It is with great sadness and much significance that we hear the news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died.

We pray for her, we give thanks for life and her service. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

We pray for her family and for the nation as we prepare for her funeral in 10 days time.

We also pray for Charles and Camilla. God save the King and the Queen Consort.

From Monday and until the funeral, there will be space in each campus to pray and offer messages of condolence.

The sun sets on this academic year gone by and we recall the hard work and effort we have put in. As the sun rises on the next part of our journeys, we give thanks for those who have been with us and travel on to different places, we consider the hope in the coming weeks and months for a new school year, and we look forward to those who will join us on our journey. And although the time between sunset and sunrise feels dark, it is full of the hope and promise that the light will shine and our faith will be strong.

Praise God that this year is finished and we have made it.

God give us all rest and relaxation this summer.

And God guide us on the way ahead. 

Prayers that I share with you at the end of this year -

God our Father,
we praise and thank you for the gift of this school year,
a time filled with grace and blessings,
opportunities and challenges.
With the fulfilment of our summer hopes and dreams,
watch over us in the weeks of rest ahead.
Guide us each day
and help us to return to school
with a new refreshed spirit and energy
to continue in our journey of enjoyment, achievement and learning.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Loving God,

As we reflect on the year just past and all that happened within it,

We give thanks for the times this year where you have felt near.

As we remember the tough times, the sad times, the times that we would rather forget,

Help us to learn from them and move forward.

As we consider where we are now and what we will do next,

Give us the imagination and motivation to set new goals and continue to seek your support.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Lord God,

From where we have come from, in faith - grant us peace and joy.

As we are here as a fellowship in this space, give us insight and help us to be humble

As we go from this place, bring us safely back to this school family.

May God bless you and all whom you care for this day and forever more.

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

‘God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can understand what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their activities—this is the gift of God.’ Ecclesiastes 3:11-13

After a time of celebration with the Jubilee and Pentecost, we look forward to the summer and all that holds for us. Sunny weather, brighter days, lighter nights and opportunities to think on the year gone by. As our children and young people finish up their school year, it is always interesting to think about what we and they have learned in that time. What have we experienced, what life lessons have we understood, what have been our achievements – both in school and out.

Maybe now is a good time to reflect on the things we have seen and done, for our achievements and the hard times we have been through. To give thanks for the growing we have done, and for God’s presence in our lives.

God of Heaven, we give thanks for the days that have gone and the things we have learnt. Bless us in our efforts to be kind, joyful and lead lives that bring glory to you. Amen.

There are some days when I wake up weary.

It’s not exactly tiredness and not quite depressed.

It’s more that the bounce is going to take some work to get going – and it may not bounce at all today.

I name it because when we name things we gain some power back in dealing with it.

To name the way you are feeling and give words to it allows us to measure it, observe it and process it.

I’ve been speaking today with some students about the power of words.

They have the power to hurt and the power to heal. 

They have the strength to cut down and the strength to lift up.

They have the glue that sticks us down or the glue that holds us together.

There are words of blessing being spoken over us by the angels in heaven and the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

There are words of love and encouragement in the pages of our Bibles that speak worth and value into your very bones.

Not because you’ve got your planning and reports done, but because you are made in His image.

Not because you’re class is the best behaved and neatest, but because He loved you enough to sacrifice everything for you.

And not because you have everything together but because he knows how fragile we are sometimes - and after all you are a child of God.

Almost 30 years ago but still alive in the thoughts and experiences of so many people in our region.

Please use this day to talk about prejudice and the promise of hope.

Please encourage people to share their lived experiences and their desire for genuine connection and belonging.

Please remember that as a community we support each other, pray for each other and value each other.

May the works of God be seen clearly in our community. Amen.