Welcome to the School Year; Our Christian Vision -

04.09.24

The Good Shepherd - John 10:10

At St. Michael’s, we want all of you to live the best possible lives. In the Bible (John 10:10) Jesus said: I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness. Jesus imagined that he was like a shepherd caring for a flock of sheep – and he wanted his flock to live wonderful lives.

Pupil Chaplains Commissioning Service

- 19.09.24

Pupil Chaplains Commissioning Service

Our pupil chaplains heard of all the wonderful ways they could share God's love.

This service is in recognition of all of those traits and marks the beginning of the mission and ministry of these chaplains within the school.

- Welcome by Mike Haslam, Chaplaincy Adviser, B&W Diocese

- School Chaplain talk and Pupil Chaplain talks

- Rev. Philip and Rev. Michelle commission the School Chaplain

- Rev. Philip and Rev. Michelle commission the Pupil chaplains

- Prayers by Chaplains

- Blessing by the Reverend

Bible Readings:
- "You are the light of the world..." (Matthew 5:14)
- "Dear friends, let us love one another..." (1 John 4:7-12)

The Good Shepherd - John 10:10

Continuing to explore (John 10:10) Jesus said: I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness. 

God is our shepherd. He is a good shepherd. A good shepherd knows each one of his sheep by name. He not only knows their names, but he knows every thing about them. He knows what they sound like. He can tell by the way they cry if they are in trouble, lost or sick. God, our shepherd, knows everything about us. He loves us just the way we are, bad things and all. He knows when we are sad, happy or lonely.

The Most Important Commandment - Matthew 22:37-40

The Bible has a lot to say about love.  It tells you God loves you.  It tells you that God wants you to love him.  It tells you to love your neighbour. There is so much in the Bible about love that some people call it a love letter. A long time ago when Jesus was on earth, people thought the Bible was just about rules.  Do this.  Don’t do that.  Say this. Wear that.  Go here.  Worship there. Rule after rule after rule. 

But Jesus had an even better one.  The best rule of all, and it’s all bout love:

Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbour as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40

Now what do you think it means to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind?  It really just means that you love Him completely.  So you can’t just say you love God, or just pray, or just listen to this worship; you need to love God all the time and in every way.

And thankfully, Jesus loves us so much that forgives us when we forget to love Him and our neighbours like we should.  Which is great news, because everyone could use a little more love.

We Love Because God Loves Us - 1 John 4

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become a child of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. Here is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only Son into the world. He sent him so we could receive life through him. Here is what love is. It is not that we loved God. It is that he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we should also love one another. No one has ever seen God. But if we love one another, God lives in us.

Harvest Festival -

17.10.24

Harvest Festival Service - St Michael's Church, Minehead

- Welcome by Headteacher
- "Big Blue Tractor" - whole school song

- "A Very Special Vegatable" - Yr.2 song

- Bible Reading: John 6:5 
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near...

...When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

- Talk by West Somerset Food Cupboard

- Homily by Rev. Philip

- Prayer for our local community - led by Pupil Chaplains

 Lord Jesus, you fed the hungry / you shared your bread with everyone. / Your people are   hungry now, / and we are called to share your bread. 

 Please let rains fall upon the dry and broken earth / and quench your people's thirst / so seed grows tall and flourish / producing a bountiful harvest.
 May we share the blessings you give us / and bring comfort to those in need / May we show
 love through our actions, / so all have enough to eat.
 We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen

- Blessing - Rev. Philip

- Farewell - Headteacher

Big Blue Tractor - whole school song

It's Harvest Time - Yr.3 song

Cauliflowers Fluffy - Yr.1 song

Keep Haulin' - Yr.4 song

Harvest Tango- Whole School song
 

The Sermon on the Mount

Today's worship links to our termly Christian value of:  Integrity

Learning about Integrity from a Christian perspective through understanding our relationship with God, and how we lead our lives through that.  We looked at Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco (Adam and God's fingers); Jesus' teaching through the Sermon on the Mount (particularly Matthew 5:8); and learning about Eric Liddell's Olympic Gold in 1924, where he refused to run in the 100m (which he was expected to win) because it was scheduled for a Sunday.  Instead he entered the 400m, and won that!

"Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:8)

Elisha is Jeered - 2 Kings 2:23-24

The young people made fun of Elisha’s bald head and made fun of where he was going by saying, “Go on up, you bald head.” Obviously, God was not pleased with them as He sent two bears out of the woods to kill those who made fun of Elisha. God is not pleased when we tease or pick on others.

The Christian Festival of Epiphany - Matthew 2:1-12

On 6 January each year Christians celebrate Epiphany, the visit of the wise men to the baby Jesus. The wise men brought special gifts, gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold is a gift fit for a king, Jesus as king of the world. Frankincense is a special fragrance used by a priest. Myrrh was a sweet-smelling liquid that was rubbed gently into the skin of someone who had died. It indicated that Jesus’ death would be important. One of the things that the festival of Epiphany reveals is that God doesn’t have favourites but welcomes people from any background and any nationality.

My Lighthouse

Our Termly Value: Respect

05.02.24

Zaccheus the Tax Collector - Luke 19:1-10

One day Jesus came to town and people gathered to hear what he had to say. Zacchaeus was very small, so he climbed a tree to see better. Jesus spotted him, called him down and said that he would come to his house that very day. The people were cross that Jesus was going to spend time with someone like Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was very sorry for his behaviour and told Jesus that he would pay back all the money he had taken. Jesus forgave him. Christians believe that everyone is unique and valuable to God. Jesus saw that Zacchaeus was just as important as everyone else. Zacchaeus was then able to lead a better life and treat others the way God wanted him to.

