Start of Year Staff Prayer Ritual 2015 My Story Our Story The Story Preparation Prayer Focus is set up with.. a cloth of rainbow colours or different coloured cloths interwoven (in recognition of UNESCO s International Year of Rapprochement of Cultures [rapprochement = bringing together or re-establishing positive relationships]).. Staff Candle. 3 smaller candles. Cross..Scriptures There are 3 readers required and a Prayer Leader. The Prayer Leader s role might be shared between Principal, APRE and APA or DP. There are 4 candle lighters required, (including one of the new staff members asked to light the staff candle.) Optional: Coloured stones one for each staff member - can be used in the final part of the ritual A warm welcome back to everyone for this new school year and a particular welcome to new staff. Every fresh new year brings its own energy, and in recognition of the new journey and new shape our staff takes this year, I invite., one of our new staff members to light our staff candle as we make the sign of the cross, and place all that we do and hope for in this year before God. Prayer candle is lit Opening Prayer All: God of Love, We recognise Your presence in our journey together As we gather here for the start of this year in Your name, Open our minds to know Your voice. Open our hands to do Your work. And open our hearts to hold Your Spirit. Amen
My Story For each of us, 2014 - and the holidays, too - will hold different stories different memories and experiences different joys and difficulties let s recognise this and honour it as we begin our staff journey together this year, and give some space for the silent prayers of our hearts. I invite you now to close your eyes, as I ask one of our staff of more mature years! to lead us in a short reflection Reader 1: This new year, like a new born child, Is placed in our hands As the old year passes away The days and weeks and months to come Are pure gift; They carry God's blessing. As a blessing, we welcome them. Our hope for the year that has been is that all that was good in it, remain with us And all that was harmful, be left behind. Bless us, O God, And bless the time and seasons yet to come. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. And fill this new year with your kindness, that we may reflect this in our own spirit to all who pass our way. Let us respond by saying this candle prayer together, pausing as each candle is lit: (the 3 people asked beforehand light the candles where indicated.) All: I light a candle I say a prayer I light a candle in Your Name.
For the tender moments of teaching For the energy for deep new learning For the fire of vocation s calling I light a candle in Your Name. (first candle is lit) Against the chill of the world s dark troubles In the face of sadness here among us For my heart s longing in the night I light a candle in Your Name.(second candle is lit) To signal hope for all that might be To whisper thanks for all that is To reflect the Love I ll carry with me I light a candle in Your Name. (third candle is lit) I light a candle I say a prayer I light a candle in Your Name. Our Story... Each one of us will bring something significant to the learning and teaching, the community and spirit of this school this year. Each one of us will add to the story that is our school. And that is a wonderful thing. So now let us bless each other as we begin this year s unfolding story: I invite you to turn to the person next to you, and with your finger or thumb, simply make the sign of the cross on their forehead or on their hand. You may like to say God bless you or Every blessing for this year or your own blessing as you do this.. We also join with over 11,000 other staff in Brisbane Catholic Education in beginning the new school year at this same time. We are joined in a common story; connected in a hundred different ways across our schools. So now let us take a moment to honour that story, and hold all staff in prayer right across the Archdiocese. The following litany of saints includes the saints to which all our Catholic schools in this archdiocese are particularly connected; let us
remember the staff of those schools, especially family, friends and colleagues, and hold them in prayer as we pray this litany. (The response is Pray for us ) (Leader may like to pause a little after each name) Reader: Our Circle of Saints A Litany for Schools St Mary in all our names for you - Mother of God, Immaculate Heart, Our Lady of Fatima and Mt Carmel and Lourdes, Our Lady of the Mount and of the Rosary, Our Lady of the Assumption and Queen of Apostles, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and of the Way, Star of the Sea, Our Lady of Good Counsel and Help of All Christians, Our Lady of Dolours and Our Lady of the Angels St Joseph, St Elizabeth, St Columba, St Peter and St Paul, St Bernadine, St Ambrose and St Catherine of Siena, St Augustine, St Agnes, St Brendan and St Edward the Confessor, St Ignatius, St Francis, St Columban, St Thomas Aquinas and St Benedict, St Michael, St Teresa, St Agatha, St Clare and St Francis, St Pius, St Anthony, St Eugene and St Ita St Andrew, St Vincent, St Mark and St Dympna St Francis Xavier, St Joachim, St John and St Stephen St Bernadette, St Luke, St Finbarr and St William
