Pennington School

This afternoon I went to Pennington School to do our Christmas assembly.  After singing Inright Outright I introduced the children to a collection of 9 Christmas boxes each with a label on them.  The labels each had  a letter on them.  A quick, keen eyed child would easily spot that the word was Christmas.  I asked 9 children to come up and hold a box in the right order then going down the line using each letter asked the children to think about something to do with Christmas.  So we had carols, candles, holly, reindeer, ivy, ice, snow, tree, mince pies, advent and Santa - as well as a good few more.  Then I asked the children to open the box and inside the lid was a word which made up a bible verse, the children now needed to get themselves in the right order to make the verse, which was from Luke 2:11.  The children got themselves in the right order and the verse read Today a saviour has been born to you. Luke 2:11.  I then asked what the word saviour means, and a few people gave an explanation - I read the dictionary definition 'one who saves'.  I explained that Jesus was that saviour and that is why we celebrate at Christmas time.  The song we sung to begin linked in with that idea as there is a line in it that says Jesus cared for me when he died on Calvary.  Jesus was the greatest gift given to us as he became our saviour.  That gives us a good reason to rejoice at Christmas time - to close we sang Rejoice with us this Christmas, then I closed with a prayer.

Penny Bridge School

This morning Sarah and I went to Penny Bridge School to do the first of our Christmas assemblies - yes I know it is still November.  After singing Inright Outright Sarah introduced the children to a collection of 9 Christmas boxes each with a label on them.  The labels each had  a letter on them.  A quick, keen eyed child would easily spot that the word was Christmas.  So Sarah asked 9 children to come up and hold a box in the right order then going down the line using each letter asked the children to think about something to do with Christmas.  So we had carols, candles, holly, reindeer, ivy, ice, snow, tree, mince pies, advent and Santa - as well as a good few more.  Then I asked the children to open the box and inside the lid was a word which made up a bible verse, the children now needed to get themselves in the right order to make the verse, which was from Luke 2:11.  The children got themselves in the right order and the verse read Today a saviour has been born to you. Luke 2:11.  I then asked what the word saviour means, and a few people gave an explanation - I read the dictionary definition 'one who saves'.  I explained that Jesus was that saviour and that is why we celebrate at Christmas time.  The song we sung to begin linked in with that idea as there is a line in it that says Jesus cared for me when he died on Calvary.  Jesus was the greatest gift given to us as he became our saviour.  That gives us a good reason to rejoice at Christmas time - to close we sang Rejoice with us this Christmas, then Sarah closed with a prayer.

Lindale School

This morning Sarah and I went down to Lindale School for the assembly.  We had a very warm welcome from the children as we arrived.  We had a great time teaching them a new song So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  After the song I explained that today I was going to talk to them about a spoon - but not just yet so I asked the children how they would say or show love to someone else.  A number of hands went up and I took answers from a number of the children, we had things like kissing, hugging, telling them, doing something for them etc I added some of my own like sending a card or a gift, sending a text or something like that.  I then asked how do we tell God we love him, the answer came back by praising him and praying to him.  This idea of praying was the theme for the assembly I took the spoon out and told the children that I was going to teach them a way to pray using a spoon - but not yet.  I talked a bit about how we pray, I explained how I was taught to pray when I was a child.  I also explained that when we pray we don't always need to be in church because we can pray anywhere like in a quiet bedroom, up a mountain, in the shower and even some people pray while they drive to work (although I did point out that they shouldn't close their eyes and put the hands together when they do).  Jesus' disciples asked him how they should pray and what He was has become the Lord's Prayer for us today.  I asked the children if they knew were it was in their school hall and they all pointed to it.  I then took out the spoon and asked if anyone liked to bake or cook hands went up - I then asked if the knew the letters we use in cook books for teaspoon - tsp.  So taking the t - we can say thank you to God for all the great things we have and the beauty of creation and for all the rain we have had recently, use the s - to say sorry for things we have done wrong but also for things we haven't done like talking to someone that is upset in the playground, the p - is for please were we ask God for things.  I did a very quick example of this by saying Thank you God for what you give us, sorry for what we have done wrong and please can I have loads of toys at Christmas.  I explained that is not the kind of please I was meaning, the please is to ask for help with something, or to pray for someone that isn't well - I used the example of my shoulder saying that yesterday it was very painful but people prayed and today it feels a lot better.  Sarah then introduced the closing song I Love You and afterwards invited anyone that wanted to come out and share a prayer with the school.  A boy and a girl came out and each prayed for people in need in our world, Sarah then used a tsp prayer to close the assembly.

