Autumn 2 - Week 7
Monday 14th December
Good Morning Cathedral School,
I hope you all had a good weekend.
This week is the third week of Advent. Today's candle is a different clolour. Please make a pink candle. Pink is the colour of joy and today is a joyful day for Christians because Christmas is getting nearer.
Joy is one of the fruits of friendship with God. Joy can be a deep feeling inside or it can bubble up and be expressed in music, dance or laughter. .
What makes you feel joyful? How do you express it?
Have you ever felt excited about a holiday or an event? That's how people feel around the third week of Advent because Christmas is nearly here when we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The Jewish people had been waiting 400 years for God's special king. Christians believe that Jesus was that special king. Just before Jesus began his three years of teaching, a man called John the Baptist was telling people: 'Get ready, the king is almost here!' John told the people to prepare themselves for the king by saying sorry for what they had done wrong and changing how they lived.
The third week of Advent is a time for rejoicing for Christians, because it reminds them that it is almost Christmas. It's almost time to celebrate the coming of the baby king.
How will you bring joy to others this week?
Reflection Time
Ding Dong Merrily on High
This performance by the Merbecke Choir was filmed at Southwark Cathedral. Listen out for how the changing dynamics (loud and soft) help to create a sense of excitement and joy! Miss Dace now sings in this choir and she performed with them at Southwark Cathedral on Saturday evening. If you see her today, ask her to tell you all about it!
Prayer
Please pray a silent prayer. You could focus on 'joy' or something else.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
Tuesday 15th December
Good Morning Cathedral School. Firstly a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the Christmas card competition. It was so difficult to choose winner because so many of the cards had been to carefully and thoughtfully designed. Thank you to the children who included such lovely messages, poems and jokes for the residents of Lucy Brown House. I'm sure they will be very happy to receive them.
Every class has a Christmas tree with lights on. Some people might have lights on their tree at home. Some people decorate the outside of their homes with Christmas lights. It feels like everywhere you look at Christmas there are beautiful lights.
Can you name other forms of light and how we use them? E.g. we use a torch to see in the dark.
Here are a selection of Christmas light displays that you might see on top of the Shard.
Where are your favourite Christmas lights this year?
Jesus was called 'the Light of the World'. Christians believe he brings the light of love into a world that can be dark with sadness and wrong. Here is what the Bible says.
Next time you see fairy lights on a tree, remember that Jesus is 'the Light of the World'.
How could you bring some light into someone's day?
Reflection Time
O Holy Night
Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo are two of the most famous opera singers in the world. I hope you enjoy their version of this beautiful carol.
More Information
If you would like to know more about how Christmas is celebrated across the world please visit the Newsround website
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15790210
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for this celebration of Christmas when Jesus came to bring light and love to the world. Help us to be lights too.
Amen
Wednesday 16th December
Good Morning Cathedral School,
Every class has been busy making Christmas videos to share with the rest of the school and parents. The videos are truly wonderful. Please spend Collective Worship enjoying everyone's hard work.
Prayer
Thursday 17th December
Good Morning Cathedral School. It is Mrs Scott here with you this morning. Today is our last day of school before the Christmas holidays. Today is certificate assembly. Before your teacher gives out certificates we need to think about the last 2 candles on the Advent ring.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
The candle is purple, the colour of kings. This is the candle of love. Jesus is the 'King of Love'. Christmas is a time to think about love; the love Mary had for Jesus and the love of God in sending Jesus.
Christmas Day
Christians light the last candle on Christmas Day. The last candle is white and is placed in the middle of the Advent ring. It stands for Jesus. Jesus is known as 'The Light of the World'.
Thank you for all of your hard work this term and especially over the last few weeks. The school looks so festive and your class videos have brought so much joy to staff, parents, governors and friends of Cathedral School. Well done, you should all feel very proud.
Please say a big thank you to your teacher and your member of support staff. They have worked hard to help you learn and have fun at school.
Certificates
Congratulations to everyone who received a certificate today. Please give them a clap!
Reflection Time
Listen to the carol that your class recorded this year and reflect on your achievements this year.
Prayers
Dear God,
Thank you for our school and the staff that help us to learn and stay happy and safe. Thank you for our friends and family. Please make sure we all have a peaceful Christmas and New Year.
Amen