Pennington School

This afternoon Sarah and I went to Pennington School for the assembly.  After singing Be Happy I started to unpack a bag of items that were all different and yet had something in common.  I had a hard hat, wet suit, ear defenders, cycle helmet, gardening gloves, snow boots etc.  I asked the children what the common thing was - safety someone said which could have been right but I was looking for protection - someone else did get it.  Sarah then read the story of Jesus calming the storm from an Andy Robb book.  The link between the items and the story was simple, all the items can protect us in some way or another but sometimes in life we have ups and downs - it is a bit like a storm - some people call it the storms of life.  When faced with the real storm on the sea the disciples called out to Jesus for help - I encouraged the children to do the same if they say have a test, a music or dance exam, a tricky footie game to play, or are having a few friendship issues.  Sarah told the children about Grace and how she said a short prayer before her lesson a few weeks along and she came out feeling great about it.  To close we sang Wonderful Lord and during the instrumental Sarah prayed.

Church Walk Primary School

This morning Sarah and I went along to Church Walk Primary School to do an assembly.  It was great to see all the children again.  We started by singing Be Happy then I went on to display a number of items from my bag which included a life jacket, wet suit, hard hat, cycle helmet, builders gloves, Snow boots etc I did say that they had something in common and when I asked what it is safety came the reply - which is a great answer but not the one I was thinking of - protection was what I was looking for, all the items protect us in some way.  Sarah then read the account of Jesus calming the storm from an Andy Robb book.  I then explained the connection between the items and the story - all the items I had will protect us in some way - but in life there are good times and bad and we say it is a bit like a storm.  I then asked the children who the disciples turned to when they found themselves in the storm - Jesus - they called on him to help them.  I went on to say and we can do that too.  I told them about Grace in a lesson a few weeks ago - things hadn't gone well for her in the lesson before so as she went into the next lesson she asked for help in a short prayer - and then she was answering questions here there and everywhere.  To close off the assembly we introduced a new song My Lighthouse then Sarah closed with a prayer.

Leven Valley School

Just before lunch I was at Leven Valley School doing an assembly.  After singing God can do anything, I displayed the words of the Lord's Prayer on the screen.  I had highlighted the words Give us this day our daily bread, and asked if anyone knew what that meant.  One girl said it is not just about bread but all food - which was a great answer.  I explained that God provides us with all sorts of things and we should say thank you to him daily for them.  I had with me some soap, face cloth tooth brush and paste and asked how many people say thank you for these things.  I also had a clean shirt and asked about this.  I linked this with the idea that God gives us what we need and not what we want, on the run up to Christmas there are adverts already on the television about toys and things for Christmas - so I asked who says things like I want that and that and that and that.... I then told a brief account of George Muller who open up lots of homes for children who had nothing and how he thanked God for the food the children were about to eat - when in fact there was no food left to feed them.  But God had other ideas because both the baker and the milkman just happened to give the 300+ children what they needed that day.  George never once asked anyone for money to run his homes - he lived out those words Give us this day our daily bread.  That was a miracle from our God who is so big he holds us in his hands - cue song.  After the song I said a short prayer.

Our Lady's School

This morning I was with Lisa Smith doing an assembly for Operation Christmas Child at Our Lady's School in Dalton.  We started by singing God's Love is Bigger than a Burger then Lisa showed a video clip of an advert which talked about love not being a big thing but a thousand little things.  She built on this as she explain why we do shoe boxes and send them to children around the world.  After this I suggested to the children some of the things they might like to put into a shoe box.  We then sang Shine and Lisa closed with a prayer.

St Mary's RC School

This morning I was joined once again by Lisa to do an Operation Christmas Child assembly at St Mary's RC in Ulverston.  We started the assembly with God's Love is Bigger than a Burger and then Lisa showed an Ad from a few years ago which started with a slogan that said Love isn't a big thing.  As the ad went on we saw a brother and a sister growing up until one got married and the ending slogan said Love is a thousand little things.  The children went through fun times, and had their ups and downs too. She linked this to filling a shoe box with love and that love really is a thousand little things.  I then went on to talk about what to put into a shoe box and we finished with Shine from the inside out before saying a prayer.

OT BX4 Low Furness School

This afternoon I was back at Low Furness School doing week 4 of Bible Explorer.  I wasn't able to do a lesson last week as something else was on in school but despite that the children had remembered all the hand signs from week 1 to 3 which was great.  We did the stories of Samuel, Eli, Saul, David and Solomon ending when the kingdom split.  Next week we finish the story.

St Mary's Dalton

This morning I went along to do an assembly at St Mary's Dalton.  After saying hello to the children I introduced them to a new song (for them not me) So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  I then asked for a boy and a girl to come and join me at the front.  I gave one of them a plate and the other a tube of toothpaste.  I then instructed them to draw a face with the toothpaste onto the plate - I did get a bit of a funny look when I said this from the two children.  I then encouraged them to do some more only this time I helped out and made a load of toothpaste come out making a messy everywhere.  This got a laugh from the children but an even bigger laugh was had when I asked them to put the toothpaste back into the tube.  What was the point of this - simple whenever we speak out a wrong or bad word from our mouth that's it we can't take it back like the toothpaste can't go back into the tube.  I then demonstrated this by shouting at a teacher (it was OK as he is a very good friend of mine) this too got a laugh until I said can I take those words back.  I brought a bible verse from James which talks about a small spark is all that is needed to start a big fire.  The fire can make a mess and destroy things just like a wrong word can to a person.  So I encouraged them to think about how they speak to each other and to adults they know.  To finish we sang Shine I then closed the assembly with a prayer.

Lindel and Marton School

This morning I was joined by Lisa at Lindel and Marton School for an Operation Christmas Child assembly.  To start off we sang God's Love is Bigger than a Burger then I explained about how to pack and fill a shoe box.  Lisa then talked about love being a thousand little things and not just a big thing and did this by showing a video clip from an advert.  To close off the assembly we sang Shine and Lisa closed with a prayer.

Newton Primary School

This afternoon Sarah and I went to do an assembly at Newton Primary School.  We started by singing Be Happy then I opened my bag which was full of different things that can protect you.  I explained that the items were all different but they had something in common, some children said safety which was a great answer but I was looking for the word protection.  Sarah then read the story of Jesus calming the storm from a book by Andy Robb.  Afterwards I explained that all the items I had brought can protect us but in life we have ups and downs a bit like a storm.  Sometimes we are really happy and sometimes feel a bit down so I asked what do we do - I linked back to the disciples in the boat who called out to Jesus for help.  So I encouraged the children to do the same, I then introduced them to Wonderful Lord which talks about God being our shield and protector and He watches over us even when we are sleeping.  During the instrumental part Sarah said a prayer.

Croftlands Infant School

This morning Sarah and I were joined by Lisa when we did an Operation Christmas Child assembly at Croftlands Infant School.  We started with God's Love is Bigger than a Burger then Lisa showed a video clip and talked to the children about love not being a big thing but a thousand little things.  I then explained about what to put into a shoe box before we sang Shine.  Sarah then closed the assembly with a prayer.

Croftlands Junior School

This morning we did an Operation Christmas Child assembly at Croftlands Junior School.  I was joined by Lisa who told the children about love not being a big thing but a thousand little things, she did this with a TV ad from a few years ago.  I covered the part of the assembly that talks about what goes into a box.  To start the assembly off we sang God's Love is Bigger than a Burger and to finish it we sang Shine.