Pupil Chaplaincy Gathering 2026

It was a joy to welcome more than 100 pupils, teachers and helpers to Yeovil for the pupil chaplaincy gathering. Altogether, 93 pupil chaplains from eight schools took part in a day of worship, activities and learning.

Cheryl Govier, diocesan Assistant Director (Education and Leadership), said, “So many of our schools and churches are quietly training, empowering and equipping pupil chaplains in schools across our Diocese (both church and non-church schools).

“It was an absolute joy to bring so many pupil chaplains together for a day to encourage them in their roles and show them that they are a part of something bigger. As one adult helper commented, ‘our vocations work starts here’! A huge thank you to our schools who enable children to use their gifts, be curious about faith and serve in their schools.”

Pupil chaplains and their helpers travelled from schools in Taunton, Wellington, Wear, Portbury, Crockerne, Weare, Enmore and Yeovil to gather at Holy Trinity Church in Yeovil. Mustard Seed grants helped a number of schools cover their travel costs.

The day began with worship led by Youth Voice and Young Leaders Development Adviser, Emily Jeffery, which saw pupils racing to find the missing parts of Mr Potato Head and put him together. This activity helped explain how, just as each part of a body has a different purpose, everyone has a part to play in the church.

The theme was drawn from Romans 12:5 (NIV): “In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” With Jesus as the head, everyone has an important place in God’s family: we are all different but belong together as one team.

Everyone took part in a host of activities throughout the day. These included games to help better understand how pupil chaplaincy requires teamwork, using their different gifts, noticing and listening to others, and serving others. At each stage, the chaplains were encouraged to think about a series of reflective questions on the topic.

At the end of the day, everyone gathered for the closing worship led by Emily and Revd Michelle Butcher.

The day also gave those who came ideas, inspiration and encouragement to take back to their schools. Sharing their thoughts at the end of the day one attendee said, “Thank you for organising a truly inspiring day. The children are still talking about it and it has generated quite a few ideas for use at school.” Another added, “We will be singing the songs in collective worship and are looking forward to teaching the rest of the school the actions.”

If you would like to know more about Pupil Chaplaincy, why not have a look at our Pupil Chaplaincy Guide or contact Cheryl Govier or Richard Kelley