Faith in the North, along with partners in the Diocese of York and the national church, continues to develop resources to enable churches, schools and individuals to explore the theme of Pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage has long been part of the Christian tradition, offering people a way to deepen their faith through intentional journeying. Today, pilgrimage continues to help people notice God’s presence in places, in people, and in everyday life. For churches, it can open new ways of inviting people into faith and creating spaces of welcome, reflection, and encounter.
Earlier this year, Faith in the North launched Pilgrim Places, which invites churches to register as places of welcome, rest, and peace. 400 churches across the north have already signed up as Pilgrim Places, offering signage, prayer cards, and reflective trails to visitors.
The new Faith in the North children’s resource called Pilgrim Explorer Cards is a flexible activity pack. The cards encourage children to look closely at sacred spaces and respond to thoughtful, open-ended questions. Suitable for family visits, school groups, pilgrimage settings, and children’s church activities, the resource supports learning through play, curiosity, and discussion. Each card also includes a hidden “find the mouse” feature to encourage observation and engagement. This features wipeable laminated write-on cards, which can be used as part of discovery bags with objects such as binoculars and magnifying glasses, or as guided resources for group sessions. The pack also includes a “Pilgrim Bingo” activity to help children notice details within church buildings.
Alongside this, the Church of England has recently published Pilgrim Places, Holy Lives, a new reflection campaign centred on pilgrimage. The booklet includes daily readings and reflections exploring eight places and the saints connected with them. Contributors include the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, Diocesan Discipleship Adviser Sammi Tooze, and Dee Dyas OBE. The reflections will also be shared on the Church of England’s Everyday Faith app from the day after Pentecost (25 May) until 21 June.
Meanwhile, the Diocese of York, working with partners at Faith in the North and York Minster, has launched a series of pilgrimage resources including a practical pilgrimage toolkit to help churches explore pilgrimage in their context. It includes ideas for prayer journeys within church buildings, connecting churches through walking routes, and engaging children and young people.
Sammi Tooze, Diocesan Discipleship Adviser, said:
“It’s a great joy to see pilgrimage growing across our diocese in many creative ways. I’ve been inspired by the ways churches have offered something deeply missional to their communities, enabling people to encounter God along the journey and discover something of faith.
“The collaborative work between our Diocesan Pilgrimage Group and Faith in the North has been incredibly fruitful, and it’s wonderful to be able to share these materials now to offer guidance, ideas, and support in exploring the creative ways we can all engage with pilgrimage in our local place.
The Pilgrim Explorer Cards and other pilgrimage resources are available at faithinthenorth.org.
Faith in the North will have a stand at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, will host a fringe meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England in York, and the Diocese of York Conference in July.
