NEWS
Prayerfully preparing for Dying Matters Awareness Week 2021 - taking place all next week
Many of you will already be aware of the Hospice UK movement. Well, they are the lead organisation, with a group of coalition partners, who support Dying Matters; next week is the Awareness Week - on the theme of ‘Being in a good place to die’.
Over the course of the coming week, through our FCG website and social media channels, we will be sharing with you a range of poignant and timely reflections linked with the vital work of Dying Matters, brought to us by chaplains in healthcare and palliative care settings. There will be the chance to have access to helpful and sensitively produced resources, films, books and other support materials.
Please do check out the news page in the coming days; we hope and pray that the content shared will be an encouragement to us all. We are working alongside Dying Matters to help to create an open culture that talks about death, dying and bereavement. Dying matters to all of us - so let's talk about it.
Thank you for taking part in Dying Matters Awareness Week 2021.
This year, we are focusing on the importance of ‘being in a good place to die’.
“Dying Matters believes in an open culture that talks about death, and where people feel able to listen and support those who are planning for end of life, who are dying and who have been bereaved.
The lack of openness in society has affected the quality and range of support and care services available to patients and families.
It has also affected our ability to die where or how we would wish. We want to break the stigma, challenge preconceptions and normalise public openness around death, dying and bereavement.”
(cover photo by Priscilla Du Preez at Unsplash and photo above from Dying Matters Resources)
"God and the Pandemic" - lecture on 17th May at 5.30pm
David Wilkinson, theologian and scientist, who is Principal of St John’s College and a Professor of Theology at Durham University, will be giving a lecture on the topic of ‘God and the pandemic’.
This event, hosted on Eventbrite, is The Michael Perham Cathedral and University of Gloucestershire Lecture 2021. You can find out more and book your place HERE.
“How does a scientist and a theologian engage with some of the big questions raised by the pandemic? What have we been learning about what it means to be ‘led by the science’ and the vulnerability of humans to the natural world? Where is God in all of this? The pandemic has focused questions in the relationship of science and theology which are both helpful and challenging.”
Professor David Wilkinson
Opening up Chaplaincy - a recording of webinar
On 28th April, we hosted a dynamic and informative event all about Chaplaincy. Over 100 people from a variety of churches and areas joined us for the webinar - Opening up Chaplaincy.
You can view a recording of the event HERE.
Guest speakers at this event were:
Revd Bob Wilson, Free Churches Group Secretary for Prison Chaplaincy & Free Churches Faith Adviser
Gary Hopkins, Ministry Development Officer, Connexional Team, The Methodist Church
Revd Nana Kyei-Baffour, Healthcare Chaplain, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Revd Dr Michael Peat, Free Church Chaplain, University of Bristol Multifaith Chaplaincy
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You can find out more about the work of the Free Churches Group and Chaplaincy on our main website, under the various sector headings; we also have a special page on which we offer further information and resources all about chaplaincy HERE.
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(cover photo courtesy of Pedro Ramos at Unsplash)
Action for Children have two events coming up soon...
Many of you will already be aware of the vital campaigns work of Action for Children. Some of their team have been inspiring and thought-provoking guest speakers at some of our FCG Education Committee meetings and we wanted to let you know that they have a couple of events coming up soon which may be of interest to you.
The first one is about fostering and will be on Facebook Live on 20th May at 7pm.
The second one is called - Boycott your Bed for Vulnerable Children - to raise awareness about and bring hope to vulnerable UK children hit hardest by the pandemic, on the night of Friday 9th July.
“There were 78,150 children in local authority care in 2019, and many more foster carers are needed to give them a safe and loving home; that might just be you. We can answer any questions you have.”
2. Boycott Your Bed is a fundraising and awareness raising event on 9th July - to find out more, learn how to get involved and to make a donation.
“Boycott your Bed and you’ll bring hope to vulnerable UK children hit hardest by the pandemic. Because – while happier times are ahead for most of us – this crisis has made things even worse for children and families already in desperate need. Wherever you sleep, the money you raise can make children’s dreams of a safe and happy childhood come true. ”
(cover photo courtesy of Artem Kniaz at Unsplash)
Conference: School & College Chaplains: "People of Hope in times of change" June 9th
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 the forthcoming conference in June 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”
