Collective Worship (P): Moving On

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AGE: Primary

THEME: Moving On

Changing schools can be exciting but it can also bring a time of anxiety. Moving from primary to secondary school is a significant rite of passage in the lives of all children and this is an act of worship to mark this important event. It can be adapted for similar occasions involving endings and farewells.

BACKGROUND:

At significant milestones in life, ritual and symbol can help us to respond to our own and others' feelings about moving on, about acceptance, letting go, and finding peace; it will help to express the inexpressible. Treat the event as something special, knowing that there is more to these times than meets the eye.

PREPARATION / RESOURCES:

There is more preparation than usual in this act of worship but it will pay off by creating a celebration to remember!

Prepare a focus table covered in a green cloth, with three large candles.
Build a small cairn (pile of stones) in a central place for all to see - this could be on your focus table. Gather more small stones or pebbles into a basket (one for each child who is moving on).
The children moving on...
Collect together memories of 'milestones' in their lives, for example, starting playgroup/nursery/school, learning to read/write/count/swim/ride a bike/use a computer/play a musical instrument. The children could also identify people, as well as situations, that have been important to them. Encourage them to reflect on difficult times too, e.g. arguments with friends, being ill, missed opportunities, regrets. What difference have these things made to their lives? Gather together volunteers willing to share their reflections during the act of worship.
The children staying in school...
Each class decide on two or three 'good wishes' to offer to those moving on, for example, 'we hope you make lots of friends at your new school'. Choose children to read these during the act of worship.

PRESENTATION:

Introduce the theme - you could say something like this...

'In today's act of worship we are going to be thinking about ways of bringing together the past and the future into the present. This is a very special time for Year/Class... as they will soon be moving on and starting their new schools in September. They have been looking back in time and gathering some of their memories of being at our school...'

Invite the children to share their memories.

Then, addressing those who are moving on...

'All those of us staying at school would like to help you to look ahead and wish you well for the future...'

Invite representatives from each of the classes to read out their 'good wishes' for those leaving.

Sing Shalom (see below for details).

REFLECTION:

Invite three of the leavers to light the candles on the focus table as you read these words.

(Light candle one...)

'Lay down what is past
and look to the future.'

(Light candle two...)

'Reach out
to share the lives of others
and touch a wider world.'

(Light candle three...)

'Be at peace
and care for one another.'

Play music (see suggestion below) as the children who are moving on collect a stone from the basket and place it on the cairn before they leave the worship area.

SONGS:

'Shalom', No.141, Come and Praise Two, pub. BBC Education, ISBN 0-563-34247-1.

'Gaelic Blessing' from The John Rutter Collection, The Cambridge Singers, Universal Classics, Catalogue Number: 4726222.

FOLLOW-UP IDEAS:

Reflect on 'milestones' in life using poetry and literature. Examples are the poem 'First Day at School' by Roger McGough, in Four Seasons Poetry Books (Autumn), pub. Macdonald, ISBN 0-356-13272-2 or the story Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr Seuss (Illustrator) pub. Picture Lions Paperback, ISBN 0-007-15852-1 .

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