Croftlands Infant School

This morning Sarah and I went to do our first assembly of 2017 at Croftlands Infant School.  It really was lovely to see all the children again.  We started by Sarah showing them a picture of an acorn and asking what it was, then she showed them a picture of an oak tree after she had asked them what acorns grow into.  She then told them the phrase mighty oaks from little acorns grow and explained to them what that means.  I then told them the story of David and how he was selected by God and anointed by Samuel to be the king even though he was only a boy.  I explained that the other brothers of David looked like they could be kings but God looked on the inside and not on the outside when he picked David.  Sarah then picked up the theme explaining that it isn't what we look like that makes us who we are but what we are like on the inside and as little acorns we can grow into mighty oaks shining out what it is inside of us as we grow by doing good things for people.  This linked to the song Shine.  After the song Sarah closed the assembly with a prayer.

Croftlands Junior School

This morning Sarah and I did our first visit of 2017 at Croftlands Junior School.  It was great to see all the children again it seems so long since we last saw them.  We didn't sing to start the assembly as the song we had picked to sing at the end really fitted in well with the story.  So to start we displayed a picture of an acorn and asked what it was - now all of the children in the school knew the answer to this as it is part of the school logo.  Then we asked what an acorn grows into - an oak tree.  Sarah then told them about a phrase people use - mighty oaks from little acorns grow - she explained what that means and even said that they are little acorns and will one day grow into mighty oaks and maybe someone in the school could even become the prime minister one day.  I then told the story of David when he was selected by God and anointed by Samuel to be king of Israel.  As I told the story I displayed pictures finishing with David anointed as king.  Sarah then drew the assembly to a close saying God looks upon the inside of people and what is in their heart and not on the outside of people.  We also encouraged the children to be mighty oaks as they grow up into whatever God has planned for them saying their could be top scientists in the room or Broadway and Hollywood stars or a pop star, they might not think it now but god can do anything anything at all cue for a song.  After the song Sarah closed with a prayer.

Flookburgh Primary School

This morning I went to do the first assembly of 2017 at Flookburgh Primary School.  I started by asking if the younger children knew what I had displayed on the screen - it was a couple of acorns.  So I then asked if they knew what acorns grew into - trees was the answer - yes but what type of tree, the older children gave me the answer - oak trees.  I then asked if they had heard the phrase mighty oaks from little acorns grow - they hadn't so I explained it to them.  I then told the story of David as he was anointed as king of Israel.  Afterwards I explained that all the children are a bit like little acorns and that like David in the story God has big plans for them.  I even said that someone in the room might one day be the prime minister of England or a top scientist or even a famous pop star or actor.  I reminded the little that from little acorns big things grow, I asked how they thought David might have felt when he found out he was going to be king, the children gave lots of very good answers.  I told the children that God can do anything at all which was a cue for the song God can do anything.  After the song I said a short prayer to finish the assembly.

Burlington School

This morning I went over to do the assembly at Burlington School.  I started the assembly by showing a picture of an acorn and asked what it was - acorn came back the answer.  Next I asked what acorns grow into - oak trees.  I then asked if they had heard the phrase mighty oaks from little acorns grow - they hadn't so I explained it to them.  I then talked about how the children are a bit like little acorns that will grow up, I even said that one of the children might even grow up and become a future prime minister of our country.  I then went and told them the story of king David being anointed by Samuel.  After the story I again explained that from little acorns mighty oak trees grow and that in the room there could be pop stars, top sporting people, scientists that find a cure for something nasty.  I encouraged the children further by saying God can do anything anything at all so don't put him in a box and limit what He can do - cue for a song I think!  After the song I closed the assembly with a prayer.

St Peters

This morning I went to see the children at St Peters School and to take the assembly, it was our first visit of 2017 and it was great to see all the children again.  It seemed a little strange asking if the children had had a good Christmas as it seems so long ago now, but there was a very enthusiastic response from them.  I started by showing a picture of an acorn and asked who know what it was - acorn, so I then asked what do acorns grow into - I now got a number of replies from acorn trees, to trees to an oak tree.  I then displayed the phrase mighty oaks from little acorns grow, I asked if the children had heard that phrase before - they hadn't so I explained what it meant.  I also went on to say that they are like little acorns ready to grow into big trees - and that there could even be a future prime minister sitting on the floor listening to me.  I then told the story of David with pictures of him being chosen and then anointed as king of Israel.  I reminded the children a little acorns growing and said that God had a plan for them too.  I linked in with the song God can do Anything as I talked to the children which was the song we sang to finish the assembly.  After the song I said a short prayer to close followed by Lord's Prayer.

