All: Learning is a gift from God. Prayers: ask all to stand – back to school litany leader: As we begin this new school year, we give thanks that God has given us the ability to learn many things in many ways. All: We learn in school, but we also learn in church, in our family, in our community, and in the world. All: Learning is a gift from God.

All: And Jesus grew in wisdom. Prayers: leader: The Bible tells us that Jesus learned and studied, just as we do. All: And Jesus grew in wisdom.

All: We ask God to bless our schools and teachers. Prayers: leader: We ask God's blessing on this new school year, that it may be a time when we appreciate and fully useGod's gift of learning. All: We ask God to bless our schools and teachers.

leader: We ask God to bless our classmates and friends. Prayers: leader: We ask God to bless our classmates and friends. All: We ask God to bless our teaching assistants, office staff and all other people in our school.

Prayers: leader: We ask God to bless those who prepare our lunches, those who drive us to school, and those who keep our schools clean and safe. All: We give thanks to God for books and computers and all the things that help us learn.

Sometimes school is great, and sometimes it is hard. Prayers: leader: Loving God, sometimes a new school year seems exciting or scary or both. Sometimes school is great, and sometimes it is hard. But we know that whether we are excited or scared, you are with us.

Prayers: leader: We thank you for always being with us. Help us to remember to show our thanks for your gift of learning by doing our best every day. Let the students be excited about this wonderful world and all there is to learn about it.

Prayers: leader: Give the parents willing hearts, both to help in the classroom if they can, and certainly to be involved in their children’s homework and in their stories as the year goes on. All: Amen.

Prayers for teachers, staff, governors: ask all relevant people to stand. leader: Lord, please bless all our teachers, friends and relatives as they make their way back to their classrooms for another year. Help them to feel excitement and joy in the promise of a new start. Give them everything they need to start their classes.

All: Give them the gifts you know that they need all this year. Prayers: All: Give them the gifts you know that they need all this year.

Al: Give them all the wisdom and vision they need all this year. Prayers: leader: Give them imagination and creativity to make wonders out of what they do have. Al: Give them all the wisdom and vision they need all this year.

Help them have just the right words of encouragement for each student. Prayers: leader: Help them quickly spot the little souls who are going to need something extra from them this year. Help them have just the right words of encouragement for each student.

All: Give them all the love and compassion they need this year. Prayers: All: Give them all the love and compassion they need this year.

Al: Give them all the joy and hope they need this year. Prayers: leader: Please let them sleep well at night so they are rested and refreshed to face each morning with energy. Al: Give them all the joy and hope they need this year.