Celebrant Let us pray, 

 Celebrant For the activities that fill our lives; for work, leisure and learning, 

God with us,

All We give you thanks. 

Celebrant For the many journeys that we take, both great and small; for their beginnings, middles, and ends, 

God with us, 

All We give you thanks.

Celebrant For the start of this school and programmatic year, and for new beginnings of every kind, 

God with us, 

All We give you thanks. 

Celebrant For books and papers, pencils, and pens, tools and knitting needles, little snacks and full meals, odds and ends, and all that we carry around, 

God with us, 

All We give you thanks. 

Celebrant For the gift of wonder and curiosity; for learning, creativity, and the satisfaction of a task completed,

God with us, 

All We give you thanks. 

Celebrant God, our travelling companion, may these bags be signs to your children of all ages that you are always with them, at school, at work, and at play. May these bags serve well the purposes for which they have been made, and may they be filled with what is needed for us to love you and our neighbours each and every day. 

Now bless, hallow, and sanctify these bags, that their use by us, your servants, may be a constant reminder of your presence and abundance. 

All Amen.  

The Final Blessing 

And now may you be blessed, in your going out and your coming in. May you feel God pressing in on you behind and before, and the hand of God laying upon you, everywhere you go. 

And the blessing of God, the Father…