Lindal and Marton School

This morning Sarah and I did the assembly at Lindal and Marton School.  As it was our last visit before Christmas we did our Christmas assembly.  To start with we sang Be Happy then Sarah asked the children about Christmas and what it is, we then showed the Bible Society Christmas video for this year.  The video clip tells the story in the style of the story/poem 'Going on a bear hunt'  It traces the journey's of the main characters - Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men.  It finishes with a reminder of the journey Jesus made from heaven to earth.  Sarah then expanded on the story saying that if we take Christ out of Christmas then we wouldn't have Christmas at all because if it wasn't for Jesus there would be no Christmas.  To finish off we sang Rejoice With Us This Christmas before closing with a short prayer.

Pennington School

This afternoon Sarah and I did our Christmas assembly at Pennington School.  We started with the song Be Happy then we showed the children the latest Christmas video from the Bible Society.  This year they have based it on the popular childrens song/poem 'Going on a Bear Hunt'  It covers the various journeys that the main characters take to Bethlehem and finishes with the journey Jesus made from heaven to earth.  Sarah then talked about Christmas and what Christmas is finishing with the idea that if you take Jesus out of Christmas then there would be no Christmas!  To finish we sang our Christmas song Rejoice With Us.  I then closed the assembly with a prayer.

Newton Primary School

This morning Sarah and I went to do our first Christmas assembly (I know it is still November) we were at Newton Primary School.  To start the assembly we sang Be Happy then we showed the children the new Bible Society Christmas Video which tells the story of Christmas using the 'Going on a Bear Hunt' idea.  It focused on all the main characters of Christmas and their journeys to Bethlehem.  After it Sarah talked about Christmas and what it is all about, after asking the children for their thoughts she focused on the birth of Jesus.  To finish off we sang Rejoice With Us before I closed with a prayer.

Flookburgh School

This morning I went down to Flookburgh School for the assembly.  To start with I asked the children which song they would like to sing - one little boy picked God Can Do Anything, so I asked him to help me with the actions as we sang it.  After the song I took out of my bag a glove and a mitten I explained that both of them would keep my fingers warm however the glove would warm my fingers individually and the mitten the fingers would help to warm each other up.  I did say that both worked very well at finger warming.  I then showed a brief video clip of penguins as they move together for the long winter wait.  I used the clip to explain that the penguins help each other to keep warm and those on the outside will slowly be moved into the middle as they move about working together to keep each other warm.  I did point out that it is good for us all to be individuals but there are times when we do need to work together.  I mentioned a few places were we could do that too.  I used a verse from Philippians 2:4-5 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.  I explained what the verse means which then led to singing Shine. After the song I finished with a prayer.

Lindale School

Today Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Lindale School.  We started with So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  I then decided to put my coat, hat and gloves on while Sarah asked if I was going home - no I am cold I said my hands are really cold.  I had gloves on and told the children I couldn't decide if I was going to be warmer with mittens on or gloves - so I had one of each on.  This led Sarah to talk about the merits of gloves and mittens for keeping our fingers warm, she discussed this with the children who answered questions about it- telling us what they would do.  The point was that gloves do keep us warm and the fingers work individually to warm up but in a mitten they work together.  We then showed a video clip of penguins in the wild standing together working together to keep warm.  This was the whole idea working together - by now I was very warm so had to take them off.  We used a bible verse from Philippians to emphasise the point further -  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:4-5).  Sarah explained what the verse meant and we linked it to the song Shine.  After the song we closed with a prayer.

Croftlands Infant School

On Tuesday Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Croftlands Infant School.  We started with So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  I then decided to put my coat, hat and gloves on while Sarah asked if I was going home - no I am cold I said my hands are really cold.  I had gloves on and told the children I couldn't decide if I was going to be warmer with mittens on or gloves - so I had one of each on.  This led Sarah to talk about the merits of gloves and mittens for keeping our fingers warm, she discussed this with the children who answered questions about it- telling us what they would do.  The point was that gloves do keep us warm and the fingers work individually to warm up but in a mitten they work together.  We then showed a video clip of penguins in the wild standing together working together to keep warm.  This was the whole idea working together - by now I was very warm so had to take them off.  We used a bible verse from Philippians to emphasise the point further -  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:4-5).  Sarah explained what the verse meant and we linked it to the song Shine.  After the song we closed with a prayer.

