St. Cuthbert's Primary School Seaham
The CYMFed Faith in Action Award rewards young people’s active service in helping to build the Kingdom of God on Earth. Many young people are doing so much to follow Jesus’ example in serving others in their schools and parishes. The Faith in Action Award encourages young people to take that service into their wider community and accept greater responsibility for their faith in action.
The programme facilitates an exploration of scripture and Church teaching, with an emphasis on translating this into action. It encourages young people to shine the light of faith upon their experience of service through guided and personal reflection.
There are four levels of award: Pin, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Participants accrue credits of service in their parish and / or school and the wider community. The Faith in Action Award builds on what young people already experience in serving others, asking them to reflect upon it so that they may find new ways of living out and exploring their faith. There is an opportunity for both guided reflections, through group reflection points and personal reflection, through journaling. At the end of the scheme, participants submit a final piece of work for moderation before being awarded their Faith in Action Award. Our Year 6 children will be working on their pin level award this year.
Today, thank God, many young people in parishes, schools, movements often go out to spend time with the elderly and infirm, or to visit poor neighbourhoods, or to meet people’s needs through “nights of charity”. Very often, they come to realise that there they receive much more than what they give. We grow in wisdom and maturity when we take time to touch the suffering of others. The poor have a hidden wisdom and, with a few simple words, they can help us discover unexpected values.
Reflection, both personal and guided, form the heart of the Faith in Action Award. Although receipt of a Faith in Action Award depends largely upon the number of service credits accrued, ensuring young people are given the time and space to reflect on their service is integral to this scheme. This is achieved through both guided Reflection Points and participants keeping a personal journal.
Making space for reflection gives young people the opportunity to engage with, and explore, God’s story and the Church’s story, which in turn will help strengthen the foundations of their personal faith journey.
The Faith in Action Award marries both learning and experience and then allows young people the time to reflect upon how their learning and experience has had an effect upon them. In this respect, the reflection element of the Faith in Action Award is an implementation of the Pastoral Cycle:
Reflection Points are based on themes on love and service; there are two strands within each theme.
- LOVE
- We are loved
- Loving our neighbour
- SERVICE
- Building the Kingdom of God
- Servant Leadership
Across an award year, our children must take part in a total of 6 hours of guided reflection, led by an adult. There is a minimum requirement of two reflection points, one from each theme. The reflection points can be split into shorter sessions, as long as the total time amounts to 6 hours. Award Leaders may wish to plan four 90 minute sessions using all four strands. Reflection Points are undertaken as a group.