Pennington School

This afternoon Sarah and I went to do a shoe box assembly with the children at Pennington School.  We showed the Banana Mini Minion clip were the Minions all fight over a banana before losing it down a hole.  Sarah pointed out that the Minions didn't want to share what they had which led to them losing the thing they wanted most of all.  She encouraged the children to think about sharing by filling a shoe box full of good things.  I explained what to put into a box before Sarah introduced our song Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  She then closed with a prayer after the song.

Penny Bridge Academy

This afternoon Sarah and I did a shoe box assembly with Lisa at Penny Bridge Academy.  To start the assembly off we showed a Minion mini clip about a banana.  The Minions didn't want to share the banana and instead fought over it until they lost it.  Lisa then explained the reason why we had shown the clip and the fact that they hadn't been willing to share which led to us talking about what the children can do to share this Christmas time in filling a shoe box.  Afterwards we sang Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  We then closed with a prayer.

Newton Primary School

This morning Sarah and I went to Newton School for the assembly.  We didn't start with a song as we wanted to do a slightly longer story and finish with Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus as it fitted with the story.  We did a modern day version of the Good Samaritan.  Instead of a traveller being mugged while on a journey, he was on a train and became ill.  I got half of the children to call out London and the rest Birmingham and when done fast enough it sounds like a train.  Then instead of a Priest and a Levite I had a police officer and a nurse.  The Samaritan was a hip hop star who was doing a rap down the train.  I pointed out where the story came from in the Bible once I had finished telling it and why Jesus told it.  Sarah then picked up the idea of being a good neighbour to people and by neighbour not just the person you live next to but the people we see everyday.  This linked into the song.  After the song Sarah closed with a prayer.

Flookburgh School

This morning I went down to do the assembly at Flookburgh School.  It was great to see all the children again.  After singing Be Happy I told a modern day version of the Good Samaritan story, using 4 children to help me.  After telling the story I explained why Jesus told it the first time and then encouraged the children to look out for each other as everyone is our neighbour really.  This linked nicely into Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I said a short prayer to close the assembly.

Lindale School

This morning I went down to Lindale School for our first assembly of the new school year, we had seen some of the children during the Priory day at Cartmel.  I started off with Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus as this would link in very well with the theme of the assembly.  I told the children the feeding the 5000 story pointing out as I did that the boy had used his eyes and then his hands to do something small that then had a big impact.  By giving over his small lunch Jesus was able to perform a miracle and feed everyone.  I encouraged the children to look around their class room and school as well as at home and in the wider community to see where they might be able to help out in doing something.  I linked in with harvest too saying that at this time of year we bring food gifts in that are send to people in need.  I also mentioned Children in Need as that will be soon too.  I also said that when we do help out like this we Shine from the inside out cue for a song.  After the song I said a short prayer to finish the assembly.

Croftlands Infant School OCC Assembly

This morning Sarah and I along with Lisa did a shoe box assembly to infants at Croftlands.  We started with a mini movie clip from the Minions as they fought over a banana.  Lisa then explained that the Minions didn't want to share.  This was linked to how we can share what we have with others who perhaps don't get as much.  I then explained about the shoe box and what can go into it, telling stories of people who have received boxes in the past.  Sarah then reminded the children of our last assembly when we sang Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus and this linked in perfectly with the shoe boxes.  After the song Sarah closed the assembly with a short prayer.

Croftlands Junior School OCC

This morning Sarah and I with Lisa did a shoe box assembly for the children at Croftlands Junior School.  We started with a clip from the Minion mini movie with three Minions fighting over a banana.  The point was that they were not willing to share what they had and Sarah talked to the children about this by asking them some questions.  I then went through what goes into a shoe box before we sang Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  Following the song Lisa closed the assembly with a prayer.

BX NT5 Low Furness School

This afternoon I did the final New Testament lesson at Low Furness School.  The whole lesson is about Paul and his journeys as he now a follower of Jesus went far and wide spreading the gospel message of Jesus Christ.  A number of children helped out as I told some of the stories and they all joined in when it came to the hand signs.

St Mary's RC Ulverston

This morning Sarah and I went to St Mary's Ulverston to do a shoe box assembly.  We started with Be Happy before showing the children a mini Minion movie clip about a banana.  The Minions fought over the banana as they were unwilling to share it - in the end no-one got the banana.  Sarah asked the children about the movie and about what the Minions should have done with the banana - share it.  She went on to explain that their are lots of children in our world that don't have nice things like we do in this country and that it would be good if we could use our eyes to look around and see were we could help out like filling a shoe box full of goodies and sending it to a child this Christmas time.  I then talked about what items can go into a shoe box.  We then linked our talk to our final song Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  Following the song I closed in prayer.

