Collective Worship
Title: Bridges
Theme: Bridges
School: Secondary
Term: Autumn Term
Summary
Talking about bridges and the transition from one school year to another.
Teachers’ Notes
Occasion: The beginning of a new school year.
Instructions:
The pictures should be shown on PowerPoint as the story is told. The ( ) shows
when the slide should be changed. To attract the pupils’ attention, we
recommend the first slide is already on display as they enter.
The Main Text
(Picture 1)
It’s certain that most of you, sometime or another, have crossed the new bridge
over the River Severn – the bridge connecting England and Wales. It was
opened back in 1996 and again, as we cross it, even today, one amazes at its
splendour.
I wonder how many different bridges you can think about, or perhaps how many
bridges you will cross as you come to school in the morning?
(Picture 2)
Building bridges goes back hundreds of centuries, of course. It appears that the
oldest bridge still standing is the one crossing the river Meles in Smyrna, Turkey.
That bridge dates back to 850BC.
(Picture 3)
We can think of several bridges which have become very famous. There is the
famous Clifton Suspension Bridge near Bristol. This is a masterpiece of a bridge
designed by the famous engineer Brunel.
(Picture 4)
Another famous bridge is the Telford Bridge across the Menai Strait. This was
completed in 1826 and was designed by Thomas Telford;
Uchelgaer uwch y weilgi, -gyrrai’r byd
Ei gerbydau drosti,
Chwithau holl longau y lli
Ewch o dan ei chadwyni (Dewi Wyn of Eifion)
A high fortress above the sea – the world drives
Its vehicles over it;
All you flowing ships
Go under its chains
(Picture 5)
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is world famous along with
(Picture 6)
the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, which was nicknamed the ‘Coat Hanger’
because of its shape.
(Picture 7)
The Forth Rail Bridge is also famous. You will hear some people saying if they
face a task that has no end – ‘it is like painting the Forth Rail Bridge’. This bridge
in Scotland is so long, that when they paint it, by the time they’ve have finished
painting one end, it’s time to start the other end once again.
(Picture 8)
To a different type of bridge now... There is a very impressive story of the
courage of one traveller on board the ferry, Herald of Free Enterprise, which sank
outside the port of Zeebrugge back in 1987. As the water began to fill the ship,
one traveller formed himself into a human bridge so that travellers could climb to
safety.
(Picture 9)
This reminds us of the story of Bendigeidfran in the Mabinogi stories – the giant
who formed himself into a bridge across a river, according to the myth, so that his
men could cross safely from Wales to Ireland on their way to save Branwen. A
Welsh proverb is based on this myth, which is “A fo ben bid bont” (He who would
be a leader must be a bridge).
(Picture 10)
Bridges allow us to cross safely from one side to the other.
At the beginning of a new school year, you have all crossed a bridge of some
sort – not literally perhaps, but….
A bridge from primary to secondary school.
A bridge from one year to another.
A bridge from year 12 to year 13.
(Picture 11)
There will be many other bridges to cross in life. They are there to help us face
new experiences with confidence.
The Bible mentions another bridge that we have crossed. Jesus Christ is that
bridge. He is a bridge between man and God. Through Jesus Christ, we come
to God.
PRAYER. Be with us O God at the beginning of another school year. Give us
strength and courage and confidence to move forward, and the desire to do our
best at all times for the life of our school. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.