“Listen” – Whole School Resources

Gather

Every prayer time begins with us gathering together.
To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle if you have one, or move a cross or religious object to the front to focus on. As students are entering the room this morning, you might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.

Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

Our Word of the Week is Listen.

Listening is more than just hearing noise around us—it is about paying attention, showing care, and opening our hearts to others and to God. Let’s start by watching a short video to help us think about what it truly means to listen.

Thank you to 10E for this weeks resources

Take a moment to discuss these questions together in class or in pairs:

• How do you listen? Do you actively listen?(Think about what active listening looks like—making eye contact, putting away distractions, and giving someone your full attention.)
• How do you listen to your friends and the people around you?(Are you waiting for your turn to speak, or are you really trying to understand how they feel?)
• How do you listen to God?(God doesn’t always speak in a loud voice. How can we listen to Him in quiet moments, through prayer, in nature, or through the kindness of others?)

Let us quiet our minds and hearts as we pray together:

Dear God,

Help us to pause and be quiet in a busy world.

Teach us to listen with open ears and caring hearts.

Give us the patience to actively listen to our friends, families, and teachers,

showing them respect and understanding.

In the quiet moments of our day, help us to listen to Your gentle voice guiding us to make good choices and show love to everyone.

Amen.

We end by inviting you to make the sign the cross

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

Sometimes God speaks to us in the quiet, or in those rare moments when we choose to stop, pause, and just be still.

In our busy days, with schoolwork, sports, phones, and friends, how often do we actually give ourselves the chance to do that? Today, as part of our HEAR Day, we are taking a few minutes to step away from the noise, sit back, and open our hearts to listen to God through worship music.

We invite you to get the room ready. Turn of the lights or close the blinds. Get yourself ready to listen.

Let us pause for a moment of quiet reflection as we bring our hearts together in prayer:

Dear God,

In the middle of our busy days and noisy lives, teach us the beauty of stillness.

Help us to pause, to breathe, and to make space to hear Your gentle voice.

As we go through this HEAR Day, open our ears and our hearts.

Help us listen carefully to the needs of those around us, and guide us to recognize Your presence in the quiet moments of today.

Amen.

Let us finish by remembering God is with us throughout this day by inviting you to make the sign the cross…

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

Gather

Every prayer time begins with us gathering together.
To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle if you have one, or move a cross or religious object to the front to focus on. As students are entering the room this morning, you might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.

Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

Welcome to our THINK Day. Today, we are going to think about what it means to be called by God. Throughout history, God has called all kinds of people in very different ways, sometimes in a loud, dramatic moment, and sometimes in a quiet whisper.

As we listen to four scripture stories today, think about how these people responded, and how God might be calling each of us today.

Reader 1: The Calling of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1–10)

The young boy Samuel was serving in the temple. One night, as Samuel was sleeping, the Lord called to him: “Samuel! Samuel!”

Samuel ran to Eli the priest and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” This happened three times! Finally, Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'”

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Reader 2: Moses and the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1–6)

Moses was tending his flock in the desert near Mount Horeb when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

God said, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I am sending you to lead my people.”

Reader 3: God Speaking in the Gentle Whisper (1 Kings 19:11–13)

The prophet Elijah was standing on a mountain, waiting for the Lord to pass by. A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out to stand at the mouth of the cave. And a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Reader 4: Jesus Calling His Disciples (Matthew 4:18–22)

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James and John. They were in a boat with their father, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Take a moment to sit quietly and think about these questions:

1. Which story stood out to you the most today? Was it the quiet whisper, the burning bush, the nighttime voice, or the invitation by the sea?
2. Samuel needed Eli’s help to realize God was speaking to him. Who are the people in your life, teachers, friends, or family, who help you recognize good choices and guidance?
3. Jesus asked the disciples to leave their nets and follow him. What “nets” or distractions might we need to set aside so we can think clearly about who we are called to be?

Let us finish our reflection together:

Dear God,

Thank You for calling each of us by name.

As we think about these stories today, help us to realize that You still call people today—including us.

Give us eyes to see You in the big moments,

ears to hear You in the quiet whispers,

and brave hearts to say, “Here I am,” whenever You call us to do good.

Amen.

Let us finish by remembering God is with us throughout this day by inviting you to make the sign the cross…

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

Gather

Every prayer time begins with us gathering together.
To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle if you have one, or move a cross or religious object to the front to focus on. As students are entering the room this morning, you might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.

Good morning, we invite you begin our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

Over the past few days, we’ve been thinking and learning about what it means to listen. Today, we are putting our listening skills into action.

Listening careful sounds easy, but when there is noise, distraction, or when we aren’t fully paying attention, messages can easily get mixed up. We are going to test how well we can listen and pass a message across the room!

Activity: The Whispering Chain

How to Play:

1. Form lines of students from the front of the classroom to the back.
2. The teacher or leader whispers a secret phrase to the first student at the front of each line.
3. Students must whisper the phrase only once to the person behind them. No repeating allowed!
4. The last student at the back writes down or says out loud the message they received to see if it matches the original sentence.

Phrases to Choose From:

• “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening carefully.”
• “A gentle whisper can be heard above the noisy storm.”
• “Listen with your heart and hear the voice of peace.”

Reflection & Discussion

• Did the message make it all the way to the back correctly? If not, what changed?
• Why was it important to pay close attention and listen carefully?
• How does this game show us what happens when we don’t listen properly to our friends, teachers, or God in real life?

Closing Prayer

Let us quiet our minds and pray together:

Dear God,

Thank You for giving us ears to hear and hearts to understand.

As we play and learn today on our DO Day, help us put good listening into action.

Help us not to pass along rumors or misunderstandings,

but to listen carefully, speak words of kindness, and act with love toward everyone.

Amen.

Let us finish by remembering God is with us throughout this day by inviting you to make the sign the cross…

In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen