Archdiocesan Value Education Centre - AVEC

Don Bosco Youth Services Matunga, MUMBAI 400 019 Tel: 24154477 E-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com

FAREWELL PRAYER SERVICE. Quote: It is not the goodbye that hurts, but the flashback that follow. Theme: Life is a journey and not a destination Event: Farewell to the outgoing students SSC/HSC Ritual: Footprints - Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down. Scripture: Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 4: 8, 9: Prayer Songs: 1. We Thank Thee (Jim Reeves) - http://youtu.be/3pXzge4uhVs 2. Count your blessings - http://youtu.be/AuDg4JELjHA 3. God will make a way Don Mien - http://youtu.be/ZHOyaG-cJxI 4. This little guiding light of mine / School Anthem Introduction: Setting A lighted lamp/candle on a stand is kept burning throughout the service. Beside it display the school flag /school emblem. Display Footprints Poster with few/all names. As the assembly gathers the song We Thank Thee (Jim Reeves) is played as backdrop. Ref: http://youtu.be/3pXzge4uhVs Leader: We are all on a journey in life each holding a map packed with situations, challenges and events that test courage, character and commitment in a purposeful life. In the journey of life the possibilities for discoveries and unexpected opportunities, if passed by, cannot be rewound in time. The persons met, lessons learnt and experiences gained in the journey are assets in developing ones personality. Life is a journey and not a destination and at each stage in life there are entry and exit stations. Though each leave-taking is painful, it opens up potential for growth, for even a perfect egg must break for new life to begin. At the kindergarten stage your tiny footsteps walked shyly through the campus. As you grew up and crossed the primary - lower to upper stage and on to the secondary you came running with enthusiasm to interact and learn with friends and classmates. All these 10/12 /14 school years have seasoned you in physical and mental discipline, nurtured your talents and
*Building a New Humanity Through Universal Values* PRAYER SERVICE FROM AVEC

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre - AVEC

Don Bosco Youth Services Matunga, MUMBAI 400 019 Tel: 24154477 E-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com
aptitude, developed soft skills necessary for life, service and social adjustment. The journey in this school is almost over and time has come to say goodbye to all that was dear to you in school the persons, experiences, events, thrills and frills of school lifeLet us listen to the scripture on cherishing precious memories on what befits in our life-book of events Scripture Reading: Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 4: 8,9: Reader 1: Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things and the God of peace will be with you." (after a brief pause) We thank God for all that has happened in different aspects of your life - body/ mind / heart / consciousness /soul / spirit as you have developed Life skills that include learning to know, to do, to live together and to be a spiritually integral person. We thank God for the gift of you to each other over the 10/12 years with whom you have grown up, the loving guidance of your alma mater - the institution, the manager, principal, teachers and the kind service of the non-teaching staff. Let us count our blessings in life as we sing with the choir. Choir: Prayer Song: Count your many blessings - http://youtu.be/AuDg4JELjHA Reader 2: A child who is over protected and pampered habitually tends to be selfish with an entitlement mentality being ignorant of the sacrificial efforts of parents. As an adult he presumes that every person must oblige him and as a boss, he remains indifferent to the struggles and hardships of coworkers / employees and fails in team spirit and life relationships. The true secrets to success are not degrees from universities or association with the wealthy. The real secrets to success are sorrows, sufferings, and failure which bring out the beauty of inner self with respect for all. ..Let us now listen to a true incident narrated to us through a mime. Ritual A: Miming the Anecdote (3 good readers (N: Narrator; Y: Youth; D: Director) behind the scene each with a mike will read their parts with appropriate pauses. 2 students with acting talent impersonate D and Y to mime on the stage as per their respective dialogue.)
N - Narrator: One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a giant company. He passed the first interview and the last interview was by the director before the final decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth had an excellent academic record all the way, from the school until the postgraduate research without a gap. The interview went as follows:

Mime on the stage: (both seated facing the audience and each other) D: Did you obtain any scholarships in school or college? Y: none. D: Was it your father who paid for your school / college fees? Y: I lost my father when I was one year old; it is my mother who paid my school fees. D: Where did your mother work? Y: My mother worked as a dhobi woman.
*Building a New Humanity Through Universal Values* PRAYER SERVICE FROM AVEC

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre - AVEC

Don Bosco Youth Services Matunga, MUMBAI 400 019 Tel: 24154477 E-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com
D: Show me your hands. Narrator: The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. D: Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before? Y: Never, my mother always wanted me to study and learn to be competitive. Besides, my mother washes clothes cleaner and faster than me. D: I have an assignment for you. When you go home today, hold your mothers hands and clean them. I will see you tomorrow morning. Narrator: The youth felt that his chance of securing the job was definite. At home that evening, he held his mothers hands and requested his mother. Y:Mother let me clean your hands. Narrator: His mother felt it strange and yet glad. With mixed feelings, she allowed her son to hold and observe her hands. The youth cleaned slowly his mothers hands. His tears fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mothers hands were creased with scars & bruises Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water. Narrator: This was the first time the son realized that it was these pair of precious hands that washed clothes everyday to work to provide a home and pay his school & college fees. The bruised hands of his mother were the price paid, for his academic brilliance besides private tuitions and competitive studies to ensure a bright future.. When he finished cleaning her hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.. That night mother and son communicated unusually longer. Next morning, the youth was in the directors office. The Director noticed the tears in the eyes of the youth and he asked: Mime on the stage D:Can you tell me what have you done yesterday and learned in your house? Y:I washed my mothers bruised hands and also finished scrubbing all the remaining clothes D:Please express your experience and feelings. Narrator: The youth said Y: Number 1 - Now I know what gratitude is. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today aspiring this job. Number 2 Observing the bruised hands of my mother and communicating with her, I realize how challenging and tough it is to get some things done. Number 3 - I have come to appreciate and value family and relationships beyond money. Narrator: The director said D: This is what I am looking for in my would-be executive. I want to recruit an executive who appreciates the help of others, a boss who knows the struggles of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are selected as the CEO. N: Later this young man worked diligently hard and was respected by his subordinates. Every employee worked conscientiously and as a team the companys performance enhanced greatly bringing in revenue and credibility to the benefit of all. Ritual B: FOOTPRINTS Poster is held Reader3: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take... but by the moments that take our breath away. All the world is a stage and all the persons merely actors; each one has his entrance and his exit. Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down. We leave footprints in time
*Building a New Humanity Through Universal Values* PRAYER SERVICE FROM AVEC

