June 2016 Staff Faith Formation
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Slide 1 Welcome
Slide 2
Reader 1
Our Church has returned to “Ordinary” Time in its liturgical calendar but for school staffs, these early days of summer are far from ordinary. Energies are directed to completing report cards, preparing class lists for next year, planning memorable graduations and transitions, and saying farewell to colleagues who are retiring or perhaps leaving to join other school communities. We are winding down and everyone is counting the days until summer vacation begins.
Slide 3
Reader 2
The images of summer are beckoning us to a fullness of life which was promised by our Lord. Green days, full of lush vegetation and flowers surround us and our world is ripe. The refreshing waters of swimming pools and lakes remind us of our baptism. This season’s warmth and bounty and light make the world more hospitable and life-sustaining. For the Church, summer has become an image of our existence in heaven; our place in God’s holy city where abundance, healing and endless days are experienced. This is shared in Chapter 22, verses 1-5, in the Book of Revelation…
Slide 4
Reader 1
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal,
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.
On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month;
and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Nothing accursed will be found there anymore.
But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him;
they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun,
for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
Slide 5
Reader 2
As this school year ends, it is important to reflect your own light – the successes and celebration of the gifts and talents you bring to your vocation. In this silence, reflect and appreciate on your gifts and talents, those of your school family, the students you have come to know, and recognize the light of the Lord God is always present.
Slide 6
Reader 2 continues
Zachariah, father of John the Baptist, cousin to Mary, knew how blessed he was when he held his son after elderly Elizabeth had given birth to him. John the Baptist, an ideal summer -time saint, is recognized in Canada and within Quebec culture on June 24th. He pointed others to the Christ.
Slide 7
Reader 1
As we conclude, it is important to join our church daily in its ‘Benedictus’, the Canticle of Zechariah, sung every morning as part of the Liturgy of the Hours, which reminds us:
Out of God’s deepest mercy, a dawn will come from on high,
Light for those shadowed by death, a guide for our feet on the way to peace.
(With the music of the Benedictus in the background, performed by the 2Cellos at a concert in Zareb,
pray, the Creed of the Gentle, slowly and mindfully, ….starting 1 minute into the Benedictus, each of you
sharing one line.)
NOTE: If Youtube is unavailable, the prayer is written on the next 2 slides- Slide 8&9 -that have been hidden. It can be shared as a shared reading, each line voiced by a different staff member.
A Creed for the Gentle
In your laughter, let there be happiness,
in your tears, renewal.
In your quiet moments, contentment,
in your dreams, a future promise.
Let there be peace in your time alone and friendship in a crowd.
Let your knowledge of yourself
bring you to a greater understanding of what you can achieve.
Do not place too great a value on material world, but take time
to listen to the ballad of the birds in green valleys.
Hurry not from one workload to another without taking time
to be aware of your own needs and the needs of others.
And do not underestimate the importance of being fulfilled,
for if you are not whole in your satisfaction, you cannot wholly give it to others.
Step forward to another day,
taking with you the best of the last and the lessons learned.
But remember, even when we are dissatisfied with ourselves,
there is One who knows us completely and will not desert us.
Take courage to live at a slower pace
and to listen to the self you have yet to discover. Amen
Slide 10
Reader 1 and 2 together…
This summer…Be blessed. Be at peace and please share a sign of peace with those around you.
(Sign of Peace)
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