It began with
one small boat.
In Rome, an artisan crafted a bronze candle boat. It was beautiful—but nobody yet knew how far it would travel.
Carried into Project Touchline’s Collective Worship, it gradually became more than an object. It became a place to gather, a way to remember, and a sign that Christ travels with us.
FOLLOW THE JOURNEY ↓Three moments on the water.
Three truths children can carry.
In the Gospel stories, the boat is never merely scenery. It becomes the place where fear meets presence, ordinary lives meet a calling, and courage begins.
01Jesus calms the storm
Life can feel noisy, uncertain and overwhelming. The disciples discover that even in the storm, Jesus is with them. Children learn that they are known, cared for and never abandoned.
You are safe
02Jesus calls Simon and Andrew
Jesus meets ordinary people in ordinary places and invites them into something bigger. Every child has gifts, value and a unique contribution to make in the world.
You matter
03Jesus walks on the water
Fear does not have the final word. When the disciples see Jesus coming towards them in the darkness, they learn that courage grows when we know we are not facing life alone.
You are not aloneThree candles.
Three ways to remember.
The flames gave children a simple language for the mystery of faith and the life of a community learning together.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
God known in relationship.
Faith, hope and love
Values carried into life.
Listening, loving and learning
A rhythm for school community.
When the candles were lit, the boat became a focus for stillness, prayer and reflection—a visible centre for worship.
Then children began
making the story their own.
Schools created boats for Prayer Clubs and worship spaces. The symbol no longer belonged only to Project Touchline—it began to belong to each community.
Many staff say the boat helps children feel part of something bigger than themselves. It helps faith feel lived, embodied, shared and remembered together.
One boat became
a shared sign of belonging.
The same image has now sat at the centre of worship across England and Wales—quietly reminding children that every community is travelling together.
Peace
in the storm.
When one headteacher attended a Prayer Club session, the boat was at the centre as we began with the story of Jesus calming the storm. She was deeply moved by the story—and by the peace that followed.
The experience stayed with her so powerfully that she now keeps a picture of Jesus calming the storm on the wall in her office: a daily reminder that peace can be found even amid life’s storms.