NEWS
Continuing to serve our member churches and groups...
In these strange and turbulent times, we all know it has been difficult; we are facing new challenges every day, yet making the most of new and unexpected opportunities. Like so many organisations and church groups, Free Churches Group has been seeking new ways to stay connected and to support each other; finding different ways to stay in touch and keep the vital work we all do to keep on going.
Since the beginning of the year, because of the geographical distances between our team members, we had set up a Zoom platform to meet up on line every Tuesday morning. These have become even more important in recent weeks, as travel and face to face meetings have not been possible. The Free Churches Group team continue to meet online, to pray together, to review our work in prisons and healthcare chaplaincy and education. We will continue to find ways we can serve our member churches in these challenging times.
Our team members have been busy, working from home and meeting up with colleagues and our wider partners (remotely); recent meetings have been on the following topics:
Prisons Week 11-17 October 2020 (further details available soon)
Department for Education: Schools with a Religious Character / Faith Schools
and many more….
Please pray for our team, as we continue to pray for your churches and networks.
May our work together continue to be a blessing to those we seek to serve, in God’s name.
If you have not already done so, you can subscribe to our newsletter, which is published monthly by completing your details at the bottom of this website link.
(cover photo courtesy of Taisiia Shestopal at Unsplash) (screen shot photo of one of our recent meetings below)
Free Church Education paper just published - Religion on Campus...
Since 2014, the Free Church Education Committee has had a working group dealing specifically with Higher Education. There are a wide variety of reports and papers for your further reference as well as pamphlets which churches and students can download to share with their communities. You can check these out HERE.
Over the last few months, the Free Church Education Committee and
the HE Working Group have been researching and finalising
a paper about Religion on Campus.
Universities shape the lives of millions of people in the UK. Nearly half of all our young people attend universities, and their impact reaches into the wider community. Religion is also a life-changing force in today’s world. More than 80% of the world’s population identify with one religion or another. Understanding how universities and religion relate is therefore vitally important. This paper, from the Free Church Education Committee’s Higher Education Working Group, explores the issues about the role of religion in university life, drawing on Free Church principles and recognising contemporary realities. It is intended to help those working in this area to think through issues relating to faith on campus, and to inform their approaches and priorities.
You can find out more about the background the the FCG’s work in this arena here.
(photo courtesy of Green Chameleon at Unsplash)
'Do not be afraid...'
Did you know that the phrase ‘Do not be afraid…’ is mentioned in the Bible 365 times?
On a recent phone conference church service, one of their members supporting leading devotions, who is a friend, sang the hymn, Do Not Be Afraid by Gerard Markland (1978). I found it a comforting and uplifting song to hear, shared with others, over the telephone receiver in these unsettled times.
In these strange days, we may be feeling afraid about all sorts of things… having to develop greater emotional resilience… needing to support others to develop new ways of coping with changing circumstances… finding new patterns of being. We know God is with us in all we do, through good and bad times., so we can take heart in that… and be encouraged.
The Christian organisation, BeSpace, has produced and shared an interesting and engaging range of resources for prayer activities at home, including the one below about being brave.
BeBrave: BeSpace activities to bring a sense of peace and calm to your life…
(As part of our partnership work for the Free Church Education Committee, we are members of the Pray for Schools network, working alongside lots of other dynamic and engaged Christian organisations. One of the other groups who are also on the Pray for Schools network is BeSpace)
(photo courtesy of Melissa, aged 15, who is a Gateway college student)
Vacancy with the Centre for Chaplaincy in Education
Centre for Chaplaincy in Education [CCE] is a new charity committed to chaplaincy in education and with a vision to see a chaplain in every school and college by 2030.
What they say about their work: “We are a body of people passionate about Chaplaincy in Education being the best it can be. As a charity we seek to serve Chaplains through training, support, resources and strategic advocacy for Chaplaincy in Education. As a community we strive to encourage, support and equip Chaplains in schools and colleges in their ministry. We are a gift to the Church and to schools in working with you.”
Are you the person to lead, develop and deliver a multi-faceted communications strategy for them?
Have a look at the vacancy details here.
Please feel free to share to those in your church network who may be interested. Thanks!
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If you are interested in the wider work FCG are doing in the field of education… The Free Church Education Committee, along with working groups commissioned by the Free Churches Group, have published a number of documents and papers. Here is one on the Free Churches and Schools which may be of interest you.
The Free Churches and Schools: a report - Life in all its Fullness
(photo courtesy of Taylor Wilcox at Unsplash)
Thankful...
Thankful… in these strange and challenging times, we may find ourselves feeling thankful for different things than usual….
I wonder, what are you thankful for today? I am feeling grateful for flowers in the garden, a phone call with a friend and our public services…
BeSpace have provided an inspiring sheet to use and share with your family and church networks, for prayer activities which can be done at home.
BeThankful: BeSpace activities to bring a sense of peace and calm to your life…
By way of background for FCG: As part of our partnership work for the Free Church Education Committee, we are members of the Pray for Schools network, working alongside lots of other dynamic and engaged Christian organisations. One of the other groups who are also on the Pray for Schools network is BeSpace
BeSpace is a Christian charity who encourages churches to work together to see prayer and reflection spaces happening in all areas of the community. Each contains a range of different activities and Bible passages. Their vision to see every child, young person and adult connect with God in their daily lives from the school into the home.
(photo courtesy of Melissa, aged 15, who is a Gateway college student)