Low Furness School

This morning Sarah and I were at Low Furness School for the assembly.  Our theme was Heroes and Heroines in the Bible.  So to start the assembly off we sang Giants of Faith which covers a number of people in the bible who are heroes.  After this Sarah shared a few photographs of other more modern day heroes like explorers, nurses, the wartime king and queen and a very brave local young lady who created a bucket list that went viral.  Sarah talked about each one briefly then handed over to be to look at people in the bible, I ran through the names of the characters in the song missing out one of them - after asking the children which one I had missed - Ruth - I told her story and explained why I consider her to be a heroine in the bible.  Following the story We sang Shine from the Inside Out as that is what God wants us to do.  Then Sarah said a prayer to close.

Church Walk Primary School

This morning I went along to Church Walk Primary School for the assembly.  After thanking the children for their shoe boxes and telling them how many we sent away we sang So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  Then I told them that this morning I was going to use a teaspoon for the assembly but not just yet and put it away again.  I asked the children how they tell someone or show someone they loved them.  Loads of great answers came back from the children I then asked how do we tell God we love him - prayer was the answer I was looking for.  I talked a little about prayer and how Jesus' disciples even asked him how to pray and what we now have is the Lord's Prayer.  I then took out my teaspoon and said that I was going to use it to teach the children a way they could pray.  I asked if any of them cooked or baked loads of hands went up, I then asked if they knew what letters are used to shorten the word teaspoon in a recipe or cook book - tsp.  So using these letters the t - to say thank you to God for the great things he gives to us, the wonder of creation and to praise him, the s to say sorry to him for the wrong we have done as well as the right we have not done, then the p to say please and ask God for something.  I then did a quick example of a prayer by saying thank you God for what you give me, sorry for what I did wrong and please can I have loads of toys - it got a little laugh I did say that asking for things like that was not what I was meaning, the please was to ask God for help with something, or pray for someone who is ill.  I went on to say that we can pray at any time and in any place.  To finish off we sang I Love You and I then said a tsp prayer.

Leven Valley School

Just before lunch I was at Leven Valley School for their assembly.  After singing Inright Outright I introduced the assembly idea Peace and Remembrance - I did explain that over the last few days we have done this assembly a few times and I felt it was right for today in the light of what has happen recently in our world.  As I started to talk about things that help us to remember I displayed them on the screen finishing with a picture of a cup and some bread, I explained that each Sunday people meet together in churches and remember what Jesus did for us.  I moved on to display some other ways people remember things when the use a sentence in for the colours of the rainbow, or to spell out a word like because for example.  I then displayed the word PEACE and explained that I wanted the children to a) learn how to spell it and b) learn what the word means.  I came up with this PEACE People Everywhere Acting Christ-like Evermore.  I did explain what Christ-like means by asking the children to give me examples of Jesus.  To close the assembly we sang May the God of Hope and I closed with a prayer.

Our Lady's School

This morning I was at Our Lady's School for the assembly.  After singing So Many Ways to Praise the Lord I introduced the assembly idea with a teaspoon.  I then asked the children how they would show or tell someone they loved them.  I got a number of very good answers.  I then went onto ask them how they tell God they love him - by praying came the answer.  It was prayer that I wanted to talk about with the children, I explained a few different ways to pray and talked about places where you could pray - it doesn't always have to be a church I said.  I then took the teaspoon and asked what letters do we shorten it to - tsp so using the t we can say thank you to God for all he has done for us, using the s we can say sorry for the wrong we have done to people and the p is for please when we can ask God for something (I did point out that asking for loads of toys at Christmas was not what I was talking about)  So I told the children that the next time they use a teaspoon remember the t s and p.  To close we sang I Love You and I then said a tsp prayer.

Shoe Box Collection for Operation Christmas Child

WOW!  What a day!  Sarah and I set off this morning to do two assemblies first at St Peters then on to Broughton School the plan was that after each assembly we collected the OCC shoe boxes from the schools.  As we had a bit of time between St Peters and Broughton we decided to try and find a place to get a coffee in Broughton we ended up at the Bakery, I ordered the coffees and then got talking to the lady behind the counter, the conversation moved on and it somehow came around to me telling her that I was out and about collecting shoe boxes.  I pointed out the logo on my jacket as I was talking, I said how many we collected last year and so on and so on and that on Saturday we shall be processing them and getting them ready for shipping off to needy children.  She wanted to know more so I continued then she said that she would like to give me some money towards the work - I explained that I was just in the shop for two coffees but she proceeded to open the till and gave me some money - by now I could feel the tears starting to build up.  I was so over whelmed by this lady - I pray that God will truly bless her and her business. We then headed off to Captain Shaw's school after the assembly at Broughton before going down into Millom for the collections there.  From Millom it was back towards Barrow and the collections there then back via Dalton to Our Lady's school before reaching home - 69 miles later and the van weight down under the weight of the 350 shoeboxes we had on board.  It took two of us nearly half an hour to unload.  Then this evening Grace, Martha and myself have sorted them into ages and put them in to packing cartoons ready for taking to the processing day on Saturday 41 in total plus the ones we have already dropped off at ECC.

