Education Sunday 13th September 2026: Living Well Together

Join us on 13 September as we celebrate Education Sunday 2026 with the theme “Living Well Together.” This year's reflections invite churches to engage deeply with the lectionary readings, encouraging prayer, worship, and action centred around reconciliation, forgiveness, and mutual responsibility. Together, let’s explore how we can create thriving communities where individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs can flourish side by side.

In a world often marked by division and distrust, education holds a powerful key to unity. Schools, colleges, and universities are vital spaces where individuals not only learn alongside each other but also gain insights from one another. The focus should not just be on what we learn, but on who we are becoming as we navigate these journeys together.

This year also marks the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale’s groundbreaking translation of the Bible into English. Partnering with Bible Society, we reflect on Tyndale’s belief in the transformative power of Scripture. His mission extended beyond literacy; he aimed to make God’s word accessible to all, allowing it to shape lives and communities.

Romans 14:1–12 captures our theme beautifully, reminding us to accept one another, to avoid judgment, and to recognise that we exist not just for ourselves. These teachings are particularly relevant as we consider their application in our schools, neighbourhoods, and congregational life today.

We invite you to use the provided resources to spark prayer, discussion, and collaboration with those invested in education. Together, let’s foster a society that celebrates diversity, prioritises the well-being of children and young people, and exemplifies what it truly means to live well together.

 Suggested reading: Exodus 14: 19-31, Psalm 114 or Exodus 15: 1b -11, 20-21, Romans 14: 1-12, Matthew 18: 21-35

To explore more and download the resources, please visit the Churches Together in England website HERE.

Interview Coaching for Chaplaincy Posts

19th May 2026, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Boost your confidence and sharpen your chaplaincy interview skills with expert tips and real‑world examples.

Although selection processes often involve more than just a panel interview, an interview is still a critical part of the process. How you do at the interview will significantly impact your chances of being offered a job. Good interview preparation reduces the inevitable nerves and anxiety associated with interviews, meaning that you can present yourself in a confident, self-assured and articulate way. Drawing on their experience of interviewing, this interactive webinar will offer a range of tips and skills to help enhance your interview performance, including:

• Structuring answers well and using language that resonates with your audience.

• Developing good examples to answer scenario-based questions.

• Preparing insightful questions to ask yourself.

Register your place HERE. The ticket price is £20 for non-FCG members and free for FCG members. For the discount code, please contact Thandar here.

Emerging Funeral Practice and Implications for Ministry

Joint Liturgical Group of Great Britain, Tuesday, Apr 21, from 7:30 pm to 9 pm

Examining contemporary developments in funeral practice and their significance for Christian Ministry. Bringing together leading scholars and practitioners in the field of death, ritual and bereavement studies, this conference will provide both historical context and critical analysis of emerging trends. Click here for more information and register your place here.

A link to the conference will be sent by email approximately 24 hours before the scheduled start time. If you require further information, contact us at jlgevents@outlook.com

Signpost Services Announces Major Expansion Across the West Midlands

Signpost Services has expanded its nationwide support platform to include comprehensive coverage of services for prisoners and ex‑prisoners across the West Midlands. Chaplains and professionals working with individuals in or from the region can now access information on 500 local organisations offering support with housing, addiction, finances, health, faith communities, and a wide range of rehabilitation needs.

This development builds on Signpost’s existing coverage of London, Manchester, the North East, and Norfolk, strengthening its position as one of the most extensive directories of resettlement support in the country.

With this expansion, the Signpost database now includes 2,200 organisations, including more than 250 services operating nationwide across England and Wales. This enables chaplains and frontline workers to generate personalised “Your Signpost Services” reports for individuals being released into any part of the country.

Founder David Cooke highlighted the importance of maintaining accurate, up‑to‑date information:

“We are now using AI‑driven tools to ensure our data is refreshed regularly. This means chaplains and support workers can rely on Signpost to provide current, trustworthy information at all times.”

Signpost is inviting chaplains and practitioners with recommended service lists for the West Midlands to contribute to the growing directory. Submissions can be sent to contact@signpost.services.

For more information, visit www.signpost.services, where you can also access the one‑page overview Introduction to Signpost.

Contact: contact@signpost.services

‍ ‍

Chaplaincy Roadshow 2026

The Free Church Group partnered with the Chaplaincy's Road Show Tour, and we invited the organisers to give us a report.

Over a coffee, Warren Evans (CEO of Sports Chaplaincy UK) and I imagined how we could showcase Chaplaincy Ministry to the local church. We approached around 20 organisations, who quickly bought into the idea. The Roadshow aimed to inform, inspire and encourage greater involvement, and empower pastors and church members to capture a renewed vision for chaplaincy.

