Our mental health conference - a snapshot of the day!

The Free Churches Group hosted a one day conference on 23rd October. It was a well attended event with delegates coming from across England and Wales, from a range of different vocations, backgrounds and denominations.

We were hosted kindly by the Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church and had a excellent range of speakers in the morning. They helped us to think about the church and mental health; this was followed by panel discussions to explore the issues raised in greater detail.

In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to explore ways to care for ourselves and how to develop models of reflective practice. The day was surrounded in prayer and fellowship and gave us an excellent opportunity to learn and grow in this complex and interesting area of our ministries.

The programme and information are attached for your further reference and if you would like to know more about any of the contributions made on the day or how your church might learn more about this vital work, then let us know.

You may be interested too in the forthcoming Healthcare Chaplaincy Study day coming up on 7th November. For further info, look here.

Pray Day for Schools... coming soon

Did you know that each year, across Europe, there is a Pray Day for Schools on third Tuesday of November?

This year perhaps your church would like to get involved and join in this wave of prayer for our schools.

It will be taking place across churches and communities across Europe on 19th November. Get involved wherever your are!

You can find out more and download free prayer resources here.

(photo courtesy of Blake Barlow at Unsplash)

Mental health conference next Wednesday - still time to book your place!

Mental health matters and it affects many of us and many of those we support in our communities and ministries…

We are hosting a day conference next week for Christian leaders, chaplains, student workers and anyone interested in looking after their own mental health and that of others. This will be held at Bloomsbury Baptist Church, London on Wednesday 23rd October.

Lots of varied conference content and the opportunity to explore a wide range of topics… Theological input, panel discussions and a choice of workshops including exploring mental health first aid, supporting those in study, and worship and dementia.

The conference costs are £25 per person and you can find out more information and book your place here.

Come along and be inspired… learn together…

Develop skills and share good practice in this important area of ministry

For information contact sarah.lane.cawte@freechurches.org.uk

BOOK YOUR PLACE →

Tickets provided through Eventbrite

(photo courtesy of Grant Durr at Unsplash)

Conference on teaching GCSE in Judaism coming up soon

As part of the our work with the RE Council, FCG has a strong working relationship with the Board of Deputies of British Jews, so we are delighted to share details of their forthcoming conference with you.

On 11th December, The Board of Deputies of British Jews are hosting a conference for educators who are involved in teaching Judaism GCSE.

This will be held in a central London location and includes panels, workshops, lectures and interactive sessions, will be delivered by leading Jewish authorities in Religious Education, and representatives from the Exam Boards. A keynote speech will be given by Rabbi Joseph Dweck, Senior Rabbi of the Spanish & Portuguese Jewish Community.

You can find out further information and book your place here.

You may also be interested in this free sample of the Judaism GCSE teaching resources.

(photo courtesy of Ben Ostrower at Unsplash)

"Well Beings" - a Guide to Good Mental Health from the Student Christian Movement

As part of our work with the Free Church Education Committee, FCG has been working with the Student Christian Movement (SCM) in the Higher Education Working Group.

We are pleased to announce that over the summer the SCM has published a resource pack for supporting good mental health for students. This free resource can be downloaded HERE.

The Student Christian Movement has launched Well Beings, a practical guide to good mental health for students. Produced in partnership with Space to Breathe, the resource is a response to a recent survey of students that showed over 90% of students have had mental health problems or are supporting someone who has poor mental health.

The resource covers themes such as where to find help, how to face anxiety and how to build resilience. Each topic is presented along with simple, practical activities to help students develop good mental health.

You can read more about the work we have been doing in the field of HE here and download more resources for you to use and share in your churches and share with your young people.

You may also be interested in a conference for Christian leaders on the theme of mental health which we are hosting later this month (23 Oct) - for further information and to book your place, click here.

(photo courtesy of Eli DeFaria at Unsplash)