Lots of inspiring resources for Education Sunday: 12th September

For well over one hundred years there has been an annual recognition of Education Sunday in England and Wales. It is a national day of prayer and celebration for everyone in the world of education. Education Sunday will be marked this year on 12th September and the theme is - A Word in Season.

There are lots of inspiring and helpful resources and materials to help you in your church to celebrate this day. This year, we are delighted that a preacher, who was one of the Sermon of the Year contest* (in 2020), has written a sermon for this year’s Education Sunday. You can download and share Jan Thompson’s dynamic and inspiring sermon HERE.

As well as this thought-provoking sermon, there is a theme introduction from FCG Moderator, Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, a Commissioning Prayers for Education Sunday and lots more to come! We hope that you enjoy using and sharing these resources which you can access at the Churches Together in England link below:

EDUCATION SUNDAY RESOURCES

*Sermon of the Year is an annual competition held by Preach magazine.

(cover photo courtesy of Zero Take at Unsplash)

'Organ Donation Week' coming up in September

A couple of years ago Free Churches Group, working with the Blood Transfusion and Organ donation services, facilitated a one day conference with our member churches and groups. This was a useful event to help us to raise the profile and importance of these services, particularly for our churches who have members from Black, Asian and other ethnic communities. We would like to continue to encourage more blood and organ donors from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to come forward to meet the needs of patients from across our communities. Certain conditions, such as sickle cell and thalassaemia, are more prevalent within these communities.

We would like to share with you news of Organ Donation Week which is coming up in September.

This is an awareness raising week from 20th - 26th September with a theme this year of: ‘Leave Them Certain’. This campaign aims to encourage people to talk to their loved ones about organ donation through highlighting that families are always involved before organ donation goes ahead.

Watch this space for further information about this year’s campaign and how you, your churches and your families can get involved in the discussions about this vital issue.

ORGAN DONATION WEEK

(cover photo courtesy of Alexandru Acea at Unsplash)

Prison Fellowship CEO, Peter Holloway, preaching at Baptist Church today

The CEO of Prison Fellowship is preaching at Haywards Heath Baptist Church today. We are invited by PF to pray for him.

“Please pray for Peter as he speaks
and for open hearts and minds for those listening.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen ”

— July 25th - prayer diary with Prison Fellowship

At Prison Fellowship, Peter is tasked with leading the delivery of PF’s ongoing work in prisons and enabling the organisation to achieve its vision.

(cover photo courtesy of Sixteen Miles Out at Unsplash; photo of Peter Holloway from https://prisonfellowship.org.uk/about/our-people/support-team/ )

Prayer Wall, to encourage and uplift those working in our prisons...

As part of our connection with Prison Fellowship, we invite you to pray with us today… one of the ways in which Prison Fellowship support the needs of those in prison is through a Prayer Wall.

“The Prayer Wall is a space to encourage and uplift those working in our prisons. An opportunity to express our gratitude for them and their work through prayers. ”

— say Prison Fellowship

Our prayer today comes from a contribution and encouragement to pray, from the Prayer Wall

Let us pray

My prayer for those working in prison is that they will be strengthened,

have great wisdom and peace in every circumstance.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen

—-

Please feel free to add your prayers and encouragements on the Prayer Wall [click here]. (Please note that prayers will only display once they are approved by a moderator).  Why not start with “My prayer for those working in prison chaplaincy is…” 

Pray continually… (1 Thessalonians 5:17a

(cover photo courtesy of Jesse Bowser at Unsplash)

Prison chaplains, from across Europe, gathered together...

On 19th July, dozens of prison chaplains were able to gather together, by the wonders of technology, to share together, pray for each other and reflect on their work over the last 12 months…

It was a wonderful opportunity to spend an hour together with other prison chaplains from across Europe. They heard from each other, and through a growing sense of mutual understanding, were able to offer and receive support.

Our Free Churches Faith Adviser, Revd Bob Wilson, was able to attend the event and says it was a great comfort and mutual encouragement to all.

This group is the European element of the wider work being done through the International Prison Chaplains Association. On 25th August, there will be an international day of prayer for prison ministry - watch this space for further details on the theme and for how to get your church and community involved in praying for the vital work of our prison chaplains across the world.

IPCA

(cover photo courtesy of Hasan Almasi at Unsplash)