“Supporting young people and helping them to grow in faith is not just about talking and lessons or assemblies. Real faith grows through belonging, through serving others, and feeling part of the wider family of God.” Explains, Barry Stevens, School Chaplain at The Hereford Church of England Academy, the largest secondary school in the county town of Hereford. His work aims to create bridges between school and church, encouraging young people to grow as active members of an intergenerational faith community.
Faith can be expressed in all sorts of creative ways and in service to others. “Our lunchtime crochet club, which has been working on a festive post box topper for Ross Road, is just that.” He adds.
Sue Cockcroft, a congregation member of the nearby St. Martin's Church in the South Wye area of the city, close to the school, is well known for her seasonal post box displays. Sue has been visiting the Academy weekly since Easter. Her vision from the start was to bring young people into this ministry of brightening up the local community. Students, including Alice, Casey, Brooklyn, Maja, Lois, Pheobe, Angel, and Izabella, have been learning from Sue, creating together, and discovering how simple acts of creativity can be acts of service and witness.
The topper will go up at the end of December, and as the students' skills grow, they'll continue contributing to future projects throughout the year.
"It's been a wonderful way to connect the family of the school and the family of the church with creativity and bring a bit of joy to the community," Barry explains.
Perhaps one of the most exciting developments has been watching students become part of the Messy Church community at St. Martin's. “This isn't just about young people helping out - it's about them becoming genuine members of an intergenerational worship community.”
A dedicated group of mostly Year 10 volunteers has embraced the opportunity. In December, they were involved in planning the Messy Christingle, creating artwork of trees representing the four seasons - a contribution that gave them the chance to be creative.
Some of the students joined the Messy Church team to welcome families, lead crafts, teach the 'Christingle song,' and help create the Christingle oranges used during the service. “When all the candles were lit, young and old stood side by side in the darkness, reminded that Jesus is the light of the world. The party food and conversation afterwards were just as important - building relationships, sharing stories, and being part of the community.” Adds Barry.
The students are already committed to supporting the January, February, March, and April Messy Church sessions. “They're not just volunteers - they're becoming part of the fabric of the church community.”
What is demonstrated through these initiatives is that young people's faith grows when they're given real roles, not just activities designed for them. “When our young people work alongside Sue on community art projects, or support families at Messy Church, they learn to lead worship, they discover that they belong to a church family today - not someday when they're older.” Concludes Barry.
School chaplaincy at its best doesn't just serve students within school walls - it helps young people discover their place and reveals how faith can come alive, strengthening not just church family but community and wider society.