Tuesday 30 April 2013

Croftlands Juniors - being MAD people

Sarah and I went along to Croftlands Juniors this morning for the assembly.  We started by singing Giants of Faith.  After the song I introduced the theme for the assembly and where in the bible it came from.  I used the square to cross prop again as it helps to explain the story so well as well as adding an element of fun to it.  When I had finished and made the cross shape I talked about the faith the four men had that their friend could be healed by Jesus also I said that they were MAD that is Make A Difference people because they helped to make a difference to their friend in taking him to Jesus.  I encouraged the children to be MAD so that they might shine from the inside out.  Which was what we sang next.  Then Sarah concluded with a short prayer.

Broughton School - showing faith and being a MAD person

This morning I went over to Broughton School for the assembly.  I introduced the first song by asking the children to look out for the word that kept being repeated.  It was of course Giants of Faith and the word was Faith.  I then took out my square to cross prop and introduced the story from Mark ch 2 Jesus healing the man who couldn't walk and was lowered down by his friends.  For each part of the story I moved the square into different shapes which the children enjoyed as I repeated some parts several times over.  at the end I explained that the friends had faith that Jesus could heal their friend and also that they were MAD that is Make A Difference people.  I encouraged the children to be MAD and make a difference to others around them.  Then they could Shine from the inside out which is what we sang next.  I closed with a prayer.

BX OT2 at Croftlands Juniors

This posting is a little late due to us being away at the weekend.  BX OT at Croftlands on Friday afternoon was great.  I hadn't quite completed the Joseph story last time due to the assembly running slightly over before I started so I had a bit of catching up to do.  Once the children were in the room I started from where I had left off and completed the lesson 1 hand signs.  Then I did a quick recap of the story with the hand signs before moving into the lesson 2 story and Moses.  As I did have a little more time this week I slightly over ran but that got me on track for next lesson when we will be looking at Joshua and the Judges leading towards one of my favourite stories Ruth.  The children were great at the hand signs and asked a number of questions at the end of the lesson.  The boys have also taken a interest in my latest bible - the Action Bible.  Each week I display a collection of different bibles on the front desk and the children at the end will look at them which is great to see the boys getting excited about what's in the bible.

Thursday 25 April 2013

BX NT2 St Peters

This afternoon I have again been at St Peters this time for the second lesson of BX NT.  I first of all did a recap of last weeks lesson asking the children about some of the details, places, names, ages etc.  Then we did the hand signs so far.  Before starting the lesson for real I explained about the gospel accounts and why we have 4.  I pretended to write something down on a sheet of paper and allowed someone to see it.  The person next door glanced at it but the two people opposite could only say they saw me write but couldn't tell me what.  Everyone played along - I then explained that we can look at a situation from different points of view and each of us come up with a different account - like the 4 gospels.  I used some of the BX PPT pictures to help me.  The lesson went well and the children had great fun particularly when it came to the selecting the twelve part.  I got a picture (painting) of Jesus in profile, played music Dance of the Knights as the titles rolled up the screen - if you haven't got it you haven't seen the Apprentice.  I dressed a girl in a suit and tie and she was Miss Honey - just as sweet as sugar!! and as the music played she handed round 16 A5 envelopes with applications inside.  The children then were told to take out the card inside and one by one to read them out loud.  On the bottom of the card was a second envelope which in some cases said You're Hired and others You're Fired.  Then Miss Honey and I chatted about the applicants before asking the children to open the second envelope and come out if it said You're Hired - hence we got our 12 disciples.  The application letters had the name, other name, place lived, job and other interesting info.  The children really enjoyed it and played along with it very well.  Finished the lesson off with an explanation of transfiguration. 

Leven Valley School - a square, a cross, being MAD and dancing like a chicken.

It was great to see all the children of Leven Valley School again after the Easter Holidays.  I started the assembly with Giants of Faith and told the children to listen out for a word that keeps on repeating as I was going to talk about it later.  I then went on to explain that my story today from the bible was from the NT and the gospel of Mark chapter 2 if the children wanted to read it for themselves.  I took out my square to cross shape and talked about the man that was taken to Jesus and lowered down through the roof.  As I went through the story I move the square around to create different shapes like a house, door, window, bed, stairs and the house and roof.  Finally as the story ended I pulled the shape into the cross shape as I explained that Jesus was the one who could forgive the man for what he had done.  I went on to say that we should be like the 4 friends that helped the man to see Jesus.  We should encourage our friends and talk to them about bible stories I even said that Jesus wants us to be MAD for him - that is Make A Difference.  I encouraged the children to be MAD people as well as shinning from the inside out which was the cue for our last song.  At the end I said a prayer.  As the children hadn't been outside all day as a treat we did the chicken Dance to finish.

