Ninety-six Year 5 and 6 pupils from Milford on Sea Church of England Primary School have taken a pilgrimage through their village to discover more about their local Christian communities and reflect on their own journeys of faith.
The pilgrimage was organised by Rebecca Webb, Families and Schools Leader at All Saints Church, alongside Christians Together in Milford, an ecumenical group of the village’s churches.
The walk formed part of the pupil’s RE topic on pilgrimage and study on the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj. It was hoped the walk would increase the children’s understanding of pilgrimage and introduce them to the churches on their doorstep.
During the morning, they visited all four churches in the village – Milford on Sea Baptist Church, Milford Methodist Church, St Francis’ Catholic Church, and All Saints CofE Church. At each stop they learnt about the buildings, the history and traditions of each denomination, and took part in a short reflection and prayer.
The reflection encouraged the pupils to think about pilgrimage as a journey of faith and a way of drawing closer to God. They considered how God walks alongside us through life, providing rest and shelter when we need it and puts people in our lives to support and strengthen us.
Rebecca Webb said, “I didn’t want it to just be a walk and visiting places because pilgrimage is so much more than that. It’s about being changed on your journey and thinking about how your faith can strengthen you, comfort you, and guide you through your life.
“It needed to be light touch, but I wanted the pupils to have the opportunity to think about their own lives and struggles. At each church there was a moment of reflection and something to think about as we walked.”
At the beginning of the pilgrimage, every pupil was given a small pebble to carry on their journey. It encouraged them to think about how life can be rough or smooth, happy or sad and remind them Jesus walks alongside us, bringing courage, peace and hope. As they walked between churches, they were also encouraged to see the beauty of God’s creation around them.
Each church shared its own story. At St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, pupils learnt about Mass, the church’s statues and the Stations of the Cross on the walls. At the Baptist Church they discovered the significance of baptism, while the Methodist Church introduced them to its eco-church work and garden.
Elizabeth Hall from St Francis of Assisi said, “I hope they will learn something about each church they go into. Probably not very many of them will have been in here before and I hope they will have a feel for what it is. They’ll know every time they go past the church now what’s inside and what goes on.”
Along the way, each church presented the pupils with a small gift, including a prayer card featuring the Prayer of St Francis, a book mark and a small wooden cross. With many pupils preparing to move onto secondary school, it’s hoped they could carry it in their pocket as a reminder that Jesus is with them.
Esme, aged 11, said, “As a Christian, I really enjoyed this celebration. It’s fun to go round and explore different churches. It was interesting how they were different sizes and had lots of different things like baptism pools and crosses. Some were more decorated than others. We were given a little cross and I’ll keep that in my room because I keep most of the precious things in my room.”
All Saints Church has close connections with Milford on Sea Primary School. Pupils regularly visit the church for services and workshops. The morning concluded at the church with an act of collective worship and a chance to reflect on what they had learnt. The pupils placed their pebbles together to build a cairn at the front of church, as a symbol of their journey and reminder to stand strong together in faith.
Aurora, aged 11, said, “Today has been a great experience. I feel like I’ve got close to Jesus. I like the pebbles and I’ve been holding on to that all day and through the walk. I also feel like I’ve got close to nature and it’s been good exercise. I’m nice and ready for sports day now!”
Issy, 11, added, “I found the Baptist Church interesting and learning that you can be baptised anywhere, not just in a church. I liked the Methodist Church because it was an eco-church and there was a sense of wildlife and nature there. I’ve learnt that no matter where I am, Jesus will be with me and that’s lovely.”
It’s the first time All Saints Church has organised the pilgrimage and it’s hoped it can build on the idea for future Year 5 and 6 pupils.
At the end of the walk each pupil received a commemorative badge and a pilgrim’s passport containing the prayers and reflections from the day.
Rebecca added, “I hope that there will be something that’s stuck with them, that they will want to explore more and that they will want to know more about Jesus and how He can guide them through their lives.”
