NEWS
A month until Prisons Week - Revd Bob Wilson invites us to join together in prayer
There’s a month to go until the start of a week of prayer for Prisons Week.
You are invited by Revd Bob Wilson, Secretary for Prisons Chaplaincy and Free Churches Faith Adviser, to join with churches and groups across the country, for a week of prayer for prisons.
This year the theme is Consider the Ravens, inspired by Jesus’s words in Luke’s Gospel.
You can access the prayers and other thought-provoking resources HERE.
Join us to pray for the needs of all those affected by prisons: prisoners and their families, victims of crime and their communities, those working in the criminal justice system and the many people who are involved in caring for those affected by crime on the inside and outside of our prisons.
(cover photo courtesy of I.am_nah at Unsplash)
The power and vital ministry of writing to a penpal in prison
We all know how wonderful it is to receive a letter from a friend or to write to a friend, so they have the joy of reading a letter from us. Prison Fellowship host a letter writing project for volunteers to have penpals who are in prison. The letters have such a positive and uplifting impact on those who both send and receive them. On International Literacy Day, we are invited by Prison Fellowship to pray alongside them for their Letter Link work.
Let us pray
Living God, we pray for all our volunteer letter writers and their penpals in prison.
We remember that literacy levels are below the national average for those in prison. So, we pray for encouragement, persistence, and a real sense of friendship as they write.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen
“My volunteer has been there for me through some tough times. When I was down and thought of taking my own life, it was the letters of encouragement that kept me strong. There needs to be more people like this in the world.”
(cover photo from the Letter Link section of the Prison Fellowship website)
Chaplaincies and Inter Faith Week 2021
Inter Faith Week 2021 will take place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from Sunday 14 to Sunday 21 November.
Several organisations participate, from faith groups and schools to sports organisations, local authorities, cultural institutions, hospitals, and hospices.
This year there will be a focus on chaplaincy.
Why not get involved and put on an event to showcase the important work that chaplains do?
For further information, please follow the link HERE.
Praying for our Schools - let's join together on 28th September
Pray for Schools, Free Churches Group and partners are joining Pais and Youthscape for the National Day of Prayer for Schools. This will be a lunchtime prayer session over Zoom. All are welcome!
When: Tuesday 28th September | 12.30 - 1.15pm
Click the button below to find out more & register for this prayer event:
(cover photo courtesy of Fa Barboza at Unsplash)
Join as we pray for schools in Wales on Thursday 9th September
Every day we hear more about the many serious effects of lockdown on children's schooling - but we thank God for the gift of prayer.
The last three Wales Pray For Schools Zoom meetings in February, April and June were amazing! So many of you came and many of us renewed or made friendships in our 'randomly' assigned break out groups.
Free Churches Group are honoured to be part of the Pray for Schools steering group and are delighted to share news with you of the forthcoming prayer event.
With the new school year beginning we'd love you to join us again and invite any friends along to this 45 minute event. There will be input from Scripture Union, Urban Saints, TLG and others with a passion to bring the love of Jesus into our schools.
All are welcome!
Thursday 9 September at 12.30-1.15.P.M.
Click the button below to register your place:
There'll be a special breakout group for those who prefer praying in Welsh.
Os hoffech fynd i is-ystafell weddi cyfrwng Cymraeg, rhowch wybod i ni
(cover photo by Catrin Ellis of Wrexham @ Unsplash)