Broughton School

This morning Sarah and I went to Broughton School for the assembly.  After singing So Many Ways to Praise the Lord I pulled a teaspoon out of my pocket and said that today I was going to talk about a teaspoon in the assembly - but not yet.  I then asked the children how they would show love to someone and several answers came back in reply form doing acts of kindness, to sending a card, to giving a hug loads of great answers.  I then asked how do we tell God we love him - the hands went up again and the first answer came out - by praying to him.  I then said that I was going to talk about how we can pray to God using a teaspoon - but not yet.  I talked about prayer and how people pray and where people pray and each one is good and that there is not real right or wrong way to pray or right and wrong place to pray in.  I then took out the teaspoon again and asked what letters we use to shorten the word teaspoon in a cook book - tsp was the answer given.  So I said that using the letters tsp I would teach them a way to pray.  the t is to say thank you to God for all that he gives to us, the s is to say sorry for all the wrong things we have done or the right things we have not done and the p is for please a chance to ask God for things (I did point out that it doesn't mean asking for loads of presents at Christmas).  So I encouraged the children to think about that the next time the use a teaspoon.  To finish off the assembly we sang May the God of Hope and Sarah then finished with a prayer using the tsp idea.

St Peters School

First thing this morning Sarah and I were at St Peters School for the assembly.  We decided to do an assembly on Peace and Remembrance so after singing Inright Outright Sarah started to talk about how we remember things.  We had examples like using a mobile phone, a diary, telling someone, making a list and a very old fashion thing putting a knot in a hankie.  All are very good ways of remembering things, she then went on to talk about how we remember what God has done for us in Jesus dying on the cross making a link to the words from the song we had just sung.  I then added that sometimes when we want to remember things we put a sentence together like the order of colours in a rainbow, or how to spell a particular word and I gave some examples of words the children might have been taught how to spell in this way - because, would, could and should.  But I pointed out that the sentence used to help remember the word does not tell us what the word means.  I then displayed the word PEACE on the screen and said that I had put a sentence together that would both help us to remember what the word means as well as how to spell it - so PEACE - People Everywhere Acting Christ-like Evermore.  Sarah then explained what it is to be Christ-like.  To close we sang May the God of Hope.

Croftlands Infants School

This morning Sarah and I went to Croftlands Infants school for the assembly.  As we were deciding what to sing at the start of the assembly the children asked for God's Love is Bigger than a Burger - so we went with it.  I then said that today I was going to talk to them with a ... then pulling a teaspoon out of my pocket - I said this.  All the children laughed as I then said but not yet and put it away.  I asked the children how we would show love to someone, lots of great answers came back from being friends with people, to showing kindness and care towards people, helping others.  I added a few of my own like telling them, writing to them, buying a gift for them.  I then asked how do we tell God we love him.  By praying came the answer back.  I then reintroduced the spoon saying that today I was going to show them a way to pray using a teaspoon - but not yet as I put it away again.  I explained that there are lots of different ways to pray and that we can pray in all sorts of different places too.  Then the teaspoon came out again and I asked if they had ever done any  cooking or baking and if they knew the letters we use to shorten the word teaspoon in a cook book - TSP came the answer.  So I said that if we take the letters TSP we can use them to reminded us how to pray - the T is for thank you - we show Thank God for what he has given us and what he has done for us, the S is for sorry, we should say sorry to God for the times we have done things wrong, and the P is for please when we can ask God for something - I did add at this point that it is not asking for loads of presents at Christmas but asking please for help with a test, or if someone is ill.  To finish off we sang Great Great Brill Brill as it has a line in it about God being there when we talk to him.  Following the song Sarah closed the assembly with a prayer using the TSP idea.

Croftlands Junior School

This morning I went to Croftlands Junior School to take the assembly.  To start off we sang God Can Do Anything then I displayed the word Peace on the screen and asked if the school had done anything on 11th November which they had.  I explained then that in 1918 as the war ended Jelly Babies were introduced first being called Peace Babies.  They were a sort of pick me up, a good feeling, a celebration of peace following the war years.  They stopped production in the second world war and finally in 1953 came out again this time called Jelly Babies.  In 1989 they were all given a name and a character.  In fact each of the colours are different flavours as well as each baby being slightly different too.  The point was they all work together in harmony which is what peace should be like.  I pointed out that we are all different too, and we should work towards peace at all times.  Matthew 5:9 says this Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children.  I read this verse out to the children and encouraged them to be peace makers in school, in their community and in the wider community too.  To close we sang May the God of Hope after I said a short prayer.

