NEWS
2021 National Conference for School and College Chaplains - online on 9 June
Over recent years, here at FCG we have been an active partner in the work and mission of the Centre for Chaplaincy in Education. We are delighted to announce that further information and how to reserve your place on their forthcoming conference are now available.
The conference is aimed at School and College Chaplains and will be held online on 9th June and on the following day there will be a retreat-style gathering.
The conference is entitled People of Hope in times of change. For further details and how to reserve your place:
The conference will provide a time and space for reflection and growth as we continue to connect with others.
“We are excited to offer an ‘unprecedented’ full day and evening of keynotes, workshops and evening celebration with spaces for reflection and worship and opportunities for networking”
TIME TO PRAY! FOR OUR SCHOOLS... on 24TH FEB
As you may already know, FCG plays an active part in the work and mission of the Pray for Schools network. I have been part of their steering group over the last 4 years. I am pleased to be able to share with you that, following a dynamic and prayerful meeting earlier in January and an inspiring steering group meeting this week, we are hosting another prayer times on 24th February from 12.30-1.15pm.
You can register for this prayer time here:
We look forward to welcoming you on 24th Feb and praying alongside you, for our schools.
Let’s take heart, believing in Jesus’s wonderful promise that ….
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
— John 15:7 (NIV)
Pray for Schools steering group with reps from Care, Youth for Christ, FCG, Scripture Union, Association of Christian Teachers, Open the Book and Prayer Spaces in Schools
(Sara, FCG Media Support Officer)
Recording of webinar available now - "Racial Justice / Criminal Justice – what can your church do?"
A recording of the webinar “Racial Justice / Criminal Justice – what can your church do?” is now available for you to watch and share. This event was held in September 2020. This webinar intends to equip the church, in the widest sense, to address some of the recommendations raised by the Lammy Report into racial disparities within the Criminal Justice system.
The next in the series is coming up soon: 23rd Feb from 6.30-8pm, University of Birmingham in partnership with the Barrow Cadbury Trust and FCG, will be hosting a webinar entitled 'Racial Injustice - what can you church do? Building Community.'
This will be a free event, but registration is required. Booking details through Eventbrite and further information will be on the FCG website soon. Keynote speakers include Chine McDonald, Head of Community Fundraising and Public Engagement at Christian Aid and George Barrow from Ministry of Justice.
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These webinars are intended to provide faith community leaders with practical but informed ideas for churches to take action that can help to reverse the worrying trends and see fairer outcomes for BAME people in the criminal justice system in England and Wales.
One of the organisations hosting the next event
(cover photo courtesy of Thomas William at Unsplash)
Methodist Chaplaincy Forum coming up soon! 9th March at 7.30pm
Save the date!
If you are involved in chaplaincy, there will be a Methodist Chaplaincy Forum on 9th March at 7.30pm.
This will be an event on Zoom and registration details will be available soon, on the FCG website.
(cover photo courtesy of Alesia Kazantceva at Unsplash)
Renewed call to persevere in prayer for the NHS
Rev Paul Rochester, General Secretary of FCG, regularly attends meetings with the National Ecumenical Officers of CTE Member Churches. That group, along with reps from CTBI and other networks, have welcomed the call issued by the Baptist Union of Great Britain to persevere in prayer. We are all invited to the new call of the Baptist Union of Great Britain to sustain our prayers for the NHS.
We were very aware that all our Churches will have been praying for those who work in the NHS throughout this situation, and many have been providing resources for churches and individuals to do so. We are also aware of various different calls to prayer and of days of prayer which are being organised by different groups.
However, there was a feeling this morning that this is a key period in which we are being called to pray in a sustained way. We are therefore commending to your attention the suggestion of the BUGB that we focus our prayer on five key areas:
Pray for all the NHS staff for their own safety, energy and peace in dealing with each and every patient.
Pray for those in hospital leadership, for wisdom and for good decisions to give the best outcomes for patients.
Pray for patients; for healing, for peace and ultimately to fight this disease and get home and pray for their relatives who feel helpless.
Pray for the vaccine, that it will and is working against this latest strain of Covid-19.
Pray for a reprieve and an end to Covid-19.
We very much feel that this is a call, not only to Baptists and to Baptist churches, but to the whole family of Christians in this country – and indeed, it is of relevance to those of other faiths.
The Baptist Union of Great Britain asks for your help in promoting this call to prayer through your denominational channels. Please do feel free to circulate the text as widely as you can.
cover photo courtesy fo Jonathan Borba at Unsplash)