St Oliver Plunkett, St Flannan, St Kevin and St Keiran, St Brigid, St Bernard, St Rita and St Sebastian St Elisabeth Seton, St John Vianney, St John Fisher and St Eugene de Mazenod Blessed Mary Mackillop, Blessed Edmund Rice, Holy Nano Nagle and St Marcellin Champagnat St Peter Claver, St Madeleine Sophie Barat and St Catherine Laboure St Ursula, Catherine McAuley, Mary Aikenhead and John Baptist de la Salle St Xavier, St Scholastica, St James and St Patrick St Matthew, St Martin, St Thomas More and St Maximillian Kolbe St Thomas, St Dominic, St Sixtus and St Laurence St Edmund, St Ursula and St Peter Chanel Holy Spirit in Caroline Chisholm, All Saints and Guardian Angels Jesus of the Sacred Heart; of the Holy Family and of Emmaus Jesus of the Holy Cross and Christ of the Southern Cross
The Story This archdiocesan story too is part of a bigger story the story of the Church and the story of the Search. We are joined in Christian community to the countless followers transformed by the Jesus story across ages, cultures and countries. followers who make up a church that continues to remember, to celebrate and to believe. Followers who are seekers, who in every age search for God in all creation, seek God s presence in their lives; look to live Jesus vision in their time and place. Let us listen again to the words of Paul, himself a seeker of the truth, writing to one of the first communities that began to spring up in the late first century. Reader: Scripture: (2 Timothy: 6-8;13-14) That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift of God that you possess God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but the spirit of power and love and self control. Keep as your pattern the sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, look after that precious thing given in trust. In this quiet time, think about what you would hope for in your own journey this year. what precious thing would you like to fan into a flame to grow stronger in as a teacher and as a person? (Quiet instrumental music. 2 minutes) If you have some coloured stones, you might invite staff to choose a coloured stone to remind them of this hope throughout the year. If not, simply allow the music to finish this time Final Prayer and Blessing May God, Who loves and holds us all, let the Spirit guide all our days in the ways of compassion and justice, May we reflect the heart of God,
sure in faith, strong in hope, built on love May we become all that we are called to be. May God s grace, mercy and peace, Hold us and enfold us. And may our journey lead us into God s gentle and almighty Presence, our God whom we will one day see face to face. Amen.
Beginning of Year Staff Prayer Ritual 2015 My Story. Our Story The Story Welcome Prayer Candle is Lit Opening Prayer God of Love, We recognise Your presence in our journey together As we gather here for the start of this year in Your name, Open our minds to know Your voice. Open our hands to do Your work. And open our hearts to hold Your Spirit. Amen My Story. Reflection Response I light a candle I say a prayer I light a candle in Your Name. For the tender moments of teaching For the energy for deep new learning For the fire of vocation s calling I light a candle in Your Name. (first candle is lit) Against the chill of the world s dark troubles In the face of sadness here among us For my heart s longing in the night I light a candle in Your Name.(second candle is lit) To signal hope for all that might be To whisper thanks for all that is To reflect the Love I ll carry with me I light a candle in Your Name. (third candle is lit) I light a candle I say a prayer I light a candle in Your Name.
Our Story A Blessing to Each Other A Litany Response: Pray for us The Story A Message from Paul That Precious Thing Final Prayer and Blessing May God, Who loves and holds us all, let the Spirit guide all our days in the ways of compassion and justice, May we reflect the heart of God, sure in faith, strong in hope, built on love May we become all that we are called to be. May God s grace, mercy and peace, Hold and enfold us. And may our journey lead us into God s gentle and almighty Presence, our God whom we will one day see face to face. Amen.