The end of August brings a significant time of transition for many of our younger congregants as they go to school for the first time or return after some time away. This is a great opportunity for churches to live out their promises to their covenant children and show them that they too are part of the church, that God loves and cares for them, and that their church does too. The prayers below are for a variety of student age groups; you may choose one or more of them and adapt them to fit your context. See the sidebar for some additional creative ideas.
Invitation to Prayer
Let us pray, responding to the phrase “Jesus Christ, our strength and our shield” with the words “Hear our prayer; bless our students.”
For Elementary School Students
We name before you, God,
the elementary schoolers in our congregation and community.
In this time of silence, call to mind the elementary school students you know.
Surround them with protection
so that they might learn in safety.
May they experience your joy
in their crafts, sports, and songs.
Give us, too, a childlike wonder
as we explore your good and fascinating world.
Jesus Christ, our strength and our shield,
hear our prayer; bless our students.
For Middle School Students
We name before you, God,
the middle schoolers in our congregation and community.
In this time of silence, call to mind the middle school students you know.
Grant them courage to speak boldly of your works,
wisdom to navigate new friendships and challenges,
and peace to seek their identity hidden in you.
May this community be a safe home for all teenagers
as they discover how you have fearfully and wonderfully made them.
Jesus Christ, our strength and our shield,
hear our prayer; bless our students.
For High School Students
We name before you, God,
the high schoolers in our congregation and community.
In this time of silence, call to mind the high school students you know.
As they make decisions about colleges or careers,
as they struggle with research papers and math homework,
as they juggle commitments to classes, jobs, friends, family, and church,
remind them of your grace that never runs out
and your love that you stand ready to lavish
regardless of their grades or their accomplishments.
Jesus Christ, our strength and our shield,
hear our prayer; bless our students.
For College and University Students
We name before you, God,
the college and university students in our congregation and community.
In this time of silence, call to mind the college and university students you know.
Journey with them and hold them near in love
during this joyous and exciting season of transition.
When they doubt their faith and its relevance to their discipline,
meet their curiosity and welcome their questions.
When they experience dark nights struggling with loneliness and mental health,
give them enough faith to grasp your hope.
When they enter into budding romances and into roommate conflicts,
help them honor your name in all of their relationships.
Jesus Christ, our strength and our shield,
hear our prayer; bless our students.
For Adult Students and Lifelong Learners
We name before you, God,
the adult and lifelong learners in our congregation.
In this time of silence, call to mind the adult and lifelong learners you know.
We thank you for using their life experiences
as gifts that enrich our learning communities.
We recognize, though, that many are fearful and nervous
to return to a classroom, sit among twenty-somethings, and learn new software.
Meet these students as they manage their many commitments.
Meet them during their late-night study sessions,
scrambling to finish discussion posts
long after the dishes are put away
and the children are tucked in bed.
May they find every moment of their learning
to be filled with deep purpose that comes from you alone.
Jesus Christ, our strength and our shield,
hear our prayer; bless our students.
Closing Prayer
Regardless of the stage of life in which we find ourselves, Lord,
we humble ourselves as students in your kingdom.
When we presume that we have understood everything about you,
surprise us with new ways to behold your glory.
Through the many ways that you have given us to learn—
in classrooms, in conversations, in congregations—
shape within us a sense of wonder and curiosity
about the world we live in and the people we meet
so that we may better know the God who created them. Amen.
“Blessing of the Backpacks” and Other Tangible Ideas
- If you have teachers in your congregation who teach different ages, invite them to lead the prayer corresponding to their class level or to pray their own prayer. Alternatively, have a parent of a student pray for that age group.
- Give students stickers with words or phrases appropriate for each age group (e.g., “Wonder” for elementary students, “I Belong to God” for middle schoolers, “Breathe” for high schoolers, “Hope” for college students, and “Balance” for adult learners.
- A few weeks ahead of time, start putting notes in the bulletin or on social media inviting all students to bring their backpack or some other school supply (textbook, notebook, laptop, picture book, crayons) to a “Blessing of the Backpacks” service. At the service, have students hold their items as they are prayed over. Alternatively, place the items somewhere visible to the congregation and then place a Bible on top of them to symbolize the Word of God as the most important, all-encompassing text for our lives. (You may also choose to put the Bible down first to symbolize God’s Word being the foundation of all learning.)
- Have each student write their name, grade or course of study, and school on a paper, and pin the list to a bulletin board or other display. Invite congregational members to pick the name of a student for whom they promise to pray, and encourage them to check in with that student throughout the year (though you should get caregivers’ permission before giving out contact information). Consider including students who have a connection to the church but may not be regular worship attenders.
- Give students pencils with a Bible verse or something else that sets the pencil apart as a gift from the church. Ask them to put it in their backpacks and pray this blessing:
May your minds, like your pencils, be ever sharp,
may your mistakes be forgiven and erased,
may your conduct, like this pencil, be straight,
and may the words you write and the pictures you draw bring God glory.
—Bethany Besteman, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
- Don’t forget to pray for the educators in your congregation, including parents who homeschool.