Broughton School

We went over to Broughton School this morning for our second visit and we took Scruff the Dog with us.  Part of the school was out so it left the top juniors and the reception class.  Scruff came out as he does and was surprised to see the children.  He commented on how he hadn't been to this school before.  He was excited to be at the school but a bit sad as he had lost something.  I did ask him if he had looked everywhere for it and I told me he had but then I went and found it in his bag.  It was a badge that said I'm Special.  I asked him where he had got it from thinking he had won a dog show or a competition.  He said no he was given it because he was special.  Oh I said surprised is it only you that is special and he nodded his head.  So I asked the boys and girls if they thought they were special too and they all put their hands up.  So now I said to Scruff because the children are special I could give his badge to one of them.  Now Scruff became really sad.  I thought then that I would ask some of the children why they were special and they told me lots of things.  I told them that they were special to God and that God loves us so much and he knows all about us including the number of hairs on our heads.  Scruff laughed at that and said that in my case there was so little hair it wouldn't be too difficult.  So I replied that in his case you would have to count the fleas too.  Scruff was feeling a little better now and was impressed that we are all special and that God loves us and has loved us since before we were born.  Scruff asked if there was a song about being special and Sarah said yes Touch a finger.  We sang the song Sarah finished the assembly with a prayer.

Messy Church

Had a great time yesterday down at the Methodist Church sharing in their Messy Church.  It was an Olympian theme with the story of the lost coin coming out via some spoon puppets.  It was great to see familiar face's again as we had a great time together.

Our Lady's School

I went this morning over to Our Lady's in Dalton.  Sarah decided due to the heavy rain that she would stay at home (good plan).  The children were pleased to see me though.  I started with Giants of Faith as we had introduced that to them last time.  And then I sat down and introduced Scruff the Dog to the school.  The children loved him, even though when he first came out he was a little sad and down.  I asked him why he was feeling so sad - was it the rain?  No he had lost something and had looked everywhere for it and couldn't find it.  I offered to help and found it in his bag!!  It was a badge that said I'm Special on it.  I didn't fully understand so I asked Scruff if he had won a dog show or something.  No he said he was just given it by someone special because he was special.  Pushing my point a little more with him I said is it only you who is special - Yes he replied.  So I asked the children if they thought that they were special in some way, and all hands went up.  Ah I said to Scruff so we can all be special so can I give your badge away?  Scruff got upset at that idea as he didn't want his badge giving away.  As all the children had put their hands up I went round and asked them why they were special and I got a number of different replies - someone even said because God had made us that way.  I told the children and Scruff that we are all special because God  yes made us that way and loves us as well and in fact he even knows how many hairs we have on our heads.  Scruff thought that this was funny because he said in my case that wouldn't be very hard to do.  I also said that God has loved us even before we were born.  I then tried again to give his badge away but again he said no but this time he said because that badge was really only for dogs.  He then suggested a song Touch a Finger.  Following the song I said a short prayer.

BX Lesson 2 at Pennington

This afternoon I was once again in Pennington School doing Bible Explorer.  Last week we finished on a bit of a cliff hanger as Joseph was in Egypt and was later joined by the rest of his family.  As the lesson started this afternoon I turned to the last chapter of Genesis and asked the children to watch very carefully as I turned the page to Exodus.  Then I asked the children if they saw it - blank faces looked back at me so I did it again only to be greeted once again with the same blank faces.  So I told them what they had missed - 400years, Wow with the turning of the page 400 years past by.  Which if you know Bible Explorer at all is the first hand sign of lesson 2.  The rest of the lesson went well as we looked at the story of Moses all 120 years of it and then once again as at the end of the first lesson with the Israelites waiting, waiting on the East side of the river Jordon.  I asked the children if they knew what happened next - those blank faces looked at me again.  Then I said I'll tell you next week.  Which was met with an awe tell us now Mark.
This blog does not even go half way to telling you how much fun we had this afternoon and how the children enjoyed taking part.  Can't wait until next week.

Croftlands Infants School

We took Scruff the Dog along to Croftlands Infants School this afternoon.  He had been given a badge that said I'm Special on it.  To start with he couldn't find it and was therefore very sad.  He told me he had looked everywhere.  So I asked him if he had looked in the same way that all children do when they can't find things he said he had but then I found the badge in his bag and it did say I'm Special.  So I asked if he had won a dog show - No or another type of competition - No so why the badge and Scruff said someone just gave it to him.  So I asked the children if they were special and they all put up their hand.  But when I asked Scruff if I could give his badge to one of the children he became very sad.  I thought it would be good then to ask some of the children why they were special and they came up with some really good ideas like we all look different etc.  Scruff was starting to understand so I told everyone that we are all special to God and that God loves us very much.  I even told the children that God knew all about us and that included the number of hairs on or head.  Scruff thought that this was funny as I don't have much hair.  Scruff would still not allow me to given a way his badge and the reason this time was because it was a doggy bag.  The songs today were Touch a Finger but to start with we introduced Giants of Faith.  Sarah ended the assembly with a prayer.

Ulverston Infants - Church Walk

Today we went once again to Ulverston Infants school and we took along Scruff the Dog.  But to start with we introduced the children to Giants of Faith.  Then I sat down with Scruff.  He was looking a little sad as he had lost something.  I asked if he had look for it really hard and he said he had looked everywhere, I remarked had he looked like most children do when they have lost something to which the teachers laughed while the children just sat there.  Anyway I looked in his bag and ...there it was a badge that said "I'm Special"  Wow I said who gave you this, had he been to a dog show, or had he won another competition or something.  No Scruff said just someone special had given it to him.  Oh I said is there anybody else special then, Scruff shook his head.  So I asked the children if any of them thought they were special and everyone put up their hand.  See I said to Scruff the children think they are special so can I give them your badge.  No Scruff said looking sad.  With this I then asked the children to tell me why they were special, one said it was their birthday, another said they had just started at Beavers and another said they did good things with out here parents asking her etc.  So I said to Scruff we are all special in some way and we are all very special to God as he made us all and he even knows how many hairs are on our heads with this Scruff looked at me and said well in your case that isn't hard!!  So Scruff learnt that we are all special to God but still didn't want me to give his badge away because it had a dog on it and it really was just for dogs.  I said that God loves us so much that in fact he even knew about us before we were born and loved us then too.  Scruff asked Sarah if we knew a song about being special and we did it was Touch a Finger to we all got partners and sang that before Sarah finished with a prayer.

Penny Bridge School

For our assembly this afternoon we went straight into the talk as time is always a bit tight and we had two parts to the assembly.  I had started to build a card tower and we asked two children to come out that were brothers or sisters and two girls came out to help.  They were asked to build the card tower higher.  They needed a bit of help to start with but soon got he idea and even managed to build a second layer but soon knocked that down and one blamed the other.  Meanwhile Sarah asked two other children to come out and  read a little play which was about two disciples of Jesus who were falling out because they thought they were better than the other.  Sarah went on to talk about our relationships with each other and how we show work together as a team and that we should share our gifts and talents with each other and help everyone.  Because like the two girls building the card tower we need each other in order to make things work.  Sarah also talked about how sports teams work together.  So she encouraged Team Penny Bridge to work together.  I then said that when we do then we shine our love from the inside out which was a cue for a song 'Shine'  The assembly finished with a short prayer.