St Francis of Assisi
Under 8s
1. The opening prayer:
"Dear God, we thank you for St Francis, one of your greatest Friends! St Francis teaches us how to love everyone, including all animals, our pets and nature. Help us to be kind to our animal friends".
2. Introduction. Today we give thanks for St Francis, who was a young Italian man who decided to follow Jesus. He was a very caring and loving person, he was very close to all animals, he treated the sun as his sister and the moon as his brother. God gave him a special gift: he was able to understand the language of birds, dogs and cats. Let's learn from St Francis to be kind to our animals and plants.
- what is your favourite animal?
- do you know how to care for your pets?
- do you have plants in your house or garden?
- do you know how to water them?
3. Action for today: let's ask our parents for old bread and let's go to our lovely local river to feed the ducks! Or fish.. or birds.
4. Story time. Watch this video
5. Colour the picture of St Francis
6. Prayers.
Dear God, we thank you for St Francis and his example. Now we would like to offer our prayers for the world, people and all animals. - You have created this beautiful world, help us to take care for it trough our little acts of love. - You have given us beautiful place to live, our Twickenham, help us to see the beauty of the nature, trees, river and our parks. - You provide us with our favorite food, please help those people who are poor as St Francis always cared for the poor. - We also pray for those who are not well and sad. 7. We say together the Lord's Prayer (words at bottom of the page)
------------------------------------- 8+years
1. The Opening Prayer: "Dear God, so many men and women were your special friends. Today we give thanks for St Francis' life and his message about peace. Help us to be messengers of your peace. Amen. 2. Quiz: St Francis, what do we know about him? - was he French, Spanish or Italian? - did he live during Renaissance, Baroque or in Medieval Europe? - What was his place of birth? Rome, Barcelona or Assisi? - why is is portrayed with birds? 3. A story about his amazing life:
4. What can we learn from St Francis?
5. The Prayer of St Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
6. Our Intercessions
Dear God, thank you for St Francis and inspiration that he still brings to our life. Today we would like to pray:
- for the peace in our world,
- for those who are hungry, thirsty, jobless and homeless
- for our schools and teachers
- for all animals, especially those in danger of distinction.
- for our beautiful world, and for people who suffer because of fires in USA
- for our lovely Twickenham and for everyone who lives here
- for those who are sad, worried and ill
- for all key workers and our doctors and nurses.
7. We say the Lord's Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.