National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Across the length and breadth of Australia, Lutheran schools bring forgiveness to the fore as they celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week. Forgiveness is as much about the future as it is the past. The journey of forgiveness lies constantly before us. Lutheran schools are places where the joy and practice of forgiveness can be lived out on a daily basis, where the life-changing effects of forgiveness can be experienced, and where reconciliation, made possible by the love of God through the cross of Jesus Christ, enables everyone to be a peacemaker. All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18 Mission project Health for Life! If schools wish to raise funds for community service during National Lutheran Schools Week, it is recommended that the 2013 ALWS Nepal project is supported. Details available:

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013

Students, staff and school communities of Lutheran schools across Australia are invited to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week - a week of celebrating God’s gift of forgiveness to all people through Jesus The life-changing power of forgiveness

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Worship theme: Friendship

Gathering and prayer Dear God We offer you our prayer of praise as we come together for National Lutheran Schools Week. We praise, bless and thank you for being our God and our friend. National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013

We ask you to guide, strengthen and encourage us so that we can grow in our understandings and our acts of reconciliation. Help us to bring justice, love and peace to our friendships and relationships in our classrooms, our school and our world. We ask these things through Jesus your Son. Amen.

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Today we will spend some time reflecting on the gift of friendship; the friendship that is offered to us by our families, our school mates, people in our community, people we know who live further away, and the friendship offered to us by God.

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Close your eyes and picture in your mind the people you think of as friends. Think of some of the characteristics and attributes of your friends…

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 What is it that you like most about them? How long have you known each other? What is the most important gift your friends give you? What is the most important gift you give your friends? How do you ensure that your friendship continues to grow and develop?

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 The gift of faithful friends is a priceless treasure, and it is one of God’s great gifts of love to us. The Bible tells us these things about friendship, in: Luke 6:31 Romans 12:10 Ephesians 4:29-32 Colossians 3:12-14 The Word of God

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 We know, also, that things do not always run smoothly between friends and between people. We don’t get along with one another, we quarrel, we ignore, we dismiss, we say hurtful things. The Bible tells us these things about reconciling our differences, in: Colossians 3:13 2 Corinthians 5:18 Matthew 5:23-24

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Dear God, You are a gracious God. We thank you for our friends, they are such an important part of our lives. We ask you to bless them in a special way today. We thank you for the friendship you our God offer to us. Never let us forget that you are always there for us. A prayer

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 We remember, too, that you are a God of mercy. Teach us to ask for forgiveness from you and from those whom we have hurt. Teach us to offer the gift of forgiveness to others. Help us to learn to forgive from the heart those who offend us and cause us hurt. Help us in our endeavours to make our school and our world places of reconciliation, forgiveness, healing and love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Assembling people paper chains of friendship, reminding us that the acts of forgiveness, healing and love that we extend to one another are gifts from God Symbolic action

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Now let’s take the gifts of love and forgiveness to all we meet And share that love with others. And the Spirit of our loving, forgiving, reconciling God go with us. Amen A blessing

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013 Reference: Bretherton, B.A. (1999) Prayers at your fingertips. Katoomba: NSW. Social Science Press

National Lutheran Schools Week 5 – 11 May 2013