Prayerfully preparing for Dying Matters Awareness Week 2021 - taking place all next week

Many of you will already be aware of the Hospice UK movement. Well, they are the lead organisation, with a group of coalition partners, who support Dying Matters; next week is the Awareness Week - on the theme of ‘Being in a good place to die’.

Over the course of the coming week, through our FCG website and social media channels, we will be sharing with you a range of poignant and timely reflections linked with the vital work of Dying Matters, brought to us by chaplains in healthcare and palliative care settings. There will be the chance to have access to helpful and sensitively produced resources, films, books and other support materials.

Please do check out the news page in the coming days; we hope and pray that the content shared will be an encouragement to us all. We are working alongside Dying Matters to help to create an open culture that talks about death, dying and bereavement. Dying matters to all of us - so let's talk about it.

Thank you for taking part in Dying Matters Awareness Week 2021.

This year, we are focusing on the importance of ‘being in a good place to die’.

“Dying Matters believes in an open culture that talks about  death, and where people feel able to listen and support those  who are planning for end of life, who are dying and who have  been bereaved.
The lack of openness in society has affected the quality and range of support and care services available to patients and families. 
It has also affected our ability to die where or how we would wish. We want to break the stigma, challenge preconceptions and normalise public openness around death, dying and bereavement.”

— says Dying Matters

(cover photo by Priscilla Du Preez at Unsplash and photo above from Dying Matters Resources)

"O God who longs to make us whole..." hymn words written by a hospital chaplain

O God who longs to make us whole in body, spirit, mind is the opening line of the hymn written in 1998 by the retired URC minister and chaplain, Revd Michael Forster. The hymn was originally written to mark the 50th anniversary of the NHS, the words of which are poignant and apt to share in these times too. In fact, verse 3 was added in 2021 to recognise the efforts and courage of many people, in addition to those in the NHS, who have served during the pandemic…

May it be a blessing, an encouragement and an inspiration to us in these times and in all times. Amen

1 O God who longs to make us whole in body, spirit, mind,
we praise you for the hopes and dreams you share with humankind:
for those in pow’r whom you inspired to share the nation’s wealth,
that rich and poor alike might know security and health.

2 We give you thanks for those who strive that knowledge might increase;
for all in office, ward or home whose efforts never cease;
for those who give of wealth or self, who care or who campaign,
and all who bravely watch and wait to share your people’s pain;

3* for those in countless walks of life who daily work and strive
to keep each other safe and well, and help the weak to thrive;
for those who go beyond the call in myriad other ways,
and keep alive the light of hope in dark and cheerless days.

4 O give us grace to trust your love when hope remains concealed,
to watch and pray beside the ones who are not swiftly healed.
And grant us faith, when death itself provides its own release,
to trust in your undying love to give them perfect peace.

5 Give us, O God, your loving zeal to comfort, heal and save,
to care for one another ‘from the cradle to the grave’.
Then north to south, and east to west, let love and hope extend,
until the universe is whole and justice knows no end.

Michael Forster (B 1946)
© 1998 & 2021 Michael Forster

Tune: Kingsfold – English traditional melody collected by Lucy Broadwood (1858-1929)
The text may be reproduced royalty-free for use in worship, as long as authorship and copyright are acknowledged, no alterations are made and this authorisation is printed in full on all copies.

(cover photo courtesy of Markus Spiske at Unsplash)

"God and the Pandemic" - lecture on 17th May at 5.30pm

David Wilkinson, theologian and scientist, who is Principal of St John’s College and a Professor of Theology at Durham University, will be giving a lecture on the topic of ‘God and the pandemic’.

This event, hosted on Eventbrite, is The Michael Perham Cathedral and University of Gloucestershire Lecture 2021. You can find out more and book your place HERE.

“How does a scientist and a theologian engage with some of the big questions raised by the pandemic? What have we been learning about what it means to be ‘led by the science’ and the vulnerability of humans to the natural world? Where is God in all of this? The pandemic has focused questions in the relationship of science and theology which are both helpful and challenging.”

— says the event's flyer

Professor David Wilkinson

Event flyer

(cover photo by Tom Barrett at Unsplash)

Opening up Chaplaincy - a recording of webinar

On 28th April, we hosted a dynamic and informative event all about Chaplaincy. Over 100 people from a variety of churches and areas joined us for the webinar - Opening up Chaplaincy.

You can view a recording of the event HERE.

Guest speakers at this event were:

• Revd Bob Wilson, Free Churches Group Secretary for Prison Chaplaincy & Free Churches Faith Adviser

• Gary Hopkins, Ministry Development Officer, Connexional Team, The Methodist Church

• Revd Nana Kyei-Baffour, Healthcare Chaplain, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

• Revd Dr Michael Peat, Free Church Chaplain, University of Bristol Multifaith Chaplaincy

——

You can find out more about the work of the Free Churches Group and Chaplaincy on our main website, under the various sector headings; we also have a special page on which we offer further information and resources all about chaplaincy HERE.

——

(cover photo courtesy of Pedro Ramos at Unsplash)

Moving Forward in Hope - recording of webinar - Theos report: university Chaplaincy during the pandemic

On 26th April, we hosted webinar entitled “Moving forward in Hope”. This was on the subject of the recently published Theos report and research conducted by Simon Perfect, about HE chaplaincy during the Pandemic; the full title of the report is: “Relationships, Presence and Hope: University Chaplaincy during the COVID-19 Pandemic”. You can read a copy of the Theos report HERE.

Simon kindly agreed to talk to us about his research at the webinar in April and participants had the opportunity to talk with others about how the experience of chaplaincy during the Pandemic might have taught us things that can strengthen chaplaincy in the future.

You can watch a recording of the event and find out more about the report HERE.

(image: Mary Long Adobe Stock)