NEWS
Webinar: Reflective Practice: a Pathway to the Heart
Photo by Guillaume LORAIN on Unsplash
““Thanks very much for this helpful and encouraging session.””
We’ve talked to a lot of chaplains and other leaders recently, and understand something of the range of new pressures that the Coronavirus pandemic has brought with it. These pressures and challenges have opened up new opportunities for many people, but there has been little time to stop and reflect.
On 2nd June, the Free Churches Group held a webinar on Reflective Practice, attended by over 60 chaplains and pastoral workers from a range of setting. Even if you were unable to attend the event earlier in June, you still have the chance to take some time out and reflect on your own work. You will find the link below to recording of the webinar session. This will hopefully give you the opportunity to take a bit of time out for yourself – time to ponder, time to think, and time to learn how to embed reflective practice in your ministry. Here’s some feedback from those who took part:
“The session made me look again at the way I’ve been working over the last few months, and I realised I just haven’t stopped. Now I know I need to stop: I need to make space to reflect and to find the hooks on which to hang the bags I’ve been carrying.”
“I would have burnt out in ministry a long time ago had it not been for reflective practice/supervision. I'd encourage people to find the places and safe spaces that are possible for them.”
If you missed the live webinar, you can now watch the recording, using the link HERE. You will need to use this password: 1n#7=O$e
It’s about 80 minutes long, with the main presentation lasting about an hour.
Documents to accompany the webinar are available here, including copies of the PowerPoint slides used in the presentation.
Participants’ Guide
Clouds document
Reflective Practice PowerPoint
Reflective Practice Pdf of PowerPoint
Who is it for? Chaplains in healthcare, prison or education settings, or any other setting; Christian leaders; anyone who is interested in ways of engaging with others in a pastoral situation.
Our presenter: Mark Stobert is Lead Chaplain to Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) and came into post in November 2018 having previously been a healthcare chaplain for over 25 years in the West Midlands. Mark is currently studying for a Doctorate in Practical Theology (DPT) using critical reflection to explore the chaplaincy practice of creating ‘Safe Space for Slow Questions’ with patients, visitors and staff of CUH.
“A ‘Slow question’ is a question that can’t be replied to by a fast answer. Sometimes there are no answers but in asking it can be enough just to be understood. Sometimes the slow question is simply, ‘Why?’ Sometimes it is the nagging or delicate thought that can only be voiced when it is safe to do so.”
““Thank you for the Reflective Practice Session. I thoroughly enjoyed it.””
““Very beneficial””
Pentecost Sunday - prayers with and for the Prison Fellowship
Prayers from the Prison Fellowship for Pentecost Sunday 31st May
Let us pray…
Come once again Holy Spirit as our advocate, our counsellor and our helper.
Give us Your Fire, that we may burn to see justice and truth in this world;
Breathe into us, that we may bring Your life to all we encounter;
and speak into us Your words of hope, that we may see lives renewed and transformed,
in Jesus’ Name. Amen
The Free Churches Group and our work in prison chaplaincy have worked with The Prison Fellowship (PF) for many years. Last year the Prison Fellowship celebrated 40 years of working with prisoners… their mission is : “to show Christ’s love to prisoners by coming alongside them and supporting them.”
Find out more about their work HERE.
(photo courtesy of Jon Tyson at Unsplash)
Praying with and for the Prison Fellowship Support Team
Prayer for Sunday 23rd May
We pray today for the Prison Fellowship Support Team, who are mostly working from home through this time. Loving God, would You sustain them, give them new energy and vision for the work, and keep them connected to each other and the wider Fellowship.
Amen
The Free Churches Group and our work in prison chaplaincy have worked with The Prison Fellowship (PF) for many years. Last year the Prison Fellowship celebrated 40 years of working with prisoners… their mission is : “to show Christ’s love to prisoners by coming alongside them and supporting them.”
Their work continues, as do the links the FCG and other organisations have with PF. You can join with friends and partners of The Prison Fellowship, by praying together through the month and May and beyond…
This month, they are continuing to pray for all the prisons across England and Wales. There are four listed each day. To find out more about their work and register for their monthly prayer diary, click HERE.
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 27: 13-14
(photo courtesy of Zac Durant at Unsplash)
The Law Around Organ Donation is Changing
The law around organ donation is changing and providing the key details on:
• The law change and how it will change organ donation and transplantation
• What the law change will mean in the current context of COVID-19
• What we’ve been doing to reassure people who want their faith/beliefs to be respected if their family were approached about organ donation.
We’re asking all stakeholders to show their support by sharing assets, like the video and other assets available at this link.
The details is available to download here.
Kindness matters most, Mental Health Awareness Week
This week is the Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme this year is kindness. You may have already seen this clip but if not, it's worth spending a couple of minutes looking at it.
Kindness Matters - Mental Health Awareness Week
"Kindness was chosen because of its singular ability to unlock our shared humanity. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. It is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health. Wisdom from every culture across history recognises that kindness is something that all human beings need to experience and practise to be fully alive."
Over the past eight weeks we have seen all over the country wonderful acts of kindness and how it can bring communities together to strengthen, support and encourage.
There is support for people who are finding life a struggle and who need a helping hand. No one should suffer in silence. There are plenty of suggestions and ideas if you tap in Mental Health Awareness 2020 into a google search. I am sure you will have either yourself, or know of somebody who is or has, struggled at some point in their lives. Thankfully this topic is talked about a lot more these days and help available but we need to be mindful at all times.
One of the quotes is "Now is the time to re-imagine a kinder society", hopefully we all try to do that, pandemic or no pandemic!
Matthew 25:35-40 Taken from The Message
34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ Amen.
Di Welchman
Trinity Methodist Circuit & Clays Churches (Admin Support)
Grove Street Methodist Church