Family Prayer for a Productive School Year. 

PREPARATION: This prayer requires a leader and two readers. 
Have each person bring a symbol of school opening.
Make a small centerpiece of books, pencils, calculator
and candle, with space for each to members to add
their own symbol.
Parents may want to bring symbols of making lunches
or carpooling.

RITUAL

Reader 1: “Now, Lord, give me wisdom and
knowledge.” (2 Chr. 1:12)

Reader 2: Learning,
for some of us, so easy,
so filled with rewards,
For others, so difficult,
so filled with frustration.
Help us, God, to be patient
with our own limits
and with the limits of others,
To give one another
the space and time
each needs to grow.

Leader: May the N......... family/household
have a peace-filled
and productive school year. Then each person adds their school related item to the centerpiece. 

Leader: Lord, our God,
You are the source of all knowledge
Keep us focused in our studies.
Help us to understand
that all study is a prayer
and part of the way
we seek you.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.
All: Amen.
CLOSING
Leader: (Invite each family member to take back
their school symbol.)

Leader: God, Source of all wisdom,
bless the N...... family/household.
Help them to study with diligence
and work with patience
during the upcoming school year.
Amen

Click here to view videos that go along with this session.

Age Appropriate Family Materials

For families with Children in K-2nd grades: 

For Families with kids in 3rd-6th grades:

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For Families with older ones, 7th and older.

As a family review pages 1-9 of the Glorify the Lord by Your Life book. You may need to read the section separately, or it can be read out loud to the participants. Each family can determine what works best for them.  Discuss the content, and answer the questions on page 9. 

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Family Activity

Determine an activity that you can do for someone outside of your family. What can be done to give dignity and worth to someone else?
This task can be as simple as writing a letter to someone to say that you are praying for them, making cookies, or as involved as doing yard work for an elderly neighbor, working at a homeless shelter, or donating to a charity. 
For ideas and inspiration see the following list, or come up with your own. 
Check out these 30 Kind Things to Do for Others that you can get started on today.  1. Babysit family or friend’s kids for an evening.
2. Bake some bread and take to others. How about this Banana Nut Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
3. Donate your magazines to a doctor’s office.
4. Draw a nice message/picture on a friend or family member’s driveway with sidewalk chalk (Creekside Learning).
5. Give some homemade mason jar gifts. Check out these budget-friendly 18 Mason Jar Gift Recipes with Free Printable Gift Tags from Freebie Finding Mom.
6. Give gently used children’s’ books to a domestic violence shelter or social services agency.
7. Go to the grocery store for an older person or help unload groceries from a cart into a person’s car at the store.
8. Help carry something for someone on crutches.
9. Hold the door open for a passerby.
10. Leave a happy on someone’s desk at work (A piece of candy, gum, etc…)
11. Leave business card size notes with uplifting quotes on them on tables, in magazines, etc.. at places where people have to wait.  For example, locations like doctors’ offices and car repair shops.
12. Leave bottled water or soft drinks with a note of well wishes for the garbage men or women. Think about what a thankless and stinky job they have much of the time.
13. Let a vehicle merge into traffic in front of you.
14. Let someone with fewer items check out in front of you at the grocery store.
15. Look a person in the eye and tell them thank you.
16. Make homemade Valentine’s for nursing home patients.
17. Mow a lawn.
18. Pass along a plant or clipping to another person.
19. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line.
20. Pet sit for a friend for a weekend or offer to take his or her pet for a walk.
21. Pick up trash on a roadside. Of course, keep a careful eye on traffic and don’t put yourself in danger while cleaning up.
22. Put some coins in the meter for a stranger.
23. Rake the leaves.
24. Send a card letting a person know what is special about him or her.
25. Shovel the driveway for a neighbor.
26. Snag a vase at the dollar store, stick a flower from your yard in it, and give to a family member or friend.
27. Stop and give bottled water to people working outside on a hot day.
28. Take snacks or breakfast to your local fire station on a holiday. Emergency personnel have to work when lots of other folks do not.
29. Volunteer time at a school to help a student that needs extra reading practice.
30. Wheel a neighbor’s empty garbage can back up his or her driveway.

Complete Family Experience Survey