NEWS
Prisons - the facts and figures (in the latest Bromley Briefing)
The Bromley Briefings are produced in memory of Keith Bromley, a valued friend of Prison Reform Trust and allied groups concerned with prisons and human rights.
Keith’s support for refugees from oppression, victims of torture and the falsely imprisoned has made a difference to many people's lives. The Prison Reform Trust is grateful to the Bromley Trust for supporting the production of this briefing paper. This season’s briefing is out now:
“Facts and figures provide a better basis than opinion
for policy and practice change.
... these facts chart the extraordinary rise in prison numbers
over the last twenty years,
inflation in sentencing and the social and economic consequences
of overuse of custody.... revealing the
state of our overcrowded prisons and the state of people in them.”
An exciting event coming up in Liverpool in September - Connecting Communities, Serving People
Connecting Communities, Serving People is the aim of the event coming up at Liverpool Town Hall on 30th September: 1.30-3.30 P.M.
Further details on how to register will be available soon, but for now, save the date!
Prison Fellowship Prayer Wall - prayer for today...
From the Prayer Wall for praying with our friends at Prison Fellowship today - join us as we pray, in the name of Jesus…
The Prayer Wall is a space to encourage and uplift those working in our prisons. An opportunity to express our gratitude for them and their work through prayers. Join in and add your own prayer HERE.
(cover photo courtesy of Kimberly Farmer at Unsplash)
Lots of inspiring resources for Education Sunday: 12th September
For well over one hundred years there has been an annual recognition of Education Sunday in England and Wales. It is a national day of prayer and celebration for everyone in the world of education. Education Sunday will be marked this year on 12th September and the theme is - A Word in Season.
There are lots of inspiring and helpful resources and materials to help you in your church to celebrate this day. This year, we are delighted that a preacher, who was one of the Sermon of the Year contest* (in 2020), has written a sermon for this year’s Education Sunday. You can download and share Jan Thompson’s dynamic and inspiring sermon HERE.
As well as this thought-provoking sermon, there is a theme introduction from FCG Moderator, Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, a Commissioning Prayers for Education Sunday and lots more to come! We hope that you enjoy using and sharing these resources which you can access at the Churches Together in England link below:
*Sermon of the Year is an annual competition held by Preach magazine.
(cover photo courtesy of Zero Take at Unsplash)
'Organ Donation Week' coming up in September
A couple of years ago Free Churches Group, working with the Blood Transfusion and Organ donation services, facilitated a one day conference with our member churches and groups. This was a useful event to help us to raise the profile and importance of these services, particularly for our churches who have members from Black, Asian and other ethnic communities. We would like to continue to encourage more blood and organ donors from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to come forward to meet the needs of patients from across our communities. Certain conditions, such as sickle cell and thalassaemia, are more prevalent within these communities.
We would like to share with you news of Organ Donation Week which is coming up in September.
This is an awareness raising week from 20th - 26th September with a theme this year of: ‘Leave Them Certain’. This campaign aims to encourage people to talk to their loved ones about organ donation through highlighting that families are always involved before organ donation goes ahead.
Watch this space for further information about this year’s campaign and how you, your churches and your families can get involved in the discussions about this vital issue.
(cover photo courtesy of Alexandru Acea at Unsplash)