In the run up to Easter, St Michael’s and the Ascension in Aldershot broke records for the numbers attending end of term services.
The parish has two church schools, St Michael’s Infants and Juniors.
The Revd Alwyn Pereira welcomed over 400 to the infants Easter service. That was made up of 252 pupils and a large number of parents. The following day 376 Junior pupils and supporters came to their service.
“There have always been regular school services at Easter and Christmas,” says Alwyn. “But this is the result of a lot of work with the dedicated teachers. After Covid, these record breaking services are the tangible expression of children coming back to church. I am exhilarated at what’s going on,” he said.
For both services instead of an Easter message, Alwyn played the part of an alien from the planet Zog. He asked the children what was Easter all about. A roving mic allowed pupils from every year group to chip in to the tell the friendly visitor about the special message of Easter. “No one mentioned eggs, chicks or rabbits. All of them talked about the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God,” says Alwyn.
Alwyn emphasises that this has been a joint effort with the schools to foster a spirit of Christian distinctiveness.
St Michael’s is one of the national hubs for the Church of England’s Growing Faith Foundation.The work that the parish is doing with the schools links home, school and church life and integrate it in the nurturing faith. “The message of faith is there and the work is beginning to pay off,’ says Alwyn.