Education Sunday 2007

Education Sunday 2007
04 February 2007
A national day of prayer and celebration for everyone in the world of education
Education Sunday has been celebrated since 1878. It is the day when churches join to offer to God the work of education, in schools of all kinds, in colleges and universities and in the church. It is the time to celebrate the achievements of education, to recognize the challenges, and support and pray for all who are involved in education. Further information is available from the National Society's web site: www.natsoc.org.uk/educationsunday2007


© 2007 Education Sunday Steering Group
The Education Sunday 2007 theme was devised by an ecumenical steering group
representing the following Christian denominations and organisations: the Association of Christian Teachers, the Baptist Union, the Catholic Church, the Church of England and the National Society, the Methodist Church, the Salvation Army, the Student Christian
Movement and the United Reformed Church. All worship material in this publication may be freely copied for single-occasion use as part of Christian worship. Any organisations or individuals wishing to reproduce this material in any other circumstances should seek
prior permission from the Education Sunday Steering Group, Churches Together in England, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HH.
www.educationsunday.org 4 February 2007

ULTIMATE MAKEOVER? jesusislord jesusislord jesusislord jesusislord jesusislord
The world says: perfect smiles and beautiful bodies are more important than loving hearts and
caring minds; success is skin deep. The Bible says: success is about being more Christ-like
and more Christ-centred; it is about loving God, loving other people and loving God’s world.
The world says: everyone can be outwardly transformed . . . for a price . . . all it takes is a nip
and tuck, a professional makeover or a trendy new wardrobe. The Bible says: everyone can be
inwardly transformed . . . and the price has already been paid by God . . . all it takes is faith.
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians invites us to join a learning conversation that echoes
through the centuries, and is still pursued in classrooms and lecture theatres by teachers and
students alike. From long before the time of Isaiah to now we have searched for fulfilment and
to become more fully human, to be truly happy and fulfilled. But where can we find this
happiness? Our culture informs us that if we want to be loved, valued and accepted, first we
need to look good and become a fashion icon. Yet all these changes are passing and do not
last. They leave us searching for meaning beyond the immediate.
This search for meaning and understanding is one that generations have engaged in. For
fulfilment is not found just in the externals but through becoming an icon of Christ. Through
God’s grace we are invited to respond to the Lord’s invitation to follow and become more like
Him. For Isaiah, holiness is not found in grand gestures but in small acts of loving God, loving
other people and helping to sustain the beauty of creation. What Paul in the midst of his
failure came to understand is God’s unconditional love and he leaves us this example of faith
and humility, reminding the people of Corinth to become what God desires of them. Through
this endeavour of hope we too will be transformed both inwardly and outwardly to become, in
our time, part of God’s holy people.

A PRAYER OF THANKS FOR ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
Lord our God
We thank You that You made each one of us in Your image and likeness,
and that we are all Your beloved children.
We pray for the children/students we teach.
We pray for children/students who … make us smile; … challenge our way of thinking;
We pray for children/students who … test our patience; … we find easy to like;
We pray for children/students who … we find difficult to like; … are bright;
We pray for children/students who … are hardworking; … find learning tough;
We pray for children/students who … get on our nerves; … are a delight;
We pray for children/students who … like to laugh; … always look sad;
We pray for children/students who … always look lost; … talk all the time;
We pray for children/students who … never say a word; … are easily overlooked;
We pray for children/students who … are impossible to ignore;
We pray for children/students who … remind us of ourselves when we were younger!
We thank You for all the children/students who have an impact on our lives and for the
privilege of having an impact on their lives.
Lord, help us not to label those we teach or to fall into the trap of thinking we have got them
sussed. Help us to be open to new revelations and the work of Your Holy Spirit in each of their
lives.
Lord, use those we teach to teach us. Help us to be Christ-like at all times;
seeing each one with Your eyes and valuing them with Your heart of love.
We ask this prayer in the name of Jesus the teacher.
Amen