Submitted by
S. Daly

Age Group
5-14

Aim
To unite as a school community, with a feeling of responsibility towards the building and the people in it
To celebrate the start of a new school year
To think about how the Early Christians lived

Faith Group
Christian

Resources
A doll's house, or a large picture of a house

Time of Year
Any, or the beginning of the school year, or the time just after Easter, or Pentecost

Script
1. Good morning. Today we are going to think about who owns our school. Does it belong to the Government, or (name) the Local Education Authority? Or is it owned by the teachers, or the children, or even their parents?
Here is a story to help you think about these questions.

2. One sunny morning, not very long ago, a lady was out for a walk. As she strolled along, in the cool, morning air, she suddenly stopped. There before her was a really beautiful house. She stood admiring the house, when suddenly a man walked by and paused as he reached her.

FIRST MAN: Good morning. I can see you like this house.

LADY: Yes, I do. Very much. It's beautiful.

FIRST MAN: I'm glad you do, because it's mine.

3. A few seconds later, a different man came along. He stopped when he saw the lady.

SECOND MAN: I see you're having a good look at this house. I can see you're interested in it.

LADY: Yes, I am.

SECOND MAN: I'm pleased you are, because it's mine.

4. The lady was thinking how strange it was that two different people should both say that the house was theirs, when along came a third man.

THIRD MAN: Hello. Are you admiring the house?

LADY: Yes, I am. It's lovely.

THIRD MAN: I'm glad you are, because it's mine.

5. By now, the lady was thoroughly confused. How could the house belong to three different people? She had to know, so she rushed after the three men and eventually caught up with them.

LADY: Excuse me, but each of you says that the house belongs to you. How can it?

FIRST MAN: The house is mine, because I built it. I am the builder.

SECOND MAN: And the house is mine, because I bought it. I am the owner.

THIRD MAN: And the house is mine, because I live in it. I am the tenant.

6. Now the lady understood. The builder, the owner and the tenant had all told the truth. They all owned the house, but in different ways.

7. It is the same with our school. We all own it, but in different ways. This is why we should all work together to look after it. After all, it is our 'home' during the day.
We shoud help to keep it clean and tidy.
We should also help to make it a happy place, by looking after the people in it. This is part of what what being a Christian is about.

8. Saint Luke described the early Christians. He said,

LUKE: The friends of Jesus made a great stir in the city. They lived day by day in God's way, as Jesus had shown - Peter, James and John explained it to them.
They lived together like members of one family. When they had supper together, they broke the loaf, shared it as Jesus had done and remembered what Jesus had done for everybody everywhere.
They spent much time in prayer.
They lived together and shared everything with one another. They shared their meals together with real happiness.
All this was their way of thanking God for all he had done for them.
The people in the city thought well of them. Day by day, with God's help, their numbers grew. They were one in heart and mind. And none of them thought that his own things were just for his own use; they were for everybody to share.

8. So the early Christians made it very clear what Jesus being alive again really meant.
So today, in our school, let us try to be kind to everybody like Jesus and the early Christians were.

9. Thank you, God, for all that school means to us. For all the things which we can find out and explore with our minds.
Thank you, God, for the friends that we make here.
Thank you, God, for all the fun of the games that we play.
Thank you, God.

10. Dear Lord, some of us are new in this school. Help us to settle in and to make friends. Amen.

11. Dear Lord, please help us to make good use of this new start. Help us to do our best in lessons. Amen.

12. Dear Lord, please help us to look after the school and all the people in it. Amen.

13. We will now pray like the early Christians did.
Our Father...
Let us now sing "Bind us together" by Bob Gillman (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 80)