Emily Holmes recently marked one year in post as Children and Families Worker at St Peter’s Bengeworth. Emily is passionate about ensuring families feel they belong at church, including members of the Neurodivergent community.
Her particular highlights have been the establishment of a new identity for the children's groups at church on Sundays, now collectively known as ‘The Orchard’, making their vicar, Andy, dress up as a giant Christingle on Christmas Eve and running an iSing Pop club at a local school. One of the biggest changes they’ve seen at St Peter’s is the children coming to the front of the church at the end of every service to share what they’ve done and Emily has been delighted to see the growth in confidence of the children. Emily's biggest achievement so far was when over 200 children took part in their Easter Trail through Evesham town centre.
Emily found faith whilst attending an Alpha course at St Peter’s Bengeworth, so for Emily it feels wonderful to have become their Children and Families Worker and now be celebrating a year in post! Emily said:
“I went to church as a child, but I never really felt like I belonged, so I stopped attending as soon as I was old enough to make that decision myself. Four years ago, I became curious about faith again. Through asking lots of questions and getting to know the church family at St Peter’s Bengeworth, my faith really came alive, and I later renewed my baptism vows.
Looking back, it’s amazing to see where God has led me. Now serving in the church that first welcomed me home feels incredibly special.
Combining my teaching experience with my love for Jesus genuinely feels like God’s calling on my life.” Emily describes her role as “helping children, young people and families encounter Jesus in ways that are engaging, relevant and accessible… and finding opportunities to connect with families who may never otherwise walk through the church doors.”
She adds: “Perhaps because of my own experience, I’m passionate about making sure every child and family knows they’re welcome, valued and that they truly belong.”
Emily feels encouraged to have seen children grow in confidence in the course of the year, become excited about church, and invite their friends, perhaps because of her inclusive approach.
“As both a parent of an autistic child and someone with ADHD myself, creating environments where neurodivergent children feel genuinely welcomed is something I care deeply about.”
“This year I’ve continued learning through both formal training and lived experience, and I’ve been looking at how we can make church more accessible through simple, practical changes. That includes thinking carefully about routines, sensory needs, communication and making sure children know they don’t have to fit a particular mould in order to belong.”
“I don’t think this work is ever “finished”, but I’m passionate about helping churches see that small adjustments can make a huge difference to whether a child and family feel able to participate.”
Creating more opportunities for people to connect with church in ways that feel approachable is one of the biggest changes Emily has helped bring about:
“Not every family is ready to attend a Sunday service, so community events, our work in local schools and children’s activities often become the starting point for building relationships.”
“Those relationships take time, but trust grows through consistency. When families know they’ll be welcomed without pressure or expectation, they’re often much more open to exploring faith”
One such community event was their Easter Trail through Evesham town centre which was a huge success and one of Emily’s particular highlights of the year. 218 children took part, and local businesses and a care home also got involved. “It was wonderful to see the whole community come together to experience and explore the Easter story in such an engaging way.”
Another success at St Peter’s is the growth of their Sunday children’s ministry, which has developed during Emily’s first year so that there are now four age-based groups: Little Seeds, Roots, Shoots and Rooted, together referred to as ‘The Orchard’.
“Alongside a wonderful team of volunteers, we explore Bible stories through games, discussion, creative activities and prayer in ways that encourage children to ask questions and discover more about Jesus.”
There are more exciting developments coming up too.
“One of the things I’m most excited about is launching is ‘Seedlings’, our new parent and toddler group, which we hope to begin during Autumn 2026. My hope is that it will become another welcoming space where parents, carers and young children can build friendships, find support and feel part of the church community.”
Emily concluded: “I’m excited to have the opportunity to continue to develop this challenging but varied and incredibly rewarding role. Watching children grow in confidence, seeing families feel that they belong, and having the privilege of sharing God’s love in everyday conversations is something I never take for granted.”
