Testimonies from Bless Our Schools Sunday

Bless Our Schools Sunday 2012 in Ghana

How God must have rejoiced on the third Sunday of September as churches around the world cried out in unison for students, schools and school staff! We wait in great expectation to see the many answers to prayers! Plan now for Bless Our Schools Sunday 2013 on September 15!

Some countries that participated in the third annual Bless Our Schools Sunday include Albania, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Netherlands Antilles, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Uruguay and throughout the United States.

A sampling of what God did during Bless Our Schools Sunday 2012:

“It was a great experience being able to pray and bless our schools here in Chile. … Thank you, God, for this lovely opportunity to be part of such a significant activity, with which awareness is created to pray more for our schools.”

“After speaking at all four services, I was able to launch a new evening Moms in Prayer group for working moms with a huge response.”

“A high school teacher in our congregation, whom I had not met before, thanked me for praying for the children and schools and for having a day to pray over the teachers at church!”

“The principal from one of our nearby schools shared the affects that prayers have had on the school. He has seen a change in attitudes and the whole atmosphere has changed for the better.”

“I was in Puerto Rico for Bless Our Schools Sunday. There was a powerful prayer time for schools, teachers, students, and staff during both services. Over 60 schools are represented by the members of the congregation, and all of the school names were listed on a PowerPoint slide, which looped while pastors and laypeople prayed. Awesome!”

“Willow Grove Baptist Church in Danville, Kentucky, held a Missionary Commissioning Service for our student missionaries on Bless Our Schools Sunday. The youth pastor took pictures of all the students in our church. The pictures were used to make Student Missionary Cards, which listed the students name and the school they attend. We know our youth are on a nine-month mission trip on the toughest, largest mission field: their school. The students were called to the altar and our congregation surrounded them and prayed. The congregation was asked to be faithful to pray for all our student missionaries and their schools. We also held a prayer walk the Friday before at some of the local schools.”

“As I watched the thrilled faces of elementary, middle, high school and college students light up as their age group was called to be prayed for, I was in awe of how God could use this to remind them and others to pray. The teachers and administrators were reminded that they are not alone. What a blessing. Several moms mentioned afterwards that they would be joining us as well for our weekly meetings. God is good.”

“We are grateful for the grace and privilege to join churches around the world to lift up children and their schools to God in prayer. This is the third time our church has participated! This time we took the step to share with other churches. A modified copy of the 'Letter to Pastor' and flyers were sent to other churches, encouraging them to take part in this wonderful time of prayer. God bless Moms in Prayer International for this whole idea of Bless Our Schools Sunday. It brings the assurance of God's presence with our children and their schools for this academic year!”

“The principal of our high school was asked to pray for our schools, kids and staff. It was so heartfelt and so beautiful that it was just humbling to be a participant in praying together as a congregation.”

“The pastor's letter that our Area Coordinator used was effective in getting our pastor (Chuck Swindoll) to pray for the teachers. He also included those in higher education—seminary, medical students, lawyers, etc. In our children's clubs on Sunday, a Moms in Prayer mom led the children in prayer as they prayed for their schools and friends. Approximately 600 Bless Our Schools bookmarks went home with the students grades K-6. We had two booths in the hallways and we were able to connect with several moms who seemed to be interested in Moms in Prayer. After the first service I worked at one of the booths and my co-worker heard two little ones say to their parents—that's the women that prayed with us today for our schools!”

“This is the third year our church has participated in Bless Our Schools Sunday. We showed the Moms in Prayer clip made for Bless Our Schools Sunday, then our middle school guidance counselor shared the need for prayer, and finally four of us moms briefly prayed the Four Steps of Prayer, using scripture and praying in one accord. We prayed a blessing for our children, staff and schools, and that our church would be a house of prayer. The real testimony will come in what God does with our prayers!”

“Our pastor asked for the students and staff of schools to stand. Next, he asked for the people around them to lay hands on them. The sheriff prayed over the protection of our students and against the evil that lies before them each and everyday. Our youth pastor prayed over the middle/high schools. Our children's minister prayed over the elementary schools. Then, our pastor prayed over all of the teachers, principals and staff of our schools. It was very touching.”

“I was given four minutes of the service on a busy Sunday that included a baptism. All I did was show the Bless Our Schools video and pray the three prayers for the students, teachers and staff, and school safety. I got tremendous positive feedback. Several people asked me about Moms in Prayer.”

“I wanted to thank you at Moms in Prayer for all the information that was available on the website for the Bless Our Schools Sunday. It made it very easy for me to get the message out. I used the letter to the pastor and the flyer to remind our church of the event. There was nothing else I had to do. Our church secretary sent the message out about the event via email and the Sunday before the church heard about it again during our video announcements. It was that simple. On the day of the event our Pastor talked about the importance of covering our teachers and educators in prayer. He had all teachers stand and all kids raise their hands. Then he did a corporate prayer over them. It was great!”

“It was such a blessing to hear my pastor pray for students and teachers from the pulpit in detail and with passion. An added surprise? Our pastor's wife baked all the teachers present in the congregation Boston Creme Pies to ‘extra thank them.’ FUN!!”

“Out of a church of 50 attendees, we had 10 school-aged children in attendance and 6 schools represented. We plan to start a church-based prayer group and I am excited to see how God is going to move in our church, schools and community!”

“All of our prayers during worship on Sunday morning were geared to include our schools, students, teachers, staff, etc. Then, at the end of our church service, we handed out paper apples with a child's name from our church on it so families can pray for the child all year! Special day—thank you for your vision!”

“I handed out prayer cards after the worship service and ran out with requests for more. Parents really want to pray for their kids and schools.”

“It really helped the people without school-age children to realize the importance of praying for our school/kids!”

“We celebrated Bless Our Schools Sunday and also had a Blessing of the Back Packs, too. We recognized all who are involved with teaching our children—teachers, aides, specialists, custodians, cafeteria workers, administrators, bus drivers, etc. and then we prayed for each of them. It was a very moving service and we had a lot of positive feedback. Each child received a Moms in Prayer brochure and bookmark to give their mom, as well as a little cross to hang on their backpack to remind them that Jesus is always with them, especially when they are in school.”

“A few new people to the church decided to come back because they so benefited from Bless Our Schools Sunday.”

“Several churches walked up the hill to where a cross is. After worship and prayer, many preceded to three out of the four junior and senior high schools to pray. It's good to see churches come together.”

“My daughter started high school this year, but there was no group praying for it. I have been inviting Christian moms I know to join me to form a group, but did not have any definite response until after our church's Bless Our Schools prayer time. A mom came up to me after the service with the prayer card I had given her and said, ‘I definitely want to do this!’ Now we have a new Moms in Prayer group for our town's high school!”