Ten ways to pray for schools

As you may know, the Free Churches Group has been an active and dedicated member of the Pray for Schools steering group for many years. Our work with them has been ongoing throughout recent months and we know that primary and secondary schools, as well as the wider education sector have been facing considerable challenges in recent months. They are in need of and grateful for our prayers and concern…

Across the UK, we are invited to pray for our schools. A helpful prayer sheet has been designed to help guide us in our prayers for schools, inspired by verses from Holy Scripture.

You can read and pray through this HERE.

Please feel free to share with your church and community groups too.

Father, please pour out Your blessings upon our whole school community so that everyone grows in the knowledge of Your truth, love, wisdom and peace. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

‘Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.

Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.’

John 16:24 (NIV)

** Note for your diary - 17th November - Pray Day for Schools **

(photo courtesy of Kelly Sikkema at Unsplash)

Ready, steady, pray... for prison chaplains across the world!

The Free Churches Faith Adviser to the Prison Service, Revd Bob Wilson, serves as the Vice Chair to the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA). We are invited by Rev Bob and all the the members of the IPCA network to join in a global wave of prayer for the work and ministry of the IPCA!

A day of prayer is taking place for prison chaplains across the world on 25th August 2020. Please encourage your church fellowships to get involved by praying in your homes or by safely physically distancing in your churches (as appropriate).

Join with the Free Churches Group and many other ecumenical partners across the globe for the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA).

The theme for this year is: The Grace of God

The IPCA has produced an order of service, complete with readings from Scripture and prayers for you to share and pray through.

Join us as we pray together… you can download the prayer and worship resource HERE

(photo courtesy of Mike Labrum at Unsplash)

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.