“What I like about Collective Worship, is that we all feel closer to God in those times and that everyone has a chance to lead them and be a part of them. When we do Collective Worship, I feel welcome into God’s family and his Kingdom, and it makes me think about how Jesus saved us from our Sins, even though he knew he would die to save us all.” Year 6 Pupil

Prayer, reflection and worship are at the centre of what we do here at St John Fisher. Throughout the year, we celebrate religious events by saying mass, holding liturgy services, adoration and celebrating of the sacraments including receiving the Eucharist and Reconciliation.

Worship  includes:  school masses, year group worships, year group liturgies and whole school liturgies.

Daily Prayer

Our school has a culture of prayer, which is central to everyday life at our school. We begin our day with a morning prayer; before we eat lunch, classes say their lunchtime prayers thanking God for the food we receive; we finish our day by saying a blessing before we leave at home-time.

We have set prayers for different age groups.

Our older children also like to incorporate any prayers they have learnt on retreat to places like The Briars, which are often to theme tunes of well-known children’s films and programmes including The A- Team, songs ‘ Shake it off’  and football-chant prayers.

Celebrating Mass

We celebrate Mass regularly and work closely with the parish to schedule for the year ahead. Children write prayers, read readings and sing to the heavens. We have a large turnout of family and parishioners.

A culture of prayer

Our school has a culture of prayer, which is central to everyday life at our school. Teachers make use of a range of collective worship forms, such as child-led Liturgies, Personal prayer, Meditation and Visio/ Lectio Divina.

Child-led Liturgies

Liturgies are planned using the Extra-Ordo-nary Calendar from NDCYS, which gives the children a weekly theme on which to focus their worship. Some classes also plan liturgies on themes of their own choosing, particularly if they want to pray for something specific to them.

Class liturgies are planned and delivered progressively as the children move throughout the school. Adults reduce their scaffolding in the planning stage as the children move throughout the year (progression from term to term) as well as between year groups as they progress through the school (progression year on year). Children make use of a range of resources in their liturgies. We are currently using the ‘Let Us Pray 2Gether’ resources will aids progression and further support independence in the planning stage of worship.

Christian Meditation

Christian Meditation invites our children to spend time with God, focusing on allowing Him into their hearts and minds. The children understand the importance of being present with God, and allowing him into our minds and hearts.

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina focuses around short passages of scripture, allowing the Word of God and its meaning to have a personal impact on you. Children are encouraged to say which words stand out to them and why, how the passage makes them feel and what it is saying to them.

Personal Prayer

Personal prayer focuses around the them of the week and asks children to reflect on the theme. Children wonder how it affects them and how they can live out the theme. Children then spend time in prayer and our children have the opportunity to write/draw in their prayer books.

Let us know your thoughts about any of our Lectio Divina during lockdown by commenting in the guestbook.

Think about – How it made you feel, what it made you think about and what it might make you do now.

Lectio Divina – Week Beginning 1st March 2021

Is it the second week in Lent and this week’s theme is FASTING.

Click the video below to join in Lectio Divina with Mr Gallagher.

Lectio Divina – Week Beginning 22nd February 2021

It is the first week of Lent and this weeks theme is PRAYER.

Click the video below to join in Lectio Divina with Miss Wagner.

Lectio Divina – Week Beginning 8th February 2021

Is it the fifth week in ordinary time and this week’s theme is HEALING.

Click Here to join in Lectio Divina with Miss Hanson.

Lectio Divina – Week Beginning 1st February 2021

Is it the fourth week in ordinary time and this week’s theme is CARE.

Click the video here to join in Lectio Divina with Miss Baraclough.

Lectio Divina – Week Beginning 25th January 2021

Is it the third week in ordinary time and this week’s theme is INSPIRE.

Click the video here to join in Lectio Divina with Mrs Moloney.

Week Beginning 17th January 2021

Is it the second week in ordinary time and this week’s theme is CHALLENGE.

Click here to join in Lectio Divina with Mrs Johnson.