for all prison chaplains who are busy preparing services for sharing with prisoners and prison staff over Eastertide.

We pray for Rev Bob Wilson, our very own Free Churches Faith Adviser, who will be particularly busy preparing and recording services for sharing across a variety of prison media over the coming week.

We pray for wisdom, courage and discernment in all they prepare and for the Word to reach the ears of those in prison in need and be a comfort and an inspiration to all who hear…

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers. Amen

(Sara Iles, FCG Media Support Officer)

You can read more about the vital work of Prison Fellowship HERE.

(cover photo courtesy of Jacob Bentzinger @ Unsplash)

Shine a light at 8pm tonight on this National Day of Reflection

Today is being held as a national day of reflection to mark a year since the lockdown in the UK began… and to commemorate all those lost to Covid.

This evening we are invited to shine a light…

At 8pm we'll hold a minute's silence and come together to light up the night. Stand outside with a light – a candle, a torch, even your phone - to remember someone who's died and show your support to people going through a bereavement. Alternatively you can shine a light in your window for everyone to see.

At midday, along with thousands of others in their homes, I observed a time of silence in my lounge, reflecting on those who have died. A poignant powerful time of remembering, grieving and paying.

Marie Curie and partners invite us to observe a national day of reflection. They say, “Since the first lockdown began in 2020, hundreds of thousands of people have died. Too many lives have been cut short and millions have been bereaved. Behind the statistics and whatever the cause, every death has been devastating for the people left behind. Join us today to reflect on our collective loss, support those who've been bereaved, and hope for a brighter future. There are still tough times ahead, as the death toll continues to rise. This annual day will give us all time to pause and think about this unprecedented loss we're facing, and support each other through grief in the years to come.”

Flower, handmade by a member of New Maria Congregational Church, Neath, South Wales

National Day of Reflection

Today is being held as a national day of reflection to mark a year since the lockdown in the UK began… and to commemorate all those lost to Covid.

I have just observed a time of silence in my lounge, reflecting on those who have died. A poignant powerful time of remembering, grieving and paying.

I share with you, as the cover photo on this article, a handmade silk daffodil made by a member of a CF Church I support in Neath, South Wales. The flower was lovingly hand crafted by a member of their church. The community in Neath, as well as so many others across the UK and the world, have lost so many people to the virus - Lord in your mercy, be a comfort to all those who mourn.

Marie Curie and partners invite us to observe a national day of reflection. They say, “Since the first lockdown began in 2020, hundreds of thousands of people have died. Too many lives have been cut short and millions have been bereaved. Behind the statistics and whatever the cause, every death has been devastating for the people left behind. Join us today to reflect on our collective loss, support those who've been bereaved, and hope for a brighter future. There are still tough times ahead, as the death toll continues to rise. This annual day will give us all time to pause and think about this unprecedented loss we're facing, and support each other through grief in the years to come.”

This evening we are invited to shine a light…

At 8pm we'll hold a minute's silence and come together to light up the night. Stand outside with a light – a candle, a torch, even your phone - to remember someone who's died and show your support to people going through a bereavement. Alternatively you can shine a light in your window for everyone to see.