Jesus Washes The Disciples Feet - John 13:14

"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them".  John 13:14–17 

The Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25

This parable is about a traveller who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road. First, a Jewish Priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a Samaritan happens upon the traveller. 

Outline of 

Holy Week: 14.3.24

An Outline of Christian Events to Anticipate during Holy Week - 2024
Palm Sunday: celebrating Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, greeted by people waving palm branches.
 

Maundy Thursday: Christians remember it as the day of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Good Friday: On this day, the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary is remembered. Good Friday is observed as a day of sorrow and penance. It's a day of mourning in the Church, and services are held to reflect on Jesus' pain and suffering.

Easter Sunday: Easter Sunday marks Jesus's resurrection. After Jesus was crucified on the Friday his body was taken down from the cross and buried in a cave tomb. Two days after, on the Sunday, a woman called Mary Magdalene and some of Jesus' disciples visited the tomb, only to find the boulder pushed to one side and the inside completely empty. Later that day, they found Jesus alive, and realised God had resurrected him.

Easter Service
21.3.24

Easter Service 2024 at St. Michael's Church

Welcome by Headteacher

Reading by Yr.4 - Palm Sunday: Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got to Behtphage and Bathany at the mountain of Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find...
...right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its decent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed: Blessed is he who comes, the King in God's name! All's well in Heaven! Glory in high places!"
 

Reading by Yr.3 - Maundy Thursday: When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him, and he said, "You've no idea how much I look forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering... he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you."

Reading by Yr.2 - Good Friday: It was about noon and the whole land became dark until three o'clock in the afternoon. There was no sun! The curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, I give you my life." After Jesus said this, he died. The army officer there saw what happened. He praised God, saying, "I know this was a good man!"

Reading  by Yr.4 - Easter Day: Very early on the first day of the week, the women came to the tomb where Jesus's body was laid. They brought the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away...
...the men said to the women, "What are you looking for a living person here? This is a place for the dead. Jesus is not here. He has risen from death!"

Prayers by Yr.2

Prayers by Yr.3

Blessing

- Whole School: The Goodness of God
 

- Yr.R: A Tiny Seed Was Sleeping

- Yr.1: Jesus' Love Is Very Wonderful

- Yr.2: Lord of The Dance

- Yr.3: Colours of Day

- Yr.4: Sing Hosannah
 

- Whole School:
Resurrection Day

"April Shower Days"

In these frequently rainy days of April it is an opportunity to reflect on perseverance as seen in the natural world around us.

Building Perseverance - Romans 5: 3-5: Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Noah & The Ark

Retelling the story of Noah's building of the Ark, making overt references to the resilience he would have shown whilst undertaking the deed. Bible Readings from Genesis: 6:11-19; 7:17-18; 8:1; and 9:12-16

Noah & The Ark (cont.)
 

Genesis: 6:9-22: "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God....Noah did everything just as God commanded him."

Daniel & The Lion's Den

Daniel 6: "It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom...He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

Jesus feeds a large multitude of people with just a few loaves of bread and fish, showcasing God’s abundant provision. After everyone had eaten and was satisfied, there were still twelve baskets of leftovers. This story teaches children to appreciate and give thanks for the blessings and miracles in their lives.

"taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰ And they all ate and were satisfied" Matthew 14:19-20

"Thank you for Being a Friend"

& 

"Autumn Days"

A Message In a Bottle

A German fisherman called Konrad Fischer found a message in a bottle; it had been into the sea 101 years before. Like the message in a bottle, why do you think that some people have no choice but to go on long dangerous trips? 

Story of Moses rescuing the Israelites from Egypt and the nasty King. Exodus 12:31-33:

"During the night the king sent for Moses and Aaron and told them, “Get your people out of my country and leave us alone! Go and worship the Lord, as you have asked. Take your sheep, goats, and cattle, and get out. But ask your God to be kind to me.” The Egyptians did everything they could to get the Israelites to leave their country as quickly as possible. They said, “Please hurry and leave. If you don't, we will all be dead.”

What Makes A Hero?

Jesus visits Capernaum and heals the paralysed man: Mark 2:1-12 tells the story of a paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by four men¹²³. The passage describes how the men made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven”.

Discussion about who were the heroes in this story? Were they appreciated? Anyone can be a hero in someone else's story. We must remember to appreciate them and ourselves.

Hannah Thanks God for a Son

Hannah's prayer of appreciation and gratitude is one of the most beautiful prayers in the Bible. Because of her faithfulness to God, He blessed her with more children. 

"And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God."
1 Samuel 1:1-2:10

"Thank you for Being a Friend"

& 

"Autumn Days"

Service of Celebration

Opening Prayer: Rev. Pat Mann

Reading:  John 14:25-27 and Jeramiah 29:11 "I have spoken all these things while I am still with you. But the father will send the friend in my name to help you. The friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you. I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Book Presentation

Prayers written and led by Pupil Chaplains

Blessing: Rev. Pat Mann
 

"My Lighthouse" 

"Our God is a Great Big God"

"Every Step of the Way"

"One Moment, One People"