Celebration of Nations Prayer Service - October 24, 2010

Procession: 
CRY THE GOSPEL
(click on the link above in a new window by right clicking to listen to the song as you browse the blog)

Each classroom is led by a student carrying the class candle followed by the poster for their grade.

The poster's above represent the theme that was covered for each grade.

Class candles by the globe - it's up to us to keep the light burning!  Jesus is the light of the world!

Call to Prayer

Welcome, everyone, to our Celebration of Nations prayer service.

During the lesson all of us learned more about being a part of God's family.  Jesus invited us to celebrate our part of God's family.  Jesus invited each of us to celebrate our connection to our brothers and sisters throughout the world.

We learned that through our baptism each of us is called to be a missionary.

We watched and listened to stories about people throughout the world; people just like us who want to live in peace and have opportunities to go to school, receive health care and make the world a better place.

Today we are going to celebrate the family of God; a family that includes brothers and sisters from every nation.

Readings:

(click on each link below to get the reading)

First Reading - Romans 12:5-6, 15-16, 19

Responsorial Psalm - PSALM #100

Response: Come into his presence with songs of joy!

Gospel - Matthew 24:34-40

 Student Sharing

After hearing the word of God each grade participated in sharing what they learned during their lesson.

(visit the tab for each grade on the blog to review the topics that were covered)

 

 

Litany

We gather today to share our faith in God and our belief that all people are part of God's family.

Teach us to love, Lord, and be willing to serve our brothers and sisters. 

 

We thank you God for calling us to be your witnesses in the world today.  We ask that you give us hearts filled with love and the courage to speak your word and do your work right where we are.  We ask this in the name of your son, Jesus.....

AMEN

 Conclusion

Today we came together to celebrate the beauty and diversity of God's family.  We came together to celebrate the work that missionaries do throughout the world and to accept that we, too, are missionaries.  As missionaries we are called to:

• Share what we have with one another.
• Work to eliminate the poverty in our own community.
• Welcome all people because they are part of God's family.
• Take care of creation because it is God's gift to us.
• Respect people whose faith and cultures are different from our own.
• Follow Jesus' teachings to love one another each and every day.

Let us go forth now to love God and create a better world.

Recessional

Go Make a Difference
(click on the link above in a new window by right clicking and listen to the song.)

NOW GO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

Mission Sunday - October 24th

Journey With Jesus

Program Overview

The primary goal of mission education is to foster a missionary dimension in the lives of students as well as to broaden their worldviews so that they grow to understand how all humanity is connected and recognize the face of Jesus in all whom they are called to see as brothers and sisters.  Journey With Jesus seeks to provide tools for catechists to bring students to an understanding of the universality of the Church and Jesus' call to "bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and the blind new sight. to set the downtrodden free." (Luke 4:18)

The decision to develop the program around the concept of themes rather than countries was motivated by the realities of globalization and its impact on all levels of society throughout the world as well as the input from missionaries who shared their concerns about the need to connect causes and effects on the global stage.  missionaries challenged us to look not only on the poverty and deprivation which millions of people face, but to look at the root causes.  They challenge us to ask the question, "Is there a connection between the over-consumption of some and the poverty of many?"

Journey With Jesus introduces a new them at each grade level, provides students with an understanding of how that reality impacts people globally and gives specific examples of how missionaries are working with people to create a world that reflects God's kingdom on earth.

THEMES

Grade One - Families Around the World

Grade Two - Building Communities of Peace

Grade Three - Respect for All God's People

Grade Four - Care for Creation

Grade Five - Respect for Different Faith Traditions

Grade Six - Standing on the Side of the Poor

Grade Seven - Beyond Borders; Migrants, Immigrant and Refugees

Grade Eight - Culture; Gift and Blessing

The primary goals of Journey With Jesus are to:

• Give students a deeper understanding of their baptismal call to mission
• Develop global awareness and a sense of the interconnectedness of all creation
• Encourage students to reflect and become active participants in creating God's kingdom on earth

Where will we go....?