Taizé: Looking Back, Growing Forward

As we look back on our time in Taizé this summer, we're reminded that the impact of a week away can last far longer than the trip itself. From the daily rhythm of prayer and worship to the friendships made and conversations shared, Taizé offered our young people the opportunity to meet people from across the world, share different perspectives and reflect on their faith.

But don't just take our word for it! Three months on, here's what two of our young attendees, Jonah and Seraphina, had to say about their experience and what they've taken away from their time in Taizé.

Jonah's reflections

"When I think about Taizé three months on, I remember all the good times, the vibes and the people. I remember the lessons I learned, and important perspectives I have learned from my week in Taizé. I learnt how essential support and friendship is and that everyone has their own reasons for why they are in Taizé and the connection to religion.

While we were there, we met so many wonderful and different people from different walks of life, different perspectives and personalities.

In my Bible study group I met lots of people from around Europe including Germany, Latvia, Slovenia and Romanians. I met people who I now share deep connections with. This trip was one of my favourites I've been on and it's played a crucial role in my mindset and development as a person."

~ Jonah

Seraphina's reflections

"My Bible study group was a mixture of teenagers from Germany and teenagers from England. Each Bible study session offered something new and there was a lot to learn from each Bible reading we talked about. We took time to learn a lot about each member in the group and understand how everyone was in Taizé for their own reasons. My biggest takeaway from my Bible study sessions was that everyone has their own connection to religion and different stances on it."

~ Seraphina

"In Bible study we learnt about so many different things in our daily sessions. It starts off with a leader going through a Bible reading then being split into smaller groups. In the smaller groups we had lots of really interesting conversations with our group members and leaders. We all took part in different activities which everyone got stuck in with. Our group did a performance of Wonderwall which influenced other groups from different countries to join in and ended with them repetitively playing Wonderwall on speakers throughout the week.

Our biggest advice for those thinking about coming to Taizé next year is that you should get stuck in and fully absorbed with the task you are given and to also try anything that comes your way as you gain the most from new experiences, and make sure you embrace every opportunity that comes your way with positivity."

~ Jonah and Seraphina

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Taizé this year and helped make it such a memorable week. We're so grateful for the friendships made, the experiences shared and all that our young people took away from their time there.

We hope to see even more of you joining us for Taizé next year! 🌍