September Circle

Merrily, merrily greet the morn, Cheerily, cheerily sound the horn! Hark the echoes, hear them play, over the hills and far away.

(Light the candle.) Rise up o flame, by thy light glowing, bring to us beauty, vision and joy.

There's the firm earth under me, the blue sky above me, so I stride, so I stand, and I see you too, with the blue sky above you, and the firm earth under you.

Smile awhile and give your face a rest (smile), stretch awhile and ease your manly chest (arms out-stretched), reach your hands up to the sky (reach up), while you watch them with your eyes (look up), jump awhile, shake a leg there sir, (jump around), now step forward, backward, as you were, then reach out to someone near (hold hands with your neighbor), shake his hand, and smile!

I have a fawn from Aden's land, On leafy buds and berries nurst; And you shall feed him from your hand, Though he may start with fear at first. And I will lead you where he lies For shelter in the noontide heat; And you may touch his sleeping eyes, And feel his little silv'ry feet.-Thomas Moore

Can you soar like an eagle, flying through the sky, the sky, can you soar through the sky?
Are you silent like a salmon, swimming to the sea, the sea, can you swim to the sea?
Can you walk like a bison, heavy on the earth, the earth, can you walk like a bison?

(Rod jumping game- lay out two rods, close together, and gradually farther and farther apart, and have the kids jump over, farther and farther, one foot, the other, etc. Don't jump in the river! Finish by moving them fairly close together, and everyone sitting between them, canoe-style)

My paddle's keen and bright, flashing with silver, follow the wild goose flight, dip, dip, and swing. Dip, dip, and bring her back, flashing with silver, swift as a wild goose flight, dip, dip, and swing. Dip, dip, and swing.

All things bright and beautiful, All creature, great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all. (Week 1)
Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings. (Week 2)
The tall trees in the greenwood, The meadows where we play, The rushes by the water We gather everyday- (Week 3)
He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things so well! (Week 4)-Cecil Frances Alexander

The world stands out on either side, No wider than the heart is wide. Above the world is stretched the sky, no higher than the soul is high. The heart can push the sea and land, So far away on either hand; The soul can split the sky in two, And let the face of God shine through.- Edna St. Vincent Millay

(put aside the rods) Right hand, left foot, meet in the middle, Left hand, right foot, meet in the middle. Right hand, left foot, meet down low, Left hand, right foot meet down low. Right arm over left arm, play the fiddle, Left arm over right arm, pull the bow. Reach to the right, stretch to the left, reach in front, stretch behind. Look down below, what do you find? (the kids always like shouting out the first thing they see!) Right hand reach out to a friend, left hand reach out to friend, form a circle without end. Moving to the right, in a ring, moving to the left, we will bring, our circle to the center, in a ring, then back out again, like the tide. Our circle to the center, in a ring, then back out again, like the tide.

For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth, Over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the beauty of each hour, Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale and tree and flower, Sun and moon and stars of light, Lord of all, to thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child, Friends on earth and friends above, For all gentle thoughts and mild, Lord of all, to thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.
For each perfect gift of thine, To our race so freely given, Graces, human and divine, Flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n, Lord of all, to thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise. -Conrad Kocher

I can turn myself, and turn myself, and curl up as I will. I can stand on tiptoe, reaching high, I can hold myself quite still. I can be as small as a small, small seed, I can be as tall as a tall, tall tree. I can be as wide as the wide, wide world, I can just be me.

italics=songs to be sung