THE DISSENTING DEPUTIES ANNUAL MEETING IS BACK – PLEASE COME

Dating back to 1732 as one of our first, if not the first, civil rights societies, the annual meeting of the Dissenting Deputies has a long pedigree in the history of what we now call the Free Churches. Its role as a guardian of free speech and association is now assumed by the Free Churches Group and now we are an annual association..

So it is special that we are now able to meet again for our annual lecture – 6 pm Wednesday 27th October 2021 at Free Church House 27 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9HH.

We are very fortunate to have a distinguished speaker _ the Rev Dr Robert Pope, Vice Principal of Westminster College, Cambridge and he has a theme for our time:

“The greatest Terror of Mankind” – Contagion, the Church and the Providence of God

Sabina Williams sent the attached letter to our church contacts some weeks ago. We very much want you to come. But so we can get the room prepared, and to soothe our organising nerves, we also need an RSVP response before then if possible please.

Please email Sabina to confirm – sabina.williams@freechurches.org.uk or call at 0203 651 8334.

Many thanks,

Paul Rochester & Keith Salway

"We find peace in a broken place." Praying in Prisons Week

Prisons Week prayer for Saturday 16th October:

PROMISE
”Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” Luke 12:24

We find peace in a broken place. God’s grace can give you new strength. My wounds you heal. Lord Jesus, how great you are! They control the locks, you Lord control the clocks. Time will pass and we will be free. Amen

“Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to his love, the future to his providence. ”

— St Augustine of Hippo 354 – 430 AD

Thank you for joining us during Prisons Week for a week of prayer and reflection on the theme of Respair – the return of hope after a period of despair. You can continue to share and pray with the Prisons Week resources throughout the year and you may also be interested in the monthly prayer diary produced by our friends at Prison Fellowship.

May God bless you in your work and witness, your life and ministry. Amen

Revd Sara Iles, FCG Media Support Officer

(cover photo courtesy of Ante Gudelj at Unsplash)

Thank you from Bob and I and from all at Prisons Week!

It’s a heartfelt and prayerful THANK YOU from Revd Bob Wilson and I from FCG (pictured below) and from all of the sponsors of Prisons Week for joining hundreds of us in a wave of prayer throughout the week of prayer for Prisons Week.

You can continue to pray, view and share the Prisons Week materials throughout the year and we look forward to praying with you all again in October Prisons Week 2022.

Revd Bob Wilson sharing at Prisons Week event

Revd Sara Iles, at a Congregational Federation church, Bethlehem Blaenavon (CF are members of FCG)

Free Churches Group Moderator, Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, offers condolence on the death of David Amess MP

Free Churches Group Moderator, Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, offers condolence on the death of David Amess MP

On behalf of the Free Churches Group, I would like to extend my condolences to the family, friends, and staff of David Amess MP at this time. His loss is made all the more painful knowing that he was attacked while fulfilling his constituency duties.

Revd Dr Hugh Osgood

Moderator of the Free Churches Group

(cover photo courtesy of Irena Carpaccio at Unsplash)

Hope... pray with us in Prisons Week

Prisons Week prayer for Friday 15th October

HOPE
”For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Let us pray… Dear God, I hear your kind words of comfort and reassurance that you want me to prosper and not be harmed. Help me not to worry about my life, but to put my trust in you, to be happy and full of hope, love and gratitude.

Amen

—-

To watch the thought-provoking and hope-filled film, Consider the Ravens,

made for Prisons Week this year: