'Pilots believes that children and young people matter, therefore:
Pilots gives local churches the opportunity to share the love of God in the ongoing life of Jesus Christ by inviting children and young people on an exciting journey.' – Pilots Commitment
'I will learn, pray and serve all I can with the worldwide Church of Jesus Christ.' – Pilots Promise
Since 1936, Pilots has existed to recognise and nurture the gifts and talents which children and young people inherently bring to the service of themselves, their communities, the Church and God. Whoever they are, whatever their status or their ability, every child is loved by God and so they are loved by Pilots.
To learn more about the history of the organisation, click here. To find out about Pilots in your local area, click here.
The word Pilots, as well as being related to our maritime past, also acts as an acronym, with each letter representing one of the core principles of the organisation:
Praying – Communicating with God and thinking about what God wants of us
Interest – Nurturing our understanding of topics which we enjoy exploring
Learning – Growing in our knowledge of new things
Overseas – Deepening our understanding of life, culture and faith around the globe
Talent – Developing our abilities in the hobbies and activities we enjoy
Service – Looking after the people around us and the world which God has gifted to us
In their local companies, Pilots focus on each of these principles, working to obtain 'Crests' with activities and challenges in a whole range of disciplines and areas, deepening their knowledge and abilities in each of these crucial areas.
But what do local Pilots companies actually do? Well, a Pilots company will normally meet in the same place every week, where the Captain, Officers and Crew will run a programme of games, worship and activities. It could be cooking one week, learning about the pyramids of Egypt the next, and a paper aeroplane throwing competition the one after! There’s always something fun and original to get involved in.
Not all companies meet in this way, though. Every community is different. Therefore, Pilots companies are encouraged to shape their programme to best suit the context they are working in. There's no one-size-fits-all in Pilots. Companies are encouraged to do what's right for them, in their own way, at their own pace.