Burlington School

This morning Sarah and I went along to Burlington School for the assembly.  We didn't start with a song as our story was slightly longer than normal and involved children dressing up.  I told the story of the Good Samaritan with a modern day twist, in that we had a business man - who was ill on a train, a nurse who walked on by, a police officer who didn't want their uniform messing up and a rapper.  And yes it was the rapper who helped the person out.  I explained why and how Jesus came to tell this story in the first place.  Sarah then expanded on who our neighbours might be (not just the person who lives next door) and how we should look out for them.  This idea linked once again into the song Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I closed the assembly with a prayer.

St Peters School

This morning Sarah and I went to St Peters School for an OCC assembly.  We started the assembly by singing Be Happy even though it was pouring with rain outside we can still be happy.  We then showed them a Minion mini movie with two Minions fighting over a banana - the children though it was great.  I pointed out that the Minions did not want to share what they had with each other and that they wanted it all for themselves - in other words they were selfish.  I talked with the children about clip and how we can be the opposite of what they did in collecting things together and filling a shoe box.  Sarah then went through what needs to go into a shoe box talking about the soap and toothpaste and the coloured pens and paper.  To finish we sang Help Me Be Your Eyes then we closed with a prayer.

Crosthwaite School

This afternoon Sarah and I went to do an assembly at Crosthwaite School.  After singing So Many Ways to Praise the Lord I told a modern day version of the Good Samaritan story with a business man on a train who becomes ill and a nurse followed by the police walk on by.  A rapper happens to rap their way past the man they stop what they are doing to help the man, pay for a taxi home too.  we dressed up 4 children in the various costumes to act out the parts.  I did tell the children that Jesus told a story like this in the Bible following someone asking him who their neighbour was.  Sarah then took the idea further by explaining that we should look out for everyone even the people we don't like and help them out, by showing compassion and love to them when they are in need.  We then sang Help Me Be Your Eyes before Sarah closed with a prayer.

Low Furness School

This morning Sarah and I went to do an assembly at Low Furness School, we continued with the theme of compassion as that is this half terms Christian value.  After singing God Can Do Anything I told a modern day version of the Good Samaritan story with a business man on a train who becomes ill and a nurse followed by the police walk on by.  A rapper happens to rap their way past the man they stop what they are doing to help the man, pay for a taxi home too.  we dressed up 4 children in the various costumes to act out the parts.  I did tell the children that Jesus told a story like this in the Bible following someone asking him who their neighbour was.  Sarah then took the idea further by explaining that we should look out for everyone even the people we don't like and help them out, by showing compassion and love to them when they are in need.  We then sang Help Me Be Your Eyes before Sarah closed with a prayer.

BX NT4 Low Furness School

This afternoon I did the fourth lesson of Bible Explorer New Testament at Low Furness School.  In focus's on the life in the early church following Jesus going back into heaven and sending the Holy Spirit.  We looked at three people Philip, Paul/Saul and Peter and what they did at this time.  Next week we move to look in more detail at Paul and how he spread the good news to the wider area and on into Europe.

Coniston Primary School

This morning I went to do the assembly at Coniston Primary School, it was our first visit of the new school year.  I started with Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus before talking about eyes that see and hands that help as a retold the feeding the 5000 story to the children.  I pointed out after the story that the boy and looked with his eyes and he could see that something was needed so he used his hands to hand over his lunch.  What Jesus did was a miracle but it started with the small boy.  I encouraged the children to look around and see where they could help out, in the classroom, in the school, at home and in the wider community.  To finish we sang Shine before I closed with a prayer.

Broughton School

This morning I was over at Broughton School for the first assembly of the new school year with them as well as our first OCC assembly of the year.  It was great to see all the children again and they looked great in their new school uniform!  I started the assembly by introducing them to Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus as the words fitted so well with talking about filling shoe boxes.  I showed them a Minion mini movie with two Minions fighting over a banana - the children though it was great.  I pointed out that the Minions did not want to share what they had with each other and that they wanted it all for themselves - in other words they were selfish.  I explained that the song we sung said help me be your eyes Lord Jesus see where your love is needed help me be your hands... so I encouraged the children to look around and see where and how they could help others and pointed out that a great way would be to collect things to fill a shoe box and send it to children who have very little.  I went through what needs to go into a shoe box as well.  We didn't finish with a song as time was running out so I said a prayer and then played Help Me Be Your Eyes as the children left.

Priory Day at Cartmel Priory

Yesterday Sarah and I got involved with the Priory Day for year 5 and 6 pupils at Cartmel Priory.  About 140 children from 6 different schools came along to the day of events inside the Priory.  We started the day off with 'an assembly' before working with groups of children throughout the day, singing different types of worship songs and talking about how we can praise God in various ways - dance, music, instruments, sign language and by singing.  We both had a great day and it was good to see some many children coming together.  During the day the children visited other workshops, crafts, drama, games and prayer stations in the building.