NEWS
Compassion, resilience and COVID-19
“Compassion, resilience and COVID-19” is a thought provoking article which has just been published in the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and written by Andrew Gillies, who is a healthcare chaplain.
Rev Gillies writes, “Pandemics change perspectives, and the unique global impact of COVID-19 has offered little in the way of predictability that would otherwise inform what new, or helpful perspectives we might carry forward to cope with all that is unfolding. As a healthcare chaplain I spend a lot of time ‘holding stories’. These are the ones that patients tell as their lives come to an end, or as their health circumstances change. These are also the stories that healthcare colleagues tell of how unacceptable and painful their work can be, or of how dull and disconnected their emotions are compared to when they started. These stories are important because in speaking them, and having them heard, they are in some way validated, made real and understood …”
You can read the full article HERE.
(photo courtesy of Annie Spratt at Unsplash)
Tea and chat - Fridays @ 4pm - for Healthcare Chaplains!
There’s a lot going on for us all at the moment and finding space to chat and relax together can be challenging. Often things come up in our working week we want to share or we might just appreciate a friendly face and a cuppa on a Friday… so here’s the link. Join us if you can!
Revd Meg Burton, the Free Churches Secretary for Healthcare invites you to bring a cuppa and have a get-together each Friday at 4pm through Zoom. Healthcare chaplains welcome!
Zoom Meeting ID:870 5327 8978 Password: 669993
Meg says, “I will be there between 4pm and 5pm if anyone would like to join me
for an informal chat about anything.”
You can find out more about the work the Free Churches does in the field of healthcare and download helpful resources HERE.
(photo courtesy of Jess Bailey at Unsplash)
Building community in a virtual world - webinar for HE chaplains on 9th September
A free webinar for HE Chaplains is coming up soon… on 9th September (from 2pm-3.30pm)
In these strange times and in the days ahead, chaplains in universities are faced with new opportunities and challenges in building community, so this webinar aims to support them to face this challenge and create new ways of working.
Universities are managing their return in a variety of ways, with more activities and formal input happening online, and fewer staff and students on campus. Lawrence Moore, Church Mission and Discipleship Consultant, has been been building communities online for many years. In this webinar, he will help HE chaplains to look at theological perspectives underlying community-building, and explore the new opportunities for chaplains to connect with students and staff in a changed environment.
Latest news and prayers from the Christian charity who work in further education - FESTIVE
The Free Churches Group has been developing productive working relationships with Festive, the Christian charity who actively engage with the Further Education sector. We have been doing this to strengthen strategic links and to empower our FCG member churches to be able to engage more with the world and the life, issues and joys of Christians in FE (see link to FCG church resources below). (Festive stands for Further Education and Sixth Form Initiative).
You can read the latest news from Festive HERE. Why not subscribe HERE to their newsletter so you can keep in touch with their work?
In the month’s edition, there is lots to read, learn about and pray for, including….
Prayer for students & workers in FE
Interview with Miriam Lay, who supports a Christian Union in the north east
Some updates for your prayers
“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus
and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers..” Ephesians 1:15
You can find out more about the work FCG has been doing in the world of further education and check out our resources to support churches HERE.
(photo courtesy of Scott Webb at Unsplash)
Latest news from Pray for Schools including prayer resources
Prayer Opportunities! The latest news from our friends at Pray for Schools!
We especially need prayer for the new school year.
Many children won't have sat in a classroom for 6 months. Some have been bereaved or suffered in other ways. Headteachers have been inundated with recommendations and guidelines and need great wisdom as they get ready. Psalm 145:18 and 9 reminds us: 'The Lord is close to all who truly pray to him. He gives those who fear him what they want. He listens when they cry, and he saves them.'
Education Sunday is 13th September - resources based on lectionary readings; with the theme: A learning people in a time of change” is at: https://www.prayforschools.org/education-sunday/
Thru-hike for schools Global initiative to pray for the schools of the world. Paul Gibbs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEhmY30WIzM/ of Pais is prayer walking across N England for two weeks from 7 September. 'It remains my passion to see every school in the UK have a Church praying and actively seeking to serve it.'
Praying online: We're sure you, like us, have experienced the blessing of praying on Zoom or Teams. We hope many groups will meet in this way to pray about local schools going back in September.
Brand new resource https://www.prayforschools.org/prayers/assortedprayers/ 10 ways to Pray for Schools is a printable pdf. We'll let you know when printed leaflets in packs of 10 are available.
Save the date! 21 September: Prayer Spaces in Schools and Youthscape joint virtual conference (free day of keynote presentations, live webinars, breakout discussions and Q&A with a wide range of schools’ work practitioners and experts)
Do let us know your news and have a relaxing summer break.
Jane and Claire
Jane Newey Claire Wall
PFS England Coordinator PFS Wales Coordinator
E: england@prayforschools.org E: wales@prayforschools.org
(photo courtesy of Aaron Burden at Unsplash)