Art in Heaven...

The National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE) have hosted a Spirited Arts exhibition and competition to encourage children and young people explore themes of faith and belief. There are some really inspiring and thought-provoking pictures - you can take a look HERE. 

Do you use drawing and painting activities with your church groups?

Thinking about, designing and sharing pictures can be a stimulating and creative way to learn about our faith and explore ideas.

Why not begin drawing and painting in the new year with your children and young people?

It's great fun for adults to get involved too and discover their artistic gifts! 

There are lots of ways you can create an atmosphere of creativity and imagination:

Godly Play 

Bible Crafts and Resources for Children

The painting on this article is by Madeleine, aged 5, from Christ Church Charnock Richard CE Primary School

"Footprints in the Sand - My painting is of the poem ‘Footprints in the sand.’ On the beach I can see two lots of footprints, mine and God’s but sometimes there is only one set of footprints. That is when God is giving me a piggy back. This painting was done during the week after the Manchester bombings “God is giving those people who are sad piggy back rides isn’t he?” "

A prayer for us all - as learners...

Jonathan Green, who works with us at the Free Churches Group, has written and published a range of thought-provoking and interesting prayers. His work with prisons and with the Welcome Directory has been pioneering. You can read more about the Welcome Directory HERE. 

Let us pray...

Learner

Lord Jesus Christ, our master and guide. 

We are your disciples, devoted to a lifetime of learning from you. 

Learning about your life, not only of what we read about in the pages of our Bibles, but also about your life among us now. 

We give our lives, not only to understanding the scriptures about you, but to living in response to that revelation in the details of our lives day by day.

The more we learn, the more we realise how deeply transforming your way is. 

As our experience deepens, we realise that your Kingdom is within us; bubbling up, abundant and overflowing.

We are becoming alive! 

The ramifications of all you call us to be are overwhelming. 

We really shall do greater things than you. 

To heal the bruised and broken. 

To hold the marginalised. 

To speak on behalf of the voiceless. 

To be advocates for the downtrodden. 

Not isolated acts of grace, but acting together on a global scale and in a sustained way. 

Your Church, a global community of learners, doing the stuff. 

May we be malleable, humble, teachable, deep, true, integrated, meek; open to change and ever growing towards you.

Joy and peace are ours and ours to share. 

You call us to collaborate with you in transformations, even as we too are being transformed.  For evermore. 

Amen.

Green, Jonathan. Fractal Beauty: 52 Prayers (Kindle Locations 662-667). Re:creative Media. Kindle Edition.

You can read, pray and share more of these evocative and inspiring prayers by downloading the e-book HERE. 

'Education has the best chance of turning lives around'

Emily Dewar-Langridge teaches young offenders at Feltham prison, and has won an award for the difference she’s made to students. Here, she explains her role. 

Emily writes: "I’ve been a teacher at Feltham prison – an institution for young male offenders – for two years now. I work with 15 to 18-year-olds, but only a few of them stay with us throughout those years. The average sentence served here is about four months, so the group changes frequently....." You can read more about challenges and opportunities encountered and the hope this teacher sees in who she works with, in the newspaper article online HERE. 

Wherever we might find ourselves in life, we always have the chance through education and support, to make a fresh start...to work towards fulfilling our God-given potential.

Education has the power to turn our lives around, even when we might feel lost or broken...

Education can give help us to see a silver lining to build a brighter future, even when the present moment feels cloudy and hopeless... 

Have you been inspired by this teacher's story? what could you do in your church or as an individual Christian to make a difference for education in prisons?

You might find some of the these links helpful in praying and thinking about planning this... :

Prison Advice and Care Trust

Prison Fellowship 

Free Churches Group Welcome Directory

Prison Hope 

Working with Primary Schools

As part of our goal to share news and articles from our member church groups / denominations, here is a recent article to encourage us to engage with our schools - from The Baptist Union of Great Britain. 

Martin Sweet, who is a member of the Free Church Education Committee, writes:

"The primary school is a place where community really meets – and where Christians can serve with integrity.... Another school year full of opportunities for local churches and Christian groups to engage with the young generation....."

You can read the full article HERE.

** How could your church engage with schools? And with the younger generation? **

Martin Sweet writes on behalf of the Baptist Education Group (BEG). The vision of the Baptist Education Group is to encourage every Baptist church to strategically engage in supporting its local school. Visit the BEG page for more of Martin's articles and resources. Martin is director of Spinnaker Trust, an organisation with over 25 years’ experience, based in SE London, regularly supporting over 100 primary schools in London and the Southeast with RE, assemblies and much more.

Image courtesy of a Creative Commons Licence from https://freelyphotos.com/notepad-and-pencil/  

Art and faith

As part of our aim to share news from member group / church denominations, I thought I would share a piece from the Congregational Federation (CF) website. (Their mission is "Bringing together independent free churches for mutual support and the advancement of the Christian faith.")

Earlier in the summer, they shared news of an interesting and thought-provoking range of art which churches can borrow from the Westhill Endowment. The CreateTalk Touring Faith Exhibition Scheme aims to encourage conversations, enable reflections and inspire action by visitors from the local community to your exhibition.

Westhill has been providing faith exhibits for hire for more than 10 years and the CreateTalk initiative was adopted by Westhill in 2017 from the United Reformed Church. 

 A range of exhibits is available for hire on different themes and using different forms of art.
 Exhibitions venues include churches, community centres, educational centres, hospices,   places of work, retreat centres or any other venue chosen by the group hiring the exhibits.
 There is no limit on the number of exhibitions which you can host. Lots to inspire us in our churches.....  Sara, Education Asst, FCG 

• Octave - A collection of eight paintings by Elizabeth Gray-King known as ‘Octave’ which invite viewers to pause and ponder. Pictured is a work by Elizabeth, entitled Leap 
• Gethsemane Garments - A collection of four Gethsemane Garments by Peter Privett which show pain, suffering, hope and renewal.
• Good Grief/ Bald Statements - Eight sculptures by the late Jean Parker which deal with personal loss and the grieving process, after Jean’s own experience.
• Holy Writ - In 2014, in association with the ‘Holy Writ’ exhibition in Lichfield, the exhibition organisers organised a community project.
• Let the Needle do the Talking - A collection of embroideries by the late Pamela Pavitt which are presented in two groups.
• Light shine through the Darkness - A collection of 19 paintings by Ruth Goodheir about a new future and a sense of purpose.
• Picturing Creation - Seven paintings by Kate Neal known as ‘Picturing Creation’ depicting the creation story in the Bible.
• The Journey - A compendium of 42 paintings by Peter Clare known as ‘The Journey’ about the spiritual aspects of life’s major events.

For more information go to http://www.westhillendowment.org/faith-exhibits