Croftlands Juniors

This morning I went to the Juniors to take the assembly.  As we have done in all our schools in January we talked about promises.  I used the Loin Storyteller bible to tell the story of Jesus and the Taxman. (I explained what a taxman was) it is the Zaccheaus story.  After I talked about promises that we made and yes break them too and at the start of a year we particularly thing about it.  Zaccheaus promise the people he would change and he also promise Jesus he would too.  But we humans break promises and I had the children put their hand up if the made a New Year Promise but put it down if they have already broken it.  I brought in Hebrews 13:5 which is a promise from God which says …. "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," which is true even today so I encouraged the children with the Promise God made to us.  I had started the assembly by singing Be Happy and finished with a prayer.

Crosthwaite School

I went over to Crosthwaite School on my own this afternoon due to the ice on the roads Sarah thought it best to stay at home.  As it happened I got delayed anyway by roadworks!!  So I welcomed everyone and wished them a happy New Year and asked them to shout out one thing they got for Christmas just as an ice breaker (ha ha).  Then we sang Great Big God before I went on to tell the Zaccheaus story as I have done it so many times this last week or so I was able to add in some extra bits as well which the children enjoyed.  Following the story I talked about how Zacchaeus had promised to pay back what he had stolen and I asked the children if they had made promises at the start of the year, some hands went up.  Then when I asked if they had kept them some hands went down.  I explained that it is not always easy to keep promises and sometimes to keep a promise involves us changing something.  Like in the story of Zacchaeus he had to change if he was going to keep his promise.  I explained that God makes us promises too and although we break promises He has never and will never break His.  I reminded the children for example of the Noah story.  Following on from this I said a prayer.

St Peters

I went to St Peters on my own today as Sarah didn't fancy the drive  in the ice.  I welcomed everyone in the assembly and wished them a Happy New Year.  Then as it was cold outside I thought we would sing a big action song so we sang Be Happy with lots of jumping up and down.  Then I told the Zacchaeus story from the Loin storyteller Bible after it I talked a little about promises we made at New Year (and other times) and how Zacchaeus made a promise to give back what he had cheated and stolen from people.  He also changed.  And sometimes when we promise to do something it involves us changing.  Now we don't always keep our promises but I said God has made promises to us that He always keeps like it says in Hebrews 13:5 'I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you'.  Then a little girl reminded me that He also promised never to flood the world again in the Noah story.  Which was just a fantastic end to what I was saying.  I ended with a prayer.

Low Furness School

Today we had been asked to do an assembly on New Testament so after singing So Many Ways to Praise the Lord Sarah introduced the theme for the assembly and how what we read in the New Testament is all about Jesus and how He changed peoples lives.  I then told the story of Zacchaeus from Luke 19 but used the Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman.  After the story Sarah emphasised again what the New Testament is about - Jesus changing peoples lives and God's love for us and how He is still today changing lives.  Before we sang a final song I talked briefly about two men we met a few years ago who had spent time in prison for killing someone and how they had met Jesus through reading the New Testament.  To finish we sang Hay Diddle Diddle before Sarah said a prayer to end.

Broughton School

I went over to Broughton School this morning on my own as the snow had fallen last night and we weren't sure how much would have fallen on the road towards Broughton (very little as it happened) so Sarah stayed at home.  After wishing them a Happy New Year we sang Great Big God then I went on to tell the story from Luke 19 of Zacchaeus.  I used the Loin Storyteller Bible but added my own bits into as well.  After the story i asked the children if they made New Year promises, like keeping bedrooms tidy etc.  A few hands went up and when I asked if they had kept them some hands went down.  I talked about the promises we make to each other and how we don't always keep them, in the story Zacchaeus promised to pay back the money he had cheated people out of and he decided to change.  When we make a promise it normally involves us changing something.  However we do break the promises we make but God in Hebrews 13:5 makes us a promise that says …. "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,"  So I encouraged the children to think about that when they are feeling a bit low or sad.  I finished with a prayer.

Leven Valley School

This morning I went to Leven Valley School, it was our first visit since before Christmas.  So after wishing the children a happy New Year and asking them to shout out one thing they got for Christmas we sang Great Big God.  I then told the story of Zacchaeus from the Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman.  Following the story I talked about promises and how at the start of a New Year we make promises.  Those promises are nearly always to do with change.  Zacchaeus made a promise to change when he met Jesus.  But sometimes we make promises and we don't keep them so I asked for hands up who had done that.  But I said there is a promise that God makes to us we He always keeps - His promise to us from Hebrews 13:5 in the Message Bible - says this 'I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you'  after this I encouraged the children to think about that the next time we make promises and perhaps even break them.  Before I finished we sang Shine then at the end I said a prayer with the children.

