CTK – Encounter – Prayer Resources – W/C 07/09/2026

Please choose one of these Grace prayer to say at the start of afternoon registration.

In a few weeks these will be replaced by our school Grace prayer that will be written by you all.

• We give you thanks, Almighty God,
  for our food and all your gifts
  which we have received
  through Christ our Lord. Amen

• Lord our God, we thank you for the bread you give us. Help us to share what we have with those who are most in need. Bless us with generosity and justice. Amen.

• Father of mercy,
  we praise you and give you glory
  for the wonderful gifts you have given us:
  for life and health, for faith and love,
  and for this meal we have shared together. Amen

• Father, for our food
  we thank you, and for our joys:
  help us to love you more. Amen

Every prayer time begins with us gathering together.
To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle or move a cross or religious object to the front. You might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.

All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today, we reflect on our CARE value of Encounter. An encounter is more than simply meeting someone—it is choosing to listen, understand, forgive and build positive relationships. Jesus reminds us that He is present whenever we come together with love and respect.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that when relationships become difficult, we should not ignore problems or respond with anger. Instead, we are called to speak with honesty, listen with compassion and seek reconciliation.

This is what Encounter is all about. Every day we meet different people—in our form, our lessons, at break and at home. Each encounter is an opportunity to show patience, kindness and forgiveness. Jesus also reminds us that whenever we gather together in His name, He is with us, guiding our words and actions.

Reflective Questions

You may choose to discuss these as a form, in pairs/groups or take a moment for quiet reflection.

• How do I respond when I disagree with someone?
• Is there someone I need to forgive, or someone I should try to understand better?
• How can I make today’s encounters positive, welcoming and respectful?

Loving God,

Help us to encounter others with kindness, patience and respect. Give us the courage to forgive, the wisdom to listen and the compassion to build one another up. May we remember that You are with us whenever we gather together, helping us to be people of peace.

We ask this through Christ our Lord Amen

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

Every prayer time begins with us gathering together.
To help us focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle or move a cross or religious object to the front. You might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.

Leader: As we begin this time of prayer together, we invite you to join in making the sign of our faith:
All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us take some time today to respond and reflect on our theme of Encounter.

On 1st September, the Catholic Church marked the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. This begins the Season of Creation, which runs until 4th October which is the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. This year’s theme is: “Living Water”.

Where do you encounter God in creation?

Think back to the summer holidays… Did you notice something beautiful in nature? Maybe you saw the sunset at the beach, or noticed the patterns on seashells. Perhaps you went walking and saw leaves, flowers, or butterflies. On a clear night, you might have seen the stars or the moon. You may have watched the solar eclipse. Or maybe you enjoyed something simple like listening to birds singing or watching the clouds move across the sky.

We invite you to write, draw or talk about your favourite parts of creation – what brings you hope and peace in creation? You might choose to play something from the Music tab whilst you are doing this.

Let us pray

Creator God,
You help us to encounter what love is
through the beauty of the earth
and the gift of your Son.

For the love of…
animal and plant
mountain and forest
sea and city
friend and family

Move us to live more simply,
to protect the earth
and to speak up for those in need.
Amen.

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

Every prayer time begins with us gathering together.
To help you to focus, you might dim the lights, light a candle or move a cross or religious object to the front. You might like to play this instrumental music to help create a calm atmosphere.

Leader: As we begin this time of prayer together, we invite you to join in making the sign of our faith:
All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Your mission this week is to think about how our CARE mission statement can be linked to our prayer theme on Encounter.
For example
Community: Spend time talking to someone you wouldn’t usually speak to and make them feel included.
Achieve: Look for a chance to encourage someone and help them do their best today.
Respect: Treat everyone you meet with kindness, remembering that each person is made in the image of God.
Encounter: Be open to meeting Jesus in the people around you by noticing acts of kindness, offering help, or simply taking time to listen.

Your mission is to think of your own version of this (you can use the one above to help you) and to write this on your Form Time Mission poster. Display this on your form board so that everyone can see it. Try to follow these missions throughout the week.

Closing Prayer

Loving God,
As we begin this new term, we thank You for the gift of fresh starts
and the chance to learn, grow, and share life together.

You call us to encounter You in every person we meet —
in friends and classmates, in teachers and staff,
and especially in those who may feel alone or overlooked.

May each encounter this term draw us closer to You,
and help us to be signs of Your love in all we do.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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

Here are some song suggestions that you could use this week …

This week in school, our theme is Encounter.
Our faith is full of encounters with God – in prayer, in the sacraments, and inthe people we meet. These encounters can change us, challenge us, and bring us closer to God. When we open ourselves to encountering Christ in our daily lives, we allow his love to transform us and make us more like him. We can encounter Christ in the Scriptures, in the Mass, and in the faces of
those in need.

Conversation Starters

Use these questions to start a chat together:

• Who did you encounter today that made you smile?
• Was there someone today who might have needed a kind word or a friend?
• How can we encounter God in our everyday lives — at home, school, or online?

Prayer

Loving God,
Help us to see You in the people we meet each day.
Give us patience to listen, kindness to share,
and courage to reach out to those who need a friend.
May our community be a place of welcome and encounter.
Amen.

Mission

Together, choose one simple act of encounter to do together:

• Set aside 10 minutes to sit together without phones or distractions. Take turns sharing one good thing from your day and one challenge. Listen carefully to one another and remember that we can encounter God’s love through the people closest to us.
• Spend a few minutes praying together this week. You could pray the Our Father, read a short Gospel passage, or simply thank God for the people and moments that have helped you encounter him this week.
• As a family, choose one act of kindness to do for someone else. It could be helping a neighbour, visiting a relative, writing a kind note, or supporting a local charity. Afterwards, talk about how serving others helped you encounter Christ in those around you.

• Welcome back! The chapel is open most break and lunch times, we would love to see you.
• Please keep Fr Philipp in your prayers as he is unwell at the moment

Chaplaincy Team

Friday 11th September, period 1 in the chapel – meeting for all those who were in the Chaplaincy Team last year (all groups), Years 8-13

Year 7 should have collected an application form last week – please bring back to the chapel as soon as possible

Year 8 and above – if you would like to join the Chaplaincy Team please come to the chapel to collect an application form during break or lunch this week. If you are already a member of the Chaplaincy team, you don’t need to complete another application.