Let us pray:
God of fresh starts and new beginnings, we carry a lot with us as we anticipate a new school year. Blank pages, sharpened pencils, all the tools of learning, of course. But we also carry all kinds of feelings, including anxiety and hope. There are endless possibilities of what this new year might bring – of what we might learn, who we might meet, and who we might become.
And God, who loves us no matter what, is with us through it all.
Be with us as we prepare for the day. Be with us as we ride the bus or walk. Be with us as we face the unknown, as we wonder what’s next, as we anticipate both routines and changes. Be with us as we learn and as we teach. Bless this journey into something new.
Thank you for all those who teach, care, lead, and help. God, fill our hearts, bless our hands, open our minds. Help us to trust that you are always, everywhere, at every time and place, with us. Amen.
Go out into the beautiful world God has made. Go and play. Go and learn. Go and love others. May you be filled with God’s own love for you and for everyone around you. May the prayers of this church bless you with safety, health, and joy. Amen.
