National Lutheran Schools Week 2-8 May 2011National Lutheran Schools Week 2-8 May 2011

Students, staff and school communities of Students, staff and school communities of Lutheran schools across Australia are invited to Lutheran schools across Australia are invited to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week – a celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week – a week of celebrating week of celebrating

•the growing, embracing and out pouring of quality the growing, embracing and out pouring of quality lifelife•honouring the beauty and blessing that flows in all honouring the beauty and blessing that flows in all its fullness from the heart of our generous Godits fullness from the heart of our generous God

Leader: Leader: Creator God, you have blessed us with Creator God, you have blessed us with gifts from your creative hand – with those qualities gifts from your creative hand – with those qualities that make us who we arethat make us who we are

•You have gifted us You have gifted us to beto be•You have gifted us You have gifted us to goto go•You have gifted us You have gifted us to doto do

Today we celebrate your good gifts to us!Today we celebrate your good gifts to us!

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Look around our worship space and see all of the Look around our worship space and see all of the words describing gifts and talents we have words describing gifts and talents we have identified. identified.

That is AWESOME! Let’s thank God for them…That is AWESOME! Let’s thank God for them…

Dear GodDear God

You give gifts and talents to each person You give gifts and talents to each person •that’s each one of us.that’s each one of us.

The gifts and talents are different for each person,The gifts and talents are different for each person,•that’s special!that’s special!

You give us gifts and talents so that we can fully You give us gifts and talents so that we can fully grow, each one of us, to be the person you would grow, each one of us, to be the person you would like us to be – not to keep our gifts and talents to like us to be – not to keep our gifts and talents to ourselves, but toourselves, but to•help othershelp others•support otherssupport others•share with and care for othersshare with and care for others•love otherslove others

We are your light, your hands and feet on this We are your light, your hands and feet on this earth, our home. Teach us to value our own earth, our home. Teach us to value our own special gifts and talents. You have given us your special gifts and talents. You have given us your Spirit to help us. Thank you dear God.Spirit to help us. Thank you dear God.

AmenAmen

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Bible reading and reflectionBible reading and reflection

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A prayer of intercessionA prayer of intercession

Loving GodLoving God

For many people, too many people, the world is a sad For many people, too many people, the world is a sad place. They have lost hope, courage, their homes, place. They have lost hope, courage, their homes, their work, their smiles. They are hungry, sick, and their work, their smiles. They are hungry, sick, and sometimes forced to do things that they know are sometimes forced to do things that they know are wrongwrong.

Surround them with your love:Surround them with your love:

If they are sad, bring them joy.If they are sad, bring them joy.If they are sick and hungry, give them strength and If they are sick and hungry, give them strength and something to eat.something to eat.If they are without hope, let your light shine in their If they are without hope, let your light shine in their lives.lives.

Help us to be supportive, helpful, caring….Help us to be supportive, helpful, caring….We pray for our people in focus during NLSW, the We pray for our people in focus during NLSW, the people of Burundi and Sudan who are working through people of Burundi and Sudan who are working through a resettling process, trying to get their lives back a resettling process, trying to get their lives back together again.together again.

Guide and strengthen them in their efforts. Protect Guide and strengthen them in their efforts. Protect them from harm and danger.them from harm and danger.

We ask, loving God, that you give us strength, too, and We ask, loving God, that you give us strength, too, and generosity and wisdom to act where action is needed generosity and wisdom to act where action is needed so that we can be contributors to a quality life for so that we can be contributors to a quality life for others. others.

We remember that We remember that we arewe are, by your grace., by your grace.We remember that We remember that we arewe are, by your love., by your love.AmenAmen

Symbolic actionSymbolic action

As the baskets are circulated through the worship As the baskets are circulated through the worship space, place your ‘gift’, written on a piece of paper, space, place your ‘gift’, written on a piece of paper, into one of the baskets as a symbol that:into one of the baskets as a symbol that:

•this special gift is part of this special gift is part of youyou, and given by God, and given by God•you can ‘you can ‘gogo’ anywhere with this gift’ anywhere with this gift•and you can and you can useuse it for the benefit of others it for the benefit of others

Creator GodCreator God

We name these gifts and talents you have given We name these gifts and talents you have given us (….list….) to acknowledge their presence and us (….list….) to acknowledge their presence and realise their worth in making a difference to life on realise their worth in making a difference to life on this earth.this earth.

We praise you for making us who we are!We praise you for making us who we are!

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