Schools celebrate Global Week of Prayer & National Day of Prayers
Between 6-13th September, some Christian organisations, including 24-7 Prayer celebrated, Global Week of Prayer. As part of the week there was a National Day of Prayer for Schools. These events offered an exciting way for schools to engage with Christianity as a global and diverse faith and to participate through creative opportunities for prayer.
Two of our Chester Diocesan church schools have shared with us how they took part and celebrated.
Hoylake Holy Trinity CE Primary School’s CDLT ambassadors and Ethos group arranged a lunchtime prayer club. They provided bibles and prayer books for the children to share together.
They also made some small cards which the children used to write prayers either for their personal use or to share in their class worship. At the end of prayer club, they gathered together and shared prayers as a group.
Meanwhile, Hoole CE Primary School celebrated two special events during the week. They had a tremendous response to a competition to write a prayer for the school. Children from all ages and faith backgrounds entered. The judges had a very difficult job in choosing the winners!
Headteacher, Ros Flanders, said “The overall winner was chosen because of the way in which it encapsulated our school vision and values. It was highly commended for the opening lines with their emphasis on gratitude and being thankful for everything we have. In addition, judges felt that it promoted friendship and encouraged our school family to shine brightly by spreading love and kindness wherever we go.”
All of the prayers will be used in forthcoming worships and displayed around school. They also plan to share the prayers with their Church family at All Saint’s Church in Hoole.
The overall winning prayer, written by Maisie in Year three, is shown below.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for our family and friends.
Thank you for everything we have.
Help us to be kind and caring
To love and help each other and to be good friends.
Help us to share, forgive and say thank you.
Give us hope when things are hard and help us all to stand together.
May we spread love and kindness wherever we go.
Amen.
You can still continue to use the resources and perhaps do a Prayer Walk through your school. You might like to arrange for some pupils and perhaps some willing adults or church members to prayer walk through the school. Download our Chester Diocese Guide to school Prayer Walks.
If you have any wonderful stories with how your school engaged, we would love to hear from you to share in our bulletin. Contact Ali Rice alison.rice@chester.anglican.org.