Colchester Project

England’s Nazareth Comes to Colchester

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” — Romans 10:14

At St James the Great, Colchester, something very special has been happening. What began with local schools has grown into a wider parish mission, drawing children, parents, volunteers and worshippers into a deeper experience of Christian faith.

The vision began when our Rector, Fr James McCluskey, attended a Divine Renovation Conference at the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham after Covid. That experience inspired a fresh approach to parish life, helped by grants to support local mission at St James the Great Church, East Hill, Colchester. The aim was simple: to meet families through local schools, help them grow in faith, and invite them into the worshipping life of the parish.

Over the past year, St James has worked closely with the award-winning Education Department at the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. Dr Jane Southward has travelled from North Norfolk to lead a series of mission days for children and families. These sessions have helped young people explore the Christmas story and the Incarnation, the history of Walsingham, the Rosary as a way of reflecting on the life of Jesus, the Creed, Baptism, and the idea of pilgrimage as a journey of faith. Jane also used Godly Play to tell the story of the Stations of the Cross in a way that both children and adults could understand and respond to. Many families were deeply engaged, and the sessions helped bring different generations together.

This work has also depended on the generosity of ten parish volunteers. Three have helped with hospitality, while seven have supported teaching and organisation. Their time, welcome and commitment have made a real difference. The parish has also welcomed many children through school RE visits, with 115 visits to the church this year — a 35% increase on the previous year.

The results have been encouraging. Easter attendance has grown, adult baptisms have tripled, and twelve people were confirmed by the Bishop of Richborough on 16 June. Six of these confirmations have come directly through the parish’s partnership with the Shrine’s Education Department.

A special moment came with the February 2026 Parish Pilgrimage to Walsingham. For many pilgrims, the faith they had been learning about became something they could see, touch and experience in the Holy House itself.

We believe this partnership offers a hopeful example for the wider Church: schools, families, parish volunteers and the Shrine working together to help people encounter Christ and grow in faith.

Fr James McCluskey SSC, Rector,

and Fr Jeff Graham, Curate

If you want to know more about the Shrines Education work then follow the link here https://www.walsinghamanglican.org.uk/youngpilgrims/schools-department/ or get in touch Tel: 01328 824205
schools@olw-shrine.org.uk