Low Furness School

This morning Sarah and I did the assembly at Low Furness School, the theme was Peace and Remembrance.  After singing Inright Outright Sarah introduced the theme and referred back to last weeks assembly we did with Jelly Babies on Peace.  She then asked the children what they do to remember things, I had put together some pictures like a smart phone, pen and paper, knotted hankie, diary etc as things we use to help us remember.  Sarah then linked the assembly from yesterday when communion was discussed and how in a service we offer the sign of the Peace to each other.  I then displayed some other pictures like a rainbow, the words could, would, should and because and explained that we put a rhyme to these to help us remember.  I then displayed the word Peace and gave one possible way to remember it which was please eat apple crumble everyday. Which is fine but what about putting something together to help us remember what peace is so we had this People Everywhere Acting Civilised Evermore.  I then reminded the children about the things we use to remember then slowly faded in a poppy, and   pointed out that the leaf was pointing to a particular place 11 o'clock which reminds us that at 11 o'clock on the 11th day of the 11th month the guns fell silent bringing world war 1 to a close.  We finished the assembly by singing May the God of Hope and during the instrumental part Sarah said a prayer.

Church Walk School

This morning I went along to Church Walk School to do the assembly.  It was great to see all the children, we always get a very warm welcome from them whenever we go to visit the school.  To start we sang God Can Do Anything then I talked about peace and used the Jelly Babies and explained that they had been introduced after the first world war as a way to celebrate peace.  The link was that each one is different as we are different, not only in colour but also taste.  Following the second world war the Peace Babies as they had been known as were reintroduced as Jelly Babies then in the 1980's they were all given names and a character.  Peace happens when all people work together in harmony.  I asked the children what they could do to make peace at school, in the family, in the community of Ulverston as well as the wider community and a few children suggested things they could do.  To close off the assembly we sang May the God of Hope then I said a prayer.

BX NT5 Low Furness School

This is a post I should have posted last Thursday
Today I went to Low Furness School for the last lesson in Bible Explorer New Testament with the year 5 and 6.  It was all about the spread of the gospel message through the work of Paul and his travelling companions during the three missionary journeys that he did as recorded in Acts.  The final part of the lesson sees Paul heading off to Rome on a ship which is then wrecked in a storm.  Once in Rome Paul being under house arrest writes letter to the churches he help set up and visited time and again on his travels.  The very last part is talking about how the gospel spread throughout the Roman Empire and as a result we got to hear about it here.  The children had a great time listening and joining in with the story telling too as they acted out scenes from the stories.

Burlington School

This morning I was at Burlington School for the assembly.  I decided to focus the assembly on peace as it is getting close to 11th November.  So after singing God Can Do Anything (which was a new one to the children) I opened a packed of Jelly Babies and explained a little of the history of them - like the fact that they were first though of in 1918 to celebrate the end of world war 1.  This linked in with the theme of peace as back then they were called Peace Babies.  I explained that when you look at a packet of Jelly Babies they are all different in that the have different colours, flavours and the jelly babies are different too and each have a name and a character!  They all come together in harmony and when people do that, that is what makes for peace.  I asked the children to remember that the next time they eat a packet of Jelly Babies or any sweets for that matter.  I asked the children to also suggest ways that they can bring about peace in their, school, home and community to and a number of good ideas came out from that.  To close we sang May the God of Hope again another new one to the children, I then said a prayer.

St Peters School

This morning I went over to St Peters School to do our assembly about peace.  To start with we sang God Can Do Anything then I introduced the theme for the assembly and talked about Jelly Babies which started out as Peace Babies after the first world war.  The idea was that the differences between the babies reflects our differences and that they all should be together and peace is when all sides work together in harmony.  I then asked the children what they could do at school, at home, in the local community and in the wider community to bring about peace.  The children suggested loads of things that they could do from being kind to one another to stop fighting (in the world).  To close of the assembly we sang May the God of Hope and I then said a prayer followed by the Lord's Prayer.