Croftlands Junior School

On Monday Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Croftlands Junior School.  We started with So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  I then decided to put my coat, hat and gloves on while Sarah asked if I was going home - no I am cold I said my hands are really cold.  I had gloves on and told the children I couldn't decide if I was going to be warmer with mittens on or gloves - so I had one of each on.  This led Sarah to talk about the merits of gloves and mittens for keeping our fingers warm, she discussed this with the children who answered questions about it- telling us what they would do.  The point was that gloves do keep us warm and the fingers work individually to warm up but in a mitten they work together.  This was the whole idea working together - by now I was very warm so had to take them off.  We used a bible verse from Philippians to emphasise the point further -  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:4-5).  Sarah explained what the verse meant and we linked it to the song Shine.  After the song we closed with a prayer.

St Marys RC Ulverston

This morning I went to do the assembly at St Mary's RC in Ulverston.  After singing Be Happy I told the children a modern day version of the Good Samaritan story.  I used 4 children to help me and they dressed up for their parts.  I then explained afterwards why Jesus told the story and went on to explain the difficulty the people of Jesus' day had with the Samaritan people.  The point was Jesus told the story when someone asked him who their neighbour was.  So I asked the children who their neighbour was and someone said everyone - great response.  I encouraged the children to think about everyone as their neighbour and therefore do what ever they can to help them when they need it.  I linked into the filling of shoe boxes as that was the focus of our previous assembly.  This story fitted well with the song Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I closed with a prayer.

Burlington School

This morning I went to do the assembly at Burlington School.  To start off we sang Be Happy then I showed the children the Minion Mini Movie Clip 'Banana'  which the children found very funny.  After the clip I asked the children what it was the Minions hadn't done - share the banana.  I explained that if they had perhaps shared it between the two or three at the start of the clip then they might not have had all the other Minions chasing after them and loosing the banana.  I talked about how good it is to share what we have and pointed to the children's pile of shoe boxes they had collected saying that they had shared their love when they filled their box.  I encouraged them to think about what else they might share either at school or at home or in the wider community.  I linked back to our other assemblies this year which have all been about compassion and looking around to see what we can do to help others - cue Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I closed with a prayer.

St Peters School

This morning I went to do the assembly at St Peters School.  I didn't sing a song at the start but went straight into the story.  It was a modern day telling of the Good Samaritan story Jesus told. In my version of the story we had a businessman on a train from London to Birmingham and he became ill - very ill, we also had a nurse and a police officer in place of the Priest and Levite - and they walked on by just like in the Good Samaritan story.  Then instead of a Samaritan person I had a rapper who came along a bit loud but was the one who called for help and gave money to see the man who was ill home.  Although I had 4 children dressed up in costumes the rest of the children took part as the sound of the train.  I split the children into two halves one half said London the other Birmingham and when said fast enough it sounds like a train going over the tracks.  At the end I told the children where they could find the story and explained why Jesus told it in the first place and I also pointed out why a Samaritan person was included in the story - they weren't like by the people of Jesus' day.  I then talked about who our neighbours are saying it is not only the person that lives next door to us, one child said it was everyone - great answer!  I linked this to anyone who is in need and further linked it into the shoe boxes which I was taking away after the assembly.  All of what I had said linked very nicely into Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus after the song I said a short prayer and prayed for the children who would be receiving one of the shoe boxes.

Church Walk Primary School

This morning I went to do the assembly at Church Walk Primary School.  I started it by showing the Minion Mini Movie Clip Banana.  The children thought it very funny to see the little yellow Minions fighting over the banana.  At the end of the clip I asked the children what it was the Minions hadn't done- share was the answer.  I expanded on this idea a bit by talking about sharing what we have with others and mentioned a couple of events that happen during November were they can share what they have or even give away things they no longer need.  I linked back to the previous assembly about feeding the 5000 and said that the little boy had shared his small lunch and Jesus used it to feed all the people.  During that assembly I introduced the children to the new song Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus - so to finish we sang it again.  After the song I closed with a prayer.

