Form 3 visited St Giles’ Church in Cambridge as part of their Religious Studies focus on Christianity this term. The main aim of the visit was to witness the different aspects that make up an Anglican church, such as the font, nave, pew, lectern, chancel and pulpit amongst others and learn why they are important to Christian worship. In school, Form 3 have discussed the different forms worship can take and identified that it is an external expression of Christians' faith, demonstrates their respect and brings a sense of togetherness as a community, making them feel closer to God and helping to foster a sense of peace and an atmosphere for prayer.
During their visit the children discovered that St Giles’ Church is around 150 years old and doesn’t have a belfry due to lack of funds when it was being built. The children inspected the carved font lid containing holy water for baptisms. One child remarked, “As we walked into the nave we saw pictures of Jesus which are there to teach people about him and God and these are called icons.” The children also had the chance to walk around the sanctuary, which is normally reserved for those wearing vestments during services.
The children also enhanced their knowledge of the Eucharist with a talk about the Sung, Vigil and Midweek Eucharist services at the church. They sat in the pews to have a moment of quiet reflection about this place of worship. One Form 3 child stated, “Visiting this Christian place of worship left a lasting impression as I was able to see, first-hand, the aspects of an Anglican church that make worshipping here so special and it backed up all we have talked about and learnt in school.”