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre - AVEC

Don Bosco Youth Services Matunga, MUMBAI 400 019 Tel: 24154477 E-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com
fulfilling Gods destiny for our life. Some people come into our lives and quickly go, some stay for a while and some make the world so special by just being in it and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same. Life never turns the way we want but we live it the best way we can. There is no perfect life, but we can fill it with perfect moments. Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime and leave behind us footprints on the sands of time. It is said that You are alive - when the hope of tomorrow means more to you than yesterdays mistake. You are growingwhen you know what you are but not what you will become. You are freewhen you are in control of yourself and do not wish to control others. You are mercifulwhen you forgive in others the faults you condemn in yourself. You have to love what you have got and remember what you had; learn from your mistakes but never regret; persons change, things go wrong, but remember life goes onLet us join the choir. Choir: Prayer song - God will make a way (Don Mien) - http://youtu.be/ZHOyaG-cJxI Reader 4: You have shown the commitment, creativity and capacity you need for success. SSC/HSC is a significant achievement and the entire school community wishes you every success as you enter the next exciting stage of your life encouraging you to utilize your education to be useful citizen of society/country. Over the years, you developed lifelong friendships and we desire that you stay connected to each other and as ex-alumni of school community be our valuable resource. Here ends a chapter of your life to begin another with the right choices that defines you with diamond qualities. We wish you every joy in your journey and thank you all for everything. Dear students dont be SAD because youre saying GOODBYE. You should be HAPPY because you have MEMORIES to cherish FOREVER. A goodbye creates a space within us to look at life in the right perspective and enables us to rely absolutely upon God who loves us passionately with much concern. As you continue your journey of life be assured there is someone more awesome and trustworthy who will walk beside you always if you only trust and entrust yourselves to the promise of Jesus I am with you always. R. Tagore exclaims in his poem on silent steps Have you not heard his silent steps? He comes, comes, ever comes. Every moment & every age, every day & every night he comes, comes, ever comes.
Let us entrust the outgoing students to Almighty and merciful God as we pray the Our Father School Leaving Oath: (Each student will hold high a lighted candle (lit from the main candle) as they repeat the oath after the leader of the school/class.) Almighty God and Father, on this last day of our school life we promise to be true to our Alma Mater. We will cherish the happy moments spent in this school. We will live by the diamond values instilled in us by our teachers and share the love and care we have received with those we will encounter in the world. Bless us with your wisdom and make us bearers of your light and love to touch every heart and keep our lamp aglow with Thy Spirit. Amen. Song: School Anthem is sung A march is played and the outgoing students will move out with lit candles as a symbol of taking Gods light into the world. (Final song This little guiding light of mine.

*Building a New Humanity Through Universal Values* PRAYER SERVICE FROM AVEC

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre - AVEC

Don Bosco Youth Services Matunga, MUMBAI 400 019 Tel: 24154477 E-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com
Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean we'll miss you until we meet again! May God be with you and fill your heart with gladness. May God of strength, courage, comfort and love hold you always in the hollow of his hand. Goodbye, thankyou, regards, sayonara, farewell, cheerio, adieu, ciao, bye-bye, so long adios.

Requirements:

A Teacher and 2/3 student leaders will take full responsibility for the prior preparation: 1. Arrange and organize the prayer service, with prior preparation for the requirements. 2. Prepare the Ritual A - Mime and poster on Footprints to display during the prayer service and to be held when pertaining matter is read. 3. The choir to practice earlier the given songs and lead the assembly to sing. 4. Assign 5 readers to responsibly render their role; practice earlier to set the prayer tone of devotion with reflective pauses to let the service flow without flaw. 5. Display prominently The Theme, Quote and the Logo. Note: {AVEC Prayer Services are comprehensive to conduct once a month during the school assembly/ class assembly/value education period. Pupil participation in preparation of requirements as Rituals, Poster, Singing, and Reading will enhance the effect. In case of time constraint, you are encouraged to condense and have it rather than miss its dynamism. Kindly spread the prayer for the benefit of others.}

Prayer song 2: Count your many blessings - http://youtu.be/AuDg4JELjHA When upon lifes billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. Chorus: Count your blessings; name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God hath done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by. When you look at others with their lands and gold Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold Count your many blessings wealth can never buy Your reward in heaven nor your home n high So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be disheartened, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journeys end.

*Building a New Humanity Through Universal Values* PRAYER SERVICE FROM AVEC

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre - AVEC

Don Bosco Youth Services Matunga, MUMBAI 400 019 Tel: 24154477 E-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com

Prayer song 3: God will make a way Don Mien - http://youtu.be/ZHOyaG-cJxI God will make a way Where there seems to be no way He works in ways we cannot see He will make a way for me He will be my guide Hold me closely to His side With love and strength For each new day He will make a way He will make a way By a roadway in the wilderness He'll lead me And rivers in the desert will I see Heaven and earth will fade But His Word will still remain He will do something new today

*Building a New Humanity Through Universal Values* PRAYER SERVICE FROM AVEC