Coniston Primary School

This morning Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Coniston Primary School.  We started with a song request from one of the children - God's Love is Bigger than a Burger.  After the song I told a modern day version of the Good Samaritan using some children to act out parts - instead of a traveller we had a business man on a train (rather than a donkey) he wasn't attacked but became ill.  As he was on a train we used the rest of the school split in half to make the train sound so one half said London while the other said Birmingham - when said quickly it sounds like a train going along the tracks.  The first person to find him was not a priest but a nurse who was looking for something to eat following a night shift, the second person to come by was a police officer who didn't want sick on his shoes so he left too.  Then a rapper came along and this person helped the man out, calling ahead to the next station and giving him money for a taxi.  I explained about the Samaritan people in Jesus' day how they weren't liked by the Jews.  I also explained why Jesus told the parable in the first place - responding to a question of who is my neighbour.  Sarah then picked up this idea of who a neighbour is and talked to the children about it saying that our neighbour isn't just the person that lives next door to us but is everyone and in particular anyone who has a need.  This led into Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I closed with a prayer.

Broughton School

This morning I went over to Broughton School for the assembly.  I started the assembly with Creator God as I had so enjoyed my drive over to the school seeing the mountains with the mist hanging in the valley.  So after the song I told the story of Jesus feeding the 5000.  As I told the story I displayed some pictures and expanded the story to talk about our last assembly which was about shoe boxes (a good way to remind the children about it too) The point was that a little boy saw how he could help out in a situation by giving over his lunch, Jesus used that to feed all the people.  I encouraged the children to use their eyes to look around and see where they could use their hands to help out.  This led into Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I closed with a prayer.

Leven Valley School

This morning Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Leven Valley School.  We started by singing Shine as it had a link to what we were going to talk about.  We then told a modern day version of the Good Samaritan story and used 4 children dressed in costumes to help us. We had a man on a train who became very ill, an off duty nurse who walked on by to go for some breakfast, a police officer who didn't want his new shoes to get dirty and a rapper who rang ahead to arrange help for the man and gave him money to get home.  I explained to the children why Jesus told this story it was about loving our neighbours.  Sarah then talked about who are neighbours are and not just the people that live next door it is everyone and particularly those in need.  To finish we sang Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus as it fits perfectly with the theme.  To close we then said a prayer.

Our Lady's School

This morning Sarah and I were joined by Lisa Smith for a shoe box assembly at Our Lady's School.  We didn't sing a song to start with as we wanted the children to watch a video clip from the Minion Mini Movie Banana.  It shows the Minions fighting over a banana.  At the end of the clip Lisa asked the children about the clip firstly reminding them what had happened and then asked what had the Minions not done - share the banana.  She explained that today we had come to talk to the children about how they could share something this Christmas time, by simply filling a shoe box.  I then explained what items to put in the box and what to do with it later.  Sarah then introduced the song Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus and reminded them about the words and how we can look around us and see how we can help others.  After the song Lisa finished with a prayer.

St Marys Dalton

This morning I went to St Marys Dalton for the assembly.  I started the assembly with Be Happy before doing a modern day version of the Good Samaritan story with a business man on a train who becomes ill, a nurse who walks on by likewise a police officer then a rapper steps in to help out.  I explained that Jesus told this story in response to a question about who our neighbour is.  I told the children that their neighbour wasn't just the person who lived next to them but was the people around them and they should be on the look out for how they can help others that might be in need.  To close we sang Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus as it fitted in with the assembly theme.

Lindal and Marton School

This morning Lisa Smith and I did our shoe box assembly at Lindal and Marton School.  We started with the Minion Mini Movie Clip called Banana.  It shows those little yellow Minion creatures fighting over a banana which the eventually loose.  Lisa asked the children what it was that the Minions weren't doing - sharing was the answer.  She explained that it is good to share what we have with other people and filling a shoe box is one way of doing that.  I then talked to the children about what they could put into a box.  We then sang Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus as this fitted in with the shoe box filling as the children could look around and use their hands to fill the box.  After the song Lisa closed with a prayer.