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Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
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Hi Guest,
We are easing our way back into normal routines after the Easter break, well mostly, chocolate at every meal is still a given. The emphasis on ease is important as we often go straight back into the fast pace of our busy lives!
If you have a moment to think about your own journey of faith, what does it look like? Who and what have guided you toward God? How have you been a light to others?
This month the Church Support Hub has some wonderful new resources exploring some of the different ways we can walk the path of discipleship – and light the way for others. The resources explore pilgrimage, prayerful walking, and practices that help us stay attentive to God’s presence along the way, as well as some early steps helping children and families to start their own journeys.
This edition includes:
- Archbishop Sarah’s pilgrimage
- An article on the Devon Beach Labyrinth Project, and how to host your own labyrinth
- Building a discipleship pathway using the Suffolk Discipleship Pathway
- A webinar on welcoming young families through Bubble Church
- Reflections for this summer on the topic of pilgrimage
- Upcoming events
- News, including Thy Kingdom Come for 2026
… and much more!
We hope you have a great month!
Sherri
Church Support Hub team
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Archbishop Sarah’s Pilgrimage
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In an historic first for modern times, Archbishop Sarah, along with her husband Eamonn, walked the 140km route along the Becket Camino from St Paul’s Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral, reflecting her journey from Bishop of London to Archbishop of Canterbury – a profound act of spiritual preparation for her Installation as Archbishop of Canterbury.
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Christian labyrinths have been found inside churches and cathedrals since around the year 1000, but the Devon Beach Labyrinth Project has been trying something new: taking labyrinths to beaches across Devon.
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Building a discipleship pathway
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Resources for churches that want to help people to discover faith and grow in discipleship
The Suffolk Discipleship Pathway is a way of describing the steps that most people take on their way to discovering and growing in faith. It helps churches and small groups to think about how they can provide stepping stones to faith for the people they are in contact with.
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School assembly songs to inspire new worshipping communities for children
will support 300 churches to create new gatherings where families from local primary schools will be invited to explore faith together, drawing on the energetic worship songs children already know from school.
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New webinar: Bubble Church: Grow your families ministry
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28 April 2026, 12-1pm
Are you looking for a new way to welcome young families into your church? Join our webinar to discover how Bubble Church has brought new worship and made disciples in 76 churches across the UK.
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Pilgrim Places, Holy Lives
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A new series of reflections for the Summer
This summer, the Church of England is launching a new reflection campaign centred around pilgrimage, and the places and stories that help us feel part of something bigger on our journey towards God. Pilgrim Places, Holy Lives runs from the day after Pentecost, 25 May to 21 June, with readings and reflections exploring eight places which were important in the spread of Christianity in England, and the stories of the saints who lived there. Each day will include a Bible reading, a prayer, a short reflection and a suggested action or reflective question.
The reflections are available as a printed booklet from Church House Publishing, or on the Everyday Faith app, and there are numerous supporting resources to help your church get involved.
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Vocations Sunday
26 April 2026
Vocations Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is an opportunity for churches to focus on encouraging everyone to consider God’s call on their lives. The National Vocations Team have created resources which can be used throughout the year for services with a vocations theme:
Leading your Church into Growth National Conference
1 – 3 June 2026, Highgate House, Grooms Lane, Creaton
If you’re passionate about seeing your church thrive, the Leading Your Church into Growth National Conference is an opportunity not to miss. This inspiring gathering brings together church leaders, teams, and volunteers who share a common vision: to see healthy, growing churches making a real difference in their communities. Book your place and be part of what God is doing through churches across the nation.
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Multiply: North Tickets
23 June 2026, Leeds
Multiply: North is hosted by a new collaboration of Baptist, Anglican and ecumenical organisations, united by a vision to see healthy churches planted and multiplied across the north of England. Multiply: North is for every church that longs to reach new people, in new and renewed ways, with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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Growing Faith Research Conference
24 June 2026, The Bullring, Birmingham
Join the Growing Faith Foundation for an inspiring day for everyone who wants to put children and young people even closer to the heart of all we do in church, home and school – especially where those spheres overlap. With a strong emphasis on the voice and agency of young people, the day will include young people from Growing Faith Hub teams and elsewhere leading worship and sharing their experiences. There will also be a chance to catch up with the cutting edge 2026 Growing Faith research into music and faith.
Expect a day that’s informative and transformative, fun and thought-provoking, challenging and inspiring!
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RECOGNISE 2026
6-12 July
RECOGNISE is returning this year and once again offers a fantastic opportunity to celebrate, thank, and acknowledge everyone involved in Children’s and Youth Ministry—both staff and volunteers. Churches can now sign up to pre order a FREE pack.
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National Rural Mission Conference
19-20 October 2026, Yarnfield Park, Stone
Join this 24-hour national gathering and connect with other rural mission practitioners to share wisdom and encouragement. Find mission agencies, partners and resources for local mission.
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Everyday Faith
Throughout May the Everyday Faith app will be accompanying people on their journey through Eastertide and towards Ascension and Pentecost. From 4th May, Rob Merchant will look at ‘Being a friend‘, a journey through the Acts of the Apostles.
This is followed by a short three-day series from 11 May on ‘God’s invitation‘, based on the parable of the Prodigal Son, from Victoria Mason. We are then delighted to offer ten days of reflections from Chris Russell as part of Thy Kingdom Come beginning on 14 May.
The Blessing of a Home
A series of new resources have been published for The Blessing of a Home – including a full-colour, easy-to-follow Service Card, a prayer card and a fridge magnet suitable for pastoral use with anyone moving into a new home. These printed resources accompany the full version of the service with accompanying notes and resources available online at cofe.io/BlessingOfAHome.
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Download your Thy Kingdom Come resources
The theme for this year’s Thy Kingdom Come – the annual global wave of prayer taking place from Ascension Day to Pentecost (14-24 May) – is ‘God With Us’: the God who is with us in the everyday – in the joys and sorrows of life (and everything in between) and the one who, through his Spirit, longs to reveal himself to those who do not yet know him.
As ever, a range of resources is available to help you and your church engage with TKC, including a novena, prayer journal, resources for church services and for children and young people, including the brand new Children’s Adventure Prayer Journal.
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New curriculum in Line Management for all churches with Children’s and Youth Ministry
Watch a short film about this resource – for those who wish to delve deeper into what being a great line manager looks like. It covers the fundamentals of line management within a children’s and youth ministry context.
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National Vocations Team latest news
Read more about the Ministry Experience Schemes starting in September, the new funding arrangements for ordinands and the National UKME Vocations Gathering, taking place online on 9 May.
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Simpler, Humbler, Bolder: a Church that is Jesus Christ centred and shaped |
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Simpler, Humbler, Bolder: a Church that is Jesus Christ centred and shaped |
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