A further motivation to organise the Roadshows was the frequent requests we receive from Prisons. Hospitals, the military, and so on, are requesting more Chaplains. For me, it is somewhat strange and counterintuitive that Chaplaincy still holds currency in the UK. Why would a Premier League FC appoint a chaplain? A further indicator is the expansion of Colleges and Universities offering Chaplain-Training. Chaplaincy is in its ascendancy. How long will this door stay open?

Chaplaincy is increasingly recognised as a vital, post-secular ministry in the UK, shifting from a niche, institutional role (hospitals, military, prisons) to a public-facing, "incarnational" ministry in workplaces, shopping centres, leisure and sports venues. It is considered crucial because it meets people where they are—outside traditional church walls—offering spiritual care in an era characterised by both rapid secularisation and a persistent search for meaning. As traditional church attendance declines, chaplaincy serves as a "bridging" ministry, bringing a spiritual presence into communities. It operates as "the church without walls," where 95% of the people encountered do not regularly attend church.

Here are some results; 

• 200+ people attended the three roadshows

• The buzz and energy in the room were amazing

• Partner organisations were very positive, and new contacts were made!

• The national advertising alone underscored chaplaincy to the Church

• London and Birmingham have requested follow-up events!

• Cardiff and Newcastle have asked for a Roadshow

• When we showcase stories of encounter and community engagement, people are impacted and want to get involved

• We saw the power of partnership as different agencies and churches stood together

I lead my denomination’s Chaplaincy Dept; along with many networks and streams, we are convinced that Chaplaincy offers amazing opportunities to share Christ’s Love with those with little or no meaningful connection to a Christian community.

 A Very Modern Ministry: Chaplaincy in the UK – Ben Ryan (2015)

At a time when UK society seems increasingly dominated by secular habits and assumptions, and when religious attendance and affiliation seem to be in decline, there are more and more stories of chaplaincy spreading into new settings. No longer – if indeed it was ever the case – are chaplains limited to Anglican clergy in a few institutional settings. Today chaplains are everywhere.

Chaplaincy ministry has its roots in ancient history. Religious men and women often accompanied armies into battle as priests. Chaplains provided encouragement and compassionate care to people who were constantly in crisis. Chaplains sailed with Sir Francis Drake in the sixteenth century and fought with Washington during the Revolutionary War. They have prayed through human suffering, have been encouraged in despair, and have walked alongside humanity at every stage.

Today, chaplains are found in many (perhaps every) settings—healthcare, policing, business, industry, universities, and sport; in fact, placement is limited only by the lack of imagination.

The word chaplain originates in fourth-century France. A traditional story relates the compassion of St. Martin of Tours. One cold and wet night, he was so moved by compassion for a beggar that he shared his cloak. Upon his death, his cape (capella in Latin) was preserved as a holy relic and kept in a shrine that came to be known as chapele, from which the English word chapel is derived. The guardian of the chapel became known as the chaplain.

The phrase “an open door – an effectual open door” is taken from 1 Cor 16:9. The Apostle Paul is ministering in Ephesus. He says that in the face of all the challenges and opposition, there is an incredible ‘Open Door’ of effective mission that has opened to him. The metaphor is clear despite the hardships God has opened doors for effective engagement with society. We are convinced that chaplaincy is God’s gift, God’s open door to the UK Church. 

As with any promotional event, we look to the cumulative effect, and pray that in local settings, as pastors and chaplains tell their story at national, regional and local events and as chaplaincy is affirmed, we will see increasing numbers of pastors and church partners called into this vital ministry.

Like the ministry of Jesus, chaplaincy is about being present in specific, sometimes messy sectors of society to provide support. We call this incarnational presence. In summary, chaplaincy in the UK acts as a proactive, adaptable ministry that bridges the gap between faith and society, offering vital human connection to people and communities wherever they are.

We love and honour the pastors and the local church, most of us recognise the pull to ‘inhouse’ ministry, that is we end up giving our best hours and resources to our church-community. Conversely, chaplaincy intentionally focuses 95% of our time and effort outside the local church. Someone said, “Get out on the limb, that’s where the fruit is”.

Does your church community have an active involvement in chaplaincy ministry? We can help you get started.

For Information contact: -

Nigel Tween. Nigel.Tween@outlook.com  Director: Elim Chaplaincy Association.

Warren Evans. warren.evans@sportschaplaincy.org.uk  CEO: Sports Chaplaincy UK