What is Education Sunday?
For well over a hundred years there has been an annual recognition of Education Sunday in England and Wales. It is a national day of prayer and celebration for everyone in the world of education. The theme is devised by an ecumenical steering group representing different Christian denominations and organisations.
For some years it has been celebrated on the ninth Sunday before Easter. The ideas in the leaflets are intended to be used as a springboard for a variety of events on or around Education Sunday. If you feel unable to devote a whole service to celebrating the education theme on the nationally recognised Education Sunday why not use some of the ideas on other occasions? (Some churches, for instance, prefer to hold a special service of rededication for staff and students at local schools, colleges and universities at the start of the academic year. Other churches prefer to hold a service of celebration and thanksgiving at the end of the academic year.)
Education Sunday is promoted by an ecumenical steering group in association with the Churches’ Joint Education Policy Committee. The ecumenical steering group comprises representatives from the following eight organisations:
| Association of Christian Teachers (www.christians-in-education.org.uk) The Baptist Union of Great Britain The Catholic Church (www.natsoc.org.uk) |
The Methodist Church (www.methodist.org.uk) The Salvation Army Student Christian Movement (www.urc.org.uk) |
Rupert Kaye, Chief Executive of the Association of Christian Teachers, makes an Education Sunday plea:
Most Christian leaders realise the strategic importance of being able to reach out to young people, adult learners and those who work with them. But many of those leaders, quite frankly, aren't sure where to start…
Education Sunday (whenever it is celebrated!) provides the perfect opportunity for Christian leaders, churches and congregations to demonstrate their commitment to learning and teaching, and, more specifically, to those who learn and teach …
Even the most sensitive and encouraging Education Sunday service cannot, however, redress 51 weeks of woeful neglect. So, what should churches be doing?
2010
31 January 2010
2009 - The Earth is the Lord’s
8 February 2009
...can education prepare us to live in more sustainable relationships with our fellow human beings, and with the ecosystems on which we depend so completely?
Download 2009 general worship resources (PDF)
Download 2009 prayers (PDF)
Download 2009 all-age talk / school assembly (PDF)
Download 2009 PowerPoint presentation
Download 2009 sermon / homily notes (PDF)
Download 2009 hymns and songs (PDF)
Download 2009 further reading and helpful websites (PDF)
2008 - Come and See
20 January 2008
When two of John the Baptist's disciples recognise Jesus as a rabbi (teacher)
they want to know more about him. Their response prompts Jesus to ...
Download 2008 general worship resources (PDF)
Download 2008 prayers (PDF)
Download 2008 all-age talk / school assembly (PDF)
Download 2008 PowerPoint presentation
2007 - Ultimate Makeover?
4 February 2007
The world says: perfect smiles and beautiful bodies are more important than loving hearts and caring minds; success is skin deep ...
2006 - Prizes That Last
12 February 2006
Imagine the scene – the runners are all poised at the starting line, the crowd is roaring, the atmosphere is electric … The athletes have all been in strict training ...
2005 - A More Excellent Way
23 January 2005
Schools, colleges and universities are under constant pressure … League tables, inspections, tests and exams are used to measure academic success ...
2004 - Putting out into the Deep
8 February 2004
God invites teachers and learners to put out into the deep … We shouldn’t be satisfied with paddling in the shallows of knowledge and understanding ...
Download 2004 resources (PDF)
Click here to access extra resources
2003 - Teaching is for Life
16 February 2003
God invites teachers and learners to put out into the deep … We shouldn’t be satisfied with paddling in the shallows of knowledge and understanding ...
2002 - Moving On
27 January 2002
God invites teachers and learners to put out into the deep … We shouldn’t be satisfied with paddling in the shallows of knowledge and understanding ...
2001 - Preparing for Citizenship
11 February 2001
Our challenge is to identify the distinctive role of the Christian citizen ...
What are the rights and responsibilities of a Christian citizen ...
2000 - Time to Learn
20 February 2000
Christians throughout England and Wales are called to recognise that the time to learn is now ...
As we learn, we hope to grow in understanding and knowledge ...
1999 - Education Changes
31 January 1999
God invites teachers and learners to put out into the deep … We shouldn’t be satisfied with paddling in the shallows of knowledge and understanding ...
1998 - Timeless Stories
8 February 1998
God invites teachers and learners to put out into the deep … We shouldn’t be satisfied with paddling in the shallows of knowledge and understanding ...
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