Encountering God in ordinary places

Where was Moses when the Lord appeared to him? Well, he wasn’t in a religious building, a temple, or a designated place for worship. And it wasn’t on a holy day. He wasn’t seeking God or expecting to meet him. And yet, on an average day in the wilderness, whilst tackling the unglamorous job of herding sheep, God catches his attention. And he encounters Yahweh right there. Right then. In his ordinary place.

Fast-forward to 2025. Do we still expect to meet God in our everyday? Could we notice him at work in our staff room culture? Could he reveal himself to us whilst we’re in the sluice? With reports showing that nurses and midwives are working in increasingly toxic environments under high stress levels, it might feel like we’re in a sparse wilderness. But we are not alone. At NAMfest, we have an opportunity to slow down, make space to worship and reflect, as well as pray and eat together with like-minded Christians. As we hear testimonies from members across our fellowship, we hope that faith will rise in us again to expect to meet God in our working environments.

Cost: 

£85 for full NAMfest (£65 for students)

£40 for Friday day only includes lunch

Programme timings:

Registration and access to rooms is from 3.30 pm on Thursday 15, with the first session starting at 5 pm

For day delegates, we start at 9.15 am on Friday 16

NAMfest finishes at 5 pm on Fri 16, but please consider staying for National Conference, if you can, from 16-18 May.

Workshop choices

Please choose your top three preferences of workshops, and we will accommodate you for two on the afternoon of Friday, 16 May. The options are:

How can we create space in our busy lives to be with Jesus, to become more like him, and to do what he did? In this workshop, we will be exploring spiritual practices and discussing how we practically apply them amidst our busy lives, especially for those of us who work irregular shift patterns. We pray that these practices will help equip us to live full and fruitful lives for Jesus in our ordinary places.

‘Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all the people.’ Psalm 96:3

We are so thankful to God for our members who seek to make God better known in other nations through their nursing and midwifery. In this workshop, we will hear stories from distant ‘ordinary places’, and the encouragements and challenges that working overseas can bring. We will also have the opportunity to pray together for those currently working abroad. They might not be able to join us in person at NAMfest, but they still belong with us!

An informal alternative workshop option to get to know one another better whilst walking in the fresh air and exploring the green Staffordshire countryside. This would be for 45 minutes maximum. We recommend bringing waterproof walking shoes, as it can be muddy!

In keeping with our Exodus passage, we’ll be showing the movie ‘The Prince of Egypt’ for anyone who would appreciate the time to relax and watch the beautiful story of God’s faithfulness to his people unfold. There will also be the option of colouring sheets, for those who find them enjoyable. Who knows? Perhaps you will encounter God in the ordinary task of colouring in?