NEWS
Bedtime stories...
What kind of memories do you have been read to as a child? Perhaps you have children of your own and you have shared bedtime stories with them? Perhaps you have had to spend time away from your family which was difficult for you? Every year in the UK 200,000 children experience the imprisonment of a parent. Many of us, from across our churches and communities, will have experience of this, as it affects so many children. It is very hard being separated from your family in this way, but there is some amazing work going on to support families - you can read all about Lewis Hardy and how he has got through things….
Lewis was struggling in prison, feeling isolated from his young family and increasingly "cold". Then he was shown a way of doing something that many parents take for granted - reading to his children - and everything began to change. He tells us about his challenges and how he got through the tough times in a recent BBC news article which you can read HERE.
This work is part of the amazing work which is done by a charity called Storybook Dads.
You can read more about their vital work and why they do it HERE
This work helps keep a connection between prisoners and their families.
Read on and see the hope that this has given to Lewis…
Perhaps your church could help support this work by fundraising, volunteering or buying their beautiful greetings cards - see here for further information and ideas and click on How You Can Help…
We thank God for the work done by all the volunteers and staff at Storybook Dads and ask God’s blessing on the children and families whom they support.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash by Picsea
"No child should face life's struggles alone..."
This is the heartfelt goal of Spurgeons Children’s Charity: that no child should face life's struggles alone...
Spurgeons work to support churches, families and individuals to face challenges and overcome struggles. One of the area in which they work is how to support a child if one of their parents is serving time in prison. This is a difficult and confusing time for children, but Spurgeons have some helpful and hope-filled advice:
They also have resources and prayers for you and your church to use and share HERE.
Spurgeons was founded by the Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon and his associates in 1867 and the charity have been working and serving vulnerable children and families for over 150 years…. Thank God for their work!
Pray with us….
A prayer for the Lord to protect and bless the children Spurgeons works with
Loving God, for all the children you have created, we give you thanks and praise. For the young people they grow to be, we give you thanks and praise. Give us the eyes to see and ears to hear their needs. Give us soft hearts to respond to their silent call for our support and assistance. Give us open minds to be taught by children as they speak to us. Help us see how we can support work that gives young people the opportunities to realise their potential. Help us to love them like Jesus loves them; to teach and show them what is true, just and compassionate. We pray for Spurgeons work with the 1600 young carers they support; with the 500 prisoners who look to Spurgeons for help in becoming the fathers they should be; with the 1,200 children and young people Spurgeons staff have protected from harm in the last year; and the 3,000 children and parents receiving dedicated support from Spurgeons to be stronger more stable and loving families. We lift up all of these to Your throne of grace asking for Your Spirit to heal broken lives; to carry heavy burdens resting on young shoulders; and to protect the vulnerable from abuse, harm and exploitation. Lord, hear our prayer for those you have brought into Spurgeons’ care. Use Spurgeons as Your willing hands to transform their lives in ways that bring glory and honour to Jesus. Amen.
Photo courtesy of Unpslash by Pan Xiaozhen
Pray for Schools Fortnight coming soon!
The vision of Pray for Schools fortnight is to bring together people from local churches and others involved in education – parents, students, teachers, governors, staff and volunteers – to pray strategically for schools in their area and those involved in them.
Coming soon - get involved! From 12th to 26th May 2019
The vision of Pray for Schools fortnight is to bring together people to pray for schools in their area.
At our recent FCG Residential, we heard all about the amazing work which Pray for Schools does - you can read more about this work and pray with us HERE. FCG play an active and dedicated part of the life, mission and witness of the work of Pray for Schools.
Lord, teach us to pray! Even though our God is awesome, holy and almighty we can still to come right into His presence – when we come in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! Prayer has to be one of the most amazing gifts God gives us – what an incredible privilege it is to talk with Him about the issues on our hearts. And know He hears and answers!
Photo courtesy of Unsplash by Charlein Gracia
Open letter in response to the Sri Lankan attacks
We have all been shocked and saddened by the horrific terror attacks which took place on Easter Sunday in Colombo. Please find a letter to Sri Lankan communities in Britain from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP.
Please do pass it on, where appropriate, and encourage others to share it.
Meeting together....
The Free Church Education Committee met at the end of March to pray for and plan the next steps in our education strategy. We were hosted, with great welcome, at the Westhill Endowment and had an edifying time of discussion and working together. Our opening devotions, led by our Committee Chair, Julie Grove, were based on Faith Exhibit paintings by Rev Elizabeth Gray-King. You can find out more about hiring these works and other faith based pieces HERE.
Pictured are some of the members of the Free Church Education Committee
You can find out more about our work in the field of education with our Free Church members here and get your church involved in this vital work.