Our Lady's - a cross, a square and shinning

This morning as the rain was so heavy Sarah decided to stay at home while I went out to do the assemblies.  To start with today we sang Giants of Faith which the children love.  I then went on to explain that my story today from the bible was from the NT and the gospel of Mark chapter 2 if the children wanted to read it for themselves.  I took out my square to cross shape and talked about the man that was taken to Jesus and lowered down through the roof.  As I went through the story I move the square around to create different shapes like a house, door, window, bed, stairs and the house and roof.  Finally as the story ended I pulled the shape into the cross shape as I explained that Jesus was the one who could forgive the man for what he had done.  I went on to say that we should be like the 4 friends that helped the man to see Jesus.  We should encourage our friends and talk to them about bible stories as well as shinning from the inside out which was the cue for our last song.  At the end I said a prayer.

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Croftlands Infants School - Being a MAD person

This afternoon we went to Croftlands Infants for the assembly.  We started by singing Be Happy then I went on to tell the story of Jesus healing the man after he was lowered from the roof.  I again used the square to cross prop as I told the story.  Sarah then explained a little more about the story.  She used the MAD idea that is Make A Difference.  The 4 friends were MAD and they did make a difference to the man.  They also had faith and believed Jesus could heal there friend.  We then sang Shine because Sarah had talked about shining for Jesus.  I ended with a prayer.

Low Furness School - a square, a cross and faith???

This morning Sarah and I went to Low Furness School.  The theme for the assembly was family, however we did the assembly with the square to cross and Jesus healing the man lowered down through the roof.  So to start we sang Giant of Faith then I told the story using the prop.  The children laughed as I repeated several times certain parts of the story.  Finally I made the square into a cross because the story said that Jesus told the man his sins had been forgiven which caused a bit of an uproar with the crowd listening to Jesus, and as we know Jesus also told the man to pick up his bed and walk.  So the cross was a reminder that Jesus did die for us on a cross and therefore we linked back to Easter.  Sarah then linked what the four friends did to family by talking to the children that at school we are a family and we should help people out like the 4 men did in the story.  She also brought in about faith and the faith the men had in Jesus to heal there friend.  We sang Shine at the end because Sarah had mentioned that we should shine from the inside out during her talk.  At the end I said a prayer.

Monday 22 April 2013

Penny Bridge School - Square to Cross - Faith

This afternoon I went over to Penny Bridge school to take the assembly.  After singing Giants of Faith I went into the story of Jesus healing the man that was lowered down by his friends from Mark ch2.  To demonstrate the story I used my square to cross prop which the children thought was great as I repeated myself several times during the school moving the square into different shapes as I did.  Following the story I talked about the community coming together to help someone in need as well as the faith the men had that Jesus could heal the man.  I encouraged the children to be like the men and look and seek ways in which they could help others out and by that they could Shine for Jesus.  Then we sang Shine and after I said a prayer.

Pennington School - faith in action

Today Sarah and I went to Pennington School.  It was our first visit since Easter to Sarah asked if they had enjoyed themselves and had lots of chocolate.  We started with Giants of Faith before I told the story of Jesus healing the man that was lowered down from the roof.  I used my story square to cross prop as I told the story which added a bit of interest to things.  Following the story Sarah talked about the help the men gave to their friend and about how we should be like that too.  Also she talked about the faith the men had in Jesus that he would heal the man.  Following this we sang Shine and Sarah ended with a prayer.

Sunday 21 April 2013

BX OT1 at Croftlands Juniors

This post is a little late but hey!
On Friday I was at Croftlands Juniors doing lesson 1 of Bible Explorer Old Testament.  There was more than one class with me so lots of children.  Before the lesson started I was asked by a girl when the next Messy Church was, which I thought was great.  Anyway I got started into the lesson and went through as far as Joseph being sold into slavery I would have had time to finish but the children had arrived a little late and the teacher needed a little time at the end of the day to talk to them so I will catch up at the start of next lesson.  I had a great time and I felt the children did too.  Then the little girl that asked the question at the start asked me where she could buy a bible from, which I thought was great - we should pray for children like that as we never know what seeds are being sown through BX, Messy Church and our assemblies.

Thursday 18 April 2013

BX NT1 - St Peters Ireleth

This afternoon was my very first New Testament Bible Explorer.  I was at St Peters in Ireleth.  This time last year I was there doing the Old Testament.  I have spent some time today getting ready making sure that all my props were in the right places and that my visuals were as I wanted them and just before I did a run through with Sarah and she timed it to 35minutes - I was sure it was longer, but I had not taken into account the movement of children or the answering of more than one or two questions.  I set off and got set up and I started - 55minutes later the children went awe as I said that was the end of the lesson.  I certainly had a great time and judging by the number of questions that followed the children did too.  They were so keen to answer as well as ask questions, it was such a joy to be a part of that this afternoon.  So lesson 2 next week.

Tuesday 16 April 2013

Ulverston Infants

This morning Sarah and I went to Ulverston Infants to take our first assembly of the summer term.  After singing Be Happy I went on to tell the story of Jesus healing the paralytic man.  To help me tell the story I took along my square to cross prop. And folded and moved it to illustrate the various parts of the story.  I ended by forming the cross as a reminder of what Jesus did for us.  Sarah summed up the lesson by talking to the children about coming together to help each other out.  This led to us singing Shine, Sarah then finished with a prayer.