Crosthwaite School

This afternoon Sarah and I went over to Crosthwaite School the assembly.  As it is getting close to the 11th November we decided to do an assembly on Peace.  To start off the assembly we sang God can do anything, I then opened a packet of Jelly Babies and asked the children what flavours they liked as I went through each one.  I then explained that Jelly Babies were first introduced in 1918 as 'Peace Babies' a sort of pick me up and good feeling thing to have once the war was over.  Then after a short break in production for the second world war they reappeared as Jelly Babies.  In 1989 they were all given names and characters, Sarah then explained what these were.  She then asked the question what makes them peace babies now?  well it is because they are all different, look different, do different things and have different things with them.  If they are all the same that would be no fun as it would be all the same taste.  It reminds us that we are all different too and that like the Jelly Babies work together.  This is how we should be as this is what makes for peace.  Peace is enjoyed when people of different ages, interests and appearances live together in harmony. Sarah also read out a bible verse from Matthew 'Happy are those who work for peace: God will call them his children!' (Matthew 5.9, Good News Bible) Sarah then asked what we can do to bring about peace within our school, our lives etc.  We then sang May the God of Hope before Sarah closed the assembly with a prayer.

Low Furness School

This morning Sarah and I went to Low Furness School the assembly theme was Peace.  To start off the assembly we sang God can do anything, I then opened a packet of Jelly Babies and asked the children what flavours they liked as I went through each one.  I then explained that Jelly Babies were first introduced in 1918 as 'Peace Babies' a sort of pick me up and good feeling thing to have once the war was over.  Then after a short break in production for the second world war they reappeared as Jelly Babies.  In 1989 they were all given names and characters, Sarah then explained what these were.  She then asked the question what makes them peace babies now?  well it is because they are all different, look different, do different things and have different things with them.  If they are all the same that would be no fun as it would be all the same taste.  It reminds us that we are all different too and that like the Jelly Babies work together.  This is how we should be as this is what makes for peace.  Peace is enjoyed when people of different ages, interests and appearances live together in harmony. Sarah also read out a bible verse from Matthew 'Happy are those who work for peace: God will call them his children!' (Matthew 5.9, Good News Bible) Sarah then asked what we can do to bring about peace within our school, our lives etc.  We then sang May the God of Hope before Sarah closed the assembly with a prayer.

Pennington School

This afternoon Sarah and I went along to Pennington School for the assembly.  So after singing So Many Ways to Praise the Lord I lifted a teaspoon out and said that I was going to talk about it - but not yet.  I asked the children how they would tell or show someone that they loved them - lots of ideas came out, giving a hug, kissing (but not at their age I quickly added), helping them, telling them.  I then asked how we tell God we love him - praying came the answer.  I then explained that I was going to show the children how to pray with a teaspoon - but not yet.  I talked about different ways people pray some kneeling on the floor, in the quiet of a bed room. in church, up a mountain etc.  I also spoke about people like the Pharisee and tax collector story Jesus told how the Pharisee used grand words and the tax collector just said sorry.  I also talked about the disciples when they asked Jesus how to pray and from that came the Lord's Prayer.  I was going to teach them a way to pray using a teaspoon.  So I asked them what letters does the word teaspoon get shorten to in say baking - tsp came the answer.  So using the TSP we can pray, the T is for thanks - thanking God for the things he gives to us and giving him praise, S is for sorry - saying sorry for the things we have done wrong, P is for please, asking God for things - I did at this point say that it wasn't asking for money and things but help with things like tests, when someone is ill etc.  Sarah then took over and said that now we would sing I Love You as that is how the assembly started by asking how we say I love you to God.  After the song Sarah closed with a prayer.

Penny Bridge School

This morning I went down to Penny Bridge School for the assembly.  To start off we sang So Many Ways to Praise the Lord, I then asked the children how they would show someone or tell someone that they loved them.  Loads of good answers came back from the children, like sending them a card, giving them gifts, helping them out or just talking to them.  I then asked how do we tell God we love him - the answer I was looking for was by praying to him which was one of the answers I got as well as singing and praising him.  I then lifted out a teaspoon and explained that I was going to teach them a way to pray using a teaspoon - but first I explained how I was taught to pray when I was their age which isn't wrong but is one way, I also said that we can pray anywhere from our bedrooms to the top of a mountain.  I then told them that Jesus' disciples asked him how to pray and what Jesus told them became known as the Lord's Prayer.  I quickly told them the story of the tax collector and the Pharisee and about the big words he used to pray and that to pray we don't need big fancy words.  Back to the teaspoon...I asked the children what letters we use to shorten teaspoon it is TSP so taking these letters I said we can use them to remind us how to pray.  So the T is thank you when we should thank God for what he has done for us, the S is to say sorry for the wrong things we have done or the right things we haven't done, then the P is to say please when we can ask God for things - I don't mean loads of money etc but things like help us in a test, or when someone is ill.  To close off the assembly we sang I Love You then I prayed a tsp prayer.