Our Lady's Dalton

It was our first visit of the New Year to Our Lady's today.  So after wishing the children a happy New Year we sang Great Big God.  I then told the story of Zacchaeus from the Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman.  Following the story I talked about promises and how at the start of a New Year we make promises.  Those promises are nearly always to do with change.  Zacchaeus made a promise to change when he met Jesus.  But sometimes we make promises and we don't keep them so I asked for hands up who had done that.  But I said there is a promise that God makes to us we He always keeps - His promise to us from Hebrews 13:5 in the Message Bible - says this 'I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you'  after this I encouraged the children to think about that the next time we make promises and perhaps even break them.  At the end I said a prayer with the children.

Croftlands Infant School

Today Mark was training for the New Testament Bible Explorer so because we didn't want to cancel our assembly at Croftlands Infants I (Sarah) took my dad along for support and help. This was the first one of the New Year. We started with Our God is a Great Big God and I then went on by telling the story of Zaccheuss and talking about him making a promise to return peoples money and we went on to talk about promises we make in the New Year (New Years Resolutions) and how hard it is to keep them we quite often break them. I told them that God made a promise in Hebrews 13 never to leave us or forsake us. That's one promise that will never be broken. We finished by singing Shine!

Ulverston Infants - Church Walk

Today I went to Ulverston Infants - Church Walk.  It was our first visit of the New Year so after singing Great Big God and went on to tell the story of Zacchaeus from the Lion Storyteller Bible.  I added a few bits in of my own and acted out parts of it too.  At the end I told the children that Zacchaeus had decided to make a new start and he promised to give back money that he had stolen.  Now at the start of a New Year we sometimes make a promise or two like keep room tidy etc so I asked for hands up who had made a promise then hands down who had broken it already.  I then talked about God and His promise to us from Hebrews 13:5 in the Message Bible it says this 'I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you' which i displayed on the screen.  Then I said if we had made a promise to God and were able to keep it then we could Shine from the inside out which was a cue for a song.  Following the song I said a little prayer.

Penny Bridge School

This afternoon we went over to Penny Bridge School - as we have had a down pour of snow it was in question to go or not.  We set off early and it was fine we arrived nice and early.  After singing Brand New Day which we haven't done before I started to tell the children about the 3 things I have promised to myself for this year - get fit, don't worry and not eat chocolate.  Sarah was then going to tell the children about promises - but I found a tin of chocolates on the side and helped myself to them and threw the papers on the floor.  When Sarah asked me about it I got all worried as I hadn't kept the promise.  The point was simple we make promises to ourselves and other people and we don't keep them - however in Hebrews 13:5 God makes us a promise that He will never leave us or forsake us.  We concluded by saying a short prayer.

Pennington School

Our first assembly of the New Year at Pennington school went well this morning.  After singing a new song - Brand New Day and teaching the action I started to talk about new year promises and things we promise to do at the start of a new year - I have given up chocolate, going to get fitter and not worry about things.  I hand over to Sarah while I sit down and tuck into a tin of Rose's throwing the wrapper to the floor as Sarah shouts at me.  I then tried to get a child to help me pick it up - Sarah reminds me of what I had just said so I then start to worry about it - result all three promises broken.  Sarah talks about how we make and break promises to each other and God all the time and in most case's we break them, but God has made a promise to us in Hebrews 13:5 that says he will never leave us or forget us.  I then said a short prayer and the children went out to play.

Low Furness School

This was the first assembly of 2013 and we decided to do something about New Year.  In particular the promises we make to ourselves at the start of a New Year.  After singing Brand New Day (first time song) I greeted the children and wished them a Happy New Year - I went on to tell the children about 3 things I had decided to promise this year 1)To get fit, 2)not to eat chocolate and 3)not to worry as much.  I then handed over to Sarah to talk about promises while I went over to a box of chocolates and sat down to start and eat them - the children shouted out at Sarah who then shouted at me, with all the shouting I then dropped the wrapper from the chocolate on the floor - and got a child to pick it up for me.  Well Sarah really did shout now, not only had I had a chocolate I had also got a child to pick up the rubbish which she informed me and the school was breaking two of my three promises.  I then panicked and started to worry about it when Sarah said there you are all three broken.  Sarah then carried on by asking 10 children to come out and said that out of ever 10 people, 3 don't make a promise so they sat down and also 3 who do break them.  The point was we make promises very easily and break them just as easily.  But she said there is one promise that was made by God which is found in Hebrews 13:5 which tells us that God will not leave us or forsake us and that is one promise we should always remember.  We asked the children to think about what promises they might make to God this year.  We ended with Shine and a prayer.