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

Furthering our vision....!

We have a vision to pursue with further education! We are on the path to developing awareness in our churches of the crucial role which further education play in our society and to develop ways churches can get involved. 

In 2015, a Working Group was commissioned by the Directors of the Free Churches Group to produce a report on the current and potential future engagement of the Free Churches with Further Education (FE). A report was published by the Working Group in July 2016.

** A Vision and Policy Statement has been developed, affirmed and shared during Autumn 2017. You can read a copy HERE. ** 

Join us as we develop and pursue this vision - find out ways in which your local church or wider denomination can get involved - please do contact Sara Iles, Education Assistant, for further information! sara.iles@freechurches.org.uk 

"The nature of FE makes clear the significant part it plays in the society that our churches seek to serve. This commitment to deepen our engagement with FE will entail doing more to identify and connect with those involved with FE within our own congregations and for churches to seek out and create opportunities to engage with the FE colleges in their local communities. " From the main FE Report 2016 

Photo taken by Isobel, a sixth form student from the Midlands. 

Today is Pray Day for Schools

Join us as we pray for schools today. The Free Churches Group, Scripture Union, Open The Book and many other partners are involved in supporting Pray for Schools across the UK. 

Churches, individuals and groups are encouraged to pray for their local schools. Join in and create a powerful wave of prayer for our schools... 

There are lots of interesting and inspiring resources on the Pray for Schools website 

We are encouraging everyone to use the hashtag #SayDoPray and to say the Lord’s prayer over their school. #SayDoPray—in a spirit of love, joy and peace with kindness, goodness and gentleness showing patience, self control and faithfulness—both for ourselves and those who serve in schools.

From the Living Bible: “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” Galatians 5 v22 & 23

Join us and create a wave of prayer for our schools! 

Praying for students

The Further Education and Sixth Form Initiative (known as Festive) offer prayers for those who are students in sixth form or in college. If you are currently studying in FE or know someone who is, why not send in a prayer request? 

Their mission is to:

• Inspire Students
• Equip people for Mission
• Love FE & Sixth Forms

You can find out more about Festive by checking the link HERE. 

Why not consider having regular prayers of intercession at your church for students and staff in further education (FE)?

At any one time, there are over 3 million students engaged in FE, so this group are a huge part of our communities.... If you would like some ideas or resources to inspire your prayers, look HERE. 

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) 

Image from high-quality Christian stock photography available for FREE - Photo from Freely Photos by Cristian Newman  

Discovering the good in simple things Christ asks us to do!

  ‘While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’  Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.’ Mark 14:22-23

Both in church and in prison recently I’ve thought to myself how easy it is as a minister from a Free Churches tradition to miss out on the simple meal of remembrance Jesus called us to. But two things strike me here; firstly how simple is this meal really, and secondly just how much we really do miss out? The Eucharist, Lord’s Supper, Communion or Breaking Bread together service naturally draws us towards the symbolism, perhaps the sacrementalism, the very act of remembrance, and the presence of the Trinity in this meal. When I share communion in prison I am drawn time and again to the willingness with which Jesus shared this event with one who has been so often vilified over the years, his betrayer Judas.

Over the years many theologians have discussed the fellowship gathered together to meet with their Lord in a special act of remembrance. Arguments have flown about the nature of the elements and their meaning during the service, who can and cannot administer which parts of the service, the effects on the participants of not taking Jesus’ call to recognise him seriously and so on. However recently I’ve been drawn to think several times about Jesus calling us to do this simply because it is another thing that is good for us, drawing us closer to him, to his Father, and to the Spirit.

Bread and wine – simple, yet hugely complex elements. My brother-in-law has recently taken up the hobby of wine-making, and anyone looking at the spreadsheets he has created to help him monitor the progression of his creations would conclude that this is anything but simple. And anyone who has watched Paul Hollywood dissect a piece of bread on bakeoff would again know that there is more to this flour and yeast combination than meets the eye! Collaboration with the natural processes of fermentation to my untrained eye certainly has something of the mysterious about it.

The transformation of hurting people too has something of the mysterious about it. Why is it that some whom we work with seem to ‘take’, and some seem to need more time to develop? Why do journeys of faith, seemingly so secure as they approach the prison gate suddenly seem so fragile in the hours following release? And how does God take what some may see as a hopeless soul and change this into a glorious life lived fully. In prison chaplaincy we do see all of these, and every time the outworkings are in my mind mysterious. Both good news and bad news stories seem to me to have the mysterious element about them; the same element that takes the ‘normal’ elements of fermented grape and baked wheat to give us a way to meet Jesus together.

As we meet around the elements of the bread and wine, we meet together the Trinity in relationship.  The Father sending his son, Jesus’ obedience in leaving the glory of heaven and submitting himself to death on the cross, and the ongoing work of the Spirit in the power of the resurrection. In the substance of the bread and the wine, the right ingredients, taken through the right process and eaten in the right mindset bring us closer to our creator, and in this mystery we are changed.

The Institute of the Study of Happiness in Copenhagen (yes, there is such a place!) has recently concluded that eating together is one of the most common and universal elements which leads people to a better sense of wellbeing. It does us good. How much more potential does eating together in the conscious presence of the triune God have? As I say, maybe this is simply another thing that Jesus calls us to because he knows it does us good.

Let us not miss out on those things that do us good. No wonder Jesus broke bread and gave thanks.

Bob Wilson

Secretary for Prison Chaplaincy and Free Church Faith Advisor