Low Furness School

This morning Sarah and I went to do our first assembly of 2017 at Low Furness School, it seems so long since we have been there but it was great to see all the children again.  We started the assembly with Sarah asking what the object was I had displayed on the screen - it was an acorn, her next question was what do they grow into - oak trees.  This idea led into the saying mighty oaks grow from little acorns.  I then told the story of David becoming king of Israel even though he was only a small acorn - boy and he grew up to be a mighty oak - powerful king that some would say was the best king Israel ever had.  As I recalled the story I displayed some pictures to help the children visualise what I was saying.  Sarah then continued to encourage the children that even though they may only be small now there could be a future prime minister in the hall or something.  With God nothing is impossible as he can do anything cue for a song - God can do Anything.  After the song Sarah closed the assembly with a prayer.

Pennington School

This afternoon Sarah and I went to Pennington School for the assembly, as this was our first visit of the new year it was great to see all the children again.  We started the assembly by showing a picture of an acorn and Sarah asked what it was, she then asked what it would grow into as the children said oak tree I displayed a picture of one.  I then displayed a picture with the words mighty oaks from little acorns grow as Sarah explained what this phrase means.  She told the children that in the room there could be a future prime minister, or top scientist or pop idol.  I then told the David story and about how he was anointed as king when he was just a small boy (he became king when he was older)  Sarah continued by asking how they thought David might have felt when he was made king, - frightened was one reply, amazed was another.  Sarah encouraged the children in that God has a plan for them and they might be something really great like king David one day, as God can do anything - oh cue for a song.  After the song we closed the assembly with a prayer.

Newton School

This morning Sarah and I went to Newton School for the assembly.  It has been a little while since we visited the school and so it was great to see all the children again.  We started the assembly with God's Love is Bigger than a Burger before Sarah told the children about her cat Millie.  Sarah had got Millie when she lived alone and it was a bit of company for her when she got home from work.  One day Millie got up on to Sarah's knee sat down and made herself comfy then jumped off her knee and did a massive poo in the corner of the room before wanting to settle back down on Sarah's knee expecting Sarah to love her again.  As Sarah though about it later we are a bit like that with God we don't poo in the corner but we do make a mess of things at times and expect God to continue loving us.  I then told the story of the Prodigal Son, explaining that it was a story Jesus told and that the father couldn't wait to hug his son again when he returned home - just like God is with us.  I went on to say that it why God sent Jesus to earth and that is why he died on a cross.  To finish we sang Inright Outright as it talks about what Jesus did for us.  We closed the assembly with a prayer.

Penny Bridge Academy

This morning Sarah and I went down to Penny Bridge Academy for the assembly.  It was our first visit of 2017 so was great to see all the children again after the Christmas Break.  We started the assembly by showing a picture of an acorn, then an oak tree only after we had asked what acorns grow into.  We then displayed a picture that had an oak tree on it with the words mighty oaks come from little acorns.  We explained what this phrase means and said that in the assembly hall today there could be a future prime minister of England, or a top scientist or a movie star.  Sarah then read the story of David as I displayed pictures on the screen.  After the story I encouraged the children by talking about how God might have big plans for them and although now they don't think they will be able to do those things, with God's help they can.  I asked the children if they thought David was afraid when he was anointed as king because he was such a small boy - yes! But God used him to be the greatest king of Israel.  Sarah introduced the song God can do Anything, after which she closed the assembly with a prayer.

Coniston School

This morning Sarah and I went over to Coniston School for an assembly. It was great to see all the children again as it has been several weeks since our last visit.  We started by singing Creator God as this linked into what we wanted to talk about.  Sarah asked what the first book of the Bible was and then who the first people were.  I then told the Adam and Eve story and talked about how they got tricked, blamed each other and lost their place in the garden of Eden.  Sarah picked up this idea and talked about honesty and telling the truth particularly when we do things wrong.  She encouraged the children to think about that at the start of this new year so they might Shine from the inside out - cue for a song.  After the song I closed the assembly with a prayer.

St Mary's RC School

This morning Sarah and I went to St Marys RC School for the assembly.  This is our first school assembly of 2017 so we decided to do it on honesty.  We started the assembly with Creator God then Sarah asked the children who the first people in the bible were - Adam and Eve, I then told their story ending with Adam blaming Eve and Eve blaming the snake.  Sarah then went on to talk about them not being truthful and honest with God when he asked them who was to blame.  Adam and Eve face being thrown out of the special garden in Eden that God had made for them to live in.  Sarah talked about how great our world would be if more people were honest with each other and when we are honest we are shining out God's love.  So to close the assembly we sang Shine and afterwards I did a short prayer.